We have all heard the saying “New Year, New Me” but how many people actually follow this slogan? I am here to help give you inspiration on how to stick with your eating healthy goals for this New Year. I have worked at my 9-5 job for going on 10 years now. I used to eat out for lunch almost every day and sometimes for breakfast as well. Let me tell you, my wallet was not happy with me. I had to stop and take a hard look at what I was spending my money on and see just how much I was wasting on food. Not only that, in the process of just 6 months, I had gained over 30 pounds just from my sugary coffee, my orange chicken and movie theater popcorn that was so conveniently located right next to my office that I had to buy almost daily. Yes, that is right, I said DAILY!
I wanted my life to change and I wanted my health to change. I started packing lunches from left-overs from the night before as well as making egg sandwiches (toast eggies) for breakfast. This was extremely helpful but I often ran into the problem of I didn’t pack enough food so I would snack on chips from our office or I didn’t want what I had packed the night before so I went and still ate out because I had the option too. I love fresh, hot food, not reheated food so I decided to change my methods.
I first started with a hot plate in my office kitchen. We had a fridge and a sink but no stove top so this was a good option for me. I kept my pan at my desk or in the kitchen and just washed it after I made food. I also used a George Foreman to cook chicken and vegetables. Again, this worked well because I had a sink that I could clean and I did it on my lunch break. Fast forward 3 years and I moved offices. I now had no kitchen, no sink, but I had my own office. We also now had a cookie oven called, Otis Spunkmeyer. Now, my thought was, well if it bakes cookies- then it should bake chicken.
I know that this isn’t an option for a lot of people but my office mates were fine with it so I took full advantage. Here is how I cook my meals almost every day.
Baked Chicken with a Cauliflower Rice Medley
Ingredients:
Thawed Chicken Thighs (I usually cook 2)
Frozen Green Giant Cauliflower Risotto Medley
Instructions:
Take a baking sheet and cover with tinfoil. This will make cleanup a breeze with no kitchen access.
Lay out your chicken and salt and pepper each side.
Bake in the oven, this oven is preset to 275 degrees Fahrenheit and can’t be changed, for 30 minutes. If you have access to a regular oven then you can choose to stay at this temperature or you can cook the chicken at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Always double check to make sure that your chicken is fully cooked.
Then place the frozen package of Cauliflower into the microwave for 6 minutes (based on watts of microwave). Let sit for 1 minute to cool.
Once the food is fully cooked, plate and eat your delicious, healthy and cheap meal!
I am a creature of habit and I can eat the same meal every day with no issues. I know that a lot of people cannot stand to do that. You can however also bake shrimp, steak and salmon but I would try to avoid super fishy items if it is going to be bothersome in the workplace. Chicken for me is a safe bet, that is why I stick to it.
I also still keep my hot plate in my office so that I can make myself eggs in the morning, or if I want to pan fry veggies. I was sick of not eating right and not feeling good about myself. Small things like this can really make an impact and if you have the time, because you have an hour lunch like I do, then it is completely worth it.
Cost Breakdown:
For this meal I shopped at my local Winco that has cheaper prices since they don’t accept any form of Credit Card. Debit card or cash only. At the time of purchasing in January of 2024 the cost was:
A pack of 10 chicken thighs- $10.22 – this will last me at least 5 days with 2 thighs per meal
Green Giant Veggies: $4.12/Ea – I purchased 4 bags and each bag will last me for 3 days.
Total to eat lunch for the week: $26.70 with 2 bags of veggies left over for the next week.
Calorie Breakdown:
Chicken Thighs (5.8 ounces total) – 288 Cal | 0g Carbs | 11.5g Fat | 40.2g Protein
Cauliflower Risotto Medley – Serving Size of 1 cup | 20 Cal | 4g Carbs | 0g Fat | 2g Protein
Total for my meal = 308 Cal | 4g Carbs | 11.5g Fat | 42.2g Protein
By shopping and cooking at the office, not only do I save a substantial amount of money but I am way healthier because of it. This has helped propel me into a healthier lifestyle and I am a huge advocate for cooking and helping yourself. If you have the means to do it at work, I highly suggest that you do.
Let me know in the comments below if you have your own way of creating healthy/cheap meals and good luck on your New Year Goals!
Cheers!