Is lunch a necessary evil in your life?

I’m having a grilled chicken salad at a fast casual restaurant right now, OP. Sometimes it’s nice to just chill at a restaurant and watch the world go by.

OP, I just had lunch and hated it! Homemade split- pea soup and dry toast. I'm newly unemployed, so no more take-out crab rangoon for me! From now on it's Aldi cucumbers and pinto beans.

I skip it when I am work or do some sort of fiber cookies or bar. When I tried to be good about it I would have soup brought from home. I only go out if I am going out with people, which hasn't happened in years- since covid, which is just as well, its so expensive. My job does have a cafeteria so I guess I could eat there too.

[quote]Is lunch a necessary evil in your life?

Lunch is a midday meal consumed for sustenance. There's nothing "evil" about it.

What's wrong with you? Why did you start this thread? Do you have an eating disorder? A personality disorder? Are you receiving treatment for whatever is ailing you?

I work in a hospital (in an office) and we have a cafeteria. That being said, it's expensive and a lunch averages between $6.75 - $9.00 depending on what you get; if you just get a large soup it's around $2.75. The salad bar is very highly priced. I often bring my lunch - leftovers, hard boiled eggs, instant ramen, miso soup, Bumblebee tuna snacks, homemade sandwiches... and will supplement with a vegetable side which is usually just a dollar or so.

I never go out for lunch because finding parking again would be a joke.

What do you mean "necessary evil"? Are you talking about the "live to eat" vs. "eat to live" personalities?

Anyway, sounds like you want to get more enjoyment out of your lunch.

As I get older, and now that I'm working from home, I'm switching from light lunch / heavy dinner to heavy lunch / light dinner.

Give us an idea of what you like to eat and then we can give you lunch suggestions.

[quote]it's expensive and a lunch averages between $6.75 - $9.00

It's hilarious that you think this is expensive.

Nope, I eat one meal a day which is dinner. Been that way for the last 30 years.

R7 sorry you feel that way. I don't. I'm good at saving money and being frugal.

R7, everyone has different means and it is in poor spirit to point that out.

$9 per day does sound like a lot for lunch. If you multiply that by 20 (work days), that's $180 per month just for work lunches. My entire food budget, for one person, is around $400 to $500. (High cost of living where I live.)

Nope I eat 15 ounces of watery gruel every day at noon and that's it. Don't you dare call it lunch, it's "grueltime." That's how we do it around these parts. We don't cotton to no city-slickerisms like "lunch." This ain't Ver-sails.

I eat breakfast, and for lunch I try not to eat too heavy. Right now I'm having hummus with carrots and celery sticks. I have multi grain gluten free crackers that I love, and sometimes I will bring in a good cheddar and some of my crackers. I will bring Granny Smith apple slices with crunchy peanut butter from Trader Joes. Sometimes I will do three or four leaves of romaine lettuce smeared with hummus or pesto and some slices of chicken or smoked turkey. I love lentil soup and I may bring a small thermos of lentil soup, now and then. If I have a rotisserie chicken I may bring in a leg and thigh to eat with a small salad. Or I may have salad as an entree with canned tuna on it (I put the dressing on just before I eat. I have also tried canellini beans in a salad with a balsamic vinagrette.

R13, here, I also have a bit of dark chocolate in the late afternoon.

When I was working lunch was my favorite part of the day. Not a necessary evil at all.

R5 is a miser.

I work from home and usually make a salad, or have tuna on a wrap with a side of veggies. It's nice to not have to smell my coworkers' greasy leftovers microwaving, or toast burning.

No, because I don't eat lunch.

Just because I don't find it necessary doesn't mean it's evil, though.

When I worked in the office I always had a loaf of bread, peanut butter and a jar of jam and made a sandwich every day and ate at my desk. Sounds sad but worked for me fine. Now that I'm retired, eat a later breakfast and dinner, no lunch.

