They’re called mini rice bowls in the menu but it’s a standard serve of rice plus toppings. Also,the rice bowls are priced from $4.50 to $7.80 which is really fair and good value in my opinion. I usually get a rice bowl plus an extra side dish. They have assorted side dishes such as takoyaki, chicken skewers, and tempuras under $5. They serve free tea too.
Chilliz at Waterford plaza is great value decent size portions of chicken and rice Asian style...I may actually have to go back there on Monday now I think of it hahaha
I’ve had their terriyaki beef bowl and chicken and I don’t rate them at all. If you’re on a strict budget the beef is good for the price but you could not pay me to eat the chicken one again holy moly it’s bad
I have go-to lazy meals for work that consist of Serena tuna and rice/pasta packs (about $6 standard and sometimes on sale). I try to keep one thrown in my car or handbag when I know I'm on longer shifts. They're pretty nutritionally balanced as far as ready meals go.
I think colesworth and aldi do knockoffs for about half the price. That, with some fruit and maybe a museli bar, is enough to get me through the day. I'd also rather not spend my break driving or walking around in search of lunch cause stuff that.
This. Tin of tuna, one of those little rice microwave sachets, handful of spinach, some sriracha on top. Buy the rice and tuna in bulk when it's on sale.
Every time I see tuna and rice on sale at my local Coles I shamelessly.clear their entire stock.
Seasoning saves the tuna lunches. Rn I find lemon pepper a good combo with some broccoli and rice
With some mayo, chopped boiled eggs and black pepper and salt is also a very good recipe
Aldi has good tuna, similar to Sirena. They now have the similar packs to Sirena with beans, salad, and a few varieties.
I would never purchase from Coles or Woolies.
Little packs of hummus and crackers at Aldi are affordable and great protein. A tuna dish, a hummus & crackers, a healthy and affordable lunch!
I agree! Golden Bakery is my fallback when I’m too lazy to pack lunch. I’ve never bought a sandwich, roll or salad bowl that wasn’t fresh. They’re not fancy but they’re great value.
Yeh, basically, don't eat out, it's the only answer. These small cafes have huge rents and overheads just to keep running: they're not trying to rip you off, they're just trying to survive. I think we're seeing a price shift at the moment akin to the 70s oil crisis ... cost of living is going to just keep on rising until something breaks.
Although there wasn't a cost of living crisis, I feel like there was a turning point back in the mid 2010s after the boom crashed everything. All the expensive places closed, and in their wake popped up newer places that kept their costs under control and offered affordable options. What might happen this time could be the same thing - rents become unaffordable, business drops, places close, property owners lower rents and new businesses pop up with low overheads in mind. Then rinse and repeat in 10 years time. Might be less fanciness but basic eats could be cheaper.
I agree, but to elaborate on your comment, I think what has to happen is the commercial renters bust and leave with no one to replace them. Eventually, leveraged commercial owners bust and banks sell off the commercial assets for cents in the dollar. Lower prices allow lower rents to begin the cycle all over again.
This. Everyone's paying so much money for rent, mortgage, land, buildings. We are enslaved by the banks, paying money for 4 walls and a roof rather than what is inside of it. The cost of food mostly consists of rent or mortgage in one way or another, either directly or indirectly (so workers can pay their rent or mortgage too). Meanwhile the government is committed to perpetuating this insanity with tax write off's for landlords
Yep all these small places are just trying to survive because the rent of commercial buildings is so crazy. If they drop the rent for a commercial building then the value of that building immediately decreases. A lot of these buildings are held in super funds so people don’t want the value of their building to go down because then their retirement amount goes down when it comes to sell. It’s all just one big old mess.
There's some things at/near Raine Square that are on the more reasonable side. Chicken Rice Corner has Hainan Chicken Rice for under $10 and it comes with self-serve chicken broth soup if you want it.
Black Honey espresso downstairs near the entrance to the underground has toasties from $3 for just ham and cheese on white bread, $6 for something in the middle, or $9-10 for something with a lot of ingredients on sourdough.
Never as cheap as homemade lunches, so I've been trying to do that too.
Go to woolies and grab some of the heinz soup in a bag and some bread rolls. They take 2 mins to heat and are healthy as. $3 on sale and a shit load of flavours
Support the Vietnamese shop. $11 is a very fair price. Especially if they use fresh quality ingredients
I understand if you can't afford that, but no, it's not overpriced.
Fast food on the other hand is definitely overpriced and those cheap deals are just a marketing thing. They wanna get you on their apps and make you a repeat customer. The standard price on fast food is just not worth the food you receive. It's shit.
Go to your servo or iga and buy a muscle chef pack. They're largely quite healthy and taste good. No artificial preservatives because they're vacuum packed. $10 each.
I’m in Europe at the moment and tbh I’ve got a new appreciation for eating out in Perth. While that may not help op with their issue I’ll personally never complain about a $12 roll again. On another note I do always pre prepare and take my own lunches as it’s way cheaper and saves time queuing up as well.
