LUNCH AT WORK

I'd like to welcome guest writer Antonio Marra who contributed to QlinArt with this funny article on Lunch at Work.

For those of you with young children be advised that this article may cause irreversible side effects to their state of mind. Why you ask? Well it’s about a taboo subject only adults should talk about. Kind of like talking about who’s going to get dressed as Santa this year or how you managed to sneak a dollar under your daughter’s pillow to get to the tooth without waking her up.

We’re going to talk about lunch, the dreaded meal you have while at work. Are you one of those that go to work with a brown bag everyday or do you follow the herd and go somewhere that does it for you? Are considered a scrooge that never spends a dime or are you considered a shrewd investor that knows how to save a buck? Are you concerned about your health and are careful with what you eat?
Whatever the answers to these questions, what factors do you consider when preparing your feast for the next day? I’ve taken some of these factors and used them as a recipe for success (no pun intended):
Health factor: Are we following the recommended portions and getting something from each of the food groups?

Effort: How much time and effort is required to prepare it. Can we simply use leftovers (double wammy on the cheapo concept BTW) or is it made from scratch with fresh ingredients?

Risk factor: The last thing you wanna do is get a stain from your lunch while at work (ranks right up there with a tear in your pants or getting caught leaving flatulence in the elevator). Things like spaghetti or stir fry are big no-no’s.

Stink factor: How concerned are you about the odor that is emitted when you open the Tupperware? If you’re in a closed office, it’s not a concern but if you’re located in a sea of cubicles, do you really want everyone to know you’re having tuna?

Embarrassment factor: When we were kids, our moms would prepare some of the best lunches in the world but presentation was never a factor (especially if you’re Italian). Now that you’re having your lunch at the office, how concerned should you be about presentation? Does it have to look pretty and organized or can it look like dog food? If you are concerned about presentation ask yourself a simple question; would I give this to my boss if he/she didn’t have time for lunch and I wanted to score some brownie points?

So if you were thinking that taking your lunch to work was a good idea and that you want to give it a go, use these tips to help you get started. If you’re an old pro and are the envy of the office at lunch time, share some thoughts, recipes or other tidbits that others will appreciate.