The WFH Lunch

Working 9-5; what a way to make a living

Hi!

I’m back with something I’m consumed by — and something I’m consuming — nearly every day. It’s my lunch. I’ve been working remotely since March 2020, and in that time, my eating habits have changed quite significantly, both advancing in some ways, and regressing in others.

Working from home has its pros and cons, and I’ve noticed that the biggest impact on my consumption happens around lunch time. For context, I’m not a meal prepper — I value spontaneity and variety in my diet too much to give it an earnest try. That said, I will listen to anything Angela aka The Kitchenista tells me what to do, so I’ll most likely reconsider (click into the thread below):

Angela @TheKitchenista

I see so many ppl overthink meal prep or think it has to be 20 containers of the same meal for a week, it really doesn’t. I mostly prep bulk ingredients for separate containers then do what I want to fix a bowl/plate. I can’t stand eating the same combo of food consecutively.

My midday meals have become one bizarre, occasionally funny improv act. The time of day in which I eat is always up in the air, and what I eat is even more uncertain. That said, there are a few key variables in the WFH lunch equation:

• Textural Contrast (aka Crunch): I love a variety in every bite, and something crunchy ticks that box for me. This could be as simple as sliced celery or fried shallots, or could be a topping like dukkah (a good one where you can get the chopped crunchies in every bite).

• Fresh Herbs: I’m late to learning that fresh herbs make most things taste better. I now try to keep parsley, cilantro, chives, and scallions on hand most of the time. At times I will smother a dish in it, there’s something very satisfying and vegetal about it! Plus, I really feel put together and grown up when I can just sprinkle some chives on… well, anything.

• Flaky Salt: You need thicc salt! As a finisher, not something you cook with. I’ve tried Maldon and Jacobsen and love both. I keep a small dish of it out on the counter always, and am looking for a travel size version that I can have on the go. Also, salting your salads is crucial and will make them taste better — please try it!

• Something Oily or Creamy (aka Indulgence): This might look like a glug of olive oil, or a generous dollop of Boursin cheese. It depends on the day, dish, and mood. You just need something that makes whatever you’re eating feel a bit richer and more like a treat — less like something you need to scarf down to keep surviving.

• Sometimes just eggs: Eggs can be a great addition to any meal, in any format really. Sometimes my WFH lunches are just egg scrambles - a fancier breakfast than what I’d typically make. And that’s okay!

• Zing: This is what the Spice Girls meant when they commanded all global citizens — they said ‘people of the world’ — to “Spice Up Your Life.” Zing could mean Aleppo Chile, Tajín, or Sumac, or a squeeze of lemon and lime (or some zest!). Slam it to the left!

• Sauce: Sauce is always a good idea. You can always add heat with a multitude of hot sauces, combine your Indulgence and Sauce moment (remix!) with creme fraiche or sour cream, throw on some Kewpie Mayo on it, or try special sauces that will give you spice + salt + acid + umami all in one go, like my friend Hawa’s incredible Basbaas sauces. The Coconut Cilantro Chutney is something I sometimes enjoy by the spoonful.

Here’s a random assortment of WFH lunches that have kept me somewhat sustained and happy:

Tomatoes, chives, basil, whipped ricotta (indulgence + recipe previously in Consumed), and cucamelons (zing!) with a glug of olive oil + pepper + Maldon

Sweet potatoes with miso tahini butter - recipe via Samin Nosrat + NYT Cooking - lime for zing and sesame seeds for textural contrast

Pita + labneh + tomatoes + plenty of herbs + aleppo + maldon

Avocado on pita half smothered with hummus, half labneh, topped with lots of maldon, aleppo, and zaatar

Shake it to the right,

Roya