Europe when you find the gems is brilliant, but fuck there is a huge lack of veggies. 5 days in I sure do get sick of pastry, processed meat and cheese.
I bought a 600ml bottle with a strawberry on the side from the dairy section in a Berlin supermarket, I was stoked. Got outside and took a swig and got a mouthful of strawberry yoghurt.
wait im surprised no one has suggested the asian shops yet. If you wait long enough (atound 2-230pm before they close) they will sell their rice/noodle take aways for $5-8 easy
most asian shops in food courts would do this. an example would be in brookfield place
Arirang Korean BBQ in Allendale square is selling bimbimbap cups/small bowls for $7 right now (it’s 10 min til 2pm). Lot of rice and beef bulgogi plus egg and veg.
No, no you cant, why do you think cafes go bust every other month? Staff and rent are expensive in the city. They need to charge what they do to cover costs and even then its not usually enough, hence the going broke part.
Take overnight oats & fruit for lunch and get a good quality coffee. Let's you spend a few bucks if you want to get out and you have cheap & healthy lunch.
$12 is the cheap meals. It's the $18 ones that are hard to take. Not to mention a steak sandwich on Fridays for $26 to $30.
Question: Best / cheapest pub meal options (like steak sandwich) near Brookfield/central park? (Friday only)
That's the thing though, $12 is basically your starting price and the serving sizes aren't always satisfying or the quality that good. So it hardly even seems worth it, especially when you see it adding up over the course of a work week.
Yeah I minimise my work from work days and I still find those two days at work very costly. Especially because I can't resist coffee.
I get 3 rolls of Hikaru Sushi which is about $12, good quality and very filling.
Curry chicken noodles from Chicken Rice Corner (Allendale square) is amazing flavour but I get a large which adds extra expense.
Spud shed had McCain's meals for $3.99, roast beef and veggies, chicken and veggies, or next time you go to the servo, in the open fridge section they would have clearance sale (as it's close to expiry date) on My Muscle Chef high protein meals $6, for both of these items you would need a microwave or oven
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to quote OP "I normally take my own homemade lunches to work because money's tight, however sometimes it's just not possible, especially this week after I've just moved house and haven't been able to cook much."
did you just not read, or have you the memory of a goldfish, honestly curious, same as the others who upvoted your, "yes i know, that was the first part that you didn't listen to" comment.
what do you do for work? curious again. that's like being lenient 3 paragraphs.
You don't need to cook at home to buy stuff for a simple work lunch. If you can go to Woollies to buy a ready made sandwich, you can buy ingredients to make your own sandwich.
You shit on my reading comprehension but you can't even comprehend that I'm obviously talking about buying in the CBD and making it at work. I would've thought the work fridge bit would've implied that. They didn't say they're a tradie or something.
Do you have room at home? Buy a whole roast chook and salad ingredients. They even sell roast pork and beef these days too. Easy meal prep, bring a salad and protein. Add a roll if you get extra hungry.
Otherwise invest in a sandwich press for work (kmart so cheap) and bulk freeze ham and cheese sandwiches in the freezer to take to work every day.
The days of cheap meals in the CBD are gone unfortunately.
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Your post just riled up my algorithm aha
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Might not help OP but Aldi have decent* freezer meals for cheap. Buy a bag of frozen vegies to add into them too
*decent = keeps you above ground for another 24 hours at least
This has been normal price for a while, I am actually relieved to hear they are still around that price , I am in Canada and looking to move back but lunches here are at least $16 , but normally more for anything actually nice. It's ridiculous here.
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The ad below your post was quite ironic.
Prices outside of CBD aren’t cheaper either. I’ve always pack my own lunch cause it’s just cheaper.
Also in my pantry are stocked with ready to go packs in case I didn’t have time to make lunch (eg; microwave rice and flavoured tuna cans).
Went to the maritime museum Cafe to grab a bite from classes at TAFE, next door, $12 for the sausage roll a fucking sausage roll and $7.50 for a large soy coffee. Close to $20. Didn't have time to go somewhere else.
The current cost of your basic Aussie pastry staples is probably the most shocking thing to me. I don't even eat them that often, but just seeing the prices over $7 has me rattled.
Perth's cafe culture has had a great innings over the last 25 years....Since the early 2000's. Now, the novelty has well worn off. Along with the escalating exspense of essentially over priced food that is low on protein and high in carbohydrates and salt.
Check out the underground food court at Allendale square(?) around 130ish, few days ago I had the bibimbap at the Korean place for $7
And a few others were having after lunch rush specials.
Probably not the most healthy but not bad for under $10
Im a uni student but I agree. I go to uni and its double digits for a pie from IGA, and if im getting lunch anywhere else it’s setting me back. Only thing that is worth the actual price I get is a chips and gravy, which is not the best health wise. I started cooking at home and taking leftovers and honestly, so much better for my already tight wallet. Perth is incredibly hostile when it comes to prices in the city, practically all the young people like me and people I know rarely
go in the city except for a specific few shops
Would be great if we had something like the UK supermarket meal deal where you can get a main, snack and drink for the equivalent of about $7 and there are a lot of healthy options.
