# Lunch at work



## liaconn (7 Jul 2010)

Just a nosy question really. Do many of you bring a lunch into work everyday, or do most people still buy stuff from the deli/Spar at lunchtime? (Yes, I don't have a huge amount on my mind today)


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## callybags (7 Jul 2010)

I go out for a dinner on Monday.

Buy fron the deli on Tuesday. (No food in house)

Make and bring in my own for the rest of the week.

A balanced diet


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## lou2 (7 Jul 2010)

I go out to a deli at lunchtime but this has to stop as I can't afford a tenner a day for lunch. So we are going to start a kitty and start shopping for sandwich ingredients for lunch instead.


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## Shawady (7 Jul 2010)

Canteen on site but a lot of my colleagues would bring in their own lunch.


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## TheBlock (7 Jul 2010)

Bring a Sandwich most days, when I forget making one I buy a cheap imitation sandwich in the canteen. (Then vow never to forget again).

I always make sure to bring my own Tea bags in though as they charge 69c for a tea bag in hot water in here.


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## RonanC (7 Jul 2010)

We have a kitchen here so we buy enough food for the week and make our own stuff, brekkie, lunch, snacks. We have saved a fortune over the last few weeks, especially on things like tea's and coffee's!!!


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## truthseeker (7 Jul 2010)

Subsidised canteen onsite - but usually bring 3 pieces of fruit with me and just buy a light sandwich to eat with them for 2 euro-ish at lunchtime.


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## Purple (7 Jul 2010)

We have a canteen with hot and cold food.


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## liaconn (7 Jul 2010)

Thanks for indulging my nosiness. I used to buy a sandwich or roll everyday. Then, due to the need to economise I started buying 'lunch stuff' in Tesco every Sunday to make lunches for the week. Couldn't be bothered a couple of weeks ago and decided I'd just do with whatever was in the fridge. I cannot believe how economical that is. Instead of throwing out leftover pasta or stir fry because there's not enough left to do another dinner, or finding two eggs left in the box at the use by date, absolutely everything is getting used up. Also, lunches have become more interesting and varied.


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## truthseeker (7 Jul 2010)

I sometimes apply that principle to dinner and just bang together whatever is hanging round the fridge and make some rice to go with it - works for me too!


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## Boyd (7 Jul 2010)

I think a mix is fairly common - I usually bring lunch in 3 times a week (we have no canteen but have kitchen with microwaves), buy a €4 roll/panini once and got for a "sit down" lunch on a Friday. I think bringing in lunch is a good idea but its nice to have a balance and get out of the office, especially on a Friday. 

Dont understand this though: 


lou2 said:


> I go out to a deli at lunchtime but this has to stop  as I can't afford a tenner a day for lunch.



How can you spend a tenner in a deli (non-sit down meal)?


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## Sunny (7 Jul 2010)

Lunch is for wimps.

It's because of people like you that we are in this recession.


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## liaconn (7 Jul 2010)

Don't worry, I eat it with one hand and keep writing with the other.


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## callybags (7 Jul 2010)

Sunny said:


> Lunch is for wimps.
> 
> It's because of people like you that we are in this recession.


 
That's racist.


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## Firefly (7 Jul 2010)

liaconn said:


> Thanks for indulging my nosiness. I used to buy a sandwich or roll everyday. Then, due to the need to economise I started buying 'lunch stuff' in Tesco every Sunday to make lunches for the week. Couldn't be bothered a couple of weeks ago and decided I'd just do with whatever was in the fridge. I cannot believe how economical that is. Instead of throwing out leftover pasta or stir fry because there's not enough left to do another dinner, or finding two eggs left in the box at the use by date, absolutely everything is getting used up. Also, lunches have become more interesting and varied.


 
Great idea. We've a canteen with hot & cold options nut no microware to heat up your own lunch. Still, cold pasta is OK though


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## Purple (7 Jul 2010)

Sunny said:


> Lunch is for wimps.
> 
> It's because of people like you that we are in this recession.



Lol  Best post of the day!


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## Graham_07 (7 Jul 2010)

We have free canteen on site, unlimited beverages and bikkies during the day, a TV room and DVD's for quiet moments oh yea and a BBQ and wine fridge. Great place to work. 

