We’re welcoming one of my little sisters, the Muse from Musings, Chocolate and Tea, to our writing team. She is a college student and will be contributing a couple of times a month (more as her study schedule allows). We appreciate the new perspective!

We all know that the most frugal way to have lunch away from home is to pack it, but that’s not always possible.Sometimes the alarm doesn’t go off and you have to be out the door in 5 minutes.Or maybe the dog is throwing up and must be cared for. Could be you’ll be on the run all day, and whatever you pack in with your books would be smashed beyond recognition by lunch time (this one is me). But food is very important for sustaining productive, non-grumpy life, so what do you do? Do you go to fast food and buy unhealthy, fattening, mass produced food (can you tell I don’tl ike fast food)? Do you go to a sit down restaurant and get better food but pay twice as much? Do you stop at the gas station and buy a hot dog? I have found a better option - the grocery store.

Seriously, I have found that the best place to get a good meal on a budget is frequently the nearest grocery store. Many have a small deli section with freshly prepared sandwiches and small salads. These usually cost about the same as a fast food burger, but are filled with fresh veggies instead of grease.

For a side dish, head on over to the produce section. There you’ll find all sorts of fresh fruit: peaches, apples, plums, oranges, and more. I can get a nice juicy nectarine for a fraction of the price of an order of fries. There are also baby carrots, precut broccoli florets, and fresh tomatoes.

You’ll find more varieties of beverage than the standard fast food joint too. The dairy case almost always contains a selection of single serving bottles of plain, strawberry, and chocolate milks. I’ve even seen banana and vanilla on occasion. Sometimes there are also yogurt drinks – these could serve as small meals in themselves. Small bottles of orange juice are also available for a reasonable price. Other juices can usually be found, but are likely to cost 3 times as much. Chilled soda and energy drinks are usually available in either small refrigerators near the register or vending machines outside.

If the grocery store you land in lacks a deli, there are still myriad possibilities. For example you could buy the smallest bag of rolls available and a pack of pre-sliced cheese. Bread and cheese is delicious, but there is usually a fair variety of small packs of deli meats too if you want more. Crackers and a healthy dip are also a simple choice. The produce section frequently has bagged salad kits; these are usually a bit large for one person, but are quite tasty.

I have learned to keep a small knife and a box of plastic silverware on hand (usually in my glovebox). This creates even more possibilities. I don’t have to stick with pre-sliced cheeses. If I’m buying bread and cheese, I can cut my tomato into slices and add them to my sandwich. I also buy yogurt sometimes and could get those cottage cheese and fruit things they have.

I can go to the grocery store and spend the same or less than I would at a fast food joint, but I get more food and less queasiness after eating it. It has also, in my experience, frequently been faster.

Posted: 08|15|08 at 6:59 am. Filed under: Budget Balanced Meals.
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