Lunch problems at work.

lilam70
lilam70 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When I am home I can eat a healthy breakfast and dinner, but lunch is a different story.

I hardly have time to eat cos time is so limited so I scoff something down in 5 minutes and end up with stomach pains and feeling hungry by late afternoon and there is no lunch time left so I get shakes from a sugar low....

What am I suppose to do?
I am not allowed to eat at work
Besides, all I can take with me is bread and because we don't have a fridge, I cant exactly put salad on it...what is a better option?

Replies

  • SomeoneSomeplace
    SomeoneSomeplace Posts: 1,094 Member
    If you're working more then 8 hour shifts you company is implementing an illegal policy...you're required my law to a lunch break. They don't even give you 30 minutes to eat? Do you they just expect you to go from 9-5 with no food ?

    People I work with are *kitten* so I don't trust our fridge. I bought a Stop & Shop freezer bag which I pack my lunch in along with two ice packs (those blue ones) and it keeps everything cold. I can bring pretty much anything with me, sometimes I'll make a salad and bring the dressing on the side so it doesn't get soggy, a lot of times I do bring frozen food like Amy's meals or Smart Ones but I am trying to break that habit.

    I am assuming you have a microwave if not then I'd recommend salads, wraps, chicken breast (I'm personally fine eating this cold), pesto pasta, pasta salad.
  • msbunnie68
    msbunnie68 Posts: 1,894 Member
    Do you get a break at all at work?

    Over here in Australia I found these cool little containers about the size of a comfortable sandwich box. The lids of these containers can be frozen in the freezer. I find if I put a chickpea salad / filled sandwich / small serve of healthy leftovers / lamb wrap / fruit salad in one of these it stays perfect until lunchtime without having to refrigerate it.

    Otherwise, what about a boiled egg in it's shell and a buttered roll - open egg and smoosh it in et voila! Instant egg sandwich (carbs and protein)..
  • AwesomeSquirrel
    AwesomeSquirrel Posts: 644 Member
    Your workplace is supposed to give you a lunchbreak.

    I pack my lunch too without using the fridges at work and eat at my desk (use my break for chilling you in the break room). I pack soup in a thermos, fruit, yoghurt pots and a piece of cheese on a normal day. I have a small freezer lunchbag with a mini icepack in where everything except the thermos goes.

    best of luck to you!
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
    I usethe freezer packs to keep my lunch box cool until lunch. I work 12 hour shifts and it is still cool when I take my lunch 6 or so hours into my shift. I also bring a few snacks to eat at my desk. A long time ago I worked 8 hour shifts and they were not always great with letting us take lunches within a reasonable time frame. I would put a granola bar in my pocket and go eat it in the bathroom since we could always run to the bathroom.
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
    Pack rice cakes or crackers; fruit; mini baby bel cheese; little cans of tuna; you can make a salad and take in a container - make sure you take a fork ;-); cup-a-soups - alhto they are quite high in sodium; make your own muesli bars or take some commercial ones - just check the calorie values. Little cans of fruit, baked beans. Do you have a microwave at work? Take a potato and cook that. Freezer packs are good, take your own little lunch bag as suggested.

    I can't believe you are not allowed a lunch break - are you in the US? Here in Australia if you work longer than five hours you are by law to have a 30 min lunch break.

    Good luck!
  • Hiccup90
    Hiccup90 Posts: 28 Member
    I work in care doing the night shift so 10 hours but we still get 30 mins for a lunch break. If they only give you 5 minutes and you're working an 8 hour shift then something isn't right there. Unless it feels like 5 mins but it's actually 30? Which I can relate to. It feels like next to no time to make a healthy meal and eat it before you're thrown back into work.

    SomeoneSomeplace said about a freeze bag which is a great idea! I always worry about others taking my food from the fridge.
  • angiebelfast
    angiebelfast Posts: 8
    hi, what the everyone else has written is right you are legally entitled to rest breaks, in the UK it is laid out in the working time directive and as far as I know breaking it carries a heavty fine, are you in a union? if there is a microwave at work perhaps you could try something canned. Anyhow keep going your doing great, feelk free to add me to you frineds list
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
    Its crazy that you can't eat at work! But how about taking a nice soup in a Thermos? You could even make quite chunky soup, say chicken and veg and just about manage to drink it out of a cup.
  • jellybeanmusic
    jellybeanmusic Posts: 161 Member
    If you're bored of bread, take wraps instead to mix it up. You can eat a lot of leftovers cold. If I make pasta, I always make more for lunch the next day, so long as it's not a cheesy sauce it's ok. Also I sometimes do roasted veg mixed through brown rice and take sweet chilli sauce to add at the last minute.
  • jamesha100
    jamesha100 Posts: 214 Member
    I take porridge pots which you add boiling water to. Takes minutes to make, is filling and around 200 calories. There are various flavors available so no need to get bored.

