21 Easy Cheap Lunch Ideas for Men who Work Outside

One of the easiest ways to save money every week at work is to pack your own lunch. In most situations, you have a refrigerator and a microwave at your disposal to use at your workplace. This is not the case for a lot of men who work outside, in a tradesmen type job, or are on the road in a truck or car every day.

Men that primarily work outside and don’t have access to a mini kitchen in the office, need a fast, easy to eat meal, that tastes great cold, and it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

My husband has been working in various cabinet building shops for the last 25 years, and we have gotten really good at making sure he has a yummy a lunch and we save money while doing it! Fun fact: I recently found out that my husband’s co-workers are jealous of his lunches and wish that their wives made them special lunches! This literally made me giggle for days because honestly these lunches are just the best way for him to save money.

How much money can you save by packing your lunch?

According to a survey done by Visa, the average American spends $53 a week just on buying lunch at work. I found this survey to be extremely accurate based on my husband’s co-workers spending habits. Most of the guys he works with grab lunch at a fast food restaurant or a nearby gas station and spend about $10 a day for lunch and snacks. That is easily $50 a week and a few extra dollars if they hit the vending machine at work too!

That $53 a week in buying lunch adds up to over $2650 a year! I personally would love to spend that $2650 on something way more fun and enjoyable than lunches. I estimate that by packing my husband’s lunch every day, it costs me an average of $15 a week. That is a savings of $38 a week and about $1900 a year. (I say about $1900 because I calculated for 50 weeks instead of 52 to account for vacation time and holidays)

21 Cold Lunches for Work for Men

The most important things to consider when choosing lunch items is to make sure that they are healthy, tasty, and doesn’t cost a fortune. I have made a pretty long list which utilizes some staple lunch meals and added in ones my husband has really enjoyed over the years.

1. Chicken Salad Sandwiches

The chicken salad sandwich is such a staple item that some people get bored with it easily, but it is also super easy to change it up and make it new again! Easy ways to make chicken salad more exciting is to add nuts or raisins or grapes to the mix. Instead of boring sliced bread, try using Sweet Hawaiin Buns, large tortilla wraps, or pita pockets.

Money Saving Tip: Use leftover chicken from last nights dinner or use canned chicken. If you used canned, just rinse it off with cold water to remove the briny taste that can come from the can.

2. Hummus with Tortilla Chips or Pita Chips

Hummus is a very underused food for lunch, and it is so easy to pair with tortilla chips or pita chips. Not only is it packed full of protein and fiber, but it is also really cheap to buy it prepared or to make your own. I personally love the kind with the huge chunks of garlic in it. There are so many different varieties available that it is really hard to get bored of this option. If you are looking for a low carb option, try pairing with bell peppers or sweet peppers!

Money Saving Tip: To make your own hummus, all you need is canned chickpeas, olive oil, and seasoning. Simply blend it or use a food processor. The overall cost to make it yourself is very low. We like to stock up on hummus when it is on a super good sale like buy one get one free. Did you know that you can even freeze hummus? So, if you find a super awesome sale, definitely stock up and put some in your freezer.

3. Meat, Cheese, and Crackers

Yes, technically this is the adult version of a lunchable, but it is so GOOD! It also super easy to make on your own and cheap! We use lunchmeat or summer sausage for the protein, and usually pair it with a pepper jack or sharp cheddar cheese. I also usually throw in some spicy mustard packets from our condiment drawer to add a little extra zing.

Money Saving Tip: Skip the pre-cut cheese and buy the block cheese. It almost always cheaper to cut it yourself and then you get to control the sizes. You may be asking about the mustard packets; well, we save all the extra mini condiments that we get from take out or fast-food places. They last forever and they are so easy to throw into a packed lunch and not make a mess.

4. Beef Jerky and Fruit

This one is a huge hit when it comes to little or no time to eat. When my husband knows that he is going to have even less time than usual on a certain day to eat lunch, I go with beef jerky and a piece of easy to eat fruit like an apple or grapes. The high protein and the carbs from the fruit make you feel fuller longer on a smaller portion of food.

Money Saving Tip: Beef jerky can get really expensive, so I always look out for sales. I also check the price per unit on different sizes of beef jerky because sometimes buying the smaller package actually is cheaper than buying a huge container. An easy way to save money on fresh fruit is to not wash it until you are ready to eat it or pack the lunch. If you wash fruits when you first buy them, it actually makes them rot faster and then you end up throwing it away before you can eat it.