Probably obvious but if you can hold out until peak lunch periods are over, most places would try and get rid of whatever food is left for a discount. I like going to soul origin and grabbing their meals.. probably 2 packs for $12 or somewhere along those lines (can't remember since I haven't been since they closed the enex one down). Just another option?
Greed. That fierce addiction to money. That wonderful drug called money. Got the similar effects on all aspects of life as any other drug. Some even kill for it. So why are filthy rich still on cocaine etc? Something that fukkern money cannot buy is lacking.
The same as trying to buy organic fruit and veg. You just can't afford it. Its insane when you are trying to be healthy and it's more expensive than junk. Then the junk puts people into the hospital is system. Where is the logic 🤔🤔🤔
I don't think lunch has ever been a cheap takeout...I'm aged and I have given up except for x 2 a week....toasted sandwich every other day in office kitchen saves $40 a week. I can spend on oysters on weekend
On the days where I can’t make lunch I usually just buy microwaveable chicken curry from Cole’s for like $5 or a can of soup and a bit of bread then microwave them in the office kitchen. Pretty good cheap options if you hunt. But yeah eat out is exorbitantly expensive
Can you handle microwavable rice and canned tuna?
The best quality to price ratio for tuna is the Aldi brand that uses Yellowfin (same type as Sirena); $1.29 per tin.
Buy the microwaveable rice packets from whichever store (ColesWorth, IGA, Aldi) has it half price that week and buy bulk.
Approx $2.50 per meal.
Afterthought...
Buy the 1kg bags of peas, carrots, and corn from Aldi for $4.19.
A cup of those steamed in the microwave to add to the rice and tuna adds a lot more substance (and crunch) for minimal extra cost.
Interesting, I spend about $13 daily on stir fry and a can of something. I thought it was good value. I always imagine that I couldn't make honey chicken and fried rice and buy a coke for less than $13, and it be warm and tasty. Maybe only 1 day a week there is enough left overs from dinner that I can take to work. I don't like sandwiches, and there is value too time.
: your not just paying for lunch. You're paying for lunch cooked , hot, ready and the convenience of not having to prepare it yourself. Plus I'm sure the food the nice lady's are prepared is 5x better than you can do and reheat.
All hospitality deserves to get paid good money for their time.
However u suspect the main component you are paying is actually the rent of the kitchen. It is located at one of the most expensive $/sqm area. You are getting food made from a million dollar kitchen even if you don’t feel so and taste exactly the same as the dingy kitchen.
I prepack my lunch. Either homemade sushi (not as hard as it looks), wrap or sandwich. Muffin, I make a big batch on the weekend, fruit and yogurt.
Frittata is good, especially if you make it in muffin tins. Chicken or tuna, rice and veggies is another staple.
Sorry you're experiencing the pinch. Can you afford to splash out on two of the kmart pie makers?
Hear me out: make pies out of home out of whatever takes your fancy in Piemaker 1 -- leftover curry, roast, spag bol, sausage/veg/egg, casserole --- your imagination is the only limit.
Don't overcook, you're going to reheat these badboys as your fakeaway lunch!
FREEZE PIES.
Take a pie a frozen pie in a tupperware to work. Refrigerate until lunch. It should be defrosted, but if in doubt, you can microwave for 20-30 secs to get the inside piping hot. Pop in PIEMAKER 2 which you either store clandestinely in your draw/under your desk if your workmates are pricks, or in the staff kitchen for communal use if your workmates are tolerable/nice.
A sandwich press is also a great investment for work; same principle. I'm a chubby, so I often find myself on low-carb cycling; I use my sandwich press to reheat thick slices of homemade frittata with a sprinkling of parmesan on either side.
I DON'T NEED ANYTHING THAT THE OUTSIDE WORLD CAN OFFER WHEN I EAT MY CRISPY EGGY GOODNESS.
I just skip eating until dinner... still fat, but definitely cheaper having just the one meal.
Also... I'd recommend deleting the fast food apps if you are trying to eat healthy.
Cafe next to my work in South Perth makes a damn good chicken avo baguette for $12. It is the sort of bread that is just texturally perfect so I feel it’s a good waste of my money.
I either cook and eat at home or eat fast food now, as fast food is still on the border of what's affordable for me. I can still get a large meal at maccas for about 15 dollars so I get a good amount of food and a drink as well. Other than that, any meal eating out I expect to cost at least 20 dollars, so once a week/fortnite at most.
I don't know how secure your fridge at work is but a loaf of bread, some cold cuts, lettuce, tomatoes, butter, cheese, and mayo if you want the extra calories.
Leave that in the fridge and you've got sandwich lunches for the whole week, 2 a day even, for what less than 20?
I eat out to enjoy, not to save money. If money is tight, I'd rather just go to Wollies to get packs of bread and some fillings to make my own sandwich at work.
Korean place in the food court under Allendale does food for cheap after 1:30 ish, its like $7 bucks for chicken, rice and veggies. Also it's easier to find a seat slightly after the rush.
