The diner or the desk can you do lunch for less than a fiver a week

The diner or the desk can you do lunch for less than a fiver a week by Michael Cheary Unless you’re one of the lucky few who have the luxury of working from home, resisting the temptations of the high street can be a challenge, and the demands of your stomach can often take precedence over the demands of your bank balance.With the average UK employee spending an estimated £10- £15 on lunch every week, the money we spend on the middle meal of the day quickly adds up, with many of us paying in the region of £500 per year to appease our appetites.But does making your own work out that much cheaper than grabbing lunch on the go? We set ourselves the £5 lunch challenge to find out Week before paydayMonTomato soup with breadBanana and raisins £1.60TueTuna/egg mayo/cheese onion sandwichApple and raisins £0.76WedBeans on toastOrange and raisins £0.60ThuCornflakes with bananaGrapefruit and raisins £0.96FriJacket potato with beansBanana and raisins £0.68Total £4.60Middle of the monthMonTuna Salad with pepper, cucumber and mayonnaise dressing £3.1 3TueChicken and mayonnaise pitta with lettuce £2.50WedTomato and marscarpone pasta (will require cooking night before) £1.29ThuFajita wrap meal deal £3.00FriHoumous and pitta, with pepper and cucumber crudites £0.85Total £10.77PaydayMonMargherita pizza with dough balls £10.40TueWild crayfish and rocket salad w/ drink and crisps £4.60Wed1/2 chicken, rice and coleslaw £9.85ThuTurkey and ham sub w/ drink and crisps £3.60FriSalmon nigiri sushi bento box £3.95Total £32.40VerdictWeek before paydayPlain and simple. Surprisingly filling, if a little basic (may have gone overboard with the condiments) £4.60Middle of the monthGood variety and relatively healthy, probably have a little more room (wafer thin mint perhaps) £10.77PaydayWell and truly full. Although bank balance may not be £32.40OK, so in comparison, the high street lunches may look slightly more appetising. However, not only do the meals work out much more expensive, they are all almost certainly higher in calories, salt and fat content. By taking your lunch to work with you, you know exactly what’s going in to your food, making it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle and spend less money.Of course, this plan is just an example of what you can save. There’s nothing wrong with being impulsive and treating yourself every once in a while, but if you head out for a hearty high street lunch simply out of habit, the money can quickly add up.By downgrading to the budget option, you could save anywhere between £10 and £15 every week. And who couldn’t do with an extra £500 a year? £500=a weeks all inclusive holiday to the AlgarveA 47 3D HD TVTablet, eReader and MP3 PlayerBrand new phone and contract for the yearOr if you’re feeling particularly thrifty, you could buy 500 Pot Noodles and never have to buy lunch again.Bon appetite.So, do you make your own, or go for a high street treat? Share your working lunch tips with us below, or tell us on twitter @reedcouk