Tuesday, June 16, 2009

$7.20 Buys You What?

Despite all the cooking I did over the weekend, I forgot to pack my lunch for work yesterday. I was a bit annoyed, but thought, oh well, I sometimes buy lunch, might as well be today.

The town I work in only has three places for lunch. A deli/market, a pizza place and a small specialty food store that sells only sandwiches (no chips, fruit, drinks,etc).

The pizza place was closed and I was not in a sandwich mood. I ended up getting one small chicken thigh, a nob of bread and a small spoonful of potatoes. It fit into a 5x5 container with room to spare. That plus a soda cost me $7.20. EXCUSE ME? I figured around $5, but over $7-wow. I should say that this market is the same one that charges $8 for a jar of mayo that you can get for $3 at the grocery store.

Wow, it's getting harder and harder to support my local market when 1) the food is that expensive and 2) It's not that great. In comparison, I will sometimes get a very large chicken wrap with fries and extra pickles from the pizza place. It costs me $8.50 and I have enough of the wrap to have as dinner that night or for lunch the next day. I don't mind paying the $8.50 as I get almost two meals out of the one purchase. I probably could have gotten a sandwich, but I was not in a sandwich mood yesterday.

I stopped at the grocery store and picked up about $14 worth of groceries that will more than stretch out what's in my cupboards and carry me through the middle of next week. I made sure I posted a note on my door that said BRING YOUR LUNCH FOOL so I would not forget.

Moral of the story-don't forget your packed lunch and remember to stock up on some emergency food things to keep at the office.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I work at a hospital and our lunches cost way too much and they aren't good food or good for you!! I slice of turkey is $2.72!!! So, I work three days in a row. The night before I fix my three lunches ready to get out of the frig. So, I don't forget to take my lunch...I put my car keys in the frig on top of the lunch for the day. Works for me, hope it helps you.

Kari said...

Car keys in the fridge now THAT's what I need to do. I'm notorious for forgetting my lunch.

I work in an airport... you should see the lunch prices there UGH!

Bouncing Back said...

If I'm having leftovers for lunch, I usually pull the containers out of the fridge 1st thing in the AM, bag them up and put my lunch bag on the kitchen table with my keys. I usually don't forget lunch. Monday, I just did not do that and walked out of the house. What can I say, it was a Monday!

Dawn said...

I've done this very same thing, fortunately we have lesser priced options near where I work. Actually, I have a craving to go out to lunch today... good thing I have sworn it off for the month, otherwise I would be in trouble.