Call me crazy, but I HATE lunch.
Oh no, not the eating of it… I quite enjoy eating.
It’s the figuring out what to have and (groan) MAKING it that makes my skin crawl and my right eye twitch.
There’s something about being all alone in the house with 101 things that I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to get done that makes me Despise the fact that I have to interrupt my otherwise highly productive morning to engage in lunch making.
Like today. I’m sitting at my computer, catching up on a few *ahem* things. (NOT BLOGGING… I DID NOT SAY BLOGGING!)
Ok, I admit it. I was blogging.
Anyway, I realize that it’s 12:10. Seeing as how CJ and I have a play date scheduled for after school gets out AND given the fact that I turn into a snarly nasty monster mommy when my stomach is empty and my blood sugar dips low… I really need to make myself some lunch.
What to have… what to have…
And so I begin my rotation through the kitchen.
Now here’s the thing. I shop for groceries. I spend more time in the kitchen than anyone in the family (it’s where my computer is). I KNOW what we have in the food department. And yet, EVERY SINGLE TIME that lunch time rolls around, I find myself wandering around, pulling open cupboards with a vacant, puzzled look.
What?! No ready-to-go freshly made lasagna in HERE with the canned goods? That’s weird.
Hmm, I rather thought I’d find a fresh and delicious salad in the refridgerator. Maybe if I check AGAIN… nope, still not there. Odd.
I check the cupboards. I check the freezer. I check the fridge. I check the freezer again. And then I check the cupboards.
Most of the time I decide that I just can’t bear the thought of making an actual sandwich (SO MUCH WORK!) or heating up a bowl of soup (OH THE MESS!) or nuking a frozen weight watchers meal (EWWW!) and begin a wholly unhealthy and completely unsatisfying graze-fest.
Ooh, the peanut butter is still out from making CJ’s lunch. That has PROTEIN. Maybe a spoonful will make my hunger go away.
Ok, still hungry. I could really go for some of those Tuscan Three Cheese CHIPS. (crunch crunch crunch)
Yogurt! Yogurt is VERY healthy with all the calcium and stuff… I’ll have some yogurt!
Ooh! Fruit snacks! I LOVE fruit snacks!
And two hours later I’ll be STARVING. I know this, and yet I cannot make myself just BUCKLE DOWN AND MAKE A SENSIBLE LUNCH!
What is WRONG with me? Does anyone else have this problem?
And perhaps the more important question, when is someone going to invent a pill that you can take instead of eating? It would just be SO MUCH MORE convenient!
***
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xo Jen
September 19, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Oh yes. I’m a grazer.
My problem is finding things to make for my daughter that I will eat, too. There’s only so much mac n’ cheese, chicken noodle soup, and pb and j that I can take.
Breakfast and dinner are sooo much easier!
September 19, 2007 at 12:59 pm
I cannot believe how accurately you described my daily experience with food. It’s like you were staring through my window! You weren’t, were you??? :P
I am constantly geting the “Why haven’t you eaten REAL food?” lecture, which only makes me want to eat gum for breakfast……. again.
September 19, 2007 at 1:46 pm
I have this problem at dinner too.
I just want stuff to appear.
I need to hire a cook.
September 19, 2007 at 2:04 pm
I’m right there with you! The nights that I cook something that has leftovers for lunch are my favourite!
September 19, 2007 at 2:07 pm
I do something even worse. I get drive through almost, OK, every day for lunch. HORRIBLE, but I can’t have a sandwich or leftovers. And it give me an excuse to get out of the house.
September 19, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I can totally relate! I usually just eat fruit, crackers, yogurt type stuff for lunch. I’m a grazer but at least then my things to graze on are “healthy”. You might like http://lunchinabox.net/
I could never hope to be that organized! but it’s a fun blog to look at from time to time… No affiliation here, I’m too much of a slacker to even update my blog.
September 19, 2007 at 2:08 pm
I am that way too!!! I hate having to think up food ideas.
September 19, 2007 at 2:34 pm
I have that exact same problem. Yesterday’s lunch? Left over birthday cake. I felt so gross after.
