How 5 KS Employees Think About Their Work Week Lunches, Part 1

We all have needs, and lunch is one of them

Editorial Team at Kitchen Stories

Whether your ghosts of lunches past are haunting the company fridge, you’re pinching pennies on weekends to save up for lunch fund, or you’ve got your week prepped and packed by Monday morning—when it comes to work week lunches, there’s a consensus—it’s time to put an end to the #saddesklunch.

Every week this month, we’re asking 5 Kitchen Stories employees what they ate for lunch, what stops them from prepping their own lunches more often, plus the most packable KS recipes!

Julie Myers, Editor-in-chief

What did you have for lunch today? I went out for a lunch meeting and indulged in a bowl of bouillabaisse. Not my typical lunch, but a nice break from the routine.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? To be honest, I'm really bad at remembering to bring lunch. I'm lucky if I do twice a week, and it usually consists of leftovers or a salad composed of what's in the fridge and a grain. Otherwise, I bike to a local Italian sandwich shop or order in.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? Remembering to do it (or bring it with me once I do). I've been most successful by prepping an extra portion of whatever I make the night before to repurpose as lunch the next day—and hanging a sign on my front door that reminds me it's in the fridge.

Julie’s perfect pack:

Quinoa salad with beetroot, sweet potatoes, and miso dressing

Leonie Schäfer, Project Manager

What did you have for lunch today? Pasta with spinach, mushrooms, and tomato.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? I try to meal prep as often as I can by bringing leftovers from my dinner the night before. If I don't have the time to cook or eat out, I'll grab something from the bakery or go to the supermarket to buy vegetables, bread, or pasta. I try to always have something for lunch with me, so I don't need to stress during the lunch break because I have to run to the supermarket.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? My biggest challenge is finding the time to buy groceries and cook. I also eat out a few times per week, which can make meal prep even harder. What I know I don't like to do is meal prep for all lunches in one day—that just doesn’t work for me.

Leonie’s perfect pack:

Gnocchi with peas and Parmesan

Alex Sturhan, iOS Engineer

What did you have for lunch today? A chili wrap in the canteen by our office building.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? Most of the time I just go to the supermarket for a quick fish sandwich or salad. Once a week I try to prepare something for the weekly themed pot-luck lunch parties the Kitchen Stories team organizes.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? Time. I just want to go home after work and don't want to go to the supermarket to buy stuff for the next day and then spend time after that to prep it.

Alex’s perfect pack:

Pea soup with smoked trout and mint

Kristin Bothor, Editor

What did you have for lunch today? A simplified version of Molly Baz's newest recipe for Bon Appétit—crispy smashed potatoes—and some leftover tomato-avocado salad with cilantro from dinner last night.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? Mostly, I bring my own lunch as I'm no fan of ordering food due to all the plastic waste. I'm a sucker for potatoes, so there's at least one obligatory potato dish every week, usually roasted sweet potatoes or a typical German favorite "Kartoffeln mit Quark"—potatoes with quark.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? Some foods are just not that good after sitting in the fridge for a few hours, and I always seem to forget this. I’ll never forget that time I cheerfully caramelized peaches in the morning to pair with burrata for lunch, and, much to my surprise, found a chutney-like mush took the place of my perfect peaches.

Kristin’s perfect pack:

Rainbow summer rolls

Mary-Linh Tran, Editorial Assistant

What did you have for lunch today? A Vietnamese vermicelli salad bowl with lemongrass-fried tofu, fresh veggies, and herbs. Since everything is raw—save for the tofu and noodles—I can eat it straight out of my Tupperware without reheating.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? I almost always pack a lunch with me, and it’s usually leftovers from the night before. If I go out for dinner instead of cooking at home, then I’ll swing by the grocery store before work to pick up Brötchen (bread rolls) and some veg to make a quick sandwich. My current go-to: avocado, cucumber, goat cheese, and sprouts.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? I’m a noodle soup queen, and if I could, I’d have it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Unfortunately, transporting noodle soups from point A to point B can be challenging and not being able to pack it has definitely influenced what I make for dinner and left me one request to the world: Please come up with a better container for transporting noodle soups!

Mary-Linh’s perfect pack:

5-ingredient spicy peanut soba noodles

Published on August 10, 2019

More delicious ideas for you

To comment and share your experience, please sign up!