FitSugar

Brown Bagging and Bacteria-Free: Tips For Bringing Leftovers to Work

Leta Shy — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:52:32 PDT

Does August's back-to-school mode have you in the mood for bringing your lunch to work? Good idea: not only will you be saving money, but you'll also be making healthier options while you're at it.

If you're ready to brown-bag it, bringing leftovers can be the perfect solution. Making a little extra when cooking dinner is a great time-saver; no need to carve out extra time to make a sandwich when you've already got a meal waiting in the pan, and you don't need to spend extra time planning out a lunch menu before you go shopping. But using leftovers for lunch doesn't mean that there's no preplanning required. Making sure you are safely and conveniently storing leftovers tonight means a happy, healthy lunch for tomorrow, so check out these tips for bringing leftovers as lunch.

Leftover prep. That huge dish of lasagna shouldn't stay out on your counter for too long. You should pack away your food (in convenient lunch portions if it's a big batch) within two hours at room temperature - but note that since Summer days can mean hot kitchens that you should refrigerate leftovers within an hour if the temps reach 90 degrees or more.

Read on for more tips on how to safely and easily bring leftovers at work.

Smarter Eats: Roast Your Own Sandwich Meat

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:00:01 PST

One of my New Year's resolutions is to always bring my lunch to work. I'm trying to save money, eat healthier, and have more time so I can go on a long walk during my workday. So far, so good!

Of course now that I'm shopping at the market more often I'm trying to figure out ways to bring down costs there too. Two words: sandwich meat. For my sandwiches I like to use good quality meat, which means natural, organic, or minimally processed. And even though it's still cheaper than eating out, this stuff is really expensive! One 8 oz. package of free range natural turkey meat costs $7, and only lasts me a few days. As I sat eating my sandwich last Friday, I decided that I would try and make my own sandwich meat this weekend. I figure it's cheaper, will last longer, and it's going to taste better.

To find out about all the money I saved and how it tasted,

New Year, New Lunch Habits

FitSugar — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:00:08 PST

An easy way to get healthy this year is resolving to bring your own lunch. By doing so, you know exactly what's going into your meal - not the case when eating out. Even something that seems healthy like a takeout salad can be full of hidden calories. You also cut back on waste and save on money and time by bringing your own lunch. Instead of using my lunch break to stand in line and wait for food, I go for a walk around the neighborhood or hit the gym for a quick session instead.

It may sound silly, but one way I motivate myself to pack a lunch is to have some nice to-go containers to carry it in. If I buy special dishware that's meant just for my lunch, I feel bad if it goes unused. An easy way to solve this problem is by making sure it doesn't get neglected!

To hear about the cool BPA-free containers I've been using,

Speak Up: What's in Your Lunchbox?

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:30:56 PDT

I'm in a lunch rut. For the last week I've been eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and an apple. I usually make a big dinner the night before so I can bring the extras with me to work but I've been having a lot of guests over, which equals no leftovers.

I'm in desperate need of some lunch ideas and would love to hear what you take with you to work. What healthy lunches do you pack?

Do You Brown Bag It and Bring Your Lunch to Work?

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 03:00:00 PDT

When you are trying to eat healthy, and especially if you are counting calories, it really helps to pack your own lunch no matter if you are eating at work or school. This however takes some pre-planning and a few extra minutes in the morning, both of which can be hard to come by. Not only is it a great way to save money, bringing your lunch to work ensures that you are eating healthy fare (if you pack healthy fare!) without hidden calories. I bring my lunch most days, but how about you...

Source

4 Savvy Things to Do This Weekend

Emily Co — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:15:00 PST

We usually come up with plenty of fun, social activities for you to do over the weekend, but let's get savvy and down to business this weekend. It may feel like a chore to complete these tasks, but you'll feel so much better after you're done with them!

Do Your Taxes: Crank that music up and get to it! If you've been procrastinating on filing your tax returns, pull up your sleeves and tackle them this weekend. It's better to do them on the weekends when you're relaxed rather than a workday when you're all weary from working the 9 to 5. Set aside Sunday night to do them, and you'll thank me for it!.
Organize Your Receipts: Dump all the receipts out from your bag, wallet, and pocket, and put them in a designated box or folder. You can also test out Shoeboxed, which is a free online service that can automatically track and organize your online and offline purchases. All you need to do is snap pictures of receipts on your cell and email them to Shoebox or mail in paper receipts to the company, and they will organize the information for you.
Plan Your Work Lunches: If you're resolving to bring your lunch to work every day, you need to craft your meal plan on the weekend so you won't be rummaging around your fridge for scraps during the early mornings.
De-clutter Your Home: Spend the weekend de-cluttering your home and getting rid of the excess things that you don't need. First figure out what areas you need to tackle and take a look at a list of my suggestions.