5. Ham Salad Sandwiches

Ham Salad is so easy to make and is a great way to use up leftovers from dinner. To make it less boring instead of mixing it with mayonnaise, try using ranch dressing for some extra flavor. Ham Salad is also really good on crackers, so it doesn’t even need to be in sandwich form. I usually serve with some pickle slices or spears on the side.

Money Saving Tip: Check your grocery store after Christmas for really good ham prices. So many people pay a higher price for ham around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but it kind of goes out of season in January for larger hams. These ham roasts are super easy to freeze whole or to freeze after it has been cooked. Also, my local grocery store almost always has the pre-cut ham chunks on special or super sale, so I always stock up when I see them super cheap!

6. Mexican Layer Dip

Hands down, Mexican Layer Dip is my husband’s all-time favorite lunch. It started as a creative way to use up leftover refried beans and now I am asked constantly for this lunch. Have you ever seen those 7-layer Mexican Dips that have beans, salsa, sour cream, cheese, and guacamole? Well, those tasty bowls from heaven can cost a lot when they are premade but can be really easy to make on the cheap at home. My husband is not a huge fan of guacamole, so I skip that part, but I just layer whatever ingredients I already have on hand in a reusable Tupperware style container. I add in a bag of tortilla chips or the really large dipping Fritos corn chips, and I have a very happy husband.

Money Saving Tip: Saving a lot of money on Mexican dishes is super easy if you check out the authentic Mexican food aisle. Your Americanized version of refried beans can get a little costly, but if you check out the Mexican brands, it is really affordable! Another way to save money is on the salsa, instead of buying the jarred stuff you can make your own for pennies or look in the canned tomato aisle. I have found lots of Rotel style chopped tomatoes with peppers for a fraction of the cost. The sour cream and cheese are staples in our house, so we always have them on hand.

7. Chef Salad

A chef salad is another good way to use up leftover chicken, ham, or really any meat from the night before. Great topping choices are shredded cheese, hard-boiled egg, tomato, cucumber, pickles, etc. Try different salad dressings for a southwest salad with leftover taco meat, a ceasar salad with chicken, croutons, and parmesan cheese, or a cobb salad with avocado and blue cheese.

Money Saving Tip: Skip the bagged salads and buy a head of romaine or leafy lettuce. Head lettuce is actually cheaper, and you get way more when you cut it up yourself. I like to rinse the head, chop it up, put it in a large ziploc bag, then roll all of the air out. The chopped lettuce lasts all week and is ready to use as a side salad for dinner or topping for tacos. I recommend find little dressing squeeze bottles (I found some at the dollar tree) or wait to add the dressing in the morning, so it doesn’t get super soggy.

8. Leftover Hamburgers or Chicken Sandwiches

My husband loves a good burger, and we eat homemade ones for dinner pretty frequently, so naturally he does sometimes take a leftover burger to work. We have found that if you put the burger, cheese, and pickles in a small tupperware container, and then put the bread in a ziploc bag, that the sandwich doesn’t get soggy by lunch time. This same packaging works great to keep a grilled chicken or breaded chicken sandwich from getting soggy too! Once again, I throw in some mini condiments like ketchup and mustard from the takeout stash, and now he has an awesome burger for lunch. You can spice up your burgers by adding large slices of tomato, onion, or bacon too!

Money Saving Tip: I love the no prep of premade frozen burgers, but their taste isn’t that greatest and they can get pretty expensive. I have found making burgers at home with ground beef but preparing it like you would meatloaf by adding an egg, breadcrumbs, and seasonings have really upped my burger game. We noticed that they don’t shrink up as much as the frozen burgers too.

9. Wraps or Pita Pockets

Thankfully my husband isn’t super picky when it comes to lunches, so when I am feeling less than inspired or don’t have any leftovers, I try to make a normal lunchmeat sandwich different with wraps or pita pockets. Just add chopped salad, lunch meat, and cheese then wrap it up or stuff it into a pita pocket. I like to send a little bottle of ranch dressing and he can squirt some on before each bite. This keeps the wrap and pocket from getting soggy and adds some extra taste to every bite!

Money Saving Tip: My husband really got hooked on whole wheat wraps for a while and we realized that by just switching out his bread for wraps, it helped him loose almost 15 pounds in 2 months. So, if you are looking for an easy way to trim calories, this swap is perfect! We also found that purchasing tortillas in the Mexican food aisle was usually cheaper than buying wraps in the bread aisle. I have no idea why there is such a price difference, but you should check it out at your grocery store!

