F ³: Lunch Break Blues

Gosh, I’d like to write about something humorous today.

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Wryly humorous: a teacher posted that she would need to take time off to have a filling repaired and that the dental receptionist asked, “can’t you just pop over on your lunch break?”

If you are a teacher you will feel this viscerally.

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Speaking of school lunches, what do you pack for someone who doesn’t have anough time to eat one? I am running out of ideas.

There is much bemoaning of the tendency of children to be picky eaters. And it’s not wrong. I have eaten lunch daily with hundreds of children and can attest that they can be…particular. But so can adults, although we don’t talk much about that.

So you don’t have time to eat and you are, as an adult, pretty clear on what you do or don’t want to eat. And is is, frankly, limited. Lunch at work is not when you want to be encouraged to try new foods.

What’s for lunch?

The trend towards grazing has made it easier to pack a variety of small snacks instead of the traditional sandwich. This can be extremely helpful for kids and adults. A little bit of this and that can strike a balance between fun and healthy.

However, let’s not assume that most of the folks who pack the lunches are the Pinterest/Instagram-certified-type. Luckily most adults are not being judged by their coworkers on the cuteness of their lunch box.

For that matter, many adults I know would be horrified to open their lunch at work to reveal smiley face finger sandwiches, artistically carved veggies and a funfetti squeezy yogurt. Don’t even get me started on cute Happy Notes. My teacher spouse would be mortified.

Actually, I’d be thrilled to get a lunch like this - - at least once - - but that may be because I have never truly reached adulthood. Give me a Happy Note, stickers even. No glitter, please.

I eat lunch alone for the most part these days and I’m not sad about that. I gave at the office. After years and years of eating with students I have had every possible lunchroom experience you can name and am still smarting from the rage of the child who did not get a maraschino cherry in her cup of fruit cocktail.

I am happy to a pack a lunch for someone else. If only I could find a variety of appealing, affordable items that can and will be consumed easily and are still somehow a healthy part of a balanced diet.

I read yesterday that good food tastes like love. Everyone needs that, I think. Imagine how much good just that one thing could do for your day. Or someone else’s.

Ideas? Send them my way.

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