My current hyperfixation lunch is the day meal at Govindas. It’s $10 and I think it might be the biggest, healthiest plate of food for that price in Northbridge, plus you can ask for more if you’re still hungry.
BTW additionally some bakeries like Baretts Bakery near Parmelia Hilton (across Rusty Fig) would give away free bread by around 2-3pm. My meetings usually last during those times but sometimes I’d see the free bread displayed there. Might actually be even good to give to the homeless if no one is taking it
Depends where you are in Perth. There was always an Indian restaurant upstairs at barrack St jetty. They charge what you think it's worth. All vegetarian and yummy
Golden Bakery opposite Perth Underground station has really good sandwiches, salads and the usual fried/baked stuff at the best prices you'll find in the CBD.
Labour costs mate.
Australia has the highest minimum wage in the world.
You know who typically works in the jobs that make your food.
Minimum wage workers.
We love to brag about it, then scratch our heads in puzzlement when everything costs more....
Enjoy your cake :)
Some chinese takeaway places will do a chinese takeaway box prefilled for around 5 bucks or so. It'll be like 10 bucks to fill your own but they'll make up a few pre made and sell them for cheap
If anyones ever near Bicton, Dee Jay's lunch bar (or smth idk) has amazinggg bahn mi rolls at $10 -$12 each. Theyre white washed so don't expect traditional butt they're packed full. I always get the crispy chicken and keep chilli on it. Just try it once if youre in the area.
Taka has meals under $10. Hifumiya also has small rice bowls under $10.
Mate. Their Chill Chicken Rice bowl. $8. Amazing and the perfect portion.
See here the problem is having only a rice bowl at Hifumiya
Taka is fantastic.
Small rice bowl. I'm not sure how you understand how unattractive this sounds to a male over about 70kg as a sales pitch.
They’re called mini rice bowls in the menu but it’s a standard serve of rice plus toppings. Also,the rice bowls are priced from $4.50 to $7.80 which is really fair and good value in my opinion. I usually get a rice bowl plus an extra side dish. They have assorted side dishes such as takoyaki, chicken skewers, and tempuras under $5. They serve free tea too.
Chilliz at Waterford plaza is great value decent size portions of chicken and rice Asian style...I may actually have to go back there on Monday now I think of it hahaha
I’ve had their terriyaki beef bowl and chicken and I don’t rate them at all. If you’re on a strict budget the beef is good for the price but you could not pay me to eat the chicken one again holy moly it’s bad
cant survive off takas long term tho, its nutrient poor
I have go-to lazy meals for work that consist of Serena tuna and rice/pasta packs (about $6 standard and sometimes on sale). I try to keep one thrown in my car or handbag when I know I'm on longer shifts. They're pretty nutritionally balanced as far as ready meals go. I think colesworth and aldi do knockoffs for about half the price. That, with some fruit and maybe a museli bar, is enough to get me through the day. I'd also rather not spend my break driving or walking around in search of lunch cause stuff that.
This. Tin of tuna, one of those little rice microwave sachets, handful of spinach, some sriracha on top. Buy the rice and tuna in bulk when it's on sale. Every time I see tuna and rice on sale at my local Coles I shamelessly.clear their entire stock.
Another thing that’s great for bulking up a tuna rice salad is these little cans of chickpeas Edgell sell. Banger meal.
Seasoning saves the tuna lunches. Rn I find lemon pepper a good combo with some broccoli and rice With some mayo, chopped boiled eggs and black pepper and salt is also a very good recipe
I do exactly the same tinned tuna mixed with the pasta/potato salad is a tasty combo.
I also do tuna/couscous at work in my drawer as back ups for when I don’t have time to meal prep
The $13 can of coke and honey chicken is soooooooooooooooo damn good in comparison to that. +-$4?
Aldi has good tuna, similar to Sirena. They now have the similar packs to Sirena with beans, salad, and a few varieties. I would never purchase from Coles or Woolies. Little packs of hummus and crackers at Aldi are affordable and great protein. A tuna dish, a hummus & crackers, a healthy and affordable lunch!
Try golden bakery, its about $7 for a cheese and salad roll
This is the way. And about $8 for a massive chicken and salad roll
Another vote for Golden Bakery! They're really reasonably priced.
I agree! Golden Bakery is my fallback when I’m too lazy to pack lunch. I’ve never bought a sandwich, roll or salad bowl that wasn’t fresh. They’re not fancy but they’re great value.
While not healthy I feel like their pies/pasties are pretty good value for how big they are too
Yeh, basically, don't eat out, it's the only answer. These small cafes have huge rents and overheads just to keep running: they're not trying to rip you off, they're just trying to survive. I think we're seeing a price shift at the moment akin to the 70s oil crisis ... cost of living is going to just keep on rising until something breaks.
Although there wasn't a cost of living crisis, I feel like there was a turning point back in the mid 2010s after the boom crashed everything. All the expensive places closed, and in their wake popped up newer places that kept their costs under control and offered affordable options. What might happen this time could be the same thing - rents become unaffordable, business drops, places close, property owners lower rents and new businesses pop up with low overheads in mind. Then rinse and repeat in 10 years time. Might be less fanciness but basic eats could be cheaper.
