Oh, hey! I told you I’d be back. This time, I have a day of work eats to share. As you guys probably already know, I bring all of my meals and snacks to work with me in the morning and while this means a lot of Tupperware and enormous “feed bags,” it also means a fatter wallet and often, healthier choices. :)
Packing everything does get tough sometimes, though. These “sometimes” include, but are not limited to:
- Nights when I don’t want to prepare/pack my lunch
- When I have a hard time choosing what I’d like to eat
- When the fridge is nearly bare
- When the work café menu looks particularly alluring (chipotle sweet potato soup!?)
- When I’m having a particularly hungry day and haven’t packed enough
So, there are various ways to deal with these situations. Mostly, I try and pack my lunch while I’m making dinner. That means I’ll already have the cutting board, knives, etc. out and makes it easier when dish time rolls around. Plus, after dinner means complete and utter Ally McBeal relaxation time.
On my indecisive days, I just bite the bullet and pack my food. This indecisiveness may mean that I'm bored with my choices. Mixing it up helps. Also, usually just knowing that it is waiting for me is enough to make me crave it.
When the fridge is nearly bare and/or the work café menu looks particularly intriguing, I will often cave and buy something. This usually involves my work salad bar that is amply overflowing with healthy goodies…it’s cheaper than Whole Foods, I guess. Realistically though, I’d say I limit these days to about two per month. I tend to just get creative when the cabinets get bare.
Now, the last bullet, when I have hungry days and don’t pack enough, seems to be plaguing me more often. I tend to pack a “standard” amount of food, or, an amount of food that usually fills me up – a good sized breakfast…
a good sized lunch…
and a protein packed snack…
Lately, though, I’ve been hungry between breakfast and lunch and then quite hungry after lunch. I think a lot of this has to do with the fact that I’ve become something of a weight lifting beast and my enormous muscles are screaming for nourishment.* So, I’ve been making sure to pack protein-rich munchies for the “in-between” times. This means hard boiled eggs, cashews, larabars, yogurt, etc.
All in all, I really enjoy bringing my own food to work. I love having wholesome, tasty food to look forward to and enjoy being “frugal.” Plus, when it comes time to wash out your 15 tupperware containers from the day, you’ll have ample time away from your desk to get in some (much needed) conversation with your fellow employees.
Do you guys pack your lunch? Do you have any tips?
*Total exaggeration. It would take me at least five minutes to knock out Governor Schwarzenegger (not for any political reasons, just for the challenge). My guns aren’t that big, really… You want to arm wrestle?
5 comments:
You definitely need those in between snacks if you're lifting. Your muscles need fuel to grow. I like to eat something every 3 hours just to keep everything grooving along :)
I'm the WORST at packing my lunch ahead of time. I usually toss it all together while my oatmeal's cooking in the morning. I always try to eat breakfast at home, but have brought it with me from time to time. :)
I find that if I have snacks at my desk, they're healthier. Right now I have a box of Larabars on the shelf, but I need to stock up! Maybe you could do that? Buy some stuff that you can keep at your desk? A box of triscuits (since I saw those in a picture), larabars, trail mix, mixed nuts, etc?
I always get super hungry when I've been lifting. Extra snacks are key.
I try to pack my lunch as much as possible and bring at least one snack (usually a piece of fruit and some almond butter). It's hard working in the city though and having a lot of delicious options calling my name.
How do you carry all those Tupperware containers when you are biking to work?
Snacks are SO necessary!! Especially now that you are weight-lifting STAR!!
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