What Should I Take for Lunch?
When my kids were little, I was always searching for that perfect lunch. What could I put in their lunch box which would not be returned to me in the afternoon? For each child it was a different challenge: this one didn’t eat bread, this one ate bread but only whole wheat, and this one would eat bread but no crust. The list of variations and challenges went on and on. For a while there, I was lucky and one child loved Morningstar chicken nuggets—phew, fabulous and easy. Another only wanted tuna fish on lightly toasted bread with lettuce and tomato and crust taken off. It kind of reminds me of the childhood song…”Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce, special orders don’t upset us; all we want is that you give us something to eat. We don’t want your yucky food; we just want food that’s good…” Now everyone in my house is older, lunchroom cafeterias are a thing of the past. Yet, the question still remains, “What should I take for lunch?”
A 2012 study by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and Conagra Foods found that 62 percent of people with desk jobs usually eat lunch at their desks. Some choose to eat at their workstation because there is no staff kitchen, others would rather work 8 hours straight (not sure if that’s really legal). Some prefer to save money and bring a bag lunch. (It should be noted people do buy their lunch and still eat at their desk.)
Well my family and I are part of the 62 percent. I find myself and my now working kids still asking “What should I take for lunch?” The question is not being asked because there is no food in the fridge. At this stage in the game of life the inquiry is being posed because of the need to find a food that is acceptable to eat around other people. I still remember the time when my third grader came home from school smiling about the mitzvah she did at school-she sat next to a girl who was eating all alone at lunch because she had a sardine sandwich and everyone was making fun of her because it smelled so bad. Although tuna is my go to food, (in high school, I had tuna for breakfast, lunch and supper, before we were told about the mercury content) it is not an acceptable food to eat at the workstation with other people around. Tuna smells. Egg salad smells. Peanut butter smells. Bananas stink! What food doesn’t smell? Well, after much investigation, I have come to realize bread doesn’t smell, with the exception of garlic bread. Cheese doesn’t smell, with the exception of stinky cheeses. Salad doesn’t smell, except if you put Baco’s in it. Although these are great choices, I have come to have a new go to lunch, for when I need to eat at shows…homemade hummus. It’s easy, versatile and healthy to boot. No need for dipping for me, I eat hummus straight off the spoon, as if it’s ice cream! What is your go to lunch?
Homemade Hummus
1 large can of chick peas, rinsed
1 clove garlic
1 fresh lime or lemon
Salt to taste
¼ cup olive oil or more to make the right consistency
optional
¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
A dash of soy sauce
Blend all ingredients except olive oil in food processor; slowly add the oil while blending.
It’s that easy!!
Linda lives in Baltimore, Maryland. Linda was a stay at home mom when her kids were little, about 5 years ago when her youngest was in 8th grade Linda started her own business, SWIRL. Linda handcrafts and designs beautiful and top quality serving utensils, glassware and giftware.
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