I like to eat. Most people do, but at what cost? Have you ever watched what people eat on their lunch breaks? I have and I’m not impressed. Most people don’t even pack a lunch anymore, opting instead to purchase the food they eat during the work day. A lot of times they get a candy bar and some sort of carbonated beverage from a machine at highly inflated prices.
I don’t understand why people do this when it’s so easy to pack a hearty meal. Personally, I think people don’t pack their lunch anymore because they don’t want to be different from all the other people lining up at the vending machines. To me, that’s just plain dumb. You are an adult so who cares what other people think.
I usually pack something more along the lines of mashed potatoes and grilled chicken with a slice of homemade pumpkin pie with milk to drink. I like to throw in some chips, a snickers candy bar and cashews for snacks throughout the day as well. I also bring along sweet tea or just plain ol’ ice water.
I always have plenty to eat and drink while I’m working. I’m a big fan of the Stanley insulated bottles. The Stanley 10 quart lunch box you see pictured holds the Stanley 24 oz. food bottle in the lid. The smallest insulated container you see is what I put my hot mashed potatoes in about an hour before I leave for work. Even six hours later the potatoes are still plenty hot.
The square stainless steel container you see is called a Bento box. It’s a multi-layered stainless steel box that keeps all your foods separate. It even has a removable container with its own lid that I use to put cashews or trail mix. Everything you see in the picture is easy to carry and fits in a standard locker.
Now, I admit that my lunch box, Bento box and insulated containers were not cheap, costing just over $200.00 at the time of this writing, but that’s cheap when you consider the costs of eating out every day. I’ve been watching videos online of other people talking about how much they spend on food while at work and the numbers are ridiculous. Most people report spending at least $1000 per month on food at work.
It might take some effort to plan your meals for a week, but once you get it figured out it will become routine. You’ll eat better, healthier food at a much lower price. If you start packing a lunch you might be surprised by the number of other people that start doing the same thing.
So, my advice is to pack your lunch, save some money and be a trend setter in your workplace.