Oh did I mention about working from home ?


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## becky (7 Jul 2010)

I bring lunch in most days. It's usually yesterdays dinner heated in microwave which in all honesty is going to blow up from the usage in the last year. It was gathering dust up to that.


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## lou2 (7 Jul 2010)

username123 said:


> How can you spend a tenner in a deli (non-sit down meal)?


 

Easily. Sandwich, cold drink, bag of crisps and a coffee (and maybe a kitkat!). Thing of the past now though.


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## burger1979 (8 Jul 2010)

Bring in lunch mon - thurs (beans on toast most days with fruit as snacks), friday i get something either from the local centra, or there is a food market every friday near us. some great options, pizza, noodles, paella, burgers, cupcakes etc. etc. so i usually get something from there and sit out on the grass reading the book.


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## Mpsox (8 Jul 2010)

I bring in 4 or 5 pieces of fruit, have a box of Barry's tea bags in the desk, (Cause I don't like the brown liquid from the machine) and depending on the mood, I might bring a sandwhich or something else. If I know I am staying late then I'll nip out and get something. I can think of better things to be doing with a thousand euro a year then giving it to the local petrol station


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## Latrade (8 Jul 2010)

I can't believe the communist paradise some of you public sector workers get to live in not only having lunch breaks but being able to discuss the contents of your lunch.

My super efficient private sector company gives us 1 minute for lunch to eat our ration of Soylent Green. If you go over the minute, you're sacked. Eat too loudly, you're sacked. Ask for a Kit Kat, you're sacked. Drop a crumb, you're sacked. You get bonuses for finishing your portion in under a minute and for whistleblowing on any fellow employee who contravenes the lunch policy. 

That's how you run an efficient operation.


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## DB74 (8 Jul 2010)

lou2 said:


> Easily. Sandwich, cold drink, bag of crisps and a coffee (and maybe a kitkat!). Thing of the past now though.


 
Bag of crisps *AND* a kit-kat

No wonder the Health Service is overrun


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## Boyd (8 Jul 2010)

lou2 said:


> Easily. Sandwich, cold drink, bag of crisps and a coffee (and maybe a kitkat!). Thing of the past now though.



Ah ya see youre getting more than the fundamentals there! Do ye not have free tea/coffee in the office? Cold drinks are wild expensive if you get 'em every day, especailly any of that fancy crap they sell in delis e.g. "This Water". If you buy a 20pack of crisps/bars instead of buying individually you'd save a fortune as well.


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## Purple (8 Jul 2010)

We provide free tea and coffee all day (and night). 
I think it comes across as really mean not to do so.


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## TarfHead (8 Jul 2010)

lou2 said:


> I go out to a deli at lunchtime but this has to stop as I can't afford a tenner a day for lunch..


 
Can you define 'lunch'  ?

A sandwich should give you change out of a fiver. Anything beyond that is not lunch, just giving in to temptation .. IMHO .

We've a subsidised canteen so I can get a sandwich, or soup and some salads, for less than €4.00 per day. Tea and coffee are free and I take in an apple from home for the mid afternoon munchies - or a fruit and nut mix from LIDL.


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## Boyd (8 Jul 2010)

Purple said:


> We provide free tea and coffee all day (and night).
> I think it comes across as really mean not to do so.



+1, TBH its a pretty basic requirement of an office IMO


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## Ceist Beag (8 Jul 2010)

Latrade said:


> My super efficient private sector company gives us 1 minute for lunch to eat our ration of Soylent Green.



1 minute for lunch? You lucky lucky b'stard! We have to regurgitate our breakfast while we work!


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## Boyd (8 Jul 2010)

When did lunch become the norm anyway, I always used to have my dinner at 1PM, evening tea at 6.30PM, then I moved to Dublin


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## liaconn (8 Jul 2010)

Purple said:


> We provide free tea and coffee all day (and night).
> I think it comes across as really mean not to do so.


 
Can I come and work for you?  We have to pay a euro for a cup of muck in the canteen.


