It's a pity: we grow up and trade our overalls for a tie, our jumprope for a gym, and our lunch box for a sandwich at Pret. How quickly we grow out of all the good things about being a kid. Have we so-called adults become so accustomed to fast-food lunches that the concept of a lunch box is reserved only for children?
In the City of London, I seem to be one of a rare breed of workers who pack a lunch to work. Lately, I've been disenchanted with my usual lunch transportation device: tupperware and a plastic bag. The lot gets jammed into my bicycle pannier along with shoes and clothes, and doesn't always arrive quite as nicely as it left my flat. If only for the sake of my bruised bananas, I need a lunch box.
Enter Laptop Lunches, a little company in California specializing in "bento-ware for everywhere", cute little plastic lunch boxes equipped with food containers and cutlery that fit inside of a laptop-style insulated case. I discovered it via the "Laptop Lunch" photo pool on Flickr, which thus led me to The Vegan Lunchbox blog, where a stay-at-home vegan mom blogs about the tasty lunches she packs for her vegan kids. I know, my hippy shields are up, too. But her blog is so popular that she published a book of her lunch menus. And what can I say, I'm a sucker for hippies, and food, and Flickr, so I added the book to my Laptop Lunchbox order.
The Laptop Lunchbox
It pained me a bit to throw down £19.99 (plus shipping!) on a lunch box. Granted, it came with an insulated carrying case, a water bottle, utensils, and a "User's Guide", but still - when Underground Ernie's Insuluated Lunch Bag is going for £7.99, I have to wonder if I'm getting scammed. Turns out, most of the set is made in California. Okay, fine, I'll pay a premium on a product that wasn't made by slave labour, but it better be quality.
My first reaction to the lunchbox was that of relief. As pictured on the website, with its bright colors and "tray like presentation to put the fun back into packed lunches", the lunchbox is clearly designed for kids. While its capacity would probably be grossly insufficient for a 6'2 bodybuilder who doesn't want to live on peanut butter alone, the containers are sufficient for me and my 5 feet of stoked internal fire.
My first lunch of tofu, dipping sauce, rocket salad, carrot-hiziki medley, and pearl barley fit comfortably into the little box (see photo at top). As it was an unusually sunny day in London, I decided to have a picnic. It's true, the tray-like system is fun and makes for comfortable eating on the steps of Exchange Square. The containers are pleasant enough to eat from and the utensils are grown-up sized. I was the only person out there eating a lunch that wasn't store-bought, and you can bet that I felt pretty damn good about it (even if I did look like a bit of a weirdo).
So what's not to like? