The other morning, while driving the kids to school, "we" were listening to CBC Vancouver's morning show, with Rick Clough, (well, I was listening, I believe the kids were quietly tolerating...I remember all too well putting in my time in the backseat while the radio played "boring talking" when all I wanted to listen to was Top 40 stuff). That point in the program was focussed on what folks were eating for lunch and whether or not they packed a lunch; how much they figured they spent on eating out for lunch each year and so on. Did you know that you can save somewhere around $2000.00 dollars a year just by packing your own lunch? Shiral Tobin, who does a column called "Pinched" and looks at how folks in and around Vancouver can save money in a variety of ways, had an interview with the Chef from The Dirty Apron, and they were talking about packing lunches (but from a grown up perspective, as opposed to packing lunches for your family)...Some of the things he mentioned were things that I have pointed out in my blog entries, but I quite liked the way he put them...
"...* Pack food you love. You won't want to trade it.
* Shop for lunches. Dedicate some space on your grocery list with some thoughts just for lunch (favourite meat, bread etc)
* Make a big dinner: leftovers have a bad wrap. I love leftovers, especially since that home made soup or spaghetti sauce ALWAYS tastes better the next day..."
Today, I took his advice! You see, I pack lunches for my small humans (and for the bigger one I married), and then I make preschooler lunch for my daycare charges. I don't often give much thought to "my own lunch". Typically, I eat what is made for lunch...Hamburger soup, macaroni and cheese, pasta and sauce with chicken or ham, grilled cheese. So, when I put the macaroni and cheese into the microwave at lunchtime to heat it up, I had a peak into the fridge and discovered that there was still some soup leftover from last night's dinner. (We had "potage maison", which is a lovely pureed vegetable soup, made with whatever veggies you have in your fridge, as well as some homemade stock or even just water, and seasoned with sea salt and white pepper).
So, while the wee ones were turning their noses up at my baked macaroni and cheese (until somebody tasted it...always good to have one good eater at the table, keeps everyone else from starving to death), I dug into a delicious bowl of "potage", and pretended I was dining at "Bistro Ratatouille" and listening to the lovely French small talk that I imagined was going on around me...Ahhhhh...Until of course, somebody dropped their uneaten bowl of macaroni on the floor and I was forced to leave my lunchtime daydream behind.
Speaking of what grown ups eat...This is on the menu for next week...We may not get much snow on Vancouver Island, but this is the time of the year for mussels...Lovely big ones from Salt Spring Island...So delicious...Of course my children think so too, so we won't get away with this amount this year, better double it! I promise to share the recipe too, even though it really isn't a lunchbox meal!
Remember to pack yourself something yummy!
www.cbc.ca/theearlyedition
www.dirtyapron.com
"...* Pack food you love. You won't want to trade it.
* Shop for lunches. Dedicate some space on your grocery list with some thoughts just for lunch (favourite meat, bread etc)
* Make a big dinner: leftovers have a bad wrap. I love leftovers, especially since that home made soup or spaghetti sauce ALWAYS tastes better the next day..."
Today, I took his advice! You see, I pack lunches for my small humans (and for the bigger one I married), and then I make preschooler lunch for my daycare charges. I don't often give much thought to "my own lunch". Typically, I eat what is made for lunch...Hamburger soup, macaroni and cheese, pasta and sauce with chicken or ham, grilled cheese. So, when I put the macaroni and cheese into the microwave at lunchtime to heat it up, I had a peak into the fridge and discovered that there was still some soup leftover from last night's dinner. (We had "potage maison", which is a lovely pureed vegetable soup, made with whatever veggies you have in your fridge, as well as some homemade stock or even just water, and seasoned with sea salt and white pepper).
So, while the wee ones were turning their noses up at my baked macaroni and cheese (until somebody tasted it...always good to have one good eater at the table, keeps everyone else from starving to death), I dug into a delicious bowl of "potage", and pretended I was dining at "Bistro Ratatouille" and listening to the lovely French small talk that I imagined was going on around me...Ahhhhh...Until of course, somebody dropped their uneaten bowl of macaroni on the floor and I was forced to leave my lunchtime daydream behind.
Remember to pack yourself something yummy!
www.cbc.ca/theearlyedition
www.dirtyapron.com
Don't forget the glass of wine with your soup
ReplyDeleteI've always packed my lunch (usually leftovers - yum!) so I guess I'm not eligible for the $2000 a year savings. I am however eligible to see the recipes for those mussels pictured and I can't wait!
ReplyDelete