http://www.mymoneyblog.com/archives/2008/05/frugal-brown-bag...
I actually really enjoy this blog, and found this to be a decent post. Though personally I prefer to eat even cheaper lunches. But hey, sure beats eating out every day. (Well, depends. I can get a decent meal at Taco Bell or BK for $2).
Which I guess is my own lunch plan. Leftovers, mixed up with sandwiches (bologna, slami, tuna, whatever), mixed in with runs for $1 fast food meals and buy-one-get-one-free lunch buffet dates with dh.
I guess between all that I get plenty of variety. Though I am quite happy on a lazy day, when we are out of lunch meat, to just slap together a PBJ sandwich.
Anyway, the disturbing thing to me was reading all the replies on the above blog post. I have to admit I have some food issues of my own. Growing up my parents didn't cook much and never made me ate what they cooked. If I didn't like it I was free to fend for myself. I notice as I try to set an example for my kids that it is really hard for me to sit down and eat what is prepared for dinner. It is really hard for me to plan a week of meals in advance because I rather eat what strikes my fancy that very night. It's just how I was raised. But I also realize this is a terribly nasty habit, and a terrible example for the kids. I still work on it, much.
For lunch however. I don't know. It's so busy at work I rarely put much thought to lunch. I don't make a big production of it and often I just eat while I work or surf the net. I don't really care what I eat. I learned long ago if I behaved the same way at work, as at home, that I would be broke and extremely overweight. So I make it a rule to take food to work and that is all I can eat. No runs to the convenient store for what I really want, etc., etc., etc.
I have settled in this routine quite easily. It's not a big deal. I never feel deprived. Dinner is for the good stuff.
So it was kind of funny to me reading all these replies. That everyone is too good for wonder bread sandwiches (I'd eat them every day) and can't brown bag lunch because it is too boring.
It just struck me funny. & like they are all a bunch of spoiled brats or something. Seriously. Wah wah, we have to have a gourmet meal for every lunch?
Of course, I admit as much as I only eat what will tickle my fancy for dinner, the other issue my family had was we pretty much ate the same things over and over and over. So I admit I have a pretty high tolerance for monotony. I guess that could be part of it. But still. It seems to me that people are a little too attached to exciting lunches. Man, I love my food, but I don't exactly *get* it. I guess maybe this is much that is wrong with our society now. Food is s'posed to be EXCITING. People forget that it really is just s'posed to sustain us.
As long as I am not hungry (after eating) and it tastes okay, then I am good.
I of course work on my own issues on some level whereas I look at food as comfort. But it is funny how I don't really deal with that in the confines of work. & if I want to get the hell out of the office at lunch time (which I usually don't really care) then I go to the mall and go for a walk. Sure beats going out and eating a large calorie meal. I never understood why you had to eat to escape the office. If I worked in a safer area I'd just go for a walk, right outside, instead. There are plenty of alternatives to eating. I didn't know there was a rule you could only leave the premises at lunch if you were to EAT. I don't think there usually is.
I actually really enjoy this blog, and found this to be a decent post. Though personally I prefer to eat even cheaper lunches. But hey, sure beats eating out every day. (Well, depends. I can get a decent meal at Taco Bell or BK for $2).
Which I guess is my own lunch plan. Leftovers, mixed up with sandwiches (bologna, slami, tuna, whatever), mixed in with runs for $1 fast food meals and buy-one-get-one-free lunch buffet dates with dh.
I guess between all that I get plenty of variety. Though I am quite happy on a lazy day, when we are out of lunch meat, to just slap together a PBJ sandwich.
Anyway, the disturbing thing to me was reading all the replies on the above blog post. I have to admit I have some food issues of my own. Growing up my parents didn't cook much and never made me ate what they cooked. If I didn't like it I was free to fend for myself. I notice as I try to set an example for my kids that it is really hard for me to sit down and eat what is prepared for dinner. It is really hard for me to plan a week of meals in advance because I rather eat what strikes my fancy that very night. It's just how I was raised. But I also realize this is a terribly nasty habit, and a terrible example for the kids. I still work on it, much.
For lunch however. I don't know. It's so busy at work I rarely put much thought to lunch. I don't make a big production of it and often I just eat while I work or surf the net. I don't really care what I eat. I learned long ago if I behaved the same way at work, as at home, that I would be broke and extremely overweight. So I make it a rule to take food to work and that is all I can eat. No runs to the convenient store for what I really want, etc., etc., etc.
I have settled in this routine quite easily. It's not a big deal. I never feel deprived. Dinner is for the good stuff.
So it was kind of funny to me reading all these replies. That everyone is too good for wonder bread sandwiches (I'd eat them every day) and can't brown bag lunch because it is too boring.
It just struck me funny. & like they are all a bunch of spoiled brats or something. Seriously. Wah wah, we have to have a gourmet meal for every lunch?
Of course, I admit as much as I only eat what will tickle my fancy for dinner, the other issue my family had was we pretty much ate the same things over and over and over. So I admit I have a pretty high tolerance for monotony. I guess that could be part of it. But still. It seems to me that people are a little too attached to exciting lunches. Man, I love my food, but I don't exactly *get* it. I guess maybe this is much that is wrong with our society now. Food is s'posed to be EXCITING. People forget that it really is just s'posed to sustain us.
As long as I am not hungry (after eating) and it tastes okay, then I am good.
I of course work on my own issues on some level whereas I look at food as comfort. But it is funny how I don't really deal with that in the confines of work. & if I want to get the hell out of the office at lunch time (which I usually don't really care) then I go to the mall and go for a walk. Sure beats going out and eating a large calorie meal. I never understood why you had to eat to escape the office. If I worked in a safer area I'd just go for a walk, right outside, instead. There are plenty of alternatives to eating. I didn't know there was a rule you could only leave the premises at lunch if you were to EAT. I don't think there usually is.
May 8th, 2008 at 03:08 pm 1210255714
I didn't make it to the grocery store on Monday, and *Shock* I fed my children: one bag of McCain's potatoe pancakes, whole wheat toast with peanut butter, two cans of corn, and an odd assortment of 1/2 cucumber, handful of grape tomatoes, a few stalks of celery, and leftover strawberries from luchtime. They found this all very exciting as well, picnic style on a blanket on the diningroom floor!
May 8th, 2008 at 05:17 pm 1210263449
As to dinner, I too don't like to eat what someone else planned, well more like I don't like to cook what someone else planned (even myself a week ago) so If I make a menu I make a list of 7 option. anyone can be eaten on any day. (course if someone else was cooking I would eat most food any day! even 7 days in a row right now!)
May 9th, 2008 at 12:20 am 1210288825
May 9th, 2008 at 02:56 am 1210298194
May 9th, 2008 at 02:48 pm 1210340931
May 12th, 2008 at 06:51 am 1210571497
I read between the lines in the comments a TON of rationalizations. The real danger of doing that is that everything that you do can cost money, and if you rationalize every expense, you talk yourself out of getting rid of it. To live a bit under your means, something has to go. I love lunch, but I don't own my own car, have no kids, and rent for a very cheap rate. Lunch and gym for me are splurges. For someone else, car+parking+gas and a mortgage and daycare might mean daily restaurant lunch has to go.