Packing your own lunches when you are going to work cannot only help you improve your eating habits, but it can also help you save a ton of cash. Buying foods (especially fresh foods) at the farmers market or grocery store and making the food at home will end up being a far cry cheaper than spending $10+ a day on a prepared meal at a restaurant near the place where you work. It will also save you a plethora of calories as well as extra hidden things like fats and sodium that are often present in restaurant or cafe foods.

The challenge can be planning time to prepare a meal each day and determining what you will have without getting bored eating the same thing every single day. The following are 6 great tips to help you plan and pack meals you will enjoy and actually want to eat:

• Invest in a Bento Box (aka YumBox):  You may have never heard of a Bento Box but investing in one is a great way to ensure you are packing healthy, portion-controlled meals that you are able to take with you on the go, whether it's to work or school or any other events you may be participating in. The Bento Box (aka the YumBox) is available on sites like  Amazon.com linked here  and is a box you can wash and reuse every single day.

• Know Your Portions:  If you choose to invest in a Bento Box it will also help you control your portions of foods you are packing. The plastic container shows space for proteins, grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables, so you know which container is portioned for each type of food. There is also a small little circle for "yum" (dessert).

• Choose Your Foods:  Choose the foods you wish to fill your box with each day. Go to the grocery and buy them in bulk as it will be cheaper than buying individual already-made foods to fill your box with. Just a little bit of cooking is all it will take to ensure that everything is prepared and ready to go for your next meal.

• Choose a Time To Prepare Foods:  Whether you like to do it at the beginning of each week or prepare the night before for the next day, set aside a consistent time to prepare meals that allows you to just "grab-n'-go" the next morning, even if you are in a hurry to get out the door.

• Go Meat & Carbohydrate -- Add Veggies:  Simply buying a meat that is on sale such as chicken, turkey, beef, or even fish and adding a carbohydrate such as brown rice couscous, potatoes, millet, amaranth, etc. to your meal and some veggies makes a great, quick, balanced meal. Preparing these foods for a week can help save time versus doing it each night. That also helps you avoid cooking single portions of food every single day. Add some fruit and a little dairy such as yogurt, sliced, cheese, etc. to your Bento box and a small treat (dessert) and you are on your way with a healthy, balanced, and filling meal.

• Use Last Night's Leftovers:  Using the previous night's leftovers ensures that you are able to effectively use up all the food you make and you are not wasting. It's also a great way to pack a meal quickly without having to do all the extra prep-work that may be involved with making a whole new meal that you otherwise didn't need. Just add your fruit and dairy and a little dessert or treat and you are set for a meal.

These are just a few great tips on packing your own, healthy lunches. Give them a try and your body and wallet will both reap the benefits of healthier food at a more affordable price!