How 5 KS Employees Think About Their Work Week Lunches, Part 2

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!

Julia Stephan, Editor

What did you have for lunch today? Leftover rice from the weekend with teriyaki eggplant and spicy tofu.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? As I love cooking, I mostly do it in the evening and prep both dinner and lunch in one go. For me, that's the most comfortable solution since I always cook too much rice or pasta anyway. This way, I can use leftovers and tweak them in order to not eat the same meal again.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? Transporting my food safely (see: no spillage) while riding my bike to work.

Julia’s perfect pack:

5-ingredient pasta with red pepper pesto

Oscar Braunert, Web Developer

What did you have for lunch today? Homemade pesto with spinach, basil, walnuts, and a touch of garlic.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? Kaufland sells Fischbrötchen (fish sandwiches), which is a good thing because I love Fischbrötchen. So I go there about once a week. We also have a “Pasta e Pesto” group, so about twice a month, we prepare two kinds of pesto. Other times, I cook at home and bring leftovers with me or I grab something simple like Schupfnudeln from the supermarket and cook it in the team kitchen.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? Cooking enough food. It takes me an hour to bike from the office to my home, so I can eat a lot once I get back. It’s happened more than once that I cook a bit more, planning to bring leftovers with me for lunch, but then end up with an empty pan and no lunch.

Oscar’s perfect pack:

Smoky mushroom goulash with bread dumplings

Yijiao Qian, Head of Business Intelligence

What did you have for lunch today? Currychicken katsu from our favorite Asian takeout place.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? I usually order takeout for half of the week. I often snack on some crudités (cucumbers, carrots, and peppers) with dip or have a late breakfast with oats and fruit.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? I’m a working mom, who cooks for her family almost everyday after work. This is when I can let my creativity flow and take my time testing new ingredients and recipes. I detest the idea of eating the same food twice in a row, so I’m happy with the occasional takeout, where we rotate among 3 different places. I also enjoy the “treat” that takeout provides. I do miss a good Chinese takeout in this area though...

Yijiao’s perfect pack:

Chickpea-yogurt dip

Wiebke Eilermann, Community Manager

What did you have for lunch today? Whole wheat bread with avocado, lettuce, a hard boiled egg, and cucumber. It’s my go-to when I don’t have the chance to cook the day before.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? I make sure to always bring a packed lunch with me. It helps with saving money and I can avoid mediocre takeout, as well as the plastic packaging that comes with it. Either I have leftovers from the night before, or, if my weekend hasn’t been super busy, then I can meal prep on Sunday. Sometimes I just buy different ingredients for a salad on the way to work, plus one or two "special" ingredients, like quinoa or seeds that I bring from home. My favorite lunch of the week is when some of the team members get together for a "lunch party" and everyone contributes one item to a themed buffet. Previous themes have included tacos, mezze, tapas, and salad bowls

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? If I eat out during the week or have a really busy week, it's hard to find time for meal prep. I find bringing some ingredients for a salad, which I can just throw together at the office, always works.

Wiebke’s perfect pack:

Buddha bowl with pepper-orange topping

Artur Kazuba, Video Producer

What did you have for lunch today? A tomato and cheese sandwich and a nectarine.

What do you usually do for lunch during the work week? I don't have a real routine. It’s mostly a rotation of grabbing something easy and premade at a supermarket, going to a restaurant, ordering takeout, or—albeit pretty rarely—bringing a packed lunch.

What’s your biggest obstacle when it comes to lunch prep? Honestly, I’m just too lazy and I don’t want to spend an hour in the kitchen every evening.

Arthur’s perfect pack:

20 min

vegan

Bok choy and crispy tofu stir fry

Published on August 17, 2019

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