National Pack your Lunch Day?!
So the 10th of March is National Pack Your Lunch Day. I know what you’re thinking – I can’t wait either. It feels like every day is another national day celebrating something, luckily there are a few websites that keep us informed of the 1500 national days, weeks and months that this country “celebrates”. As an avid lunch-packer, I have found that there are many joys to be found in preparing an on-the-go meal to be consumed in between frantic endeavor. The primary one being that you can have whatever you like. If a mundane sandwich filling between two meager slices of bread is not your cup of tea then, by all means, get creative. Have two fillings, or three, or four, or five. Add mayonnaise, jam, butter, mustard, chocolate spread, gravy, coleslaw, cream cheese or even those multi-coloured sprinkles you get in The Netherlands. Two slices may not be enough: have three, four, five or six slices. Or just eat bread! Make it brown or white, sourdough, olive, cheese, wholemeal, seeded or tiger. Add some sides – crisps, carrot sticks or cookies. Whatever tickles your pickle. I whole-heartedly believe that the promise of a tasty lunch can get you through the most sluggish of mornings.
We should honour lunchtime. Go crazy with fantastic food stuffs. Your lunch should be a source of joy in the midst of mundanity. A time to take a break from the busy hustle and bustle of work, on your own or with friends, away from hectic settings such as a busy supermarket or cramped cafés, where queues for below-average munch just don’t cut the mustard (did I say mustard already?!).
Of course, there is extra joy to be found in the fact that however wild your packed lunch is, it will most likely cost you a fraction of the price of any decent sandwich/crisp/drink combination anywhere further afield than the classic Tesco meal deal. Buying in bulk or enjoying leftovers from dinner the night before can save hundreds of pounds over the course of the year; everyone knows it’s cheaper to make for yourself than eat out all the time, and lunch is no different. Add to that the fact that packing a lunch can work out healthier than buying meals in which you’re just not quite sure of the ingredients. It’s a fact: the benefits of packing your lunch are exceptional, and everyone should spice up their day with some homemade treats.
Ever the enthusiast, I embraced National Pack Your Lunch Day with gusto, and encourage everyone else to do the same! Take time for yourself, put the effort into preparing a meal, not only on the 10th March, revel in the simplicity, and find charm in eating exactly what you want.
As I am writing this, I have just found out that the 10th March is, in fact, a Sunday. Where most of us were out of work for the weekend and potentially spending lunchtime with friends and family, So I propose that today, March 11th, we all get excited, pack a nice lunch, and celebrate creating good food!