At 12 PM, office workers in glass buildings will stream out in batches to look for food. They are all pondering—what to eat for lunch today? Where to eat? Lunch is always a troubling problem. It requires more thought than breakfast because you can skip breakfast and get through the morning by drinking more water, but lunch plays a "connecting" role for the day's work—breakfast generally accounts for 30% of the day's total energy, lunch for 40%, and dinner for 30%.
It is understood that in the bustling commercial centers, which are areas with a high concentration of office buildings, about 90% of office workers eat out for lunch. 60% choose to order takeout (boxed meals), and 40% bring their own bento boxes. Among the 90% who eat out for lunch, 20% are lovers of noodles and dumplings; 30% are 7-Eleven fans; and 40% are those who go to restaurants to split the bill.
Noodle Lovers — Fish Ball Rice Noodles
Protagonist: Gu Bei, Account Manager
Lunch Type: Noodle lover, favorite is fish ball noodles.
Reason for Choice: To fill up the stomach.
Thoughts on Lunch: There's nothing delicious near the company, so lunch is very casual. Rice, rice noodles, or noodles are all fine. Sometimes if the lunch is really bad, I'll just eat something and then have some cookies in the afternoon when I'm hungry.
Questions about Lunch:
1. Are the vegetables from restaurants still nutritious after being blanched in hot water?
2. If I eat noodles for a whole week, do I need to supplement with other foods?
Nutritionist's Advice: 1. The blanched vegetables from noodle shops have the same nutritional value (vitamins, minerals, fiber) as those at home. However, to make the vegetables more fragrant, they are often drizzled with lard, which increases the saturated fat content and defeats the purpose of eating vegetables. 2. If you often eat noodles as your main meal, the most likely deficiency is fiber. Therefore, you should supplement more vegetables and fruits at dinner.
Home-Cooked Food Lovers — Less Rice, More Vegetables
Protagonist: Mo Mo, SOHO worker
Lunch Type: Home-cooked food lover.
Reason for Choice: Economical and affordable.
Thoughts on Lunch: Breakfast is just an apple and milk. Lunch is the most important of the three meals. I buy a lot of vegetables from the market and store them in the refrigerator, mainly focusing on meat patties and carrots. The meat is all steamed together, and I just eat one dish. I eat less rice because I think rice is all starch, and I'm afraid of gaining weight from eating too much.
Question about Lunch:
Is eating less rice harmful to the body?
Nutritionist's Advice: 1. The idea that eating rice makes you fat is a misconception. In fact, weight gain is mainly due to consuming more calories than the body needs, not just from starchy foods. 2. Considering the recommended total daily calorie intake of 1400 kcal, if distributed among three meals, lunch can be around 450-500 kcal. Therefore, lunch can be changed to half a bowl of rice, one meat or fish, and two vegetables. This would be about 430-470 kcal, which is less than the original method and in line with the principles of a balanced diet. Long-term, it will be less likely to affect your health.
Fast and Convenient — The 7-Eleven Crowd
Protagonist: Vanessa, Editor
Lunch Type: Two snacks and a bottle of yogurt.
Thoughts on Lunch: Quick and time-saving.
Reason for Choice: I don't want to squeeze with others, and it's convenient and fast. I can just grab it and go. I eat well for breakfast and dinner, so it's fine for lunch to be simple.
Questions about Lunch:
None, I think it's great!
Nutritionist's Advice: 1. Lunch is too simple and unbalanced, with almost no fiber intake. 2. It is recommended to choose a steamed rice meal and a bottle of yogurt for lunch, but it's best to also eat 1-2 fruits or choose a ready-to-eat salad from the convenience store (use less dressing) to increase fiber. Occasionally add a tea egg, which would be about 400-450 kcal. Fast Food Lovers — Pork Chop and Chicken Rice
Protagonist: Fu Yuwen, Technician
Lunch Type: Pork rice, chicken rice, etc.
Thoughts on Lunch: I don't pay much attention to lunch; I eat whatever is available. I'm used to eating rice.
Reason for Choice: It fills the stomach and saves time.
Questions about Lunch:
What should I eat for lunch to have better energy in the afternoon and not feel sleepy at work?
Nutritionist's Advice: A pork or chicken rice box has about 700-800 kcal. It is recommended to switch to a buffet, choosing one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and one semi-vegetable dish, for a total of three dishes, plus a small bowl of rice. This portion is enough for the energy needed for afternoon activities and will not increase weight. Feeling sleepy is often not something that can be solved by what you eat for lunch. The important thing is to find a quiet place to rest for a while after lunch, even for just 10 minutes, which should help improve the problem of afternoon drowsiness. Home-Cooked Meals are Flavorful — Bringing Your Own Bento
Protagonist: Ms. Hu, Office Worker
Lunch Type: My own bento: fish, vegetables, a little meat, and a bowl of rice.
Thoughts on Lunch: I am currently over 2 months pregnant and have severe morning sickness. I bring a fruit to eat at the company, like an apple or grapes. Breakfast is congee or noodles, and dinner is 3-4 dishes with no other supplements.
Reason for Choice: Bringing my own lunchbox is hygienic and convenient.
Questions about Lunch:
My morning sickness is severe right now, and my appetite is poor. What can I eat to improve this? I've never liked dairy products since I was a child. Now that I'm pregnant, how should I supplement my nutrition?
Nutritionist's Advice: 1. Although Ms. Hu has morning sickness, her current diet is quite good, staying within a basic range. In fact, during the first trimester (first 3 months), there is no need to eat extra food; a normal diet is sufficient. Only in the second and third trimesters is an additional 300 kcal needed. The weight gained during pregnancy should be controlled as much as possible between 10-12 kg, which helps with postpartum weight recovery. 2. The additional 300 kcal needed during pregnancy can be met by adding a glass of low-fat milk and one egg to your daily diet. 3. If you don't like milk, you may have a calcium deficiency. In addition to drinking soy milk, you should also take a 500mg calcium supplement.
Two Don'ts for a Scientific Lunch
1. Don't make it primarily carbohydrates. Eating foods rich in sugar and starch, such as rice, noodles, bread, and sweets, can make you feel tired and make it difficult to concentrate at work.
2. Don't replace lunch with convenience foods, such as instant noodles or Western fast food. These foods are low in nutritional value.
Two Dos for a Scientific Lunch
1. Eat foods high in protein and choline, such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and soy products. The high-quality protein in these foods increases tyrosine in the blood, keeping the mind sharp and playing an important role in comprehension and memory.
2. Eat more lean meats, fresh fruits, or juices, which are low in fat. Ensure an adequate intake of high-quality protein from milk, soy milk, or eggs. This can make you more responsive and agile in thinking.
Foreign Lunches
London: One-third of office workers have a "typical work lunch" of a sandwich, but among management, having a rich meal at a restaurant has also become very popular. The most popular restaurants are trendy Italian and American set meals.
Paris: Parisian office workers mostly eat while walking, eating French bread with cheese and holding a bottle of yogurt for lunch. They spend 1.5 times as much money on lunch as their London counterparts.
New York: The work lunch for New York office workers is much simpler: most just have a salad and a bottle of mineral water.
Rome: Besides enjoying lunches of bread and sausage, many people also eat expensive seafood in large restaurants.
Tokyo: The "lunch rhythm" for Tokyo office workers is the fastest: you can often see suited executives standing by street stalls, quickly "slurping" noodles while occasionally glancing at their watches.