Chicken Fillet Roll vs Homemade Lunch: What Are You Really Eating?

The chicken fillet roll is an Irish institution. It is hot, filling and always there when you are hungry. But how does it compare with something you could pack yourself?

A typical deli roll is a white bread roll, a breaded and fried chicken fillet, mayonnaise or sauce, and perhaps a little salad. It tastes good, and it fills a gap. But it tends to be high in refined carbohydrates, fat and salt, and low in fibre and vegetables. A bag of crisps and a fizzy drink on the side make the balance worse.

Now think about a simple homemade alternative: chicken and vegetable curry with rice, a beef and bean chilli, or a pasta bake with plenty of veg. These meals give you more protein, more fibre and real vegetables. They also tend to keep you full for longer, which means fewer trips back to the shop at three o'clock.

The cost difference is just as clear. A homemade portion usually works out at a few euro, where a deli meal with a drink can easily pass €8 or €9.

None of this means you can never have a fillet roll again. It is a treat, and there is nothing wrong with a treat. The problem is when a treat becomes the daily default because there is nothing else to hand.

Swap idea: Make one of your weekly dinners a double batch. Portion the extra into containers, freeze it, and take one a day. Defrost it the night before and heat it in your Portagrub lunch box at work.