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## RonanC (8 Jul 2010)

username123 said:


> +1, TBH its a pretty basic requirement of an office IMO


 
Not public sector anyway !!


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## TarfHead (8 Jul 2010)

Ceist Beag said:


> 1 minute for lunch? You lucky lucky b'stard! We have to regurgitate our breakfast while we work!


 
At least it's your own breakfast  !

Luxury


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## JJ1982 (8 Jul 2010)

I go home for lunch everyday, its great. I used to pick up a nice cappucino then in the coffee place near us but when i filed out a budget spreadsheet, that wasnt long being hit on the head.

I think we are getting a nespresso machine for the office though, now that will be an exciting day


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## missdaisy (8 Jul 2010)

I bring lunch the vast majority of the time too and our office provides as much tea, coffee and water as we can drink. I brought my lunch with me even before the recession hit as I always thought €25 a week for bought sandwich when my own is just as good was better spent on a city break!


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## Boyd (8 Jul 2010)

Similarly whats people's habits on breakfast? Most people in our office come in at 9 and eat their breakfast at desk till 9.30, effectively getting paid for it. Is this common or are we just having it too good?


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## burger1979 (8 Jul 2010)

I eat my breakfast in work early in the morning. bowl of porridge watching the news on the tele in the canteen. ease myself into the working day that way, i have lunch at the desk though usually as i work through lunch (mon - thurs).


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## becky (8 Jul 2010)

Purple said:


> We provide free tea and coffee all day (and night).
> I think it comes across as really mean not to do so.


 
In the public service providing free tea and coffee means less money for the services. 

We buy our own tea and coffee. We use to get free milk and water but both of these were this year.

In our region the cancellation of the water contract is expected to achieve €800K of savings and a few jobs in the private sector.


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## Purple (8 Jul 2010)

I usually get in to work 10 minutes either side of 8 in the morning and I’m usually last in; most start between 7.00 and 7.30.
Nobody eats breakfast at their desk but the canteen serves hot and cold breakfast at the 10.00 break (15 minutes, paid).

Lunch is between 1.00 and 1.30 or 1.30 and 2.00 for the factory floor (unpaid) or 1.00 and 2.00 (unpaid) for the office.
The guys on the factory floor get a further break at 4.30 for 15 minutes (paid) if they are working past 6.00.
The people in the office don’t get an afternoon break. Some finish early at 5.00 but most of us are here ‘till between 6.00 and 7.30, 2-3 evenings a week.

There is no canteen for the night shift but they get a 50% shift allowance so they can afford to buy a sandwich.


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## liaconn (8 Jul 2010)

We were also forbidden to order tea, coffee or biscuits for meetings about a year ago. It was terribly embarassing when people had travelled long distances or come from abroad and staff ended up buying coffee, scones etc out of their own money for delegates. So the rule is changed and, if people from outside the Department are attending, coffee and tea is allowed, but Department staff only, nothing! Even if the meeting is at nine o clock in the morning.


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## Purple (8 Jul 2010)

becky said:


> In the public service providing free tea and coffee means less money for the services.
> 
> We buy our own tea and coffee. We use to get free milk and water but both of these were this year.
> 
> In our region the cancellation of the water contract is expected to achieve €800K of savings and a few jobs in the private sector.



We have a unit that filters and cools water from the mains. It is much cheaper than the big bottle water cooler.

In the private sector we realise that wages are the biggest cost and tea bags and water are tiny costs. For the last ten years our wage levels have not kept pace with the public or construction sectors. We have not paid any of the increases from the national wage agreements etc but then again we are still profitable and have not made anyone redundant (in fact we are looking for people at the moment).


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## Ciaraella (8 Jul 2010)

My desk drawer is constantly stocked with tins of sardines, beans, mackerel, noodles, crackers, tins of soup and a box of cereal, very cheap!
Friday is a nice day to go out for lunch though


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## liaconn (8 Jul 2010)

Actually, I used to always feel bloated and uncomfortable after lunch when I bought sandwiches or baguettes made up in the shop. Now that I'm making my own lunches (and eating less bread) that feeling's gone. So healthier, as well as cheaper.


