Not groundbreaking stuff for the die hard mustachian, but it is a nice life change for me and perhaps this strategy will work for others.
I changed jobs and work site in the summer and had developed some not great habits of buying coffee with new colleagues and also buying lunch 3-4 times a week. Enough was enough, I needed to kill the cash drain, and also could lose the stress weight I packed on during the last year of managing life with a dying father. I have always been pretty good with this, but ate out at least once per week and the same with coffee. On top of working full time, I have also been taking 2 night classes this fall, so time for meal prep has been at a premium.
So, I trolled the net, my cook books, my mom’s classic recipes and made a bunch of soups and chili which I froze in single serve portions. I purchased first one, then a second thermos soup container, as well as a small drink thermos. I have managed to bring my lunch and tea to work every day for 6 weeks now. The thermos helps a lot, no waiting in line for the stinky communal microwaves in the hospital cafeteria, and coffee is much less tempting when I have a thermos of delicious hot tea at the ready. I take the thermos along when on a coffee break with others.
I don’t think I have ever managed to go this long with zero work day spend before. I am giving myself the challenge to keep it up through to the end of March with the exception of a couple of pre planned lunches out with team mates dates for the holidays.
For me, the trick has been variety. I have chili, mulligatawny, broccoli cheddar, Thai coconut chicken, Russian vegetable, lasagna soup, and Acadian pea soup right now in my freezer. I can eat a different lunch every day with no planning necessary. I replenish one soup recipe every second Sunday to keep the stock levels up without burdening myself with another big soup cook off like when I started.
This meal plan did require an initial investment in containers. I purchased reusable deli containers from the local restaurant supply. I find as long as I don’t put them in the microwave they are washable and reusable. Sometime the lid doesn’t make it, so I have extras of those. A 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup is the perfect vessel to defrost and reheat in the microwave.
I am down 15lbs since implementing this life change. Probably giving up the coffee with cream and sugar was the most effective change, but eating pre portioned meals also helps.