13 Frugal Lunch Ideas That Are Tasty & Simple to Make

1. Caesar salad

My first frugal lunch was based on markdowns. I had a Caesar salad set and crumbed squid, so I just put them together, and it made a solid meal.

2. Chicken ranch salad

The next day, I took a creamy ranch salad and added some chicken kebabs to it. Both were marked down. I cooked the whole package of chicken kebabs, and then I divided it all up, saving most of it for another occasion. 

3. Salad with celery & avocado

Another day I made the same salad and added some celery and avocado to it, which was also great.

4. Chicken wrap

I used some more of the chicken to make a wrap the following day. I put some lettuce in there, too. 

5. Ham wrap

Another wrap I made was a ham wrap with some lettuce - this is my son’s favorite wrap, so I had to mention it.

6. Ham, cheese & pineapple croissants

We got a ton of croissants, so I decided to make a cheap lunch based on them. This is how I put together some ham, cheese, and pineapple croissants.

7. Cheese & vegemite sandwich

Sometimes I am really boring and I have a vegemite and cheese sandwich – I am Australian after all.  

8. Tinned spaghetti on toast

Another meal I made was very nostalgic. I bought some spaghetti in a tin and made some toast to go with it. It was my favorite when I was little.

9. Couscous with roast chicken

One more markdown meal was some couscous and roast chicken mixed together.

10. Ham & cheese croissants

I got some ham and cheese croissants marked down at Coles, so I cooked them up. Word of warning: the ham was still a little bit cold, so probably it would be best to put it in the microwave to warm it up before putting it in the oven to toast. 

11. Spinach and ricotta agnolotti pasta meal deal

Another Coles meal was a spinach and ricotta agnolotti pasta meal deal. This only needed to be microwaved. I did not mind it, but there were just a few bits in it that I pushed aside.

12. Freezer pizza

The next day I went to the freezer looking for some bits and pieces. I found some pre-made pizza, so I just added a little extra cheese on top of it and cooked it for my son. 

13. Sausage salad

For myself, I cooked up some sausages and had them with leftover marked-down salad mix.

Frugal lunch ideas

This is what I had for lunch in the past two weeks. I have really been trying to get some variety. I hope you enjoyed these cheap lunch ideas and perhaps got inspired for your own lunch today.

What is your favorite lunch meal? Do you normally cook and eat lunch at home? Let me know in the comments!