    They are light and easily carried in a bag - no need for prep time at home either.
  • lilpoindexter
    lilpoindexter Posts: 1,122 Member
    I bought an insulated lunch pail (or whatever it's called)...I put two cool bottled waters at the bottom, and a small and medium re-freezable plastic thing right next to them...then I put my sandwich besides that, and pile in the goodies.
    I make a 50g mix of almonds and raisins, I have fruit, a 90 cal Special k bar, and whatever else I can fit into my diet.
    Once the food is gone, I don't go to the vending machines, so I know exactly how much I eat.
    It has really worked for me. I don't miss going to get fast food, and waiting 10-15 minutes in line with all the other lunch time eaters.
    I don't want to put my food in the public freezer at work, because the thought of some clown touching my food or digging through my stuff makes me uncomfortable, so I keep the food at my desk....
    Don't tell my boss, but I usually eat my sandwich before my lunch break, so now at my lunch hour, i can read books/magazines, go for a leisurely stroll, use the time to call a 1-800 customer service number, or just sleep in my car.
  • fay_pigu
    fay_pigu Posts: 125 Member
    Regardless of legality, it's just short sighted to have your workforce not have breaks. Everyone works through lunch occasionally to get something done but when it's everyday there's problems, productivity drops and sick rates increase. I occasionally order staff I manage to go to lunch (one person I've started taking for walks at lunch to get him away from the office - the 45 min walk at a proper pace that I took him on ... that did almost killed him ... so backing away from those).

    If you feel that you can't take a break (as in it's not enforced by your company but just you have so much work on), so work through lunch, then you are doing your employer a disservice because you're going to be less productive and more likely to go off sick.


    Anyway, Salad would survive until lunch time even in tepid temperatures (no meat though). I take fruit (as snack breaks) and for lunch a couple of pita breads stuffed with salad, I also take a lemon in and squeeze it over but equally salad dressing would work.
  • iggyboo93
    iggyboo93 Posts: 524 Member
    When I am home I can eat a healthy breakfast and dinner, but lunch is a different story.

    I hardly have time to eat cos time is so limited so I scoff something down in 5 minutes and end up with stomach pains and feeling hungry by late afternoon and there is no lunch time left so I get shakes from a sugar low....

    What am I suppose to do?
    I am not allowed to eat at work
    Besides, all I can take with me is bread and because we don't have a fridge, I cant exactly put salad on it...what is a better option?

    Second on all those who posted about the legalities of getting a break at work. I can empathize about not having time to eat at work - some days there is literally no time to even eat or go to the bathroom. However, if you are becoming hypoglycemic at work, this is a serious healthy issue for you and a liability for your employer. Your head is not in the game while you are hypoglycemic on the job - if you have an accident/injury while working and your employer is not providing an opportunity for you to take a break and refuel, they will be held responsible. But the bigger problem is that your quality of life will be affected unnecessarily due to the work related injury. You suffer and your loved ones suffer. Ok - off the soap box....

    Anyway, the suggestions here are great. I have a box of Fiber One bars at work - it's quick, convenient and keeps the sugar shakes away. You need to eat something every 2 hours. Even a half turkey and cheese sandwich works for me. There is a community fridge but it's scary - something in the fridge burped at me when I opened the fridge door. I bring an insulated lunch bag and it's handy. Look over the forums here for awesome convenient recipes from the members.
  • lilam70
    lilam70 Posts: 2 Member
    Thank you every body for the replies to this!! I will read thru it all now, thank you all for taking the time to reply!!!!!!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    If I were in your position, I would take protein meal bars for lunch. You can eat them in less than 5 minutes without scarfing it down and still get some nutrition in your body.
  • Leah2975
    Leah2975 Posts: 65 Member
    In Michigan there are absolutely no laws whatsoever about breaks or rest periods if you are over 18.
  • chemalurgy
    chemalurgy Posts: 48 Member
    In Michigan there are absolutely no laws whatsoever about breaks or rest periods if you are over 18.

    That's wrong. It's a federal law which supercedes state law. You are required to have two breaks and a lunch if you work over 8 hours. If the employer isn't doing this you can go to the Labor Board and file a complaint. I've known people who have done so and were compensated well.
  • ltkasmala
    ltkasmala Posts: 109 Member
    I agree with all others about the breaks. Even when I worked part-time, four hours an evening we got a 15 minute break. With 8 hours you should get at least 2-15 minute breaks plus a 30 minute lunch. Not sure what Michigan is into but it doesn't sound correct. Work related issues normally are national. Regardless, I take my lunch in an insulated bag and don't even use a cool pack. So long as the place you work at doesn't get like an oven (and from what you say, maybe that's an issue too! :( ] but it should stay fine. I have found some pasta salads I make on weekends then aliquot out into containers so I just grab one and throw it in my bag with a yogurt or something. You'll find something that works for you! :)
  • Leah2975
    Leah2975 Posts: 65 Member
    hmmm.....i think youre wrong...

