Whittle your waist and save money with a brown bag lunch

One of the easiest ways to save money and whittle your waistline is by bringing your lunch to work. When you control your meals, you also control your calories — something amplified by a recent study that found people who eat frequently at restaurants consumed almost a third more calories per day than people who prepared their own meals at home.

It's as simple as packing healthy leftovers from dinner the night before, or whipping up a quick and delicious sandwich or salad. A few ideas:

• Have leftover rice on hand? Try my simple, five-minute recipe for Easy Rice and Beans. All you need to add are cooked black beans, a bit of salsa and cilantro. Pack it up for a perfect brown bag lunch - just don't forget a fork!
• Or, scoop tuna, salmon or egg salad onto a bed of greens, into a whole grain pita, or between slices of bread. If you're going the pita or sandwich route, don't forget to pile on the lettuce, tomato and onions.
• Need a fast and delicious tuna salad recipe? Try my simple Veggie Tuna Salad that's bursting with celery, bell peppers, and juicy tomatoes.

Try the recipes:

Easy Rice and Beans

Veggie Tuna Salad

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