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Forty percent of Canadians buy their lunch instead of brown-bagging it

Even if you set out with the best of intentions and carefully prepared your turkey sandwich the night before, there are days when the sight of that brown paper bag come lunchtime results in more apathy that appetite.

So you slip out of the office at noon and head to your favourite nearby noodle place. Or sushi joint. Or deli. Anything but that tragic lump of comestibles sitting on your desk.

Perhaps you didn't even bother to pack a lunch at all.

If you didn't, you figure among the 41 per cent of fellow Canadians who'd much rather take it to go. According to a new Ipsos Reid poll for Tim Hortons, four in 10 Canadians eat out at a food court, restaurant or other food-based facility at least once a month.

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And among the 47 per cent of us who bring our meals to work, 17 per cent of those diligent lunch packers end up scrapping the sac and eating out anyway.

"Many who bring their lunch are often enticed by buying something they are craving," reads the Ipsos Reid press release.

The results, which track our midday eating habits, reveal that despite belt-tightening economic times, the draw of a meal we didn't have to prepare can sometimes be more powerful than following a strict budget.

Those cravings don't always come cheap, however.

The Huffington Post points to a study by Visa Canada that claims six in 10 Canadians prefer to peruse a menu instead of a recipe book every week. While they're selecting that lunch-sized burger or sandwich, Canadians end up shelling out an average of $8.80 per meal — and that's probably a lowball figure in larger cities.

Frequent eaters-out may consider that a paltry sum, but the article is careful to note that over time that adds up to $44 a week and $2,200-worth of potential vacation money per year.

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To combat the danger of brown-bag fatigue, check out this list of quick and tasty lunches that may silence the cafeteria Siren song.

Tortilla wraps provide an interesting alternative to your typical two-slabs-of-bread sandwiches and can hold a larger volume of interesting edibles whether you prefer meat or veggies.

Pasta salads are a great leftovers repository, and with a dash of creamy dressing you suddenly have a brand new meal.

Most importantly, try to cook in slightly larger volumes so you can freeze and thaw rather than prepare an entire new meal from scratch.

Of course, once that fierce pizza craving hits, there's little you can do to slow its roll. Plus it's important to remember that the occasional drive-by burgering won't break the bank.

You just need to listen to your gut.