How often do you bring in a lunch to work?

[bUU]

Doesn't take much thought or effort to slap some peanut butter between 2 slices of bread.

How many days in a row do you eat peanut butter on bread? Second question: Why are you trying so hard to rationalize the disrespect?

If that's too complicated, you have to wonder what kind of jobs these people are qualified to do...

And there you go trivializing the matter yet again, because accepting the reality as it is would repudiate what you want to disparage to make yourself and your own choice seem somehow objectively superior.

I'm disgusted with all the work posters in this thread are doing to try to defend indefensible attitudes.

[Blessed]

I always bring my lunch or I'm not going to get to eat. I dont actually have a lunch time and I have to grab a bite here and there between clients. If I didnt already have my lunch on site I would be out of luck.

My husband brings his lunch daily also.

[MonkeyMama]

Given that you don't occupy their life, you're not well-placed to make such an appraisal, anymore than I'm well-placed to assess the amount of thought and work you need to put into things that I find trivial.

My point is that it is easy to exaggerate things you have never tried. & I am not interesting of hearing the point of view from someone who has *never* packed a lunch. I am tired of the wild exaggerations from those who use their imaginations to determine the hassle factor of making lunch. Because the exaggerations are always completely ridiculous.

If you actually ever packed a lunch, and it didn't work for you personally, then fair enough.

[kork13]

I always bring my lunch or I'm not going to get to eat. I dont actually have a lunch time and I have to grab a bite here and there between clients. If I didnt already have my lunch on site I would be out of luck.

This reminded me of another benefit to bringing a lunch... I start snacking on parts of my lunch (nuts, a piece of fruit, etc.) fairly early in the morning, like around 10am on many days. By the time "lunch" actually rolls around, a good third of my lunch is gone, and when lunch is over, I'll likely still have something left for an afternoon snack. I never actually feel very hungry during the day because I eat my food slowly throughout the morning/early afternoon.

So that's another health benefit as well... when you're not desperately hungry at all throughout the day, you're less prone to go out and get a larger meal than you need and over-eat during your lunch hour. It also helps keep your energy level more constant throughout the day.

[bUU]

@MonkeyMama As I mentioned before, I do pack lunch. That's why I've said, with confidence, that it isn't as trivial all the time as some are working so hard to make it sound. So comments about reports from those who "haven't tried" are irrelevant. I also mentioned that I'm tired of the wildly disrespectful attitudes expressed toward those who have different affinities. Because the disrespect is completely offensive. Regardless, I think the points have all been made with regard to the easy/not easy argument.

[JoeP]

Like any interaction, most members on this forum strive to carry on civil discourse. Speaking for myself, and I suspect most others here, nobody is out to offend or show disrespect to anyone else.

So if anyone found offensive or disrespectful my comments or attitude regarding what I personally find to be a simple and trivial task (i.e., packing a lunch), then I am sincerely sorry and ask forgiveness.

Being someone who wants to learn, I would love to better understand what people find complex or difficult about packing a lunch, or the prospect of doing so. I cross my heart, spit-shake, and pinky-swear that I will neither judge, nor ridicule, nor belittle. It is quite possible that we can learn from each other regarding the subject of Lunch Packing: I could grow to appreciate and respect and support and embrace the challenges faced by others, and those with Lunch Packing challenges could (if they so choose) pick my brain and (if they so choose) apply some of the Lunch Packing skills I've acquired over the past 40 years.

Thank you.

[bUU]

My comments were in response to the disparaging remarks made by several other posters, not you singularly, and not as a solicitation for assistance (since as I mentioned very early in the thread, I personally do bring lunch to work regularly). See Page 1 for the specific comments I made in this regard, during the first half of this thread.

[~bs]

This is one of those things that varies from person to person. For some people, things like that take onerous amounts of thought and/or effort.

There are many such things where the real thought and effort varies widely for different people: I whip out small group worship session outlines like I was born to it, while many of my colleagues (including those who have been engaged in such efforts for decades longer than I have) struggle for weeks to get "most" of a session outlined. Such things aren't definitively easy or light work for everyone.

Again, I think it is actually more a matter of certain skills and talents being inconsistently allocated among people: Those who have them sometimes fail to acknowledge or accept that having them greatly enhances the ease and speed of their accomplishing certain things - it need not be more than that.

. It's distressing how many people I know who "do" so much, and then struggle with the effects of lack of down-time.

Given that you don't occupy their life, you're not well-placed to make such an appraisal, anymore than I'm well-placed to assess the amount of thought and work you need to put into things that I find trivial.

Overall I agree with your post. I happened to see the following article/video today. It discusses observations in differences in habits of wealthy and poor people. Everyone has the same 24 hour day, but the difference is how you utilize & manage the time.

Daily Habits of Wealthy People

Early Risers

Corley found that rich folks often take advantage of those wee morning hours. Specifically, 44% wake up three hours before their 9-to-5 job. In those hours they focus on self improvement, reading educational material, like trade journals or industry blogs. They’ll squeeze in a workout, too, which Corley says leads to a more productive day at work.

Keep a Running List of Tasks

Once they reach their offices, the wealthy don’t waste time. Most maintain a daily to-do list and check off 70% of their tasks each day. And they’re not just obsessed with short-term plans. Seventy percent of the wealthy surveyed set long-term goals, as well.