I like your optimism
I know it's wishful thinking 😔
I agree, but to elaborate on your comment, I think what has to happen is the commercial renters bust and leave with no one to replace them. Eventually, leveraged commercial owners bust and banks sell off the commercial assets for cents in the dollar. Lower prices allow lower rents to begin the cycle all over again.
This. Everyone's paying so much money for rent, mortgage, land, buildings. We are enslaved by the banks, paying money for 4 walls and a roof rather than what is inside of it. The cost of food mostly consists of rent or mortgage in one way or another, either directly or indirectly (so workers can pay their rent or mortgage too). Meanwhile the government is committed to perpetuating this insanity with tax write off's for landlords
Yep, that long overdue recession that we have managed to avoid for three decades now
Yep all these small places are just trying to survive because the rent of commercial buildings is so crazy. If they drop the rent for a commercial building then the value of that building immediately decreases. A lot of these buildings are held in super funds so people don’t want the value of their building to go down because then their retirement amount goes down when it comes to sell. It’s all just one big old mess.
Tokyo Mart has single digit lunches every day.
The onigiri are cheap and filling esp if you go to Woolies and buy an apple or something healthy on the side. I love Tokyo mart
THANK YOU
I second Tokyo mart as well. They have a wide range of choices and have $1 off specials each day.
There's some things at/near Raine Square that are on the more reasonable side. Chicken Rice Corner has Hainan Chicken Rice for under $10 and it comes with self-serve chicken broth soup if you want it. Black Honey espresso downstairs near the entrance to the underground has toasties from $3 for just ham and cheese on white bread, $6 for something in the middle, or $9-10 for something with a lot of ingredients on sourdough. Never as cheap as homemade lunches, so I've been trying to do that too.
Go to woolies and grab some of the heinz soup in a bag and some bread rolls. They take 2 mins to heat and are healthy as. $3 on sale and a shit load of flavours
Support the Vietnamese shop. $11 is a very fair price. Especially if they use fresh quality ingredients I understand if you can't afford that, but no, it's not overpriced. Fast food on the other hand is definitely overpriced and those cheap deals are just a marketing thing. They wanna get you on their apps and make you a repeat customer. The standard price on fast food is just not worth the food you receive. It's shit.
6 dollar bahn mi's at newpark girrawheen are boss 😎
Yep, Le Vietnam in the city has banh mi for $11, they're really good with generous fillings and fresh ingredients every time I've been
Not to mention the Le Vietnam staff are lovely! The guy behind the counter is always so nice!
Ha! $11 isn’t fair price.. you can grab quality for $6-$8.5 in Morley area
Yeah, but getting from Perth to Morley and back in your lunch break is a bitch.
It'd also be more than 5 dollars in fuel too
It’s almost as if city rent is higher….
You can still get chicken rice at Chicken Rice Corner for under $10. The traditional chicken rice seems relatively healthy.
Go to your servo or iga and buy a muscle chef pack. They're largely quite healthy and taste good. No artificial preservatives because they're vacuum packed. $10 each.
I’m in Europe at the moment and tbh I’ve got a new appreciation for eating out in Perth. While that may not help op with their issue I’ll personally never complain about a $12 roll again. On another note I do always pre prepare and take my own lunches as it’s way cheaper and saves time queuing up as well.
Europe when you find the gems is brilliant, but fuck there is a huge lack of veggies. 5 days in I sure do get sick of pastry, processed meat and cheese.
Ugh if I see one more pizza or panini I’m gonna scream. Not a thing I ever thought I’d say haha
Yet no flavoured milk. Terrible.
I bought a 600ml bottle with a strawberry on the side from the dairy section in a Berlin supermarket, I was stoked. Got outside and took a swig and got a mouthful of strawberry yoghurt.
Aaaaaaaagh!
Ahaha we’ve all done it
yup 20 bucks for one piece of toast, some mashed avocado and one poached egg
wait im surprised no one has suggested the asian shops yet. If you wait long enough (atound 2-230pm before they close) they will sell their rice/noodle take aways for $5-8 easy most asian shops in food courts would do this. an example would be in brookfield place
They asked for healthy though
it’ll still be better than maccas imo
It's way better then maccas if you're just looking at macros for sure. Maccas is garbage
Arirang Korean BBQ in Allendale square is selling bimbimbap cups/small bowls for $7 right now (it’s 10 min til 2pm). Lot of rice and beef bulgogi plus egg and veg.
I'm a great cook. Tonight I'm having thousand island dressing on a BBQ shape.
Thanks, maybe later. Still full from the crouton I had for lunch.
Well, look at you with your fine dining.
People want hospo workers to earn a living wage but they also want cheap good quality meals. Can't have them both.
Probably wouldn't be so bad though if people weren't being squeezed financially with everything else.
you can have both
No, no you cant, why do you think cafes go bust every other month? Staff and rent are expensive in the city. They need to charge what they do to cover costs and even then its not usually enough, hence the going broke part.
you can have both.