R19 when you eat breakfast at 11 am that is lunch, fool

OP here. I have long Covid and an unpredictable energy level. This week I bought deli salads and had tuna on a croissant todaqy, which was neither bad nor good. When I worked outside the home, I was never sufficiently organized to take along good lunches and ended up scrambling. These days I do protein shakes and rotisserie chicken congee just to keep my energy up.

Long Covid fucks up your appetite. Diminished taste and smell?

Now that I work from home I don’t eat lunch. It’s too tempting to watch tv or take a nap after. If I get hungry I will have an apple or a bar to tide me over until dinner time.

I eat salad for lunch every day

EVERY DAMN DAY

I get one of those bagged things from Costco and then add cherry tomatoes, chopped broccoli, baby carrots, etc. Generally "dry" vegetables (no cucumbers).

Usually lasts 1.5-2 weeks in a salad Tupperware that has a tray at the bottom so it doesn't sit in water.

I do this not because I love salad. I do it because I know it is healthy and I would never eat enough vegetables otherwise. I do not use dressing (which my parents think is just bizarre) but I do add canned oysters/tuna/salmon/etc. to it sometimes to add a little oil/protein.

It is for me, the definition of "necessary evil".

I force a salad down too. I can eat a salad with iced coffee for a breakfast

I make a stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on Sunday and freeze them in Tupperware. I put one in my bag each morning and it's thawed out by lunchtime. Much easier than trying to decide where to go for lunch each day.

[quote] I do not use dressing

r24 What about EVOO and vinegar or lemon juice? None of the crap that goes into bottled dressing.

He doesn't eat to enjoy, he eats to absorb nutrients, R27.

When my parents grew up on farms in North Dakota, it was breakfast (I dunno how big this meal was), lunch (minimal), dinner (main meal) and a late supper. I like this approach, I could do without lunch, I don't usually get hungry until later afternoon. I find myself eating more frequently these days than I'd like because of weight lifting and protein requirements.

Yes, and I find it to be a hassle. I don't eat breakfast (well - New York Breakfast - coffee and a cig), so, I'm hungry by Noon or 1pm. Employer subsidizes a supposedly high-end cafeteria in the complex but that still comes out to be $10 and everything is salty. Usually don't like eating leftovers from dinner for lunch. I like the idea of freezing PBJ (or other) sandwiches for lunch, but that's high carb. Am not organized enough during the week to pack a lunch and I rarely have a whole hour for lunch. It's not really evil; it's just a hassle. Sometimes I grab a box from Starbuck's that has crackers, cheese, and fruit. But that takes time. Just had the idea of bringing Lean Cuisines or Smart Balance frozen items instead and sprinkling on Benefiber as processed foods tend to lack fiber. Wonder if there are low-sodium options.

Honestly, I despise having to eat. I cannot understand the individuals who live for food. They are always hungry and get so excited to eat. I just cannot understand their obsession. I am excited about food or even eating. Strange, I know.

Does anyone else feel the same way?

“Honestly, I despise having to eat.”

“I am excited about food.”

Make up your damn mind, R31

R31,I hope you're taking vitamins, or at least getting a protein shake or two every day. Because it looks to me as if you have a very poor diet, and it's going to catch up to you sooner than you realize.

I have a light breakfast on the run, a decent supper and I snack in between (chips, granola bars, fruit, cookies). And drink pop and iced tea all day long.

I make my own lunch and bring it to work...usually leftovers or a sandwich. I do not want to buy lunch at the university where I teach. They overcharge. And the food's not that great.

Every once in a while, I go out to lunch as a treat.

Every once in a while I treat myself by taking 10 extra minutes on the toilet, it’s such a luxury but I feel like it is necessary on rare occasions. A necessary evil I suppose.

BonniePrinceCharlie, I bet your frugal lunch habits have put you in a good spot to retire early, if you want to.

I'm intermittent fasting, I eat my food within an 8 hour window. Which means I usually just have a bit of tea with lemon at breakfast time, and really, REALLY look forward to lunch!

Even if lunch is eaten at your desk, OP, you'll find you look forward to it far more, and maybe even plan it and cherish it, if you haven't had breakfast.

I love food. Always thinking about it, always eating it.