My best success was when I picked a favourite lunch and had it every single day. I felt good, I never wallowed in indecision, and I lost a pile of weight.
Um, speaking of, it’s 2:33pm and I still haven’t had lunch.
Ugh, need to get back on track! Thanks for the reminder!
September 19, 2007 at 2:48 pm
I do this every day for lunch or dinner. Unlike you I can and will microwave a low fat lean cuisine or Amy’s organic and low fat meals. I use the word meal in jest, cuz the portions be small. Right now we all hate shopping for food but I am usually the one gives in and goes and each and every time I GASP at how freaking expensive the grocery bill is!!
September 19, 2007 at 3:03 pm
I think my kids and I eat the same thing for lunch every day: lunch meat, cheese, crackers, fruit. I just can’t seem to be creative when it comes to making lunch…
September 19, 2007 at 3:20 pm
I’m the same way… some days I’m just too lazy and drink my breakfast.
Coffee that is. ;)
September 19, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Yeah, lunch making is the suxxor. I have no problem making lunch for the kids. But then, they always know what they want. Personally, I want Applebee’s, but that requires pulling myself out of reach of the computer for more than 5 minutes…
September 19, 2007 at 4:06 pm
I too hate making lunch because I know I that the dinner making process is coming up too. A “I feel full” pill would be great or a little pill that you soak in water and it turns into a personal chef. Like those pills that turn into sponges in the bathtub. Now that would be great!
September 19, 2007 at 4:50 pm
You just described MY lunch routine. Only, so much better than I could have done it.
September 19, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I love having this articulated what is in my head. How did that happen. I plan out dinner every week, breakfast is easy, but lunch kills me. I hate it!!!
September 19, 2007 at 6:35 pm
I have this problem every day. We have plenty of food, but when it’s time for breakfast or lunch I’m totally at a loss. Magically, my brain kicks in for dinner and I can make gourmet from nothing.
September 19, 2007 at 6:55 pm
I have this exact problem…and only at lunch time. It makes me nervous for when I am also responsible for making lunches for the kids when I am home with them full-time in a few months!
September 19, 2007 at 7:24 pm
wow, it’s like the stay at home mom syndrome or something! you described it with such accuracy!!
September 19, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I have the opposite problem. I start thinking about what I want for the next day’s lunch, pretty much right after I finish dinner the night before. I love lunch and have to have exactly what I have in mind/am craving or I’m not a happy person. So, yes, maybe a pill would be best :)
September 19, 2007 at 7:26 pm
umm – that was a comment from me, i was logged in as a client, darn! sorry :(
September 19, 2007 at 7:38 pm
This is how breakfast goes. Lunchtime the mantacular comes home and I pretend to have wise ideas on how to feed us all.
But breakfast just kills me and at the rate I go I don’t manage to put SOMETHING in me (today it was cheese and crackers. though now craving peanut butter crackers)until almost 11. The man comes home around noon. Three cheers for me.
And dude. Your fridge and cupboards don’t magically create just what you want either? I find that so terribly frustrating.
September 19, 2007 at 7:44 pm
That’s me on the weekends. After much debating and stalling, I always end up making a grilled cheese sandwich.
September 19, 2007 at 8:37 pm
So, true. I get sick of lunch meat (I feel a little repulsed just typing it). But what else? Especially without really cooking? I’m with ya. today, I had a peach for lunch and some Wheat Thins.
September 19, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Before I had kids, I was always shocked at the lunchtime eating habits of kids and vowed mine would NEVER eat PB&J or Mac and Cheese.
Until I actually had kids. Just don’t ask us what we had for lunch today.
September 19, 2007 at 8:47 pm
The brain-taker-away-er (or whatever) flies by our house AS SOON as husband is gone.
“We have to what? Eat? Again? Uhhh, here kids… let me pop you some popcorn for dinner/breakfast/lunch.” But they don’t like that too much so I usually break down and slap some pb onto some bread.
And then Husband gets home and I’m like, “Let me whip up this pork loin with apricot glaze real quick.”
September 19, 2007 at 11:16 pm
I never new food would be such a daily pain in my ass.
