• Lunchtime alternatives

    Posted on November 18th, 2008 Saver Queen 6 comments

    Find a park bench to share a noontime chat

    For many of us, the real reason we choose to eat out at lunch is not to fulfill our need to eat but to escape the office, have a break, and spend some more honest time with coworkers without the scrutiny of supervisors. Here are some tips on how to find ways to fill those needs without sitting in a restaurant:

    During the summer months, I enjoyed sneaking off to a quiet place to eat my lunch, read a magazine, and soak up the sunshine.  I sat on a bench in a secluded area surrounded by a little garden (and trust me, if you can find a quiet, pretty space in downtown Toronto, you can find one anywhere).

    Another option is to run errands during your lunch hour.  It’s not exactly “downtime” but it will free up more of your time in the evening to relax or hang out with your family.  Luckily, I live right near the Eaton Centre and often use the time to buy greeting cards, fill a prescription or pick up needed personal care items from the drugstore, take my shoes to be repaired, buy a birthday gift, etc.  Even if you don’t live near a mall, you may be able to dash out to a pharmacy, dollarstore, or dry cleaners.  Plus, the time out of the office still feels refreshing.  My colleague and I usually run our errands together, and this gives us time to chat, too.  Just remember to save about 15 minutes to eat your lunch before or after you leave.

    Exercise! Take a brisk walk, go out for a short jog, or if your building has gym facilities, take advantage of a noon class.  The key to doing this is to make sure you snack on some healthy foods during the day so that you don’t exercise on an empty stomach or eat a big meal just before your workout. Snacks like almonds, yogurt or chocolate milk are good snacks.

    Eat a little earlier in the day and then join your friends for lunch.  If you’ve already eaten, just enjoy the company, or order a drink or light snack. 

    Find lunchtime events in your community. At Nathan Philip Square in Toronto, you can enjoy live music and a farmer’s market every Wednesday.

    These are my four suggestions - does anyone else have a tip to share?  How do you spend your lunch break?

    Misc. Money Saving Tips
     

    6 responses to “Lunchtime alternatives”

    1. Brenda November 18th, 2008 at 15:43

      Great ideas! I’m a stay at home mom right now, but when I was working, I only had a 1/2 hour lunch, so I would eat (15 minutes), and then go for a brisk walk (or vice versa). I always enjoyed the fresh air, and mind break. My girlfriend does the same, only she has an hour lunch. She has a route timed out that she walks, and makes it back with 15 minutes for time to eat. She has lost weight, and feels so much more relaxed after her jaunt. I also enjoyed reading during lunch - magazines, newspapers, or a good novel. Get the mind away from work!

    2. Amber November 18th, 2008 at 16:40

      Unfortunately, I work in a huge industrial park. It really limits your options. When I was pregnant this last time I wanted to get out for walks over lunch but no sidewalks + lots of smelly diesel trucks = not much fun. And no retail or service options within walking distance. Now that I’m on maternity leave I pack the baby in a carrier and head off in the middle of the day for a break. I can use the downtime more than ever - being at home alone with little ones is hard work!

    3. Kate November 19th, 2008 at 12:53

      I usually spend my lunch time at the gym. It gets really busy around the traditional lunch hour (anywhere between 11:30 and 1) so I usually eat at my desk and head down after 1 pm.

      I never used to be such a gym rat, but I put together a rewards system for myself that I really like. If I go to the gym 5, 10, 30, etc. days in a row with the exception of weekends, I get a ‘prize of some sort’. For 5 days, a magazine. For 10 days, a book or CD. For 30 days, a new piece of clothing or something comparable. It’s not as easy as it sounds (I just reached the 5 day mark today after a month of trying) and I’ve found it really helps with the Gimme Gremlin- I’m forced to wait and THINK about my purchases and how much I really want x, y, or z.

    4. Nancy November 19th, 2008 at 22:34

      To Kate..I love this idea. A reward is always a great incentive, especially when you’re trying to establish a good habit like regular exercise. And you set the bar high enough to really earn it, which makes gives it more validity,
      The idea of waiting vs buying impulsively is just as empowering as the reward itself.
      I’m going to use this great idea… thanks for sharing!

    5. Saver Queen November 19th, 2008 at 23:04

      Kate - thanks for sharing that tip! PS love how you said “gimmie gremlin”. I love how obvious it is here that all of us are big Gail fans!

    6. Kate November 20th, 2008 at 11:40

      No problem! Glad it was helpful to someone else.

      I’m a big Gail fan- SQ, I actually found your site after comments you made on her blog!

    Leave a reply

Pages

RSS Twitter: saverqueen

Powered by WordPress
Designed by My Mobiles