Image Courtesy of TumblingBlocks.net

Everyone I know has spent the last few years on a continual quest to find ways to save money. One super easy way to achieve this is to simply develop the habit of packing your lunch everyday instead of going out to eat.

Hold on to your desk, the average busy professional spends somewhere around $10 or so a day grabbing food on the run. If you grab a latte to go at the ‘bucks every morning then add $4 to that. 5 days a week and you are looking at more than $200 a month you spend on something you probably don’t even notice! Don’t know about you, but I can think of a lot prettier things to do

with $200…8.3 Nars Lipsticks, .24 Pair of Patent Slingback Louboutin Pumps, A sensible yet trendy Fall jacket. (Okay, or slightly more practical things like the electric bill.)

But “brown bagging it ” is just too unglamorous, right? Not so! Craft a little style into your lunch kit and everyone will want to eat with the cool girl (or guy.) It’s also way more earth friendly, and helps you control your consumption as much as your budget. You pick the fabrics, colors, etc. for a lunch look that is all yours.

Here are some absolutely delicious craft ideas and inspiration to help you spice up your lunch life:

The Oil Cloth Lunch Bag

Oil Cloth makes the perfect material for reusable lunch bags and other things that may get a little dirty. Easy to make, easy to wash, and good for you and the planet.

http://tumblingblocks.net/blog/index.cfm/2007/7/31/oilcloth-lunch-bag

The Lunch Bag For Larger Portions Plus Snacks

http://supamb.com/supafine/2007/10/06/how-to-lunch-bag-based-on-plastic-grocery-sack/

Reusable Sandwich Bags - Image Courtesy of RickRackQueen on Etsy

Reusable Sandwich Wrap

http://www.towards-sustainability.com/2008/03/homemade-sandwich-wrap.html

(you can buy them here too) http://www.etsy.com/listing/46957683/the-original-reusable-oilcloth

Knitted Water Bottle Cozy (also works for wine)

http://taras-knits.blogspot.com/2007/11/wine-bottle-cozy.html

Make A Cotton Tea Towel - Image courtesy of SewTakeAHike.com

A Lovely Cotton Tea Towel

Who needs a drab paper napkin when you can set the scene with a beautiful swatch of fabric you love! Learn how to make the prefect cotton tea towel to use as a place mat or reusable napkin!

http://sewtakeahike.typepad.com/sewtakeahike/2008/06/the-perfect-tea.html

Picture from MySweetMuffin.com

Perfectly Portable Portions: Bento Boxes

I am mildly obsessed with these portable wonders and even more so when they are adorned with  adorable designs from Japanese artist Shinzi Katoh. This link is not a tutorial, but a link to something

wonderful nonetheless. :)

http://www.mysweetmuffin.com

/Detail-Meal-Time.aspx?ID=1079