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Packing a lunch is not just something that is for grade school kids; grown-ups can brown bag it too! Bringing your lunch to work is one of the easiest ways to stay under budget, but eat what you want. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched my coworkers spend $10 everyday on lunch. They shrug it off, but at the end of a full month of work, they have racked up a $220 bill on lunch alone! I don’t know about you, but as a single woman, that is twice my monthly food budget!

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Beyond the saving money, most meals packed at home are healthier than prepared food at restaurants. When we eat out, we’re often faced with bigger portions and fattening extras–like the french fries or chips that have to come with your burger or turkey club. But when you pack lunch at home, you can control your portions and choose healthier side dishes.

If you are the lunch take out queen, but are trying to become a lunch-packing princess, then try this easy tips to save money, shrink your wasteline and improve your kitchen skills.

1. Have A Side Salad As A Sidekick

You can have the best of both worlds by coupling your usual take out lunch with a healthy side salad. I prep a different side salad every Sunday night in order ensure I get my veggies in throughout the week. That way when I am tempted to grab a rice bowl at Chipotle or a slice of New York City pizza, I have a delicious and nutritious side to pair it with. Need help making a side salad? Check these out!

2.  Start A Lunch Swap Club

All the ladies in the office will love you once you start advertising this healthy option. I mean lets be real, we are all struggling to try and keep things right and tight. So why not join forces and try new healthy foods all in the name of “snatched waists” for once. Here’s the deal–gather four or more of your favorite girls, then each person is assigned a day where they are responsible for bringing everyone in the group lunch. Everyday is someone new and therefore every lunch hour is something new. You can even go the extra mile and start an email chain or Facebook page where you post the recipes of the day and the groups thoughts. Pow–accountability at it’s tastiest! Go team “You CAN Sit With Us!”

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