Why go Free - Lunching?

Saves money - Scottish workers spend £570million on lunch a year – an average of £3.29 on lunch.  Money you don't spend on lunch could go straight to Christmas presents for your loved ones.

Knowing what is in your food & having just the right amount - by free lunching you know how fresh and healthy your food is, because you made it!

Reducing waste - by using up food you might otherwise throw away, and taking your own re-useable packaging.

Four key elements to Free-Lunching:

• Storage - 82% of us have a fridge at work; pop your lunch in there, if you don't have a fridge use a cool bag.
• Transportation – always use airtight containers for the safest results.
• Storage times – eat cooked leftovers within two days.
• Reheating – 81% of us have a microwave at work – use it to ensure leftovers are heated until piping hot, and never reheat twice.

Make food go further – Top tips

1. Make the most of your hard earned bread
   One of the biggest myths is that bread stays fresher in the fridge but it actually ends up going stale quicker. Freeze what you don't need for the next few days, and keep the rest in a bag, in a cool, dry place.; Most bakery items, including pitta, naan, cakes, scones and a standard loaf – can all be frozen for later.
   
   If you split the slices up into sandwich sized portions you can get them out of the freezer the night before you need them and they will be fresh and soft in the morning. OR take out 2/4 slices for sandwiches first thing and by the time you've showered they will have defrosted.
2. Salad heaven
   Some people find a whole lettuce, rather than salad bag leaves, lasts longer. Remember to keep it in the original packaging inside the fridge. If your salad starts to wilt, treat it to a cool bath in ice cold water for a few minutes and it will become nice and crispy again.
   
   Did you know that tomatoes give off a natural gas that causes cucumbers to go off quicker? To make both last longer, keep your cucumber in the fridge draw and your tomatoes on a higher shelf.
   
   To lettuce, add leftover cold meats, cheese, fruit, potatoes, pasta, or rice. Boil eggs, shred chicken, grate cheese, scatter nuts– the possibilities are endless! Fill a plastic tub, pop on the lid and you're away.
   
   Take your dressing to work in a jam jar and shake and drizzle at the last minute to stop your salad going soggy.
   
3. Carb crazy
   Pasta, rice and potatoes provide us with essential, tasty carbohydrates – but we tend to cook too much of these foods, and often they get thrown out.
   
   Leftover carbs make the base of some great lunchtime snacks including potato salad, tuna pasta or leftover roast chicken and rice so if you're tired of sandwiches and want a healthy alternative, the answer may well be in last night's leftovers!
   
   Rice that is leftover should be cooled quickly under a cold tap and chilled. Use within 1 day!
4. Perfect packaging
   There's nothing worse than food which leaks on the way to work, so try to make sure your food is packed up well! For example, you could carry last night's stew to work in a thermos flask, pop your Moroccan couscous in an old margarine tub or secure your juicy lasagne in an air-tight container to heat up in work's microwave.
5. Save time
   With the social season kicking off, save yourself bags of time by using the leftover quiches, cheese and sausage rolls from weekend get-togethers in your lunchboxes during the week. Children love party finger foods in their lunchpacks too.