Balance of Food

One area where I have not come close to conquering is work lunches. I can do awesome breakfasts, sensible dinners, and quality snacks. But the Monday-Friday lunches are my blind spot.

When I worked from home, lunch was easy. Going to work meant inconsistent lunches, either too much money or not enough food or not-healthy fare.

When I worked from home, I often would fix fish sticks or hot dogs, easy stuff at home, but not easy to do at work. And I hated the idea of buying lunches or trying to fix something while I desperately tried to get ready for work.

I "blame" this syndrome on having to fix my lunches since I was about 10. Most children that I know of had their parents (okay, let's be honest, mothers) fix their lunches until junior high or, sometimes, high school. But my mother gave up when I was about 10. So I had to spend my mornings fighting off my brother (the reason for my mother giving up on helping make lunches), making breakfast and a lunch. When time ran out, lunch got the short-shrift.

Lunches at the elementary school weren't great to begin with. But they were reheated because our school didn't have a full kitchen.

I don't have to fight off anyone as an adult. I still struggle to make breakfast and I still don't enjoy making lunches especially in the morning.

In my current day job, I decided that Wednesday and Friday were eating out days. The pressure of making three lunches was a lot better than five lunches. But sometimes I struggle with even three lunches.

I don't make stews, which would be a logical way to go. Sandwiches are great when I'm home, but throwing it together in a hurry and keeping it refrigerated for several hours isn't appealing. Leftover spaghetti could work, but it tastes better at home.

I stick with tuna as a standby, since it's portable. Sure it's boring but if I can eat it for lunch at work, you can't be picky about boring.

I recently tried yet another revision to cure my troubles at weekday lunch time: Microwave Monday. I would buy microwave dinners as my entrée for lunch on Mondays. I don't have much recent experience with microwave dinners since I am one of the 7 percent of American consumers who don't own at least one microwave (some people own more than one?).

Microwave Monday is a great idea. Don't have to think about fixing something on Monday, when I'm barely awake. But the small amount of effort doesn't get me much at lunchtime.

The dinners are either not enough food or too unhealthy or both. I tried "mashed potatoes" and they were horrid. The sodium levels were frightening. I didn't feel full or satisfied.

I have a few left in the freezer, so I may still do a few more Microwave Mondays. Yes, if I fix a salad or eat a few cherry tomatoes and have some fruit, microwave dinners could be a part of something substantial. But the better solution would be to get more energy, preparation, and perhaps even imagination to come up with better, tastier, healthier, and more satisfying workplace lunches.

# posted by ChadR @ 3/18/2008 07:52:00 AM