August 19, 2010
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Lunch time
In order to save money, I promised my then girlfriend (now fiancée) that I would bring lunch at least 3 days a week. Since we have been engaged, I have been bringing lunch everyday. It’s usually a leftover chicken dish from the night before because we literally eat chicken 5-6 nights a week with fish or seafood on the weekends.
See, Karen doesn’t like pork. She would eat cured pork like bacon and sausage, but unless it was BBQ spare ribs or pulled pork, she doesn’t like it. So that means out of a possible 21 meals a week, we eat chicken at least 10 of those times. So why not beef? Well, beef doesn’t taste good as a leftover.
Personally, it doesn’t bother me too much since I like chicken. I try to make it differently every night to change it up. I’ve grilled it, baked it, braised it, and stir-fried it. This has been going on since May it has been okay. I’m just wondering if this is going to be like this for the rest of my life.
Anyway, there wasn’t enough chicken last night for me to bring any to work. I love having fresh food for lunch, so I’m wondering what I’ll be in the mood for around lunchtime. There’s a pretty good halal stand across the street. $5 gets you chicken, lamb, and falafel over rice. Down the block from there is the most expensive deli in NYC, Delmonico’s, but their food is pretty good, especially their burritos. Cosi’s is just a few blocks away. If I could eat out (depending on my work load), my favorite ramen place is about a 7 min walk away. I’m pretty excited just thinking about it.
What do you normally eat for lunch? What are you having today?
Comments (35)
I <3 all meats lol.
I saved a lot of money actually this past year bringing my own lunch and eating at home. I put all my classes right next to each other so I had no lunch break and snacked on little snacks I brought from home during class… like carrots…cookies…bread…etc.
I’m a bum at home right now with no job or school or nowehre to go on the regular so I eat like a fat person… whatever I desire to eat at the moment lol. Whatevers at home haha
Hahaha .. Delmonico’s gave your location away! Go to Sophies!
haha I eat the same thing for lunch EVERY day too
Not leftovers, but still the same. Boiled spinach + some sort of protein like my 90 cal lunch meat, and water.
BUT today I’m mixing it up. Organic arugula salad with cherry tomatoes, a little bit of crumbled goat cheese, and two dill pickles.
Do you know why I changed my lunch today? Because I’m out of spinach! lol. get something FAT for lunch with carbs buddy.
@aegie - Gave my location away? I’m not discrete at all with where I work. 59th and 5th, right where the Apple Store is. lol.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
so hear you. brown bagging gets monotonous no matter what you eat. nothing like a refreshing lunch to spruce up the workday.
Well, pork is gross.
why can’t you cook two meat dishes, one chicken dish for Karen and one pork dish for yourself to bring to work?
i bring lunch whenever i have some good leftovers, i try to bring lunch at least two or three times a week, depending on my palate and appetite that week.
You know for beef, you could just buy a cheap roast, roast it, and make sammiches. Same with a turkey breast. Or you could just buy cold cuts and start brown bagging all manner of sammiches.
Also for variety, there’s plenty of beef dishes you could have for dinner that are fine reheated. Stews, chili, pot roast, etc.
id be sad if i couldnt have a cold cut or PB&J sandwich every now and then…. i say get a good roast beef or pastrami sandwich today… just remember to tell him all the condiments that you want with it so you dont just get a beef sandwich… lol
@supanamja - I make stews and chilis and stuff, but it’s a lot of work considering I don’t get home at a decent time from work.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Yeah, we’re eating a lot of chicken and seafood too. Thank goodness I got over my aversion to seafood! Otherwise I’d be sunk.
Sorry to bother you, but what’s the name of the ramen place you were talking about? I’m going to be in NYC for a few days at the end of Aug. and I’m looking for good places to hit up. ^o^
The only other two kinds of places I’m looking for are Korean BBQ and Sushi. My main hitch is that it pretty much has to be between Central Park and China Town. I might get over to Brooklyn or Queens Thursday/Friday but that’s still up in the air.
