Brown Bagging It

My new job has also meant the start of new routines. New morning routines. New evening routines. New commuting routines. And new lunch routines. As I mentioned a week or so ago, I have started taking my lunch to work most days. While this isn’t all that different to eating at home everyday (back when I was telecommuting for my old job), it does require a little more planning and a few new accessories.

New lunch accessory #1—reusable lunch bag.

 I guess technically this means I am green bagging it!

In order to be green and save a few bucks, I have invested in this insulated, reusable lunch bag. It is the perfect size for my current lunch menu and at $4.99 at The Container Store, a total bargain. Truth be told, I originally had my eye on this adorable neoprene lunch tote (in polka dot), also from The Container Store:

But at more than $20 I decided it wasn’t worth it. I settled for the cheap but peppy green bag instead.

As for what’s inside my lunch bag? I am definitely a creature of habit and my daily lunches have already turned into routine. Every day pretty much the same thing: yogurt (I like the new Greek-style yogurt which is thicker and has more protein than your run-of-the-mill yogurt), a nectarine, a mini-bag of Smartfood white cheddar popcorn (only 100 calories!), and a Kashi peanut butter granola bar. Occasionally I throw in some carrots when I am feeling a need for some veggies. I find this to be a pretty healthy lunch that keeps me full most of the day.

I did worry about keeping my yogurt cold until lunch time since I work in a huge building with few refrigerators available for easy lunch storage. Which brings us to….

New lunch accessory #2—mini ice pack.

This was another Container Store find and was only, I think, $1. It is about the size of a pack of cards and works like a charm, keeping my yogurt the perfect temperature throughout the morning until I have time to eat. You just have to be careful how you arrange everything else in the bag—the first time I used it, my granola bar got too close to it and was so hard I could hardly break a piece off let alone take a bite!

All in all my new lunch routine seems to be working out well. What do your lunch routines look like?