    http://www.michigan.gov/lara/0,4601,7-154-61256_11407_32352-117201--,00.html
  • denisemroth
    denisemroth Posts: 36 Member
    How about fruit, nuts or dried fruit, canned fruit, cheese. I take the Laughing Cow little cheeses to work in my purse!
  • LaMiaVita
    LaMiaVita Posts: 22
    Even though I'm my own boss and no one to blame but myself I sometimes have the same problem -- there's just no time to take a break when deadlines loom. A Clif bar or something similar with a cup of coffee does the trick for me in a pinch.
  • wolfchild59
    wolfchild59 Posts: 2,608 Member
    There are absolutely no Federal Laws in regards to making companies provide breaks of any kind to their employees. The laws and regulations in regards to them are strictly on a state level, and the poster that stated that Michigan does not have to give breaks of any kind to employees 18 and over is absolutely correct.

    From the United States Department of Labor website, plain and simple: "Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. "
    From the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website at Michigan.gov: "Employees under 18 years of age may not work more than 5 continuous hours without a 30 minute uninterrupted rest period. There are no requirements for breaks, meal or rest periods for employees 18 years of age or older."

    Just because a law is one way in the state or country that you live in doesn't mean it's the same everywhere, so we should all be a bit more aware of blatantly calling someone wrong in cases like this. ;)
  • Stacivogue
    Stacivogue Posts: 325 Member
    I carry protein bars in my purse. Always. If I miss lunch, i just eat them. Though when people get really yummy smelling stuff and bring to meetings it sucks
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    In Michigan there are absolutely no laws whatsoever about breaks or rest periods if you are over 18.

    That's wrong. It's a federal law which supercedes state law. You are required to have two breaks and a lunch if you work over 8 hours. If the employer isn't doing this you can go to the Labor Board and file a complaint. I've known people who have done so and were compensated well.

    That's actually not true at all.

    http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/workhours/breaks.htm#.UHymrMXA9I0
    Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. However, when employers do offer short breaks (usually lasting about 5 to 20 minutes), federal law considers the breaks as compensable work hours that would be included in the sum of hours worked during the work week and considered in determining if overtime was worked. Unauthorized extensions of authorized work breaks need not be counted as hours worked when the employer has expressly and unambiguously communicated to the employee that the authorized break may only last for a specific length of time, that any extension of the break is contrary to the employer's rules, and any extension of the break will be punished.
    Bona fide meal periods (typically lasting at least 30 minutes), serve a different purpose than coffee or snack breaks and, thus, are not work time and are not compensable.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I carry protein bars in my purse. Always. If I miss lunch, i just eat them. Though when people get really yummy smelling stuff and bring to meetings it sucks

    I keep a box in my cabinet. I ended up with two today because I was having a bad morning today.

    Protein bars are excellent in these situations. You just have to read the label carefully to make sure about the macros.
  • Leah2975
    Leah2975 Posts: 65 Member
    There are absolutely no Federal Laws in regards to making companies provide breaks of any kind to their employees. The laws and regulations in regards to them are strictly on a state level, and the poster that stated that Michigan does not have to give breaks of any kind to employees 18 and over is absolutely correct.

    From the United States Department of Labor website, plain and simple: "Federal law does not require lunch or coffee breaks. "
    From the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs website at Michigan.gov: "Employees under 18 years of age may not work more than 5 continuous hours without a 30 minute uninterrupted rest period. There are no requirements for breaks, meal or rest periods for employees 18 years of age or older."

    Just because a law is one way in the state or country that you live in doesn't mean it's the same everywhere, so we should all be a bit more aware of blatantly calling someone wrong in cases like this. ;)

    hey thanks!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Just because a law is one way in the state or country that you live in doesn't mean it's the same everywhere, so we should all be a bit more aware of blatantly calling someone wrong in cases like this. ;)

    I didn't scroll the thread once I saw that comment. Sometimes I have to just Google it and post it....

    It seems a lot of people think that everything is a federal law. :noway:
  • CarlieeBear
    CarlieeBear Posts: 325 Member
    As a substitute teacher I don't always have time to go to the bathroom, heat lunch (or even grab it from the teacher's lounge) and eat, so I carry Market Pantry nutrition bars with me. They typically keep me satisfied for the rest of my day for about 200 calories.

    Today, I had one of those and a banana on a field trip where we did a lot of walking and was pretty hungry by the time I left school. We didn't get breaks other than sitting on the bus, but my day was also only about 7 hours and was totally fun! We took the second graders to an arboretum and they loved it! I was subbing for the ESL teacher so wasn't in charge of a whole classroom, so it was an easy day for me and super super fun!

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