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## Boyd (8 Jul 2010)

Purple said:


> I usually get in to work 10 minutes either side of 8 in the morning and I’m usually last in; most start between 7.00 and 7.30.
> ....
> The people in the office don’t get an afternoon break. Some finish early at 5.00 but most of us are here ‘till between 6.00 and 7.30, 2-3 evenings a week.
> .



Almost 12 hour days! Work smart not hard Purple!!


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## Purple (8 Jul 2010)

username123 said:


> Almost 12 hour days! Work smart not hard Purple!!



I do both and get twice as much done


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## Sunny (8 Jul 2010)

We wear nappies in work to cut back on toilet breaks.

Sometimes it feels like I am carrying this Country on my back when I hear of lunch breaks, breakfasts, cups of tea etc. 

Still, not one to complain...


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## Purple (8 Jul 2010)

Sunny said:


> Sometimes it feels like I am carrying this Country on my back


 You may just need a fresh nappy.


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## Sunny (8 Jul 2010)

Purple said:


> You may just need a fresh nappy.


 
 That could be it alright.


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## fizzelina (8 Jul 2010)

I bring all my food into work even though we have a canteen with hot and cold foods (subsidised so a hot dinner is about €3.50) still I bring food as it's healthier and cheaper. I make sandwiches usually to bring and I might buy soup to go with them (soup is €0.79 here) and I also have apple, banana and maybe a nutrigrain to keep me going as snacks. I keep my own tea bags at my desk although they have the kitchen stocked, I'm fussy and don't like those ones. I eat breakfast when I come in (about 7.30) as having it at home would be too early. I bring my own cereal in to eat and milk is provided in the kitchen, even skimmed milk. I get 30 mins for lunch which is plenty when you're only going downstairs to eat something you brought in. If I make a sandwich at home, ham for example, a packet of Aldi ham wafer thin crumbed is my fave is €1.69, their bread €0.99 and I'd get 3 days ham sambos out of that plus another day or two I'd have banana sambos (love them) I keep the bread in the freezer take it out the night before. I reckon the week of sandwiches would cost me about €3!


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## Latrade (8 Jul 2010)

Sunny said:


> We wear nappies in work to cut back on toilet breaks.
> 
> Sometimes it feels like I am carrying this Country on my back when I hear of lunch breaks, breakfasts, cups of tea etc.
> 
> Still, not one to complain...


 
I take it you work for a county council or some other privileged work place you wimp. We have to sit over a hole in the ground and share a damp sponge. 

Sponging is to be taken out of your lunch break.


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## Sunny (8 Jul 2010)

Latrade said:


> I take it you work for a county council or some other privileged work place you wimp. We have to sit over a hole in the ground and share a damp sponge.
> 
> Sponging is to be taken out of your lunch break.


 
We used to be the same until the Health & Safety crowd came calling. I don't know any business is supposed to make money these days with all this bureaucratic rubbish. So one person got bitten by a rat. Big deal.


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## Graham_07 (8 Jul 2010)

Ciaraella said:


> My desk drawer is constantly stocked with tins of sardines, beans, mackerel, noodles, crackers, tins of soup and a box of cereal, very cheap!



What are you the local branch of Lidl ?   Do you have any of them lovely pollock or salmon in pastry thingys they have in the freezers ?


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## Latrade (8 Jul 2010)

Sunny said:


> We used to be the same until the Health & Safety crowd came calling. I don't know any business is supposed to make money these days with all this bureaucratic rubbish. So one person got bitten by a rat. Big deal.


 
We got around that by making the rats employees and providing them with hard hats and paw sanitising stations. It set us back a few euro trying to find really small hard hats, but it was worth it in the end.


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## Sunny (8 Jul 2010)

Latrade said:


> We got around that by making the rats employees and providing them with hard hats and paw sanitising stations. It set us back a few euro trying to find really small hard hats, but it was worth it in the end.


 
You see that's why the private sector is so much better than the public sector. That sort of innovative thinking is what will make this Country great again.


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## liaconn (9 Jul 2010)

We have lots of rats working in the public sector!


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## Graham_07 (9 Jul 2010)

liaconn said:


> We have lots of rats working in the public sector!



