9 Inexpensive Lunch Ideas
What's the best thing since sliced bread?
What you put between the bread! From smokey barbecue beef to roasted veggies to creamy chicken salad, you'll love these lunches from the first bite.
They're affordable, too. Brown-bagging your lunch can save big bucks over time, and each meal here costs less than $2 per serving.
For healthy eaters who usually opt for salad, these sandwiches come sans guilt. Almost every combo here is less than 400 calories, the perfect size for any woman who's worried that bikini season is around the corner.
Apple, Gouda & Crispy Prosciutto Panini
$1.74 per serving
Who needs a fancy panini press? Simply transform your ordinary skillet and spatula into a panini maker. Pile on the ingredients, and then toast both sides of the sandwich in the pan until it's golden brown. Press down on the sandwich with your spatula; the sizzle will tell you it's almost ready!
Veggie-Tuna Salad Wrap
$1.93 per serving
Tired of your typical tuna salad? Mix it up! Broccoli florets, parsley, and Granny Smith apples are the surprise ingredients that give this tuna wrap an amazing new taste (and a beautiful green color).
Chicken Fajita Burrito with Mango Salsa
$1.92 per serving
Here's a burrito that won't leave you broke-and no, it's not just filled with beans. Roasted chicken strips make this a high-protein meal that keeps you satisfied during lunch and through to dinnertime.
Mediterranean Salad Pita
$1.96 per serving
Pump up your pita with a variety of your favorite Greek goodies: feta cheese, cucumbers, red onion, and peppers. Chickpeas add protein while tahini and yogurt keep the combo creamy and moist.
Turkey in the Slaw
$1.17 per serving
Add a crunch with cole slaw. Take your basic turkey sandwich-always a healthy lunch staple-and then pile on some crispy homemade slaw. Garnish with honey mustard for a tangy zing.
French Roasted-Vegetable Sandwich
$1.01 per serving
Fitting in veggies is easy if they're tucked in a delicious sandwich. Here, olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and balsamic vinegar coat these vegetables to perfection.
Tarragon Chicken Salad
$1.74 per serving
Upgrade your simple celery and mayo chicken salad. Fresh tarragon, low-fat sour cream, and crunchy chopped almonds take this hoagie from boring to unbelievable. You'll never go back to your basic recipe again.
Bacon, Tomato & Pesto Sandwich
$1.70 per serving
BLTs are the ultimate guilty pleasure, but this one tallies up to just 300 calories. Jarred pesto is the secret ingredient that jazzes up the flavor and keeps the sandwich from falling apart when you take a nice big bite.
Shaved Barbecue Beef Sandwich with Spicy Slaw
$1.75 per serving
Even your favorite BBQ restaurant can't compete with this beef sandwich. Smoky barbecue strips of beef combine with tangy homemade coleslaw for the ultimate flavor explosion. Picnic perfection!
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