Do you bring lunch for work?

United States
January 15, 2010 1:18pm CST
When I started working, I used to eat in the school cafeteria and found out the only few teachers ans staff eating there, only students. They told me they bring home lunch for their break. It is also expensive aroung $5 for adult and you have no choice because it is a monthly. Lately, I started bringing lunch from home and I am liking it because I saved 5 bucks every day.
3 people like this
19 responses
@ckyera (17331)
• Philippines
16 Jan 10
hello alohagems! yes, when i was still working, i have a habit of bringing packed lunch to work...my mom always prepare it for me. and yes i really saves a lot from it. and i am really used to it coz even when i am still schooling, i also bring packed lunch...
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi ckyera. It is nice to see you again. You are so lucky girl. You have your mom help you figured out for you lunch and save money from it. When I was schooling like elementary school, we used to walk to our home for lunch. I do not know why our parents did prepare lunch for us to take to school.Maybe they have their own reasons for that. In high school, I have lunch from home, my auntie prepares it becuase our or work in the same school and she make it sure me and other my other siblings have a part of the lunch and we eat together.
@ckyera (17331)
• Philippines
17 Jan 10
yeah, i am really thankful that mom do it for me...that's why when i moved to a boarding house, i really missed her...but good thing is that my landlady there, huh! she's also like a mother to us and to my surprise, she also prepares something for us to bring at work... when i as still on elementary school, sometimes my mom just bring me foods during lunch time...its better that way coz food is still hot & newly cooked. well so nice that you have your aunt who shares the foods with you in school...
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Jan 10
Thanks ckyera, I always rated your response positive because you always have some good stuff to share and help this discussion to keepg going. Thanks for all your inputs.
@Kent90 (71)
• Malaysia
16 Jan 10
well.. this depends on your grade too. If you are in primary stage then bringing lunch to school is advisable as the food in cafeteria is expensive.But when you grows,somehow you will feel that bringing lunch to school is a shame.Maybe to some people is.They will feel like their friends is laughing them.So it depend on your age.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Jan 10
I can relate with you. The "shame" you mentioned is one of the factors why some students in the higher level do not want to bring lunch. Also it depends on the country and the culture. So far, in the school where I am working kinder garten to fifth grade,only 10% bring lunch, they all rely on the cafeteria. I think they have some previedges and does not pay much.
@coolcat123 (4387)
• India
16 Jan 10
no i dont bring lunch to my office as it closes off at 2 so, i dont need it instead I prefer eating the lunch with my family. Or if i really feel hungry in between the work time, i go to a restaurant .
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi there. I am also working until 2 pm and my lunch break is 11 am. It might be good to just take some snack during the break and take lunch at home. Some of my colleagues do that. But I am not sure if I can do that. I am used to it before 12 pm all my life and it make me feel hungry if I can not. Also I will be arriving home before 2:30 pm, and pretty soon I will prepare for dinner. This is my style. You have good reasons to eat lunch with your family and it's what you used to. Thanks for your response.
@cream97 (29085)
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi, alohagems100. I agree with you. It is less expensive to bring food from home rather than always buying the food out of the cafeteria. Even if they take the fee out of our paycheck it will still do no good. Either way we are still paying for the meal. By the time we receive our paycheck, that lunch fee will be deducted from our pay. If I can save money, I will. I enjoy bringing my own lunch, that way I get to pick and choose what I would like to eat on that day, instead of someone always choosing for me. I used to bring my own lunch when I used to work at Gold Kist Farms, Inc. I enjoyed fixing what I know that I could eat and like.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Jan 10
Hi Cream97 I rated your response positive because it contribute much in the discussion. Talking about salary deductions, I had a very wide experience with that way back in my country, when I was working as an ordinary government employee. Although it is convenient to us but in the long run or at the end of the month, our take home pay can not even take us home.
@GoGirl149 (152)
• Canada
16 Jan 10
I always bring my lunch, but I used to go to the cafeteria to get my coffee and snacks. When I analyzed it, and added the tip I was leaving, it was about $5 a day for two coffees and a muffin or a cookie. What a waste! That's $25 a week ... or over $100 each month! I now bring hot chocolate packets to work, which I have instead of coffee. I got a really good deal on them, plus I bring a granola bar instead of the snack. I figure my hot beverage+snack now cost about $1 each day. That's a savings of $4/ day, or $20/week or $80/month. Yippy!
