Thursday, 09 June 2011
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Office Woes: to Buy or to Brown Bag?
I work part-time at a corporate travel agency where I am forced to stare at the beautiful islands of the Maldives all day long. What's worse than the air-conditioned and dim cubicle that I work in? The food our vendors bring weekly.
Each week, representatives from hotels all over the world come to our office to present their new additions, travel packages, and seasonal rates. What's most enticing of all, though, is the food they bring with which they attempt to wow us. I must say, my coworkers can be total vultures: if there are free sandwiches at lunch time, good luck!
In all seriousness, the food is usually pretty wonderful. Sometimes lunch and coffee are brought in from Au Bon Pain and once in a while vendors bring cupcakes from Crumbs or Magnolia Bakery. I'm not sure which is deadliest, but it might have to be the mini cupcakes that come from Baked by Melissa. Seriously, it's impossible to eat just one.
While on the one hand, eating what gets brought in is definitely saving my ever-so-bulging (not) wallet, it isn't saving my waistline. It's difficult to know what you're eating when you haven't prepared it for yourself. Preparing meals and taking them to work (or school) can save your wallet and your beach body. Working in Manhattan makes it hard for me to eat cheap, so it's important that I bring my meals as often as I can.
What I usually bring: a package of Quaker's weight control oatmeal is always great when I don't have time to eat breakfast at home. It's filling and a healthy way to fuel your body for the work that lay ahead. For lunch, I like to make sandwiches at home and bring them with me. On multigrain bread, I put four slices of low-sodium sliced chicken, a piece of muenster or swiss cheese, a handful of fresh baby spinach, a dab of Kraft Mayo made with olive oil (delicious and healthier than regular or light mayo), and a dab of Trader Joe's garlic aioli mustard. This sandwich is delicious, low calorie, and satisfyingly filling.
What do you eat for lunch? Do you bring it or buy it? Where do you buy your lunch?
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About the Author
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- From: thedailydane
- About Me: I like tea and books. I like talking about tea and books. I like food. I like talking about food. I like to travel. Mostly, I like talking about traveling.
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Comments (9)
I try to bring my own lunch most days but at least once a pay period (every two weeks) I try to treat myself to a lunch out of the office. Nothing fancy, Noodles & Company or Panda Hut
Sometimes I'll make something like spaghetti or chicken. Sometimes I bring something like those frozen lean cuisine things if I want a change yet still want to bring something. And if all that fails, I go out depending on what I'm craving (recently though, Chik-Fil-A has been where I've been going often since it's so close by to work).
I usually eat leftovers, going out once a week if I have money. My problem is that I'm not satisfied after eating a sandwich and usually need "real" food or I'll be snacking all day. This means something more substantial like stuffed shells, casserole, or whatever other leftovers I'm hauling around.
I've made it through a year of grad school only packing. It helps to keep things like portions of rice I freeze, so I can have a little variety or grab something at the last minute. I can see how your situation can be troubling! I'd say, see about getting some shelf-stable entrees you can keep in your desk--that way, if you decide you don't want to eat out, you can just go for them. I get "India to Go" meals that are inexpensive at a nearby grocery store.
My usual lunch for work or when I have a day of classes is a pb&j sandwich, handful of carrots, yogurt, and sometimes fruit. I carry a fiberone or fiberplus bar as a snack to hold me over if between lunch and when I get home to make dinner.
It was bad when I wouldn't make lunch to eat between classes because I'd always go for a a piece of pepperoni pizza or 7/11 corndogs. >_>
We get free lunch at my office about three times a week, but it's not consistent and we never know for sure.
I always pack my lunch, and if we get brought lunch, I save my brought lunch for the next day, or for dinner, or visa versa, I take the free food home for dinner.
My usual meals while at work:
Coffee (made at home)
Oatmeal (that I make at work, I like Trader Joe's organic oats w/ Flax)
Celery w/ Almond Butter (to nibble)
Chicken Breast (made in many different ways depending on the week)
Carrots w/ Hummas
Piece of Fruit (I'm into melons right now)
If I'm stressed at work I will bring in a "fun size" candy bar each day to give me a little something-something!
Sometimes I work late (long long hours) I keep cans of my favorite soup here incase I'm starved and stuck here, it prevents me from going to the hospital across the street and eating their AMAZINGLY yummy (but usually unhealthy) food. (I work for a medical university)
If I'm not eating lunch at home, just a sandwich and a fruit/veggie snack. Buying from a vending machine or the cafeteria would be my only other option and i can't for the life of me find anything there, that also fits into my veg diet, that is better for me or cheaper than what i can make. If the meal is easy to eat without sitting at a table and won't result in bad breath I'll take leftovers.
BOOTS MEAL DEALS
I seriously try to pack my lunch at least four out of five days of the week. I feel better when I do and I don't regret spending the extra money that I could have spent on something else.
There are a lot of people where I work that get take out every day and I see the effects of that on their health and it reminds me of why it's better to pack my own lunch.
I usually have different side dishes that I will pack in a small container for a treat at lunch but my lunch usually consists of salads.