With each passing day, my lunch arrangements get more and more ridiculous. Actually, I don’t think they’re ridiculous. They’re very practical and economical and smart. If you ask me. And, if I can be boastful, they’ve inspired others to get ridiculous too. Check out the I Quit Sugar team’s efforts from the blog the other day.
My eating technique is this:
I make my own breakfast and lunch each day. I never buy takeaway – ever – and don’t eat out for breakfast very often (only under sufferance; I struggle to pay $17 for eggs).
As I don’t eat breakfast until about 10am most days, breakfast is eaten in the office or on planes. En route, as a rule. Lunch, I’m often in meetings, on shoots or interstate. And so I tote.
I eat dinner out a few times a week or at friend’s houses where I don’t necessarily eat what I’d normally like to eat. So breakfast and lunch is my own. And so I tote.
These are some of the things I do to tote:
1. I make my green smoothie which I carry in jars and drink bottles. I don’t go anywhere without one. It’s the easiest thing to take on a plane, or into a meeting. I use a really good metal Zip water bottle I got given at the Sydney Festival. You’ll see it in the photo below. (I took my smoothie to a cafe for catch ups with my brother Ben.)
You can find green smoothie recipes in the I Quit Sugar Cookbook.
2. I freeze kale or spinach (parcooked) and add some frozen peas and place in a cup. I put two eggs (uncracked) on top and cover with plastic. Then tote to work, crack the eggs, stir, microwave for 2 minutes to make a muggin. More details on that below.
Tip: I keep some eggs in the fridge at work because they can be added to all kinds of breakfast meals, or salads for extra protein. The I Quit Sugar General Manager Zoe does similar, with a tin of “Emergency Salmon” in a drawer at her desk.
3. I take some of my Coco Nutty Granola and yoghurt (full fat) to work in a jar.
4. I do Porridge Whips: yoghurt (full fat), oats and berries (for extra flavour) all mixed together in a blender.
5. I put leftover soups and bone broth in jars and old vitamin containers and freeze them. This way they don’t spill or leak in my bag as I’m tote-ing. They defrost (in the fridge) during the morning, and they’re ready for heating at lunch time.
Tip: I use old medicine and tablet containers to transport most of my meals. Yoghurt containers also work well, as do coconut oil mason jars.
6. I bring in all the ingredients for my Fudgy Protein Bites in one jar and make them in the kitchen. Pop in the freezer and they’re ready in 10-15 minutes.
7. I make warm salads: broccoli, pumpkin puree, harissa, frozen peas and capers all in a jar heated in the microwave. I’ll often add a tin of tuna on top.
8. I bring in Avocado and Coconut Popsicles leftovers and put it all in a cup. It’s like a granita. Try it!
9. I make up a muffin-in-a-mug recipe. Muggins. I usually par cook it so it doesn’t spill while I’m travelling, and then do the rest of it in the microwave at work. You’ll find some muggin recipes in the I Quit Sugar Chocolate Cookbook, and in the I Quit Sugar Cookbook.
Tip: I always freeze as many things as possible so there’s less to spill.
10. I carry sauerkraut and avocado in ziplock bags to add to whatever lunch I’m having. These are particularly good with a jar salad.
Tip: I wash my ziplock bags and dry them on the window.
11. If all else fails I’ll find some extra veggies. I swing by a market on the way to work and grab a handful of beans or sugarsnap peas to eat raw.
If you’re looking for more items to make and freeze, and tote… why not try the Breakfast Casserole, or Zucchini Cheesecake from the I Quit Sugar Cookbook.
How do you carry your lunch to work? What works for you?
