I once worked at a place where lunch was by far the biggest event of the day.

One designated person would take everyone’s orders and go pick up lunch. The discussion and the decision would last for hours if it were slow. What shall we choose today? What did we choose yesterday?

Oh yes, and we will never forget the time we once chose this to eat. Or the other time we chose something different…

I watched in awe. I found the time and attention given to something as inconsequential as lunch take-out a huge waste of time.

Don’ get me wrong. I can enjoy a good meal. But a working lunch?

I envied the pleasure my co-workers got out of their lunch ritual. And I also came to terms with what I really wanted out of a lunch meal.

The only thing I want out of that is enough energy to stay awake and get my work done.

What I want most about food is the feeling of having already eaten it. The tasting, chewing and swallowing can be skipped over, as far as I’m concerned.

They have a lunch like that. Just add water.

So I found the powdered mixes that met my spec. Easily mixes with water, high protein for energy, texture and taste such that it did not activate the gag reflex.

The gag thing turned out to be the hardest.

But I worked it out. My favorite is Raw Meal Spiced Vanilla Chai. Super healthy and it gets it done.I find myself able to concentrate and keep moving. Water, powder, give my water bottle a shake and down she goes.

It’s a great solution. Lunch and other work-time nutritional needs are met.

Then I find that it is creeping. I don’t have time for chewing in my life.

When I get home from work now my daughter has already eaten and she wants to be with me. Leisurely dinner is not part of the plan.

I’m trying out  harder powers mixes. Straight up protein. Soy. Pea. it’s less viscous than the more nutritionally varied Raw Meal.

Fiber?

Carbs?

I don’t have that kind of time. There is kindergarten homework to supervise and invented games to participate in.

Those are my two reasons:

Working lunch and working dinner.

Chewing is for chumps.