I try to bring lunch sometimes– usually a sandwich or something simple. I didn’t bring lunch today and I’m trying to figure out what I want to eat, too. I’m excited. The possibilities are endless and everything is within walking distance because I’m right in the middle of downtown.
i was just talking to someone last night about lamb over rice. they have such good deals with that stuff.
i think the chicken and fish is a great idea and i’m slowly starting to phase into that. but right now, it’s burger king, mcdonalds, or wendy’s for me during lunch.
chicken karen!
If I know I’m going to be out of the house I try to eat before I leave so all my meals are at home. Right now I’m a big fan of salami sandwiches.
@jigg - You know what I used to do before I got really lazy? I used to cook a bunch of shit on a Sunday and freeze it. So make an assload of pasta sauce, portion it out and freeze it. Marinade a bunch of galbi, portion it out and freeze it, etc. Gives you back more time on the weekdays man.
@supanamja - Unfortunately, I really haven’t been home on the weekends either. I don’t get home until it’s pretty late and it’s too tiring to cook for an entire week. I do it sometimes, but probably once a month at most.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
had “smørrebrød” today (danish open sandwich).. google it ;P
i think i know which halal stand you’re talking about! is it the one that has a super long lineup after clubbing?
i usually bring a pack of ramen noodles to work. my eating habits are terrible.
I like soy sauce chicken and I have a feeling you probably like that too since it has soy sauce. my lunch? usually an apple or two and two cups of water. (I am not on a diet, it’s just easier to bring) I don’t usually have leftover dinner no matter how big of a portion I made because I would eat it all anyway.
lol chicken everyday… god i’d shoot myself
i’m definitely missing the halal truck on 53rd
if theres a Sophie’s near you, HIT THAT ISH UP
@y0_MaMa - There used to be. It’s called Tina’s now. Same menu.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
do they still got those fried porkchops? the sophies i’ve been to always hooks it up with 2 BIG ASS PIECES. so worth it for the money
Ramen, actually. I’m such an egg (inner asian).
I’m going to start bagging my own lunch starting next week. =T
she doesn’t like the cooked pork that you could buy from the chinese butcher? O_O
dude, i thought you were trying to save money. wth.
i tend to bring lunch, sometimes the same sandwich everyday–turkey on wheat. but i’m fine since i switch up the snack–sometimes an orange, banana, or bag of chips.
if i get lazy with cooking, i buy from the store in school run by students–not exactly healthy or tasty fare, but it’s food anyway.
i definitely eat chicken breast every day. it’s probably the leanest protein you can get….
@davidian - Actually, turkey breast is much leaner. lol.
-ray leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
@jigg - well, yeah, turkey too. poultry in general. but really, who eats turkey….
Chicken most of the week for lunch isn’t too bad….I had sandwiches for lunch from primary sch all the way to uni and then work~ very few exceptions
I’m a slow eater, unconsciously like to chew my food thoroughly. Sometimes workload requires lunch at the desk…with sandwiches I don’t even have to go out searching for what to eat or queuing for a meal/office microwave. Other times, I can take the sandwich to a park or near the water and enjoy the view.
Interesting how girlfriends tend to be the ones to bring up the idea of bringing lunch to work. It is certainly one of biggest ways to save money (considering one works most days of the week).
Rather than lunch, I fuss more over dinner. Mostly have chicken too but vary it with teriyaki style, hainanese chicken style or making it into tori-ham/roast. Turkey/kangaroo mince make a good & lean substitute for beef mince in pasta dishes. Marinara mix works well for fast weeknight cooking too. Come weekends, I may even reheat my frozen ramen stock for a hearty ramen bowl with a homemade soy-flavoured egg.
I really like chicken, except fried chicken
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Your situation is a lot like my parents’. When they were saving up for their wedding, my grandparents didn’t pitch in financially, so my parents’ had cup noodles for the majority of their meals. Luckily, things turned around when my dad got a job promotion, but they still say that was one of the toughest things they’ve ever experienced.
Times may be tough now, but this experience will help you mature in the long run. I doubt you’ll have to eat leftover chicken forever, but ya, do what you gotta do for yourself and your fiancee.
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