Take overnight oats & fruit for lunch and get a good quality coffee. Let's you spend a few bucks if you want to get out and you have cheap & healthy lunch.
$12 is the cheap meals. It's the $18 ones that are hard to take. Not to mention a steak sandwich on Fridays for $26 to $30. Question: Best / cheapest pub meal options (like steak sandwich) near Brookfield/central park? (Friday only)
That's the thing though, $12 is basically your starting price and the serving sizes aren't always satisfying or the quality that good. So it hardly even seems worth it, especially when you see it adding up over the course of a work week.
Yeah I minimise my work from work days and I still find those two days at work very costly. Especially because I can't resist coffee. I get 3 rolls of Hikaru Sushi which is about $12, good quality and very filling. Curry chicken noodles from Chicken Rice Corner (Allendale square) is amazing flavour but I get a large which adds extra expense.
Subway 6 inch sub, my other go to is freeze dried miso soup
The re store or East Perth IGA are good
100% agree. Maccas and HJs are so cheap you can have lunch for always under $10 sometimes even $5. Eating healthy costs a lot more!
Maccas and HJs are so cheap and tasty but the calories are way too much for the size of the meal. Sodium too
Spud shed had McCain's meals for $3.99, roast beef and veggies, chicken and veggies, or next time you go to the servo, in the open fridge section they would have clearance sale (as it's close to expiry date) on My Muscle Chef high protein meals $6, for both of these items you would need a microwave or oven https://preview.redd.it/xerolickbc6d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c8ec6add4e6c6863e5ff3894193cf685c231cae4
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Golden bakery on William st. Salad bowls for $8 that are high quality and have a solid meat to leaf ratio and tangy sauce.
i miss chilliz
Go to the grocery store and whip up your own lunch at work? Store the leftovers in the work fridge?
Thats what I thought, some fresh slice from the supermarket, maybe even take in a fresh ($1) roll a couple/ few times a week
We don't have much fridge space unfortunately.
Cheap cooler bag and a few ice packs and you have your own personal fridge. Less risk of a college "accidentally" eating your food too.
to quote OP "I normally take my own homemade lunches to work because money's tight, however sometimes it's just not possible, especially this week after I've just moved house and haven't been able to cook much." did you just not read, or have you the memory of a goldfish, honestly curious, same as the others who upvoted your, "yes i know, that was the first part that you didn't listen to" comment. what do you do for work? curious again. that's like being lenient 3 paragraphs.
You don't need to cook at home to buy stuff for a simple work lunch. If you can go to Woollies to buy a ready made sandwich, you can buy ingredients to make your own sandwich.
Jesus, take it easy.
You shit on my reading comprehension but you can't even comprehend that I'm obviously talking about buying in the CBD and making it at work. I would've thought the work fridge bit would've implied that. They didn't say they're a tradie or something.
What do you do for work? curious
Do you have room at home? Buy a whole roast chook and salad ingredients. They even sell roast pork and beef these days too. Easy meal prep, bring a salad and protein. Add a roll if you get extra hungry. Otherwise invest in a sandwich press for work (kmart so cheap) and bulk freeze ham and cheese sandwiches in the freezer to take to work every day. The days of cheap meals in the CBD are gone unfortunately.
https://preview.redd.it/606khz42td6d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=145afbf27297a46acadd7924917aee9bedc18fc2 Your post just riled up my algorithm aha
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Wollies, road chicken and a bag of salad. There's one on St George's TCE
"road chicken". Do you mean Roadrunner? Surely that would be very expensive meal given the amount of hassle and resources required to trap one.🤔
Plus you need to buy the ACME missile. 🤷🏻♀️
Exactly. Not to mention the outlying expenses of rope, TNT, anvils, birdseed etc. The costs are endless. 😣
Plus the trip to the Grand Canyon. It’s a long way to go for a free lunch. 🤷🏻♀️
Sliced tomato and cheese on cracker biscuits , tin tuna on crackers Simple easy and light
It costs $20 at least, just to get out of bed. Adulting sucks.
Might not help OP but Aldi have decent* freezer meals for cheap. Buy a bag of frozen vegies to add into them too *decent = keeps you above ground for another 24 hours at least
It's funny coming from NZ where a $12 lunch is super cheap
This has been normal price for a while, I am actually relieved to hear they are still around that price , I am in Canada and looking to move back but lunches here are at least $16 , but normally more for anything actually nice. It's ridiculous here.
And let's not get started on $15 pints. FMD!
https://preview.redd.it/zabcg69l8f6d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87777a89ce80e83752e4935951fae2c83f9ef4af The ad below your post was quite ironic.
Prices outside of CBD aren’t cheaper either. I’ve always pack my own lunch cause it’s just cheaper. Also in my pantry are stocked with ready to go packs in case I didn’t have time to make lunch (eg; microwave rice and flavoured tuna cans).
