Start a Lunch Club in Your Office

Eating lunch during a busy work day can be a pretty dismal affair - fast food, something zapped in a microwave, or a meal at a restaurant are less than ideal choices, especially if you're trying to save money or eat healthy! But I have an idea that can solve all of these problems - an office lunch club! The idea behind a lunch club is for a number of coworkers to take turns providing a midday meal for the group to share.

This idea is brilliant! If your work place has a reasonably equipped kitchen, the first step is covered. Next, recruit a few coworkers who share your interest in freshly prepared lunches. Between yourselves, decide how many times each week the "club" will provide meals and which days will be an "on your own" day. So for example, if eight colleagues want to participate and Fridays are going to be an "on your own" day, each member will cook a meal for 8 every other week.

Some points to keep in mind:

*food allergies and strong dislikes
*will the group provide paper goods or will each bring their own?
*encourage members to keep a nonperishable entree in their desk, just in case the scheduled chef is sick or forgets
*choose a time frame during which lunch will be available since you may not all be able to eat at the same time
*if it happens that food is running low before everyone has eaten, consider larger portions or leaving a note as to what the portion size should be

And this is probably the best part - as a group you can decide what type of cuisine you would like to eat! Will you pick ethnic themes? Entrees selected from Weight Watchers, Cooking Light or South Beach cook books? Will you occasionally offer vegetarian dishes? Or will the fare just be a fun surprise to look forward to? Make your choices based upon what you most wish to accomplish. Is weight loss a goal? More varied lunch menus? Camaraderie among staff? Savin10FFg money? Let these considerations guide you! And remember to stay flexible - adjustments may be necessary as the group takes shape.

I just love the possibilities associated with forming a Lunch Club. Terrific food and friendship are sure to brighten even the dullest work day!

If you're in need of a recipe for your newly created club, take a look at my recipes for Chicken Tetrazzini, Zipped Up Baked Ziti or Barbeque Chili on my website, http://www.busybeelifestyle.com Cheers for happier lunch hours everywhere!

Susan Huber
Owner and Author, Busy Bee Lifestyle, LLC

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