Pack lunch and pack some savings
外出就餐的好处多多，尤其是当它成为一种日常习惯时. 试着带午饭去上班，还是买午饭看着你的积蓄增长.
Cost benefits of bringing your lunch
Packing a lunch isn't just for kids. In fact, it's a very adult money saving strategy. 虽然在工作日外出就餐可能会让你觉得习惯，或者是一天中积极的一点, there are other ways to enjoy the lunch hour. You can still socialize, take a walk, 和同事一起享受一顿饭，而不用一周花好几次钱. In fact, the average American spends about $3,000 a year on dining out. Now, 想想你平均出去吃多少次午餐，而不是想象你的储蓄账户里有多少钱. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?
Health benefits of packing your lunch
Watching your carbs or calories? How about sodium? 你看过一些外卖食品的营养价值吗? It just might scare you. Most of those options are often processed and over-sized portions. The average restaurant lunch has a whopping 827 calories.
自带午餐可以让你做出更健康的选择. 杂货店提供更多有机和健康的选择，这样你就可以装满你的午餐盒，在工作和家庭中都吃得更健康.
Beyond the brown bag
如果你不确定如何让自制午餐感觉不那么“棕色袋子”，试试不同的方法. 只要稍加计划，你就可以准备一顿健康美味的外带餐. Nowadays, there are countless ways to pack a fun lunch. 在博客、Pinterest、烹饪网站甚至你朋友的帮助下，你可以做到 think beyond the brown bag.
- Meal Prep ― Try preparing multiple meals in one cooking session. For instance, if you make one big batch of stir fry, 你可以在一周的午餐中吃几次. 这样你的午餐就准备好了，可以带走了，让工作日变得轻松一点.
- Lunch Swap -在工作中与朋友组队，计划准备饭菜，然后交换! 如果你提前讨论喜好和饮食习惯, 你会发现自己惊喜于为你准备的午餐. And vice versa! Also, you can show off your cooking skills.
- Mix It Up -每周选择一个主题，并挑战自己在这方面的烹饪. For instance, 你可以决定用一个月的时间“环游世界”，品尝各国的传统食物. This way, your meals won't fall into a boring routine, 你可能还会学到一些烹饪技巧.
What about coffee?
每天早上在你最喜欢的咖啡店喝一杯咖啡是很容易的. 也许你还可以在当天晚些时候再抓一个. That coffee might be costing you about $1,500 a year. Why not mix it up and save a little money. 许多咖啡店现在出售自己的袋装咖啡豆或咖啡粉. 你仍然可以通过购买袋装咖啡带回家，早上自己煮一杯咖啡来支持当地的咖啡. 投资一台好的咖啡机，然后在上班前自己煮咖啡，每年可能会为你节省数百美元 Cha Ching.
打包午餐可能很有趣，尤其是如果你想的不仅仅是花生酱和果冻. In addition to saving money, you might learn a new cooking skill, 吃更健康的食物，在工作中与不同的人交往. That's a win times four.
Next Tip: Set small goals to make big wins. 如果目标很难达到，它们就会变得遥不可及. 试着把它们缩小到小一点，更容易实现.
