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Monday: Sesame Noodles With Chicken
Toss half of the fettuccine noodles, half the red peppers, and the julienned carrots with half the Asian dressing/noodle sauce. Top with half of the chicken strips. Eat hot or cold. Calories: 568
Fat: 29 g
Carbs: 50 g
Protein: 30 g
Tuesday: Black Bean Burritos
Lay two tortillas out on a plate. Spoon some of the black bean mixture onto each. Add some of the salad, then wrap. Heat in the microwave or toaster oven (if your office has one) for a crisper shell.
Calories: 511
Fat: 7.5 g
Carbs: 69.5 g
Protein: 15 g
Wednesday: Asian Chicken Salad
Put a few handfuls of salad into a bowl. Add the orange, and top with the chunk of chicken that wasn't cut into strips. Bring the other half of the Asian dressing/noodle sauce to work with you to toss in. Bonus: Throw in chow mein noodles or broken tortilla chips for crunch.
Calories: 499
Fat: 28 g
Carbs: 15 g
Protein: 24 g
Thursday: Hummus Salad Wrap
Lay two tortillas out on foil. Add two generous spoonfuls of hummus to the center of each. Add some salad and wrap.
Calories: 447
Fat: 8.5 g
Carbs: 39.5 g
Protein: 7 g
Friday: Lemony Pasta With Chicken
Friday: Lemony Pasta with Chicken
Combine the remaining fettuccine, the diced tomatoes and the remaining red pepper slices with the lemony pasta sauce. Toss to combine, and place the remaining chicken strips on top. Nuke and eat.
Calories: 565.5
Fat: 26 g
Carbs: 49 g
Protein: 32 g
The snacking dividend
You'll have salad, hummus, black beans and tortillas left over, even on your meager budget. One idea: Bake the tortillas until they crisp up; break into "chips" to dip into the beans and hummus, along with any leftover veggies. Make a mini-wrap snack anytime you're hungry.
A few points, from one cheapskate to the next
- Don't cling to the notion that you've got to eat meat at every meal. Getting protein from beans or nuts will cut costs and calories while still filling you up.
- Don't immediately go for pre-packaged produce. Stores try to sell bundled veggies to push inventory -- but they will give you a smaller quantity if you ask. Nobody likes a veggie graveyard in their fridge.
- Cheap, flavorful ingredients like lemon and garlic are essential to making canned and packaged foods taste fresh.
- Multi-purpose anything you can for lunch. A dressing that can double as a noodle sauce, or tortillas that stand in for pitas are perfect. Last night's pasta sauce can make you a pita "pizza" for lunch anyday.
Comments:
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Monday 10 May
By Lavinia
I absolutly love this article. Not only is it cheap and practicle, it is also healthy. And its perfect for someone who lives alone. I know there is a good number of carbs, but it beats having burgers, chinese, or pizza for dinner. You guys on a diet need to chill out, the carbs aren't all that bad if you are somewhat active.
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Monday 10 May
By Debbie Grace
Are you kidding? $25 for five lunches? Guess I should write a book! I can feed me and my husband all week (not only lunches, breakfasts and dinners too) for that....by knowing where and how to shop, you could make these lunches for MUCH LESS. We eat very healthy and I have lost 27 lbs in the past few months. I make it a challenge to see how much I can buy for what I have to spend. I take a few hours on the weekend to prepare ahead for the week, then we're not tempted to grab something fast at the deli or go out to eat. It's just waiting to be reheated or put together with a salad, etc. I think it's fun to make food that's healthy, delicious and cheap. Makes me feel smart. LOL
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Wednesday 02 June
By ritard
In response to Debbie Grace,
Your acting like a hillbilly Tramp! First don't come on here and act like the hard work that this author has put forth is a joke, when you have no proof or evidence to back up your claim. I sincerely doubt that you can make breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 on $25 a week! Unless your not eating much at all and are starving. Your pathetic and need to Get the fuck out!
Monday 10 May
By Donna Heald
These are great recipes except for the fact that they have way too many calories. I am on weight watchers and it's hard to believe these recipes have so many calories..
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Friday 14 May
By Mary
I really like this idea, and I hope it becomes a series. That said, my difficulty with these recipes is slightly different -- I don't think anyone should eat hummos that has been in the refrigerator for 4 days. Even homemade, it is especially prone to contamination with some insanely dangerous stuff -- Listeria and Legionaria, and other super-dangerous stuff.
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Saturday 15 May
By Randi Henning
For years I was eith a vegan, vegetarian, or following another diet. Several years ago I had to go on a renal diet, I will be on it as long as I am diabetic, which I have been for 36 years. All this means, is that I can no longer eat the foods I once ate, as a vegetarian. No potassium, phosphorus, or salt. No beans, nuts, dairy, potatoes, tomatoes, whole wheat products . . .the list goes on.
DON'T GIVE UP YOUR PASTA OR WHITE BREAD! i am allowed a total of 7-8 half-cup servings of pasta OR white bread a day, white, french, or sour dough. Each serving is equivalent to 15 grams of carbs! I eat 3 meals a day and 2 snacks. My meals require 2-3 carb servings, which is 30 or 45 grams. So please rethink your carbs. They give us long term energy. (I agree with those of you who said thumbs down to Jennie Craig. A nutritionist once told me that their is not enough carbohydrate in her diet!)
Protein is an excellent way to cut back on calories and fat. That was the reason I became a vegetarian!
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Sunday 16 May
By rita buxbaum
Why do you have to start from scratch? Whatever I ate the night before I put some of it aside and added to a salad or made a sandwich or wrap. truthfully you can add leftovers to any number of beans or other vegetables for a delicious lunch or quick bite(depending on the time available).
You had good ideas and I will try to incorporate some of then when I can. Thanks for the input.
rita
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Tuesday 01 June
By rose
Is this for 1 person? Thanks.
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