10. Cold Roasted Chicken

Cold cooked chicken with a little salt and pepper is one of my favorite snacks! You can use rotisserie chicken, baked chicken, or even grilled chicken! I like to pair it with fruits and veggies, and it is similar to eating a salad without the lettuce!

Money Saving Tip: Keep an eye on chicken breast prices and only buy when it is at the lowest point. One of our local grocery stores regularly has chicken breasts on sale for $1.49-1.99 a pound. I will stock up at the cheapest price, and then not have to worry about buying chicken for a while. If you have ever paid $4.99 a pound, you know the the price of chicken breasts changes so much it will give you whiplash!

11. Tuna Salad

Tuna salad is another excellent super low-priced item that is full of protein. It is also super versatile because you can add onions, pickles, hard boiled eggs, and so much more. We like to switch out the mayonnaise for ranch dressing for change of pace. Tuna salad is super tasty on crackers, over a chopped salad, on a sandwich, or in a pita pocket!

Money Saving Tip: Always check the price per unit on tuna! You may find that buying the smaller cans is cheaper or that sometimes buying in bulk like a 4-pack deal is the way to go. Overall tuna is an excellent pantry staple to keep in stock because it is so cheap and versatile!

12. Hard Boiled Eggs

Besides tuna, my other favorite cheap protein is eggs! You can literally make a million things with eggs, and they are really good when cold. We like to do hard boiled eggs or deviled eggs and pair it with nuts and fruit. Super filling and really healthy too!

Money Saving Tip: Did you know that older eggs are actually easier to peel? We go through eggs pretty quickly, but whenever I see only 1 or 2 eggs left in the carton, I usually go ahead and make up some hard boiled eggs. Add in some take out mini salt and pepper condiments to add a little extra seasoning too.

13. Peanut Butter and Jelly

I know what you are thinking, and yes this is typically a kid’s lunch, but hear me out! Peanut Butter and Jelly is actually such a comfort food, it is yummy when cold, and it packs a lot of calories and protein in an easy to eat sandwich. I don’t even go too fancy with this, but sometimes I do make it with crunchy peanut butter just for fun.

Money Saving Tip: When your broke and waiting for pay day, you really have to scrape the bottom of the barrel sometimes, so the classic PB&J works out great. We almost always have peanut butter in the pantry because of WIC and we have toddlers, so when we are out of lunchmeat and not having a good leftover dinner option, PB&J works just perfectly!

14. Smoked Sausage

My husband is all about grilling, especially in the summertime, so we usually grill up precooked sausages to add some extra flavor. We have found that these are also a delicious lunch option. You can serve them like a hot dog on a bun or hoagie, or you can slice them up and pair with cheeses and crackers.

Money Saving Tip: Our local grocery store almost always has a special on precooked or raw sausages every week. We like to stock up when they are super cheap and freeze them to use later. These are also super easy to make pastas and rice dishes for dinner!

15. Pasta Salad

Another summer time favorite is pasta salad! We love to make an Italian version with feta, tomatoes, pepperoni, peppers, and really anything else that sounds tasty. This is seriously such an easy way to clean out the fridge of vegetables. We use a zesty italian dressing for extra flavor. Depending on the vegetables that you use, you may want to blanch them first if you have digestive issues with eating raw vegetables.

Money Saving Tip: Pasta is relatively cheap, but I have found that you can save even more by looking at the Authentic Mexican Food Aisle. Why is the pasta in this section super cheap? I cannot figure it out! If you look at the ingredient list, it is the exact same as the traditional Italian pasta in the pasta aisle, but it is 50-75% cheaper over here!

16. Crudite and Dip

Crudite is really just a fancy word for vegetables but it does make a very tasty lunch! I like chop up a bunch of celery, carrots, bell peppers, sweet peppers, radishes, and more. Now you can pair this with your favorite dressing like ranch, but we have found a super easy and cheap dip that is mind blowing. We take one pack of cream cheese, mix in seasonings and shredded cheese. Once you stir it together and refridgerate, it tastes like one part cheese ball and one part veggie dip!

Money Saving Tip: Always buy your vegetables in their natural state. Just skip anything that is pre-cut, because you pay a premium for this time saver. Pick up baby carrots and you don’t even need to cut them; you can just wash them! Did you know that you can freeze chopped celery and carrots? If at the end of the week, there is any vegetables leftover, I rough dice them up and put in the freezer to use next time I make soup, stews, or roasts!

