Lunch: Pack or Buy and why?
By vivasuzi
@vivasuzi (4127)
United States
October 22, 2007 10:43pm CST
Hiya! I have been trying to pack my lunch more often then buy it lately. Even though we have a very healthy and nice cafeteria, I still think it is healthier to pack lunch. I bring things like sandwiches, soup in cans, frozen dinners. But then I also try healthier things like leftovers from our healthy dinners, fruit and veggies, and things like that.
Overall though, it seems to be sandwiches, canned food and frozen foods. So... with all the salt and carbs in those items, is that really healthier? At my cafeteria I usually get a sandwich, soup, or a salad. Most things are made fresh. Sometimes I do get the nachos or quesadillas but I feel that I have the right to indulge now and then :) When I do get sanwich, soup or salad, it's usually mostly healthy but I think that I eat more than I would if I brought my lunch.
So after ALL that, here's my question. If I know I have nothing in the house to bring except frozen foods or canned food, do you think it is healthier for me to bring those in OR should I instead eat something in the cafeteria??? All money issues aside, is getting a bigger serving of something mostly-healthy at the cafeteria better than getting a small serving of something canned/frozen? Thoughts? I'd love to hear from people who dieted and succeeded at losing a few pounds b/c you probably know what you are talking about :)
1 person likes this
8 responses
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
23 Oct 07
It depends, since sometimes I prefer to eat hot meals on cafeterias and canteens. Sometimes I would prefer to simply buy some on the cafeteria or dine out on fastfood restaurants, especially when I'm really craving for some foods.
We eat rice here and considers it as our staple food, so sometimes I'd just pack a viand (especially when it's my favorite dish) and buy a rice on the cafeteria..
2 people like this
@raijin (10345)
• Philippines
23 Oct 07
I forgot, it is better if you'd eat freshly cooked foods, than those canned ones with harmful preservatives in it. To lose weigh, just try limiting your foods to such amount as a cup of 'these and that' just to complete your meal. Avoid eating too much of any food, since that is the most important thing..
1 person likes this
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
24 Oct 07
Yeah I figure it is better to eat fresh foods, but the problem is it's hard to only eat half the meal when you know you spent more money on it. So I'm trying to mix it up and do half cafeteria and half bring in. Today I brought in a veggie patty and heated it up, but I went to the cafeteria to get a side order of rice which is only a few dollars. I think I ate healthy due to this :)
@maybebaby (1230)
• Canada
23 Oct 07
I try and pack my lunch everyday. It's healthier and it's much cheaper. I try and pack things like pitas and frozen dinnners. I like to have some pasta at lunch to boost my energy for the afternoon. When I use to buy lunch all the time, I was spending a lot of money and now that I pack my own I have more money for other things. It's a good motivator to make yourself lunch.
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
24 Oct 07
Mmm, pitas. I just bought some today! I love hummus too but could not find it at the store.
Pasta actually has the opposite affect on me at lunch, it makes me tired. Maybe I eat too much and it wears me out. I like rice though, that satisfies me without completely filling me up.
There have been weeks where I brought breakfast (1-2$) and lunch (3-5$) every day at work. That was adding up! Then a few weeks ago MI taxes went up and my check was down 7 dollars. I realized if I cut back on just a few lunchs every 2 weeks, I'd earn that 7 back and then some :) Now I'm trying to bring something about 75% of the time.
@StrawberryKisses (2833)
• Canada
23 Oct 07
I believe that packing a healthy lunch is better but you have to choose healthy foods. bring a salad with meat and cheese in it and pure fruit juice rather than a sandwich. Bread is full of yeast and will make you bloat if you eat too much. If you are trying to loose weight then stay away from anything heavy/starchy like bread and potatoes. Yes its OK to eat these foods but its better if you limit yourself. Staying fit and healthy is all in how much you allow yourself to have.
Hugs
P.O. Frozen veggies are healthier for you because their nutrients get frozen into them and are frozen right away rather than sitting in a truck for days to get to the store then all the days they sit at the store before you buy it.
2 people like this
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
24 Oct 07
Well I don't eat meat so I either eat veggie meat or no meat. Veggie meat is good for protein but also full of salt so I can't have a lot of it. However, I never thought of cutting up my veggie meat for a salad, that would be good :)
I do want to lose a few pounds, but it's hard to avoid bread, pasta and potatoes! I love those things :) I do try to cut back. I will try to turn my veggie meat sandwich into a salad next time.
I never thought about the frozen veggies factor. We actually buy frozen 70% of the time anyway :) Thanks for the tips!!
@clashing_titan (557)
• India
23 Oct 07
i would say it has to be food cooked at home and packed for the lunch
the reason being its hygienic clean healthy and cooked with love!
2 people like this
@navincp123 (442)
• India
23 Oct 07
yeah..even im of the opinion tat packing our on lunch is healthy and the best option...v get to choose wats rite n wats wrong in our diet which can b very helpful in the long run to our health....
Happy packing......
2 people like this
@Kegleneq (54)
• United States
23 Oct 07
I work in restaurants and I still sometimes bring in food to prepare myself. Something about having what you want instead of having to select from a list is always good. You can be more health concious and if prepared right you can carry almost anything with you. I have even used a hot window to heat my food before lunch. Then if there comes a day when you want more, you can always buy a snack or something to fill the tummy that little bit extra.
2 people like this
@vivasuzi (4127)
• United States
24 Oct 07
It's true if I don't bring lunch I do a lot of times feel forced to choose what's on our menu for the day. At least at a restaurant you know what they serve every day, but at my work the menu changes every day.
I do sometimes buy a snack, or as I mentioned above a side order of rice or veggies, to complete my meal. Trouble is it's a lot of times more convenient to buy a candy bar from the vending machine then get something in the cafeteria.
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
25 Oct 07
Money issues aside, if what you are concerned about is losing weight I would go for the healthier option even though there may be a larger portion of it. After all, you don't have to finish the entire meal if you don't want to. As long as you can stop eating when you are full instead of eating it all just because it is there, you shouldn't have to worry about it being a larger portion.
@chris57455 (283)
• United States
24 Oct 07
I try an pack my lunch as much as possible. Either that or just not eat until i get some. I hate eating at fast food places, its not good for you and cost alot of money if you do it every day.
