Brown Bagging it

[LivingAlmostLarge]

Okay, I'm trying to create a poll on my blog, but I have no idea how. So I guess I'll start here and then see what happens.

How many days a week do you take your lunch to work? Everyday? 4? 3? 2? 1? Occasionally? Never?

[kealina]

almost always... i generally did it in college too... of course, this is dependent on me always having lunch food... on the rare occasion when i am out of food i will generally opt for something cheap and fairly healthy...

[usnavy_233]

Every day.

[disneysteve]

Every day.

Occasionally, we have lunch brought in by sales reps, but even when a lunch is scheduled, I still pack one as the schedule isn't always correct or last minute cancellations occur. If they do show up, then I just save what I brought for the next day.

I will admit that every once in a while, maybe 5-6 times/year, I decide I don't want want I packed and I order Chinese food from the place across the street from my office.

[LuxLiving]

Hubster & CashHappySon both pack their own lunches 5 days per week. FrugalSon eats free at work and I eat last night's leftovers.

[MonkeyMama]

4 days/week.

I usually eat a $1 meal once a week - just nice to get out and go for a drive. I am also so busy is the only time I really see friends so I tend to go out once in a while for lunch, but often save the leftovers - I can spread a $7 lunch out for 2 days of leftovers easy.

[pearlieq]

It really varies. Sometimes it's every day, sometimes it's never. I need to get more disciplined about eating in. The sad thing is I work from home!

I'd be happy with 4 times a week. I enjoy going out and I think once a week is reasonable.

[kristinecfp]

Ha! Pearlieq, you're funny! I work from home too, so I usually eat leftovers. If I am in the mood for something else, then I usually head to the deli counter at the grocery store. They have great sandwiches that are healthier and usually less expensive than the fast food places.

However, when I was right out of college and working at my first 'real' job, I ate out almost every day! But when I sat down and calculated how much it was costing me, I switched to leftovers very quickly.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Last temporary job I worked outside of the home was such low pay that you bet I brought my own lunch and drink, too. Otherwise I would have to work an hour just to pay for the purchased lunch. One hour out of eight just to pay for a greasy lunch? I don't think so! Also there was no restaurant close by where I could get in and out duing the lunch period. So my only choice would have been to buy in the concession lunch room that was in our building. Then I'd end up spending too large a portion of the lunch break just standing in line with hundreds of others. Taking my lunch saved money and gave me time to take a walk and clear my head of the dreadful grogginess that settled there due to the drudgery of the production type work.

Of hundreds of people in the lunch room, I never saw anyone lese with a homemade lunch. If there were others, they must have taken lunch somewhere else.

[richinspirits]

I try to bring my lunch every day, but if food at the house is low, we have a cafeteria in the basement of our building where I might get soup for $1.35. Sometimes I will make a lunch out of that and some other things at my house, like a granola bar and a piece of fruit, etc.

I have a rule, on the rare occasions that I can't bring food to work for lunch, and I have to buy something, it can either be cheap and unhealthy, or expensive and healthy. I can get a slice of pizza which isn't the best for me, but at least it is cheap. Or, I can get sushi from the supermarket which is $4-something, but at least it's good for me. But I can't spend a lot of money on garbage! That is just not ok.

It is so funny to see how my habits rub off on my boyfriend...I called him on his lunch break one day and he said "Yeah, I'm doing fine, just sitting here eating some expensive fast food...." Of course I said "You are WHAT??" but he was already laughing

[Ima saver]

When I worked, it was in a restaurant, and I took a sandwich every day to work. My husband works 7 days a week and takes his lunch every day. His sub contractors drive all the way back to town (over 15 miles) and pay for their lunch. so, they spend $10 plus lose out on at least an hour's pay and all that gas.

[FrugalTexan75]

Right now I get to go home for lunch every day. There have been a few office lunches (Thanksgiving,Christmas, President's birthday, etc.) There has also been a few times where the weather just was so cold/wet etc, that I ended up staying at work. After the first time where it cost me $4.25 for a sandwich and salad, I bought a bunch of the Healthy Choice soups that you just pop in the microwave. I also keep almonds and raisins in my desk drawer.

My company is moving in May/June, so I won't be able to go home for lunch anymore. I will definitely be brown bagging it when we move.

[humandraydel]

I take lunch to work almost every day of the week - once a month I will eat out with friends. Nearly every day I eat left overs. I also keep cans of soup in my desk for days when I don't have left overs.

I do it for two reasons - one is the cost of eating out, but also my left overs are better (and healthier!) than anything from the cafeteria or fast food restaurant.

[Ima saver]

I just joined but I don't know how to find you laneerg!!

[rob62521]

I take my lunch almost every day unless I have to be out of the building and my lunch won't keep in a hot vehicle. Sometimes I have leftovers and other times I have to pack stuff. We do have the cafeteria food and it's kind of reasonable, but doesn't look healthy or tasty and this is what they feed our students!

[Ima saver]

Unless you go to fast food, you can't get lunch much under $6 and by the time you add a tip, that really adds up when you are working.

[threebeansalad]

Every day. Big money and time saver (I don't get a paid break).

[Ima saver]

My husband does take a paid break either. He eats his sandwich in a few minutes and continues working.

[tabbycat31]

I eat both breakfast and lunch at work. Breakfast is instant oatmeal made in a coffee cup in the work break room.

Lunch I normally have at home since I am free between 1 and 2 from one job to another. Dinner I eat at work, even if it is just yogurt.

[lrjohnson]

Almost every day.

I go out to lunch around once a month, mostly for the social aspect, and post Challenge I plan to bump it up to two times a month.

I could go home for lunch, but once I'm home, it flips a switch in my head saying "off work" so I stay at work. I eat with co-workers.

I keep mergency food in my drawer if I'm running really late; a can of soup or vegetables fills in in a pinch.