F ³: Lunch Break Blues

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

*****

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.

*****

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.

Village Green/Town² Comments

Comments

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else. Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday. Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018. 2018 . But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest. In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...

What Kids Are Thinking

It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed. Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings. And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...

Village Green/Town²

Search This Blog