Credit Crunch Lunch Box
Do you find it difficult to have a cheap, easy but tasty lunch at work? WLR has ideas and shopping lists for you that will help you save £s and lose lbs with our credit crunch lunch box ideas for less than £2 a day.
Credit Crunch Lunch Box
By WLR staff sarah massey, laura meads and trudi maples
Eating a balanced, calorie controlled lunch at work and watching the pennies is no mean feat and we know that you guys sometimes struggle. So, WLR’s Sarah Massey, Laura Meads, Julie Howard and Trudi Maples were sent on a mission.
Budget Lunch
We were given an average daily budget of £2.00 a day for lunch to take to work. The rules were:
- No more than 1750 for the 5 days (average of 350 per day)
- Spend no more than £10 in total
- Each person had to choose a different supermarket to buy the shopping in
Low Calorie Lunch Recipes
- Each meal had to be tasty and satisfying
- The choices had to be interesting
- If possible, at least one lunch had to include a sweet pudding (for those of you out there that have a sweet tooth!)
Credit Crunch Food
The supermarkets that we chose to use to get our lovely credit crunch food were, Tesco, Asda, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s. Here are the results:
Sarah Massey – Sainsbury’s Shopping List
| Shopping | Amount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pittas, Wholemeal x 6 | 1 Pack | 45p |
| Ham, Wafer Thin, Cooked | 1 Pack | £1.49 |
| Cucumber | 1 Whole | 68p |
| Sweetcorn, Naturally Sweet, No Added Sugar & Salt | 1 Can (157g) | 34p |
| Soup, Tomato & Spicy Lentil, BGTY | 1 Can (400G) | 45p |
| Eggs, Basics x 6 | 1 Pack | 82p |
| Apples, Basics | 1 Bag (800g) | 99p |
| Plums, Basics | 1 Punnet (500g) | 99p |
| Yoghurts, Red Fruits, Low Fat x 6 | 1 Pack | £1.05 |
| Salad, Crunchy, Basics | 1 Bag (290g) | £1.00 |
| Tomatoes, Basics | 1 Pack (450g) | 61p |
| Mayonnaise, Extra Light | 1 Jar (500g) | 84p |
TOTAL |
£9.71 |
Low Calorie Lunch Ideas
| Monday | Ham Salad, Apple, Plum & Yoghurt | 323.3 cals |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Egg Salad Pitta, Apple & Plum | 345.9 cals |
| Wednesday | Soup, Pitta, Apple & Plum | 328.0 cals |
| Thursday | Egg Salad, Apple, Plum & Yoghurt | 359.9 cals |
| Friday | Ham Salad Pitta, Apple & Plum | 299.0 cals |
TOTAL CALORIES |
1656.1 Calories |
Laura Meads – Waitrose Shopping List
| Shopping | Amount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ham | 100g | 84p |
| Prawns | 100g | £1.00 |
| Bread Wholemeal | 800g | £1.17 |
| Iceberg Lettuce | 1 Whole | 59p |
| Cucumber | 1 Large | 68p |
| Cherry Tomatoes | 500g | £1.00 |
| Spring Onions | 8 | 78p |
| Salad Cream | 450g | 89p |
| Tomato Soup | 1 Can/600ml | 99p |
| Apples | 6 | £1.00 |
| Pears | 6 | £1.00 |
TOTAL |
£9.94 |
Low Calorie Lunch Ideas
| Monday | Ham Salad Sandwich & Apple | 271 cals |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Tomato Soup, Apple & Pear | 242 cals |
| Wednesday | Ham Salad & Pear | 193 cals |
| Thursday | Prawn Sandwich & Apple | 270 cals |
| Friday | Prawn Salad & Pear | 284 cals |
TOTAL CALORIES |
1260 Calories |
Julie Howard – Tesco Shopping List
| Shopping | Amount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Apple, Golden Delicious | 1 | 21p |
| Plum | 1 | 35p |
| Banana | 1 | 16p |
| Market Value Carrot | 1 | 45p |
| Tomatoes on the Vine | 2 | 28p |
| Cucumber | 1 Half | 34p |
| Round Lettuce | 1 | 59p |
| Value Sweetcorn | 1 Can | 29p |
| Value Tuna in Brine | 1 Can | 48p |
| Heinz Baked Beans | 1 Can (200g) | 48p |
| Weight Watchers Tomato Soup | 1 Can (295g) | 57p |
| Shape Strawberry & Raspberry 0.1% Fat Yoghurts | 1 Pack (4) | £1.00 |
| Value Chicken Roll | 1 Pack | 94p |
| Tesco Stay Fresh White Med Bread | 1 Loaf | 72p |
| 2 Finger Kit Kat | 1 Pack (9) | £1.00 |
| TOTAL | £7.86 |
Low Calorie Lunch Ideas
| Monday | Chicken & Tomato Sandwich. 1 Plum, Strawberry Yoghurt | 337.7 cals |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Tuna & Sweetcorn Salad. Kit Kat | 317.3 cals |
| Wednesday | Chicken, Lettuce & Cucumber Sandwich; 1 Apple & Raspberry Yoghurt |
352.1 cals |
| Thursday | Tomato Soup. Strawberry Yoghurt, Banana, Kit Kat | 332.6 cals |
| Friday | Beans on Toast. Kit Kat | 334.5 cals |
TOTAL CALORIES |
1674.20 Calories |
Trudi Maples – Asda Shopping List
| Shopping | Amount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| GFY Hummus Dip | 1 Pot (200g) | 88p |
| Carrots, Fresh Taste Batons | 1 Bag (350g) | 50p |
| Peppers, Mixed | 3 Pack | £1.38 |
| Cucumber | 1 Whole | 68p |
| GFY Chocolate Mousse | 1 Pack (6x60g) | 76p |
| John West Skinless & Boneless Red Salmon | 1 Can (105g) | £1.55 |
| GFY Soft & Creamy Cheese | 1 Tub (300g) | 98p |
| Asda Square Cut Wholemeal Bread Medium Cut | 1 Loaf | 72p |
| Clementines | 2 | 60p |
| Tender Leaf Salad Bag | 1 Pack (110g) | 96p |
| Celery Sticks | (350g) | 98p |
| Tomato | 1 (123g) | 17p |
| Asda Mackerel in Tomato Sauce | 1 Tin (125g) | 58p |
| TOTAL | £10.74 |
Low Calories Lunch Ideas
| Monday | 50g Hummus, Crudités and Chocolate Mousse | 268.5 cals |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | Salmon & Cream Cheese Sandwich, Chocolate Mousse, Clementine |
373.6 cals |
| Wednesday | 50g Hummus, Crudités and Chocolate Mousse | 268.5 cals |
| Thursday | Mackerel Salad. Chocolate Mousse | 403 cals |
| Friday | Salmon & Cream Cheese Sandwich, Chocolate Mousse, Clementine |
373.6 cals |
TOTAL CALORIES |
1687.2 Calories |
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