The French have the special law about having a proper lunch break and healthy meals and lunches at work boost not just our wellbeing and physical condition, but also help with the team building and communication, due to the social aspect of the lunch – shared and cared.
I admit that I have been bringing my own sandwiches or any sort of the home made left overs or packed lunches from the batch cooking since I have landed on the UK shores as the super young and beautiful. The time passed, it is once upon time but I still cheekily claim that it saved me fortune and preserved my good looks as well as health. I am just spending money on the coffee, and I like to splurge on good sit down meal rather than take aways – if not needed – and ready meals full of processed ingredients.
No, I am not super healthy freak or a cheap skate. I just like to eat a proper whole meal food and it means almost anything. I am quite funny though, but I daresay anybody has some sort of pet peeves that makes them quirky in some way. I am a big fan of British cuisine, I always was, so for the Czech cooking. It is similar, actually, I go for a roast dinner on Sundays like the institution similar to the church. Fish and chips – my Fri-yay staple. Some idiot has called me last year from fish and chip shop Fry Away around this time. The afternoon tea and the scones, yes, but just as the treat. It is all nice and cooked or baked well and my diet is bursting with multiple choices thanks to the mishmash of our society and my dual heritage, so spoilt for choice.
What we miss in the UK is the forgotten memory and keen interest to cook from the scratch and have a reasonable lunch set menu for reasonable price, like in the continental Europe. I know, the costs of anything went up, even the price for the lunch meals and I don’t mean a sandwich, a pack of scrips and a fizzy drink. You know why I carry my own lunch bag just in the case I am in the town or out for a day. We eat our food simply behind the desk, so banned in France by the law, but we also do it during our Work from home settings. Let’s call it Sit down meal because there is a bleak chance to go on the walk or sit at the bench like two heroes in my upcoming children book. It is too wet or cold. Our biggest issue comes along with huge popularity of ready and processed food. And our sedentary life style.
These plumbers and builders munching on the jacket potato with the beans and scoop of the grated cheese are having their healthy go – a mix of manual work, fresh air and somehow not utterly perfect food but a decent healthy combo. I am not a big fan of chips but I love fish and mushy peas. What’s wrong on that ? Tartare sauce and the cheeky cold caller who was told something about Repair shop Zeppelin. How can we help you ? Have a nice day. Bye. I saw the name of fish shop Let’s Fry Away Exmouth on the display of my phone and it has been perhaps the fourth weird call by ,shop’ or ,wedding venue’ within last two weeks last June when I was away, actually abroad. No way any marine from Lympstone will call me from the fixed line of the fish shop. Oh wait, updated, maybe Chris Martin of Coldplay, on his way from the USA to see his father, right? Betcha. By the fraudsters, my bet. Control check as well as hijacked old mobile phone. It was only a way how people were able to reach me – outside of the UK for the period of two weeks.
Fresh air, any movement and actually home made or at least properly cooked food eaten in the workplace are beneficial for you. Nothing wrong about having a fish sandwich eaten by a hungry polar cub, taken away from ginger Chloe sitting on the bench, like in my book. It is all goodie and healthy. Recent research highlights a significant correlation between the quality of food consumed at work and the physical activity undertaken during break times, both of which contribute to improved nutrition, stress reduction, and enhanced work efficiency (Ferraris et al., 2025; Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 2024), Preparing and consuming homemade meals offers individuals greater control over their dietary intake, ensuring that meals are balanced, nutritious, and tailored to personal preferences. A study conducted in Turin, Italy, revealed that employees who brought homemade lunches from home were more likely to consume a higher amount of fruits and maintain a more balanced nutritional profile compared to those who ate meals from external sources.
Anything about less processed and almost chemical free food stuffed into our bodies, so difficult for the USA where the cheese is not actually a cheese but a mix of the oil with starch and additives. The act of preparing one’s own lunch can be a proactive strategy for maintaining a balanced diet, as it allows employees to avoid overly processed or energy-dense foods that are commonly found in commercial outlets. It is also friendlier to our purse and home budget and keep us in control what we actually eat. This intake (whole meal bread with simple tuna mix with sweet corn or slices of cucumber, the apple on the side as the balanced meal consisting of fibre, protein and veg with fruit) not only supports overall health but also provides essential vitamins and minerals that can improve immune function and energy levels during work hours. Nothing wrong to have crips or something like this from time to time as the treat, but it is not a normal part of the lunch meal or daily intake.
Initiatives that incorporate nutritional education and labelling in worksite cafeterias have demonstrated that even simple changes can lead to healthier dietary choices (Lowe et al.,2010). This reinforces the notion that when employees are informed about the nutritional benefits of their food, they are more likely to make food choices that enhance their overall well-being. It is difficult and almost impossible to provide the catering for SME in the UK, but something can change. The shift happens within us, with the provision of the table and the chairs, the microwave for the reheating home made lunches, any education and information, leading by the example and changing the UK restaurant landscape, like in the case of the coffee:]] Any normally cooked food in the canteen or the restaurant is better than any ready meal. Homemade meals empower workers to take control of what they eat, directly influencing their energy levels and cognitive function throughout the day.
The benefits of homemade meals extend beyond nutritional advantages. Employees who consume carefully prepared, healthy food tend to report improved concentration and heightened productivity. The consistency in quality and nutrient content in a home-prepared lunch helps maintain steady energy levels, which is essential for tackling long working hours. By reducing the likelihood of the sugar crashes and energy dips often associated with fast or processed foods, homemade meals support sustained work-performance.
A balanced diet plays a crucial role in mitigating the adverse effects of prolonged concentration and mental fatigue. The careful planning required for preparing healthy lunches fosters a mindset of mindful eating, which in turn can lead to better overall eating habits. This proactive approach not only aids in weight control and disease prevention but also sets a positive precedence for long-term lifestyle improvements in work environments where high demands are the norm.
In tandem with healthy eating, incorporating daily walks into the work schedule has been shown to significantly reduce the negative impact of prolonged sitting. The modern office environment often encourages extended periods of sedentary behaviour, which can lead to physical discomfort and long-term health risks. The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health has identified that even brief walking breaks—lasting only a few minutes—can effectively reduce discomfort linked with sedentary work, making these breaks a simple yet powerful strategy for enhancing physical well-being (Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, 2024). The journey starts with the small baby step. It means incorporating the brisk walk to the bus stop or leaving the office during lunch time, joining the friends on the Sunday walk or just changing sitting with the standing. We are what we eat, but we are also made to be fit if we still move around and preserve it. Don’t forget, your brain and the body also need a fresh supply of oxygen and vitamin D. Not just from the fish fingers. Then its time once in blue moon to have a treat.
Marketa’s easy to follow and cook recipes are on her Substack, free of charge. The upcoming website with food recipes, healthy dose of the tips and her psychology will be out in June. Her children book Polaris is out in the end of May, also available on our eshop. More on www.thepolarisbook.com.
