The Do’s And Don’t’s Of Lunchtime For Journalists

Ah yes, story day. As every BDJ Graduate student knows, it’s the time when all of our hard work comes to fruition- after a day of running around, of course. So when you’re traversing the great city of Syracuse, looking for that perfect soundbite, it’s natural to get hungry. It might seem silly, but what to pack for a long day on the job is not that simple. Here are some easy Do’s and Don’ts for eating while on the job:

D0n’t:

• Pack a sauce-soaked pasta dish – Unless you are willing to bet your life on the integrity of your Tupperware, don’t bring this. There is no dish good enough to risk getting marinara on your Cage equipment.
• Pack fish if you don’t plan on eating it until you’re editing at 8 p.m. – That will make for some unpleasant newsroom smells.
• Put your dressing on your salad in the morning – You don’t know what time you’ll actually get to sit down and eat. If it’s not until late in the afternoon, you’ll have some really soggy spinach to enjoy.
• Just pack a granola bar and say “this is fine!” – It’s not fine. The day is long, the task is great. You’ll regret it later. You will still be hungry no matter how many hours of energy the protein bar promises you.
• Bring things that need a spoon – You’ll either forget the spoon and have to drink non-drinkable yogurt, or you’ll remember a spoon and then have to carry a dirty spoon around all day.

Do:

• Wait to put your tomatoes on your sandwich till you’re ready to eat it – Soggy bread people! It’s a curse, but an avoidable one. Put it in a small bag on the side.
• Double bag anything that could possibly be/turn into a liquid – Is there anything more heartbreaking than a notebook soaked in vinaigrette? Yes. A camera soaked in vinaigrette.
• Bring water – This is kind of underrated, but the day is long, and you don’t want to get dehydrated.
• Bring napkins – There is nothing more embarrassing than having to ask for an interview with a giant food mustache on your face. You don’t want to miss out on a great moment or interview because you can’t touch your camera with sticky hands.
• Eat foods that make you feel good – It’s a long day. If you know something is going to make you feel sluggish for 3 hours, it’s probably best saved for a day when you know you don’t have to run around. Try snacks that will give you energy, not slow you down.

 

So what are some good lunches and snacks to bring? Here’s some ideas to keep yourself full on the job:

• Peanut butter and banana sandwich – This will break up the monotony of a regular PB&J, and it’s mostly mess-free.
• Drinkable yogurt – No spoon necessary. Need I say more?
• Dark chocolate – If you’re the kind of person that has a sweet tooth, this is important. It’s all the candy goodness, but you don’t have to worry about accidentally eating an entire bag of Hershey Kisses.