Years ago, I was one of the organizers of a women’s networking event. One of the questions we prepared for our panel that afternoon asked our guests to share their best self-care practices.
One executive explained that she makes time to get her nails done every Sunday. It was a standing appointment she’d had for years and had only missed a handful of them over her career. As much as she loved to have her hands well-kept, she most appreciated the opportunity to fully check out of her life for a 45 solid minutes.
As much as I liked the sentiment, manicures just aren’t my thing. I still find it stressful to have my nails painted – all I do is worry I’m going to smudge the polish.
Yet, it was a less luxurious suggestion that has stayed with me all these years later.
Another speaker declared packing her lunch to be the very best thing she does for herself. I was confused at first – how can making your lunch be self-care. As she explained it self-care isn’t about pampering oneself a couple of times a year. It’s about regularly investing in caring for yourself.
There have been too many days where I haven’t eaten enough, let alone well enough. On those days, I’m never at my best.
Tired of feeling tired, I started making myself lunch – even on days when I’m working from home. It takes some planning and a good dose of discipline, but I’ve never regretted having lunch ready for me to eat during a busy day.
When I started to make my own lunch, my focus was to prepare healthy meals. So, naturally, I opted for salads. I’d throw on a protein and make fancy dressings, but at the end of the day a bowl of green leaves never cut for me and I was hunting for a tastier snack by 3pm.
So, I spent some time on Pintrest looking for lunch ideas that appealed to me and were quick and easy to prepare. This way when I was feeling stumped on what to make, I’d look at my list and give a new one (or a tried favorite) a try.
With two working parents, we don’t have a two-dinner household. There just isn’t time to think up two meals or host two dinner shifts. I decided to apply this same thinking to the lunch hour.
So, now when I make my girls’ school lunches and snacks, I make an extra serving of the things I’d enjoy, too. Things like hummus and peppers, crackers and cheese or yogurt and granola, all go into a bag just for me.
I love soup – warm and hearty in the colder months, and light and tasty in the warmer seasons. It’s comforting and a great way to get in my veggies. Admittedly, it does take some effort to peel and chop the veggies. But once it’s all in the pot, it’s a pretty hands off process. It’s especially easy when using a crock pot: I toss in the ingredients to a favorite soup before I go to bed and it’s ready for me in the morning for me to take with me. If you’re going through all this effort, be sure to make a double or triple batch, so you can freeze individualized portions and take to lunch a few other times.
If you like thinking outside of the box, this one is for you. It starts with finding a lunch buddy. This person isn’t only someone to eat with, they’ll also make your lunch for you. Of course, you’ll do the same for her, too. Here’s how it works: find a willing partner and create a schedule of who is responsible for lunch on which days of the week. On your days, you create two lunch servings – one for you and one for your buddy. On her days, you get to enjoy lunch catered by someone else. You get a break and you get to try something new that you may not have considered before.
It really can be as easy as packing up the previous night’s leftovers. If it’s a dish I really enjoy, I make a little extra and pack it up for the next day’s lunch. I also do this when I order in. As good as homemade is, sometimes I just want something different for lunch. The trick is finding dishes that reheat well or can be enjoyed cold.
If you’re already a bring-your-lunch kinda gal, tell us your secrets to making easy, unboring lunches.
*A version of this article first appeared in Fairygodboss.