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi GoGirl Congratulations for your decision. You finally figured it out. Yeah sometimes, I used the cafeteria or restuarant to buy some stuffs for snacks and lunch just to get started. Like when I was still new to the university or new work place. After few weeks or monthly I realized how silly I was not to think about some good stuffs at home. I save almost same amount as you per month. I rated your response positive becuase I love the ideas you shared.
@shylade (3132)
• Philippines
16 Jan 10
yes, i do bring lunch pack. beside from saving, you will be able to eat what you want and you have an assurance that its safe to eat. my husband often cook and we plan ahead the meals for the week. we will go to the market and buy the ingredients we need. most canteens and cafeteria are over crowded during breaks and you have to fall in line when ordering. when you reached the counter, you are too angry and chances are you are too hungry. so its very economical and convenient and bring along your lunch pack at your office. since most office have pantries where you can eat your meal without any hazzles.
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi shylade. I really like your response. You are exactly right that you can eat what you want and the food is safe if it was being prepared at home. I love your idea of planning weekly. I wish I can do that. I have plenty of stuffs in frigde but do not have any good plans for them for my lunch and other meals. I just picked anything I like to prepare. Yeah. I used to eat in the park near my work place, there is a picnic table over there and my friends joined me.
• United States
16 Jan 10
I work at a center that places lunch from the day in the break room which means we can pick over what we eat if we choose. However, I'm not a fan of that. Sometimes the food is just gross and it's not stuff that I'd like to eat. So I just bring my own lunch. I know I have to spend money to make it and bring it but I'd rather eat stuff I'd like instead of stuff that I'm not going to. It ensures that I'm actually eating.
• United States
17 Jan 10
I think it is just practical for you bring lunch rather than buying it from somewhere that you dont even know if it is safe to eat. That is one of the reasons why I bring lunch from home so that I can eat what I want.
• Philippines
16 Jan 10
Hello alohagems100! I used to buy my lunch from the school's cafeteria. Or sometimes, my boyfriend would come by and we would go to some restaurant to have lunch. Sometimes, my colleagues and I would go to some fastfood nearby. But for the past few months, I bring my lunch. It is more practical and I really like the food my father cooks for me and my younger sister.
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi dulce I remember those days, when I was in college, maybe 75% of the time I brought lunch from home. Some of my friends and classmates were also bringing their lunch and we eat together in a kiosk. When I was in Japan for a scholarship, I used to eat in the cafeteria just toh have a test what it was like. It was cheaper and I found out 1 kind of meal that I really loved (karaagi) like a deep fried chopped chicken but there was sometings in it that I love - the combination of stuff in it. I ordered same kind of food. I know it was crazy. It really made me lazy preparing foods if I can get it cheap and good. But then, no matter how cheap if we can get it free from home which is a wise choice.
@lelin1123 (15594)
• Puerto Rico
15 Jan 10
When I worked yes I would bring my lunch everyday. It was usually leftovers from the dinner the night before. I can't see spending money when you have food in the house that you can take to work. Especially since you know the food at home is good and more healthy for you then the fast food out there. Its also great to save money everyday.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Jan 10
Hi lelin Like you I also bring dinner's leftovers for home lunch at work. Yes you are right, there are lots of food stuff in the house to be brought and not spend money for buying lunch. Thank you.
• United States
15 Jan 10
Yes because I used to buy breakfast, lunch,and dinner when I was working and I realized it was costing way too much! So whenever I go back to work I will start taking my lunch with me. I find it much more cheaper and healthier.
• United States
15 Jan 10
Yes you are right about the cost. Sometimes when I did the lunch at work from the cafeteria, I can not consume it all. I have no appetite. I just took or taste some but ended up wasting it. It is realy good idea to bring lunch from home.
@Fulltank (2882)
• Philippines
15 Jan 10
We never missed packing-up our kids snacks and lunch at school. Me and my wife had to woke-up 4 am every morning to prepare them. And sometimes I too had to bring a lunch back to work. We never trusted the foods on the schools cafeteria and we wanted that our children will never depend on them in the future. Got each one a lunch back that would keep their food hot until lunch time and we had five of them in the house.
