Missing lunch...

[Andy in Germany]

The new job has funny hours and lunch tends to get pushed to about 2 pm when my main group of clients goes home.

This used to be a problem, but I'm noticing that my body is adjusting and I don't feel particularly hungry. Occasionally I need some fruit but often I reach lunchtime without any enthusiasm for food, especially as whatever I packed doesn't taste terribly appetising, mainly because I'm a rubbish cook. Thing is, it's also only a few hours before going back home so I'm not sure there's a lot of point in eating, especially as despite my best efforts the stomach refuses to get much smaller in any meaningful way. I also eat a solid breakfast.

Does anyone else miss out lunch? do you have any strategies or backup foods? I carry a box of sliced apple and possible a cereal bar in case I get a bit tired, but I'm not convinced I need any more.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

If I'm busy doing something then I can easily miss out lunch. Can be anything - on a long ride, doing a job at home, working with a mate. If I get engrossed in whatever it is I can miss lunch quite easily. Until the pressure comes off, then I realise I've missed lunch and want something.
In my younger days I used to do long fell races. These were 50/60/70 miles. Usually started at 9AM and I could easily carry on to the finish at 8/9/10 PM with little more the occasional piece of cake at checkpoints.

 

[Reynard]

Mmmmmm... Cat shows and photography gigs can lead to strange hours for food. Been there, done that...

Instead of packing a lunch, just switch to stuff that can be thrown back into the cupboard or fruit bowl if it's not eaten. So cereal bars, crisps, nuts, dried fruit, kit kats, rice cakes, tangerines...

A decent breakfast and hearty supper should then sort it.

 

[Blue Hills]

Crisps?
What sort of dietary advice is this?

 

[PaulSB]

Overall I would suggest missing lunch is a bad thing. I like to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. You don't say anything on timescales but my guess is you're breakfasting around 7.00am and possibly not eating an evening meal till 7.00/8.00pm. IMO that is unhealthy.

What's a "solid" breakfast?

I'm not sure being a rubbish cook need impact on lunch. Couple of hard boiled eggs, lettuce, tomatoes, banana, lots of things you could do without preparation.

Crisps, nuts, KitKats, cereal bars? That's snacking not lunch.

 

[Reynard]

If you don't have the time for lunch, then something down the hatch is better than nothing.

In my press hack days, it was a case of eat when you can (i.e. in between races) because invariably I'd be asked to do shoots or interviews during the scheduled lunch break.

 

[Gunk]

I always stop for about 20 mins for lunch and read the news on my iPad

 

[carpiste]

When I worked for a living (retired and smug ) I worked shifts and the nature of my job meant it was a regular occurance to miss out on meals. But.... I always seemed to have time for a brew and a biscuit 🍵
If you have time for tea and biccies then you have time to pop a ready made soup in the microwave and add a few crutons
If you go for something like minestrone with pasta pieces or chicken then you`ll get enough nourishment to get you through the few hours until you get home. Plus it`s far healthier than, starving yourself or eating crisps or dodgy snacks!

 

[Drago]

Missing lunch regularly isn't good.

Im not much of an eater any time except evening meal, when i'll then gorge myself, so its usually an oaty bar for brekky and a protein bar for lunch. In your cade you could keep an oaty bar in your pocket and shive it down the hat on the go.

 

[midlife]

Depending on what crops up I might miss lunch, as I don't have any breakfast then it's no real meals from one tea time to the next.

 

[oldwheels]

In the days when we went to sell at trade fairs I had an early lunch and then my wife and head girl went off together for sometimes a long lunch leaving me in charge as lunch times tended to be quiet businesswise. It was important to have a break in order to be on top form.
In the evenings we had a regular booking at a place we always went to along with friends. One of them had a platinum credit card which always impressed the management if it was his turn to pay.

 

[AuroraSaab]

In terms of blood sugar etc, regular healthy meals are better, though I think it will depend on what your other meals are. If they are healthy it's probably not doing too much harm in the short term. If I miss lunch altogether I tend to eat more unhealthily in the evening, having a big tea with excess carbs, then snacking.

It sounds a bit like a body clock problem though in that after a certain point in the afternoon you get past wanting food, especially if it's not appetising. I'm like that in the evenings. If I haven't eaten by 7pm I lose my appetite for having an actual cooked meal. I can't eat my tea at 9pm like the French and Italians.

Are there any tasty, healthy pre prepped things you can take that you could look forward to eating? I get Asda £1.50 Salads. I know German salads are more pickle based, but maybe something like that might work.

 

[MontyVeda]

I quite often miss lunch... but then again, i have two breakfasts, a few hours apart.

 

[Blue Hills]

. I can't eat my tea at 9pm like the French and Italians.

that Italian eating late thing has always struck me as odd - I know in some areas in particular they say that they do it because of heat during the day, but humans aren't that different and I thought it was medically accepted that eating late can be bad for sleep.
I know a fair few Italian women who seem to be forever complaining about their poor digestion.
One Italian host in Manchester got round to feeding me at some really ungodly hour - a bloody awful night followed.
I find a veg heavy evening meal is best for sleep - alcohol a problem for sure, but also lots of carbs.

 

[AuroraSaab]

When I'm on holiday I'm always amazed at Italian families eating huge plates of pasta at nearly bedtime. I think you can train your body clock a bit though so maybe that's what you've inadvertently done and its adjusted to missing lunch. I think having an overall healthy diet is more important than when you eat. If you're having slow release carbs or protein for breakfast you won't get that sugar crash that makes you feel rough later. I'd make sure you have some healthy food on hand though. Do you feel the same at weekends or your days off?