17. Egg Salad

The humble egg salad sandwich is either loved or hated. I personally like it better as a dip with tortilla chips than as a sandwich, but it is such a cheap and easy protein filled lunch that it definitely makes the list! Try adding pickles, onions, or spicy mustard to ramp up the bland.

Money Saving Tip: Check out the generic store brand tortilla chips! They cost so much less, and I actually like the flavor better than the name brand options. So why spend $4 for a little bag of chips, when you can usually buy a generic brand bag that has twice as many chips for $2?

18. Fruit, Nuts, and Cheese

A little while back, a bunch of companies started making snacks that consisted of fruit, nuts, and cheese and marketing them as high protein energy boosters. They looked super tasty but cost a fortune! I immediately started looking around to see if I could find a cheaper alternative. We like to mix it up with peanuts, cashews, and almonds. Pair it with pepper jack, cheddar, or mozzarella cheese, and then add in some dried fruit like cherries, apricots, or raisins. The sweet, salty, and creamy combo is so good!

Money Saving Tip: When it comes to getting a good deal on nuts and dried fruit, I love to shop at Aldis. They have such a great selection, and their prices are usually much cheaper than other stores. My alternate method of saving money on nuts is to head over to the baking aisle. Nuts in the snack section typically have extra salt and seasonings added, but if you buy them from the baking section, they usually have no extras added and they are cheaper!

19. Vienna Sausages and Crackers

My husband grew up eating vienna sausages and potted meat straight out of the can, so when I see these on sale, I pick up a few for him. I actually have them packed in a “survival box” in his truck in case he ever breaks down or is stuck on the side of the road with no food. Their expiration dates are usually super long, so they work great as a just in case food.

Money Saving Tip: Check out bulk packs or 4 cans packaged together! I have found some great deals when I found a multipack versus buying individual cans. I also usually pick up generic saltine crackers for less than a dollar for this lunch.

20. Cucumber Tomato Salad

We usually grow a garden every year in our front yard, and we end up with an abundance of tomatoes and cucumbers. This simple salad uses up both! We mix tomatoes and cucumbers with feta cheese, onions, and zesty italian dressing. Personally I find this salad is even better the next day when the vegetables have a chance to soak up some of the dressing. You can also add chicken or ham to this salad for extra protein. If you grow your own herbs, this salad would be so good with fresh rosemary, parsley, or dill!

Money Saving Tip: Growing tomatoes and cucumbers is literally super easy to do. You can even grow them in a potted garden if you don’t have a yard for a full-on garden. If you have no green thumb at all, ask your friends and family if they grow any vegetables! Once I asked around about who grows what, I started getting care packages of extra vegetables, so we organized swaps of vegetables that we grew in abundance too!

21. Lunchmeat Sandwiches

Lunchmeat and cheese sandwiches are a staple for a reason, they are easy to assemble and fairly inexpensive. To me, they do get super boring sometimes. We like to add different flavors by using different sauces. Next time you build your sandwich, start with your half the meat, a piece of cheese, and then try a sauce like ranch/ thousand island dressing/pickle relish/ spicy mustard/ etc., then top it off with the other half of the meat. By adding the sauce in the middle, it won’t seep into the bread and make it all soggy!

Money Saving Tip: Check out the deli counter! I usually buy lunch meat in the prepackaged area, but I have started looking at prices at the deli counter and noticed they tend to have lots of unadvertised deals. They also sometimes have meat that has been sliced but not claimed, and then it is on sale for 50% off!

If you have access to a microwave and refrigerator at your job, check out these “Cheap Lunch Ideas for Work“.

Easy Cheap Lunch Ideas

Hopefully this list has given you some new ideas or at least some new twists on staple lunches. Now I am not always mindful of packing lunches and have forgotten to do it a time or two…. So, my wonderful husband has taken some odd things to work. He has eaten cold pizza, spaghetti, leftover Chinese takeout, etc.

My husband sometimes works 12-hour days, so I also like to add snacks for him to eat during the day as well. I try to add fresh or dried fruit to every lunch, and I will shop seasonally to get the cheapest options. I also stock up on crackers or tortilla chips for afternoon snacks. We also keep a case of bottled water in my husband’s truck, so he doesn’t have to buy expensive vending machine soda when he is thirsty.

The trick to really saving money and time on packing lunches comes down to one thing: Make a Plan First. Just like meal planning for dinner, if you take the time to pre-think lunches, you will be saving a ton of money in no time!

If you enjoyed this list for your husband, check out our list of kid friendly lunches too!