1 person likes this
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi there, Wow, I am impress how you guys effeciently manage it. You are right making sure that your children will not depend on cafeteria. Some kids also does not like to eat foods served in the cafeteria. I am working as a special education assistant and I watched them everyday eating while I am also with my students. On the average maybe they only take 50% of the food being served. Some of them on take a bite or a taste. They throw them back to the trash can. I love eating lunch food from home when I was in school.
@adamc151 (476)
16 Jan 10
Im still at college but i have the option of taking lunch from home or buying something at the cafe we have there. I always take sandwiches but i sometimes also buy something from the cafe because i usually get hungry hours before our lunch break, plus the food is really nice from there :D
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi adam I totally agree with you. We had the same of option but when I was in the universities, I found a great meal for me that I loved and it does not cost much.
• India
16 Jan 10
No, when i was kid i used to bring that with me to school but now i am grown up man and don't take lunch with me. Even in university time i was leaving away from home so i had to eat outside so there was no way that i can take lunch with me so no more habit to carry lunch with me after that.
• United States
16 Jan 10
I remember those university days, way back in my home country, I used to bring lunch becuase my classmates and friends also have and we used to eat together,solving assignments et. When I was in Japan for scholarship, I never bring lunch from my apartment. The cafeteria is great and the food is cheap and the most important thing is I found a very good meal that I used to order many times a week. Most of the students did it.
@KicDash (89)
• United States
15 Jan 10
I'm a student and the food that my school gave are... low quantity, and they always serve the same thing: chicken burger, nachos, and pizza. But those food aren't that good and appetizer. So if my school would let me go outside and buy food I'll love to do it but too bad my school won't let that happen. And about bringing lunch to school I think that's a bad idea for me because if i put it in my book bag it will get all messed up.
1 person likes this
• United States
15 Jan 10
Hi kicdash. Partly you are true about low quantity and serve same thing. There are also times that they serve some nutritious foods like vegetables but I know kids won't like it. I can also see that kids only eat at lest 50% of there share sometimes less. What a waste of foods. Thank you for your response.
@GardenGerty (169489)
• United States
21 Jan 10
You are not only saving money, you probably are getting a better quality of food and you are eating healthier. If you work twenty days a month that is $100 so you are saving a significant amount.
@bulastika (5966)
• Philippines
22 Jan 10
Me too. When I start working I eat in fast food. That why I don't have savings at that time. I feel like a celebrity eating at fast food and restaurant. lolz. Then when I realize what my officemates was doing I also try to buy food in cafeteria. Then sooner or later I also master how to eat more and save more. Because I have lots of female officemates. I always notice when they gain a little weight. Just a simple word of hi..You look sexy today. Waaallaaa. You have their lunch because they are on diet. Its actually very beneficial to both of us. She can have her diet and I can have her food..lols.. How how I turn from a skinny person to an obese two type of guy. They thought they have a fattening pig in the office..lolz..
@pramodppk (112)
• India
16 Jan 10
no i do not bring lunch for work i go to home for lunch every day i am thing to bring lunch box to my office
• United States
16 Jan 10
Hi there. When I was working in my home country I used to go home for lunch. So I only spent money for transportation. I always excited my they prepare for lunch.
@syedayub (252)
• India
16 Jan 10
No i don't, I never bring a lunch at work, find comfortable eating at home with family. I don't thing, losing some bucks or dollars, due to this you will miss the valuable movements of your life with your parents.
• United States
16 Jan 10
I also have that kind of thinking when I was working in my home country. But when I moved to this country, my family is not here.So it is just practical to bring lunch from home. Also money-wise. Thanks for your response.
@Kent90 (71)
• Malaysia
16 Jan 10
well, it is true that bringing lunch to school can save money and even save time in buying food. But you will find that when you grow, you will certainly wont do this anymore. they will feel bringing lunch to school is a shame. they will feel like their friends is talking bad behind them.. to some person maybe. so, "do you bring lunch to work?" is somethings that most adult wont do. they will prefer buying food even it is expensive.