Save! 6 Handy Tips For Packing Work Lunches

Emily Co — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:54:21 PST

Bringing lunch to work every day sure does save more than a few bucks and keeps you healthy at the same time. It's such an easy everyday saving trick, and it's a great option for those trying to cut costs on their daily expenses. Here are a few tips that get me through the week.

Mental Meal Plan: What do you want to eat for the rest of the week? Give it some thought before you make a trip to the grocery store to buy some ingredients. For inspiration, flip through Yum's list of delicious work lunches. While you're grocery shopping, read our savvy tricks for saving money at the supermarket.
Prep on Sunday: Buy all the ingredients you need on Sunday so that you won't have to desperately scramble around the night before. If you're planning on making one dish that you'll be eating all week (such as soup), you can either keep it refrigerated or, depending on what type of dish it is, you can also choose to freeze it in five ziploc packets that you can ration out throughout the week.
Keep It Separate: If you want to keep your lunch fresh, try to keep the pieces separate and assemble it right before you're having lunch. This works best for meals such as salads and sandwiches - soggy bread and vegetables are not appetizing!

Read on for more tips.

Why Everyone Wants to Work at Google

Emily Co — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:07:07 PST

It didn't surprise me that Google was rated the best company to work for this year by Fortune. The tech giant has consistently been in the top five firms to work for in the last few years. Although the interview process is grueling, many will say it's well worth their efforts. Here are some of the reasons people want to work at Google:

Free lunch and dinner by gourmet chefs.
Convenient on-site services like oil change, car wash, dry cleaning, massage therapy, gym, hair stylist, eyebrow maintenance, doctor visits, fitness classes, and bike repair. Some of these services like laundry are actually for free!
WiFi-equipped shuttle buses that pick up employees from several locations.
Gym, swimming pool, rock climbing wall, bowling alley, outdoor volleyball court, and bocce court.
Up to 18 weeks maternity leave with full pay.
Full benefits for the partners of lesbian, gay, and transgender workers.
Bringing your dog to work.
Tuition reimbursement is up to $12,000 every year as long as you keep your grades above a B.
Donation matches up to $12,000.
401(k) match.

Which perk are you interested in?

8 Ways to Prevent Getting Sick at Work

Jenny Sugar — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:47:24 PST

If you work in an office full of people, your chances of coming in contact with germs are that much higher. Arm yourself against colds, the flu, and stomach bugs with these essential tips.

Wash hands often and keep hand sanitizer on your desk.
Once a week disinfect the things you touch regularly including your keyboard, mouse, phone, pens, stapler, scissors, and even the outside of your reusable water bottle.
Avoid touching doorknobs, handles on bathroom stalls and faucets, the water cooler, coffee maker, and other commonly used work items. If you can't help it, be sure to wash your hands afterward.

Keep reading for five more ways to prevent getting sick at your job.

Office Etiquette: Going Out to Lunch

SavvySugar — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:23 PST

If you regularly go out to eat during your lunch hour, there are some basic dos and don'ts that you should keep in mind. We've already covered the etiquette basics for bringing your lunch to work, but if you prefer buying your lunch to packing it, stay professional and mind your manners by following these tips.

Communicate your whereabouts. When you plan to leave the office for lunch, let your co-workers know how long you'll be gone - especially those who report to you. Leave a note on your desk or update your IM status to keep your officemates in the loop.
Steer clear of cliques. Lunch dates are a great way to build friendly relationships with your co-workers, but don't be exclusive with the invites. Try to include different people - even those in other departments - to avoid playing favorites. Even better? Ask the new girl to join to help her feel welcome.
Stick to nearby neighborhoods. There's no need to travel across town for your midday meal, so stay close to your office when you decide to dine out. Tired of eating the same foods each week? Take the time to do some research and make a list of nearby places you'd like to try, then ask your co-workers to contribute their favorites.
Keep your eyes on the clock. Just because it's called a lunch hour doesn't mean you should take a full 60 minutes to finish your meal. Check your watch frequently to stay on schedule, or set an alarm to let you know when it's time to head back to the office.