Taking your lunch to work can help you keep an eye on your bottom line as well as your, um... bottom. It's no secret—times are tough and money is tight. According to CNBC.com, more Americans are brown bagging it to save some cash. But the benefits don't stop there! While padding your wallet, you could be trimming your waistline. Preparing your own lunch allows you to control nutritional quality and portion size of the second most important meal of the day. Budget lunches that beat the bulge could include:

A whole wheat wrap with turkey and veggies
Organic fruit
A serving of protein packed nuts
Soy chips and hummus