And all I really got from reading this was….hungry.
I think I want a Ben and Jerry’s Peace pop.
September 20, 2007 at 6:12 am
I am so with you on this one. Preparing food to eat is such a nusance. I wind up eating all the bad for you stuff too, but for some reason always feel hungry.
September 20, 2007 at 6:29 am
I don’t have this problem.
Unless of course, you don’t consider chips and salsa a sensible lunch.
Seriously though, I usually end up eating leftovers from dinner for lunch the next day. Exciting.
September 20, 2007 at 6:33 am
You totally described my daily lunch experience! When ARE they going to come up with a pill? I would buy stock in that company. Maybe we could check with NASA about some astronaut meals?
BTW, I hear that Kelly Ripa keeps herself in shape by just grazing on the remnants of her kids meals or whatever drops from the highchair. It’s not a bad plan, really.
September 20, 2007 at 7:09 am
Despite the fact that I have a family of 4 I cook dinners large enough for 10. I always have leftovers in the fridge that I can munch on for lunch. My real problem is with breakfast. Most mornings I just eat my childrens leftovers. A half a piece of peanut butter toast here, a couple of apple slices there. I swear that I must have lived a past life during the Great Depression or something. I simply cannot justify to myself getting fresh food for breakfast when there’s already old food sitting out.
September 20, 2007 at 7:46 am
So true for me most days. All though usually it is because I haven’t gotten food shopping yet and only have some of the ingredients. Yesterday I did though and so just now I am eating an apple pie I made.
Having my son help is my trick in getting it made:-)
September 20, 2007 at 10:13 am
Hmmm.
Have another child??
Then you have to make lunch for them???
Maybe not a good reason to have a baby…
But it would work.
September 20, 2007 at 10:59 am
I need a personal chef. This post described my every lunch making attempt.
September 20, 2007 at 11:08 am
I’m just jealous that you get to eat by yourself for a meal … I haven’t been able to do that in, oh, a year.
Still, this is me for breakfast. I hate making breakfast foods during the week.
Hope you found something today!
September 20, 2007 at 1:03 pm
I’m an after-8pm-when-the-boyz-are-in-bed-GRAZER.
And if I have a glass of wine, watch out!
Strap on the feedbag.
September 20, 2007 at 2:31 pm
When my house was a DINK home (dual income no kids) and I worked outside the home, lunch was my favorite part of the work day. My entire team went out to eat everyday so there was always someone to go to lunch with. My co-workers and I would have so much fun gossiping and chatting about anything but work.
I think lunchtime is the primary thing I miss about working in corporate America.
Now, however, my lunchtime is just as you described. Lunch is a chose and a necessity, not a fun time out of the office. What to have? What to have? And and I never seem to decide in advance.
September 20, 2007 at 2:34 pm
i hate figuring out what to have for lunch! the boys still aren’t eating the same thing as me for lunch, so i don’t normally eat until they are down for their nap. and i hate making something for one person…seriously!
September 21, 2007 at 10:13 am
Oh my gosh, DITTO everything you said. I have this dilemma EVERY DAY but seem powerless to change it…..just one more way I put myself last. Dangit I need a cook!
September 21, 2007 at 10:43 am
So here I was staring at my cupboards today trying to decide what in the heck to make. And you and this post came to mind!!
No, I didn’t eat a banana. I settled for cottage cheese. BLEH.
September 21, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Oh yeah, I do this every time!
September 22, 2007 at 8:08 am
Seriously, I think every busy mom has these days. OH I do love the days when I actually DO have a nice crisp already made salad waiting for me. But for the most part, it’s…Ooh, I’ll have this piece of sausage left over from the weekend, don’t bother to heat it up, here’s a cookie, some chips. Then I feel all nasty!
September 22, 2007 at 9:17 pm
I’ve been known to pop some popcorn for lunch. (Did I really just admit that here?) So I’m bad at lunch too…
September 23, 2007 at 12:43 pm
Even when I do have a prepared lunch ready (which means left-overs) I still like to eat a handful of this and a handful of that. It is so sad. I guess it is just when I am home I like to give our snacks a lot of attention.