How To Get Your Husband To Bring His Lunch To Work

Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife
PROVERBS 17:1

Can you think of anything more expensive and wasteful than shopping at a gas station while hungry? I've read not to go grocery shopping when you're hungry over and over again. But to make it worse everything is 2 to 3 times more expensive than the grocery store! So how do we keep our husbands out of the gas stations/drive thrus and save thousands of dollars this year? Thousands? Yes, THOUSANDS!

A $1.50 Mountain Dew and a $1.00 bag of chips every workday = $650.00 a year

A $5.00 lunch at the drive thru every workday= $1,300.00 a year

And these numbers are being charitable. It makes no sense to pay so much money for so little. It's much cheaper to pack lunches for work. Brown bagging is the way to go. But how do you get your husband on board?

1. Know it won't be perfect.

There are two reasons we want to our husbands to bring their lunch--to eat healthier and to save money. We can accomplish both of these, BUT IT WON'T BE PERFECT. If you want this to work, they have to actually eat their lunches. You can't make their lunch worthy of a fat camp or cardiac hospital. You could do this, but they will end up back at the convenience stores and gas stations! You can pack the most economical lunch, but if he ends up swinging by the drive thru because he isn't satisfied, you've wasted your time, money, and energy. Please find comfort in knowing without a doubt ANYTHING you pack is healthier than the gas station or a fast food joint. ANYTHING you pack is cheaper than the gas station. Baby steps.

2. Ask him what he wants to eat for lunch.

Ask him what he buys at the gas station or at the fast food place. Then, find it cheaper. If he is buying Mountain Dews, chips, cookies, candy, gum, etc.....you can buy it cheaper at Walmart and pack it. That step can save you tons of money. Try to find healthier substitutes to those quick lunch foods. You can make your own granola bars or banana bread for a sweet treat. A handful of almonds can help keep him fuller longer. You can make sandwiches, or if he has access to a microwave, he can bring leftovers. Try to compromise. Pick some junk foods and some healthy foods. Mt. Dew (fun), sandwich baggie full of chips (fun), a sweet treat (fun), fruit (better) and then leftovers (free.)

3. Make it easy.

Get a system that is easy to grab and go in the mornings. He'll need a cooler or a lunch bag. If he picks it out he'll be more likely to use it. Get some plastic sandwich containers, so his sandwich isn't smooched. Keep certain items in the same containers so he can quickly grab the foods he wants throughout the day. Get an ice pack so his drinks stay cold all day long. Pack a couple waters in stainless steal wide mouth Klean Kanteens along with that Mountain Dew.

4. Pack extra.

For those unexpected longer days, throw in an extra granola bar or bag of nuts just in case. These can help tide him over until dinnertime and keep him from buying snacks. Better to pack too much than too little. The same goes with drinks. Pack enough to last the day. Also, pack pain relievers, gum, tissues, cough drops, or allergy medicines he may need in a ziploc bag. These are also items that they buy from the convenience store. Anticipate these needs!

5. Ask for feedback.

What does he like and not like. Change it up a little, so he doesn't get bored. Make sure what you pack stays fresh and clean.

6. Have a goal.

My husband has eaten two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches everyday for lunch for 5 years. Why? Because we are saving to buy a house without going into debt. Having a goal keeps a man motivated! Let's face it. Taking your lunch may never be as delicious as french fries BUT the sacrifice is worth it to reach a financial or a health goal. Do the math and show him the numbers. Let him see how it really adds up.

7. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. 

If your husband does break down and buys that $1.00 bag of chips after a hectic day, don't freak out. Don't get angry. It's not the end of the world. As long as he brings the majority of his lunches, he can have cheat days. Remind yourself that it won't be perfect. See step 1.

I can't count how much money we have saved by bringing our own lunches, drinks, coffees, snacks for the car when traveling or just shopping for the day. Every time you bring food from home, you keep more money in your pocket. Stop paying premium prices for CONVENIENCE. You can't afford convenience. Talk with your husband about bringing his lunch tonight and start saving more money this year.

Thank you for reading!