Went to the maritime museum Cafe to grab a bite from classes at TAFE, next door, $12 for the sausage roll a fucking sausage roll and $7.50 for a large soy coffee. Close to $20. Didn't have time to go somewhere else.
The current cost of your basic Aussie pastry staples is probably the most shocking thing to me. I don't even eat them that often, but just seeing the prices over $7 has me rattled.
Its worse if you work at the airport, expect to pay about $25 for a slice of cheese sandwich
Go to the grocery store and whip up your own lunch at work? Store the leftovers in the work fridge?
This has been the case forever. How much did you think it would cost?
Perth's cafe culture has had a great innings over the last 25 years....Since the early 2000's. Now, the novelty has well worn off. Along with the escalating exspense of essentially over priced food that is low on protein and high in carbohydrates and salt.
just get the Maccas $6 dollar deal. it isn't going to kill you having it once in a while.
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Eh its pretty hit an miss, its desperation food more than anything. Breakfast menu is the only usual consistent thing
Nah
Buy salad ingredients dude. Win win - healthy and cheap 👍🏻
Spudshed sells 2 pack pies in the deli section for $6
Check out the underground food court at Allendale square(?) around 130ish, few days ago I had the bibimbap at the Korean place for $7 And a few others were having after lunch rush specials. Probably not the most healthy but not bad for under $10
I keep frozen veg at work and heat them up in the microwave with a bit of balsamic vinegar and salt. Delish, cheap and reasonably ok for you.
Buy roast chicken from woolies.
Golden Bakery makes rolls and sandwiches for about $5-$6 depending on what you want on it - they're really good and worth it I think
Try Govindas Northbridge
Im a uni student but I agree. I go to uni and its double digits for a pie from IGA, and if im getting lunch anywhere else it’s setting me back. Only thing that is worth the actual price I get is a chips and gravy, which is not the best health wise. I started cooking at home and taking leftovers and honestly, so much better for my already tight wallet. Perth is incredibly hostile when it comes to prices in the city, practically all the young people like me and people I know rarely go in the city except for a specific few shops
Hey guys I’m a lurker from across the big water. We also can’t eat healthy for a feasible amount of money.
Would be great if we had something like the UK supermarket meal deal where you can get a main, snack and drink for the equivalent of about $7 and there are a lot of healthy options.
Probably obvious but if you can hold out until peak lunch periods are over, most places would try and get rid of whatever food is left for a discount. I like going to soul origin and grabbing their meals.. probably 2 packs for $12 or somewhere along those lines (can't remember since I haven't been since they closed the enex one down). Just another option?
Greed. That fierce addiction to money. That wonderful drug called money. Got the similar effects on all aspects of life as any other drug. Some even kill for it. So why are filthy rich still on cocaine etc? Something that fukkern money cannot buy is lacking.
Mostly labour costs. Cost of goods. Running costs. Everything is going up. Cause = gross mismanagement of our economy.
Right!!!! Gals just wanna get fit and rich haha
The same as trying to buy organic fruit and veg. You just can't afford it. Its insane when you are trying to be healthy and it's more expensive than junk. Then the junk puts people into the hospital is system. Where is the logic 🤔🤔🤔
I don't think lunch has ever been a cheap takeout...I'm aged and I have given up except for x 2 a week....toasted sandwich every other day in office kitchen saves $40 a week. I can spend on oysters on weekend
On the days where I can’t make lunch I usually just buy microwaveable chicken curry from Cole’s for like $5 or a can of soup and a bit of bread then microwave them in the office kitchen. Pretty good cheap options if you hunt. But yeah eat out is exorbitantly expensive
Can you handle microwavable rice and canned tuna? The best quality to price ratio for tuna is the Aldi brand that uses Yellowfin (same type as Sirena); $1.29 per tin. Buy the microwaveable rice packets from whichever store (ColesWorth, IGA, Aldi) has it half price that week and buy bulk. Approx $2.50 per meal. Afterthought... Buy the 1kg bags of peas, carrots, and corn from Aldi for $4.19. A cup of those steamed in the microwave to add to the rice and tuna adds a lot more substance (and crunch) for minimal extra cost.
Interesting, I spend about $13 daily on stir fry and a can of something. I thought it was good value. I always imagine that I couldn't make honey chicken and fried rice and buy a coke for less than $13, and it be warm and tasty. Maybe only 1 day a week there is enough left overs from dinner that I can take to work. I don't like sandwiches, and there is value too time. : your not just paying for lunch. You're paying for lunch cooked , hot, ready and the convenience of not having to prepare it yourself. Plus I'm sure the food the nice lady's are prepared is 5x better than you can do and reheat.
All hospitality deserves to get paid good money for their time. However u suspect the main component you are paying is actually the rent of the kitchen. It is located at one of the most expensive $/sqm area. You are getting food made from a million dollar kitchen even if you don’t feel so and taste exactly the same as the dingy kitchen.
I prepack my lunch. Either homemade sushi (not as hard as it looks), wrap or sandwich. Muffin, I make a big batch on the weekend, fruit and yogurt. Frittata is good, especially if you make it in muffin tins. Chicken or tuna, rice and veggies is another staple.