No Long Lunches

Taking a long, leisurely lunch isn’t a wealthy habit, either. Instead, 55% network, wheel and deal between bites.

Calorie Counting

Speaking of eating, rich folks are big calorie counters. Corley found most wealthy people limit alcoholic consumption and keep junk food snacks to just 300 calories per day, not just so that they can fit into their skinny jeans. “Wealthy people are healthy people. To wealthy people being healthy is about making more money,” says Corley. “If they’re healthy they have fewer sick days, they’re exercising, they have more energy, they maintain health their entire lives so they can work longer careers.”


No Gossiping

Consider this before spreading the latest workplace rumors: 79% of low-income people admit to gossiping, compared with just 6% of wealthy individuals.

Limited Internet

Finally, when it’s time to punch out at the end of the day, how do you unwind? Head to the bar? Veg out in front of the TV? While most wealthy folks reported activities such as networking, volunteering and socializing, Corley found a majority of those struggling with their finances spent more than an hour on recreational Internet use, and were twice as likely to hop on Facebook every day.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/daily-habits-of-wealthy-people-143505884.html

[Baby_nurse]

How many days in a row do you eat peanut butter on bread? Second question: Why are you trying so hard to rationalize the disrespect?

And there you go trivializing the matter yet again, because accepting the reality as it is would repudiate what you want to disparage to make yourself and your own choice seem somehow objectively superior.

I'm disgusted with all the work posters in this thread are doing to try to defend indefensible attitudes.

I took pb&j every single day for 11 years in school (lots of times without the j ) because that was what my parents could afford, thank you very much.

The only indefensible attitude I see here is the "woe is me...it's too hard to take responsibility for myself and my money" attitude. As I said before on this thread, if is someone's choice to use their money to purchase their lunch every day, then more power to them. Everyone spends their money in accordance with their own personal values.

[bUU]

Interesting article, though it still begs the question of correlation versus causation.

[annibe11e]

I bring lunch from home every day. I work out in the country and it takes me 15-20 minutes to get home and my lunch is 30 minutes. Plus, I don't actually have a dining out budget. Money s too tight for that. I pack my lunch the night before because I'm not a morning person. I keep a couple of non-perishable lunches in my desk just in case I forget to pack somthing. Packing a lunch is also helpful because I'm a daytime vegan. I don't even know if that's a real thing; I just like the health benefits of vegan eating, but it's difficult when cooking dinner for omnivores, so I eat "normally" at night. Most weeks, I cook up a pound of dried beans (pinto, black, chickpea, lentils) and I make something out of that. Today I had homemade pinto bean dip and tortilla chips, an apple and water. I guess some people might consider that boring. Tomorrow I think I'll have bean fajitas with onion, peppers and guac. Friday, homemade veggie burger and oven fries
It helps to have a fridge and microwave at work. As with anything, a little planning helps.

[disneysteve]

I wish I could implement some of the feedback I have seen on here myself.

Wow. I can't help but reply to your post. Please don't take offense as it isn't intended that way at all.

I can't imagine spending $140/month for lunch but I can see quite easily how it can be done. Eating out, even fast food, is really expensive. If a husband and wife both do that, you're looking at nearly $300/month just for one meal 5 days/week. That can take a big bite out of their ability to pay off debt, save money, etc. It is definitely an area that should be worked on for financial reasons among others.

As for other reasons, you say that you go to the gym regularly and do cardio work. But at the same time you're eating so much high fat, high sodium food that the exercise probably doesn't help you nearly as much as you might think.

I thought it was interesting that you don't like Campbell's soup because of the sodium content (I agree with you by the way) but have you ever looked at the nutrition info on the foods you are buying for lunch? The Lenny's Sub has over 3,000mg of sodium (daily intake should be no more than 2,000). Several other things on your list have over 2,000mg. In comparison, the Campbell's soup, which usually has around 900mg or so, is almost a "low salt" option. Not to mention the amount of calories and saturated fat in those restaurant meals. Cut that stuff out. You'll save a ton of money, most likely lose weight, and be a lot healthier.

[hamchan]

I work at the airport. Most of our leftovers are not TSA legal. That said I don't usually eat during my shift. It makes me too sleepy and sluggish. I eat before work and sometimes I take nuts or a protein bar with me to eat after I am done. I wish I could do Greek yogurts but I can't take them through TSA. Once or twice a month if I am just close to passing out and haven't brought anything with me I will spend a couple bucks on something small just to get my blood sugar back up. A Snickers or a cheeseburger or something. Airport food is way too expensive.

[Baby_nurse]

I work at the airport. Most of our leftovers are not TSA legal. That said I don't usually eat during my shift. It makes me too sleepy and sluggish. I eat before work and sometimes I take nuts or a protein bar with me to eat after I am done. I wish I could do Greek yogurts but I can't take them through TSA. Once or twice a month if I am just close to passing out and haven't brought anything with me I will spend a couple bucks on something small just to get my blood sugar back up. A Snickers or a cheeseburger or something. Airport food is way too expensive.

Wow, that would really blow. I didn't know the TSA had such control over airport workers lunches.

[hamchan]

We have to go through security too, and we have the same restrictions on liquids and gels. Anything liquidy or saucey is likely to get confiscated.