Brown bagging it & saving money.

Now is a great time to save some money whether you are saving up for a vacation, dealing with the loss of a job, or simply coping with the recession. There are a few easy ways to do so, when it comes to food.

I love to eat out, but it can take a serious toll on the wallet. Instead, have friends over to your place for dinner, and ask them to bring wine. Vegetarian meals are a great way to save money, think penne alla vodka, a baguette and warm goat cheese salad.


This would probably cost around $20 for four people.
A box of pasta ($3)
cream ($2)
tomato sauce ($4)
baguette ($2)
mescaline ($4)
goat cheese ($5)
onion ($.50)

I guarantee you'll spend less on the food, then you would have to pay if you were eating out in a restaurant. You get a great meal and fun with friends, without making a huge dent in your wallet

Another easy way to save money is by bringing your lunch to work. I know that this can sometimes be boring, but brown bagging it four days a week can save you a significant amount over the year and with these innovative ideas hopefully you can have a gourmet lunch and more $ in your pocket for a nice new pair of shoes or a bag or in my case a Masters degree!

Here are some creative ideas.

In the beginning of the week, I like to chop up a ton of veggies. I roast half of veggies and use them for my lunches throughout the weekdays. The other half, I pack for the hummus, grilled chicken salad, and pesto pasta salad. I also make the Cous Cous ahead.

Cous cous with roasted veggies. Just combine and microwave at the office

Roasted veggies, with goat cheese and pesto on a baguette. Prepare the night before, so that all of the flavors blend together. The baguette adds a nice crunch to the soft vegetables, creamy goat cheese and tangy pesto. (Use storeboat pesto, make your life easier)

Cold pesto pasta salad with crunchy veggies. Simply boil some pasta and stir in store bought pesto.

Grilled chicken with mesculine, goat cheese, and peaches. If you are eating chicken the night before, just make an extra breast. Add this to a bed of mesculine, and chopped up peaches. The creamy goat cheese adds a tangy twist.

Hummus and fresh veggies & baggette. Use the veggies you chopped in the beginning of the week.

Grilled chicken sandwhich, with onion, tomato, basil, and honey mustard on a baguette. Assemble the night before with leftover grilled chicken. To make honey mustard simply combine mustard and tsp of honey. Its delicious and tangy.