Like  ?


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## Milly (12 Jul 2010)

graham_07 said:


> we have free canteen on site, unlimited beverages and bikkies during the day, a tv room and dvd's for quiet moments oh yea and a bbq and wine fridge. Great place to work.
> 
> Oh did i mention about working from home ? :d


 
This one wins the prize


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## Firefly (12 Jul 2010)

Tesco Southern Fried Chicken (8/10 for me regarding pre-packaged sandwich), 330ml of Tropicana and a bag of Tayhoos for 2.50 - not bad.


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## Firefly (12 Jul 2010)

username123 said:


> Almost 12 hour days! Work smart not hard Purple!!


 
Minus the 8 hours he spends on AAM


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## liaconn (12 Jul 2010)

Firefly said:


> Tesco Southern Fried Chicken (8/10 for me regarding pre-packaged sandwich), 330ml of Tropicana and a bag of Tayhoos for 2.50 - not bad.


 
But not very healthy either!


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## Complainer (12 Jul 2010)

I spend anything from €1 (bowl of soup) to €5 (main meal & smoothie) in our subsidised canteen per day, depending on what's happening later in the day. I normally have my main meal at home with the family, so I'm desperatly trying to avoid having two dinners each day. If we have leftover meats at home, I bring in a sandwich to have with the soup the next day.


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## Firefly (12 Jul 2010)

liaconn said:


> But not very healthy either!


 
That's what I was thinking when I finished it...won't be going for that again


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## Purple (12 Jul 2010)

Firefly said:


> Minus the 8 hours he spends on AAM



It's no more than 4 hours!


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## mtk (13 Jul 2010)

Lunch is for wimps  I am sure Seanie never did lunch as too busy being entrepeneurial and driving the business forward.


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## Chocks away (13 Jul 2010)

Or backwards


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## Lex Foutish (13 Jul 2010)

Graham_07 said:


> Like  ?


 
Graham, he's like a Fianna Fáil tallysman at an election count in Neptune Stadium!


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## MandaC (18 Jul 2010)

We have tea and coffee and milk paid for and sometimes if there are visitors there are biscuits and/or lunch platters knocking around.   We did have water coolers but now we have filtered water.   We have the option of a subsidised lunch (it is still expensive enough) at a local hotel, but I bring lunch Mon-Thurs and eat out on Friday.

You can go and get your breakfast for 15 or 20 minutes (nobody minds) but most times I dont bother.  Some people make toast, cereals, etc.

I am on a low GL diet so lay off the biscuits, etc.  Usually I take a wholegrain pitta with homemade coleslaw, beetroot, rocket and tuna, or a brown wrap with either roasted vegetables (pepper, aubergine, red onion, courgettes, carrots) and hummus or salad and falafel or feta cheese.  It just takes a bit of preparation the night before, but tastes nicer than Cuisine de stodge rolls.


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## WaterWater (19 Jul 2010)

MandaC said:


> I am on a low GL diet so lay off the biscuits, etc. Usually I take a wholegrain pitta with homemade coleslaw, beetroot, rocket and tuna, or a brown wrap with either roasted vegetables (pepper, aubergine, red onion, courgettes, carrots) and hummus or salad and falafel or feta cheese. It just takes a bit of preparation the night before, but tastes nicer than Cuisine de stodge rolls.


 
I'd say Lagos didn't know what hit it, with your hummus an all!


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## MandaC (19 Jul 2010)

I actually found it easier in some ways to eat healthy while away!  

Found a lovely taps bar with grilled veg and hummus too!   Wish I was there now!


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## fizzelina (27 Jul 2010)

Last night I boiled an egg and mixed it once done and cooled down with some scallion and salad cream and then took 2 slices bread out of the freezer which by morning were defrosted and I made an egg sandwich to bring in. Total time 4 mins last night and 2 mins today. And my work colleagues were incredulous that I went to so much trouble (?!) while giving out that the bread the canteen used for their sandwiches was not very fresh today................I'm amazed at them not making lunch to bring in!


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## Purple (28 Jul 2010)

I hope you brought in some chewing gum or a toothbrush as well!


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