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As I was thinking about potential blog topics today I was preparing food for all my meals this week and it dawned on me:  I should figure out how much money I’m saving by packing breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day (I pack dinner on school nights) versus eating out.  Stick with me because you may be surprised.

So I started by breaking down “typical” meals I pack for myself including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I’m a creature of habit and generally stick with a simple approach for each meal so this was not very hard.  In many cases a single purchase lasts over several servings so I tried to break out the cost for 1 serving for the related meal.  For example, I am assuming I use 1 of 10 servings from my milk carton.  Since milk costs me $3.00/carton, each serving costs $0.30.  Okay, so let’s get to the details.  I will start with breakfast.

Breakfast			Total Cost		% of Total		Serving Cost
	Milk		$        3.00		10%		$0.30
	Cereal		$        2.50		13%		$0.31
	Banana		$        0.75		17%		$0.13
	Coffee		$        9.00		4%		$0.36
							$1.10		vs.		$4.00	Tim Horton's

If I didn’t pack breakfast (or eat at home), I would stop at Tim Horton’s (for those not familiar, think Dunkin Donuts).  When I pack, I usually include a glass of almond milk, a bag of cereal, a banana, and a 20oz thermos of black coffee.  If I stick with my usual brands, this costs me $1.10/day versus the $4.00 I would likely spend at Tim Horton’s.  Only 1 meal down and already big savings!  Keep in mind, I costed out my meal components assuming I paid full retail for everything, but I’m a coupon cutter and probably do even better than what I have in here.  On to lunch! 

Lunch
	Chicken		$        6.00		38%		$2.25
	Salad		$        6.00		7%		$0.40
	Clementines		$        4.00		13%		$0.50
	Mixed Veggies		$        7.50		13%		$0.94
	Chips		$        2.00		10%		$0.20
	Granola Bar		$        2.50		17%		$0.42
							$4.70		vs.		$7.00	Work Cafeteria

If I don’t pack a lunch, I’m usually stuck eating from our work cafeteria.  Don’t feel bad – it’s actually quite good, but we just don’t have good alternatives outside our building.  At the work cafeteria I would probably get a grilled chicken salad, a side of fruit, a bag of chips and a bottled beverage.  This would run me about $7.00 vs. the less than $5.00 from packing.   And as you can see I’ve got a pretty good, healthy line-up in my packed version!  And, more savings J  Now for the all-important third meal – the one that needs to carry me to my bedtime.

Dinner
	PB&J		$        8.00		5%		$0.41
	Grapes		$4.50		10%		$0.45
	Mixed Veggies		$        7.50		13%		$0.94
	Chips		$        2.00		10%		$0.20
	Cookies		$        3.00		7%		$0.20
							$2.20				$10.00	Panera

 

I calculated this as if I were going to class after work.  Class runs 6-9:15pm so I have to pack or grab something on my way from the car to my building.  The only close alternative is Panera which usually runs me $10.00 after I get a you-pick-two (extra charges for the “specialty” items I tend to pick, plus a drink).  If I pack a pretty standard lunch-style dinner, I can get to some totally huge savings on dinner!  Sometimes this meal doesn’t last me through the night, but it really should so I just need to be more cognizant of eating when I’m hungry vs. eating when I’m bored.

So there you have it – if I pack all 3 meals vs. not packing, I save myself $13.00.  That’s just for 1 single day!  Imagine extrapolating those savings over 50 5-day weeks – it would save you over $3,000 in 1 year.  That’s a vacation! 

Now let’s put some context around these calculations.  I tend to buy generic brands vs. name brands.  For example I buy Kroger brand cereal vs. Chex and Kroger brand chips vs. Lays.  Also, I snack from time to time, and that’s not included in this math.  If I pack my snacks, though, I am sure it would be cheaper than swinging through a fast food restaurant for a quick fix.  Also, keep in mind that being a “packer” involves some planning and preparation.  Anissa and I plan out our grocery list carefully each week and we spend a couple hours chopping veggies, cooking chicken/turkey for the whole week, and doing other food preparation to ensure we are set for the week.  One benefit besides the money savings is the wellness aspect.  Getting into the routine took me some time, but now that I have it down I am realizing some health benefits from making good choices when it’s easier (packing the meals) vs. making poor choices in the moment (eating out at Panera and getting chips and fountain pop instead of carrots and water). 

There you have it – all the evidence you need to start packing your meals.  Get to it people!

Cleaned and cut fruits and veggies

Individual servings of grilled chicken - ready to pack!