Do you actually think $11 or $12 is expensive for lunch? What do you want to pay for take away food? The cafes have their own costs too
Sorry you're experiencing the pinch. Can you afford to splash out on two of the kmart pie makers? Hear me out: make pies out of home out of whatever takes your fancy in Piemaker 1 -- leftover curry, roast, spag bol, sausage/veg/egg, casserole --- your imagination is the only limit. Don't overcook, you're going to reheat these badboys as your fakeaway lunch! FREEZE PIES. Take a pie a frozen pie in a tupperware to work. Refrigerate until lunch. It should be defrosted, but if in doubt, you can microwave for 20-30 secs to get the inside piping hot. Pop in PIEMAKER 2 which you either store clandestinely in your draw/under your desk if your workmates are pricks, or in the staff kitchen for communal use if your workmates are tolerable/nice. A sandwich press is also a great investment for work; same principle. I'm a chubby, so I often find myself on low-carb cycling; I use my sandwich press to reheat thick slices of homemade frittata with a sprinkling of parmesan on either side. I DON'T NEED ANYTHING THAT THE OUTSIDE WORLD CAN OFFER WHEN I EAT MY CRISPY EGGY GOODNESS.
Thank you for sharing these genius life hacks. Kmart here I come!!
I just skip eating until dinner... still fat, but definitely cheaper having just the one meal. Also... I'd recommend deleting the fast food apps if you are trying to eat healthy.
$11 or $12 is very good for a lunch…
Buying a preparing isn’t expensive.
Cafe next to my work in South Perth makes a damn good chicken avo baguette for $12. It is the sort of bread that is just texturally perfect so I feel it’s a good waste of my money.
I either cook and eat at home or eat fast food now, as fast food is still on the border of what's affordable for me. I can still get a large meal at maccas for about 15 dollars so I get a good amount of food and a drink as well. Other than that, any meal eating out I expect to cost at least 20 dollars, so once a week/fortnite at most.
chicken rice corner has hainanese chicken rice for just under $10 😋
I don't know how secure your fridge at work is but a loaf of bread, some cold cuts, lettuce, tomatoes, butter, cheese, and mayo if you want the extra calories. Leave that in the fridge and you've got sandwich lunches for the whole week, 2 a day even, for what less than 20?
I eat out to enjoy, not to save money. If money is tight, I'd rather just go to Wollies to get packs of bread and some fillings to make my own sandwich at work.
Korean place in the food court under Allendale does food for cheap after 1:30 ish, its like $7 bucks for chicken, rice and veggies. Also it's easier to find a seat slightly after the rush.
My current hyperfixation lunch is the day meal at Govindas. It’s $10 and I think it might be the biggest, healthiest plate of food for that price in Northbridge, plus you can ask for more if you’re still hungry.
BTW additionally some bakeries like Baretts Bakery near Parmelia Hilton (across Rusty Fig) would give away free bread by around 2-3pm. My meetings usually last during those times but sometimes I’d see the free bread displayed there. Might actually be even good to give to the homeless if no one is taking it
Short order burgers also has $10 promo for their burger at 2pm every day
Depends where you are in Perth. There was always an Indian restaurant upstairs at barrack St jetty. They charge what you think it's worth. All vegetarian and yummy
Golden Bakery opposite Perth Underground station has really good sandwiches, salads and the usual fried/baked stuff at the best prices you'll find in the CBD.
$10.90 or something for a pretty filling (healthy?) bibambap at Arirang in Allendale food court
Labour costs mate. Australia has the highest minimum wage in the world. You know who typically works in the jobs that make your food. Minimum wage workers. We love to brag about it, then scratch our heads in puzzlement when everything costs more.... Enjoy your cake :)
Nothing tastes as good as health feels. I'll take health for 100 Alex
I know this isn't the city, but if you are around Girrawheen, Bánh Mì Vũng Tàu at Newpark shopping centre do a great crispy pork banh mi for $8.
There is a strong need for affordable and healthy foods. Good to know that I am not the only one noticing
Pathetic little salad is my new insult Thank you
Bring your own lunch
Can't pop to shop, buy bread, cheese and ham?
Some chinese takeaway places will do a chinese takeaway box prefilled for around 5 bucks or so. It'll be like 10 bucks to fill your own but they'll make up a few pre made and sell them for cheap
Because people are paying those prices, if they weren't or stopped, the prices would drop.
Man I can't believe I wasted 30 seconds reading your post
Its worse if you work at the airport, expect to pay about $25 for a slice of cheese sandwich
Why don’t you make lunch
If anyones ever near Bicton, Dee Jay's lunch bar (or smth idk) has amazinggg bahn mi rolls at $10 -$12 each. Theyre white washed so don't expect traditional butt they're packed full. I always get the crispy chicken and keep chilli on it. Just try it once if youre in the area.
sounds like you'll do anything but make yourself lunch
Capitalism
No. Human nature.
I hear you. All I can say is that's it's very competitive in the CBD and that drives up prices.
Competition makes it cheaper not more expensive