Packing a Lunchbox, Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love My Lunch
September 16th 2010 08:38
I’ve gotten on my high horse before about how unnecessary and unhealthy stressing about food can be. However, I have a confession to make: I am not immune to a bit of unreasonable stress from time to time. In fact, I’m sure J could testify to my occasional irrationality.
And so recently, I’ll admit, I’ve been suffering a little under this most terrible of ailments. Since I am so far from home, and I haven’t really settled into a routine, I’ve been eating a lot of things from vending machines, and convenient bakeries. And, in the way it always does, emotion has crept up on me. Stress about spending too much money, that yucky feeling you get when you’ve eaten nothing but sugar and butter for three days straight, guilt about said unhealthy eating, the general body image issues that crop up when you notice that certain things are (either in actuality or just in your imagination) a little more jiggly than they used to be: all of these feelings have been my companions for the last little while. But hopefully no longer!
I’m a firm believer that the best way to combat a yucky-feelings spiral like this one is not to try and use more negative things like denying yourself comfort or anything tasty. There always has to be at least a little positive something in food for you - if you’re in a Vortex of Eeughh, you have to remember that the goal is in fact to enjoy your food again, not those intermediary things like eating healthily or not spending all your change on vending machines; you want to do those things because they will make you happier. And so, for me, I found my little bit of positive in a shop the other day when I least expected it…
I’ve always been a big admirer of those people who pack wonderful bento boxes for their lunch each day. But at the same time, I’ve never really had the motivation to do it for myself. But with my little lunchbox sitting on my desk just begging me to be used, I’ve discovered that even if I don’t have the various resources (interesting foods, time, money to buy interesting foods, motivation, etc) to make a super special lunch, even something rather plain is much more fun when it’s inside a giant plastic hamburger. So, since the vending machine will dispense hot milk and hot chocolate and such (like I said, denial is almost never the way to go), I’ve been taking oats for my main meal at lunch time.
The little spoon that comes with my lunchbox can do nothing but add to the fun.
Then of course, I also need snacks. What’s a day full of study without snacks?
And so now I’ve got a far cheaper, kind of healthy, lots of fun lunch that cheers me up while I’m studying rather than pulling me further down. Does anyone else have any little fun things to make their study or work day a little more exciting with food?
And so recently, I’ll admit, I’ve been suffering a little under this most terrible of ailments. Since I am so far from home, and I haven’t really settled into a routine, I’ve been eating a lot of things from vending machines, and convenient bakeries. And, in the way it always does, emotion has crept up on me. Stress about spending too much money, that yucky feeling you get when you’ve eaten nothing but sugar and butter for three days straight, guilt about said unhealthy eating, the general body image issues that crop up when you notice that certain things are (either in actuality or just in your imagination) a little more jiggly than they used to be: all of these feelings have been my companions for the last little while. But hopefully no longer!
I’m a firm believer that the best way to combat a yucky-feelings spiral like this one is not to try and use more negative things like denying yourself comfort or anything tasty. There always has to be at least a little positive something in food for you - if you’re in a Vortex of Eeughh, you have to remember that the goal is in fact to enjoy your food again, not those intermediary things like eating healthily or not spending all your change on vending machines; you want to do those things because they will make you happier. And so, for me, I found my little bit of positive in a shop the other day when I least expected it…
Yes, that’s right, it’s a lunchbox shaped like a hamburger
I’ve always been a big admirer of those people who pack wonderful bento boxes for their lunch each day. But at the same time, I’ve never really had the motivation to do it for myself. But with my little lunchbox sitting on my desk just begging me to be used, I’ve discovered that even if I don’t have the various resources (interesting foods, time, money to buy interesting foods, motivation, etc) to make a super special lunch, even something rather plain is much more fun when it’s inside a giant plastic hamburger. So, since the vending machine will dispense hot milk and hot chocolate and such (like I said, denial is almost never the way to go), I’ve been taking oats for my main meal at lunch time.
The little spoon that comes with my lunchbox can do nothing but add to the fun.
Then of course, I also need snacks. What’s a day full of study without snacks?
I’m intending to buy some dried fruit to take the next time I go grocery shopping, but once again, denial is not what I’m going for
And so now I’ve got a far cheaper, kind of healthy, lots of fun lunch that cheers me up while I’m studying rather than pulling me further down. Does anyone else have any little fun things to make their study or work day a little more exciting with food?
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