Most of the grocery stores offer pre-packaged lunches which include a sandwich, a drink, and some veggies or a sweet treat. While they are convenient, they come at a price. I have, on occasion, picked up a pre-made lunch because it was the only option and I wasn't able to get home to eat. These lunches are tasty, but I am not sure that they are healthy. Do your grocery stores offer these lunches? Are they good quality and is there enough variety? Is the price worth the convenience?
My grocery stores offer the same kind of lunches. Sandwiches and salads are common and the quality seems decent. There is sushi too, which I have bought a few times when I wanted something to eat right away. I didn't like the chilled temperature that they were and it would've been nicer to get sushi at a restaurant for the same price. I avoid ordering lunches like this now.
Are they healthy? It really depends on what's inside. If you pick it up on the deli side and they've add fresh-sliced meat themselves, fresh veggies, etc, then sure, it might be on the healthier side. If it's just processed meats, candy bars, etc, then no, not so much.
There is a local health food store that sells many of these items, that I will buy from time to time. They are expensive, but in some cases, they actually save me money vs. buying all the ingredients to make them myself. For example, if I am in the mood for some vegan lunches/dinners, I don't want to go out and buy entire packs of vegan cheese, a box of meat substitutes, vegan mayo, and other stuff - just to make one meal. At the regular grocery stores, I usually avoid these since I am assuming that they are just trying to use up old food, and sell it at a premium price. Once in a while though they will have good prices on pre-made subs. I will get these because they often have so much lunch meat on them that it would have cost me a lot more to buy all that meat and bread and cheese to make the sub myself.
I rarely buy these as they are quite expensive and rarely that nice. I think whether they can be deemed healthy or not depends on the filling. The nutritional information is on the packet so can be determined from there. I tend to buy tuna mayo if I go for one of these. I find with BLT's and such the bacon is never nice and the salad is not crisp how I like it. Marks and Spencer however do a really nice range of sandwiches.
My grocery store has the prepackaged lunches, but they are overpriced and the sandwiches look soggy from sitting around, so I wouldn't buy them. If I'm going to spend $6, I'd rather just get fast food.
My store has these too. I think it would be cheaper to make your own. You can buy rice crispy treats or cookies in bulk for a decent price. Bread costs a few dollars as does lunch meat/cheese or peanut butter/jelly. Plus you can buy large think of chips or veggies for a few bucks. So you can spend $20 and get 5 pre-made meals or you can make 10+ of your own. I think I'd rather make my own. Plus I've tried eating some of the pre-made sandwiches and they are either dry or soggy. You can never get one in between.
DD wants to swap to packed lunches in the new year. I try to do one on-line food shop a week and then only pick up extras if we really need something, so I'm trying to think of things that will be healthy, but will also keep a week or that can be frozen.
