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Bringing your own lunch to work, also called brown bagging, is not only cheaper, but also healthier. Why don't more people do it then? Perhaps they are afraid of the extra work it may take to prepare lunch, or they simply don't have any ideas what to bring besides sandwiches and chips.

Only your work environment limits what type of food you can bring and what kind of appliances you may or may not have available. To make it easier, here are some ideas for any type of work situation.

If you have a microwave and refrigerator at work, the options are endless. When you make dinner the night before, simply cook extra portions and keep microwave safe containers on hand to store your lunches in. Everything still should be used within a three day time period however to avoid spoiling.

For variety, you can also turn you leftovers into something else. For example, rice can be turned into rice pudding, pasta into salads, meat into casseroles, chicken into chicken salad, etc. Use pita bread instead of plain old bread slices to make lunch more interesting.

Don't forget to add a drink. Try to stay away from sodas and drinks that contain caffeine. Juices are not only more refreshing and nutritious; they give you energy without the "crash" afterwards. Milk is a good choice as well.

If there is no microwave and no refrigerator, look back to "old" times when blue-collar workers carried thermoses. In the mornings, you can heat up some soup at home in your microwave while you get ready for the day, and fill it into a thermos - yes they still sell those. Pack some crackers, garlic bread, or bread sticks and add some fruit into your brown bag, and you will have a nutritious and satisfying lunch.

For variety, change the combinations of food. Don't bring the same bread, soup or fruit twice in a row. Some soups that carry well are chicken noodle, chicken rice, vegetable beef, vegetable, split pea and ham, even chili for cold days.

For easy fruit items look to grapes, bananas, and apples. If you have a little more time for lunch, you can bring sugared strawberries (don't forget the plastic spoon), melon balls or cubes, sectioned oranges, or sliced kiwis. If you are really limited for time, you can pick up pre-sliced fruit when you do you shopping on the weekends.

You can even add to your calcium intake by supplementing your lunches with cheese. Any hard cheese will do, simply cut into cubes, toss into a zip loc bag, and you are all set. Oh, don't forget to bring the bottled water! If you add ice before heading out for work, it will stay cool longer. During the cold winter months, you can also bring tea or other hot beverages in a thermos if you prefer. Also, it's a good idea to keep an assortment of plastic utensils and napkins in your car for those hurried days when you forget to pack them.

Bringing lunch to work is not complicated at all; most of these suggestions don't take any more time than it would take you to go to any drive through. With all these tasty foods available to bring, you won't miss eating out at all. Most importantly you may find yourself with higher energy than before, less inches on your waistline and more money in your wallet.

Learn more about this author, Alexandra Heep.
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