lunchtime spectacle
does this packed lunch really look all that exotic or bizarre to you?
contents: smoked salmon + goat cheese wrap; cucumbers, radishes, + carrots with annie’s light honey mustard dressing for dipping; 2 late july faux-reos*
zooming in on the wrap . . . there were capers in there, too!
i’m guessing that if you’re reading this, you’re not all that shocked by this lunch which took all of 5 minutes to throw together. but at work? i typically can’t eat without at least 3 people:
■ asking, “what is that!?”
■ asking, “how do you have time to DO that?”
■ saying, “you’re so healthy!”
come on, this lunch contains both chocolate AND cheese! i’m not eating a pile of alfalfa sprouts and kale. i don’t really get annoyed by these comments because i like my coworkers and i’ve grown used to the (undue, in my opinion) attention. but i do wonder why it seems so foreign and hard to pack a (relatively) nutritious lunch.
part of the spectacle/wonder comes from the fact that we often have free lunch supplied to us. i personally would rather eat a non-free healthy lunch that is made up of things that i like than settle for FREE food that is neither satisfying nor all that appealing to me. but this is definitely not the majority sentiment.
finally, i think it’s kind of funny (and even a little odd) that we spent a LOT of our time in primary care clinic counseling patients about nutrition (5, 3, 2, 1, almost none, baby!). . . after being served pizza or chick-fil-a for free for a noon meal. while i’m not about to go all jamie oliver-style on our residency program, i just think it’s a little weird. then again, the budget is limited, and cheap food does not usually equal healthy food.
okay, off my soapbox! anyone else suffer from lunchtime gawkers? i have a feeling i am not alone in this . . .
pArTy!
you know who certainly would not be confused by my laptop lunchbox? these local ladies! i’m hosting a little gathering at our house this evening for the local blogger set and i’m pretty excited. i don’t think we’ve ever had more than 3-4 people over for dinner at this apartment, so it will also be a bit of an adventure . . .
certainly pix to follow tomorrow! i know there will be plenty of food papparazzi present — but unlike the article referenced, i will welcome these ladies (and their cameras) with open arms!
* i am sure i am not the first person to come up with this term, but i’m still pretty proud of it!
9 Comments
i get some oogles at lunch and have even had a comment on "you do eat some weird stuff". i took it as a compliment considering the person it came from. HA! i.e. weird = arugula salad w/strawbs and curried lentil soup w/generous yogurt plop on top. have a great day sarah!
Your lunch looks so delicious! I think it's the presentation – it looks like it was thoughtfully put together and the little colorful compartments make it bento-like.
My lunch never draws any comments (it is very ordinary! and poorly plated) – but I do get comments about how 'healthy' I am because I always bring my lunch. But I wonder why anyone would choose to eat hospital caf food if they could have something much more delicious, healthy, and free?!
I think your lunch looks fabulous! People comment all the time because I make and take lunch to work. Really it isn't that hard to toss a sandwich together, plus I feel so much better eating a balanced and non-grease infested lunch.
I skipped out on a catered lunch at work yesterday because it was all BBQ. Not only was I not in the mood for pulled pork, fried chicien and hushpuppies for lunch, making at own lunch at home was a lot healthier. Don't get me wrong, I love BBQ! But I would rather have it for dinner than for lunch.
Can't wait for tonight!!
Ugg, that was my daily life at my old job. I would think that more health professionals would eat like you though.
Your lunch looks quite good! And NORMAL.
I remember bringing a green monster in a clear thermos with me for breakfast one day when I worked in an operating room. Needless to say, everyone was asking me if I was sure it wasn't expired (I'm sure…) or if it came from the orifice of some patient.
I don't think it looks strange…it looks delicious! I get that, too! We have free lunch on Tuesday (provided by the cafeteria and it's usually "cheesy surprise" or chicken tenders and fried/tater tots) which I don't really like. But on Friday, we have lunch catered by an outside lunch place and there is usually a healthy option. I love this day of not having to make my lunch!!
i get it every day. I shove lettuce in a plastic bag, have a container of olives and feta, a baby food jar with salad dressing, and add tomato and a protein and at least 3-4 times per lunch session in the lounge of abulatory I get the comment " oh you eat so healthy" Beats fries and burgers if you ask me
Truthfully, I would gawk at your lunch, too. Because it's so colorful and pretty and I WANT a bite! Haha!
My friend once said to me, "You eat so fibrous!"
Healthy sounds better than fibrous, doesn't it? lol. It makes me sound like…someone who goes to the bathroom a lot. ;p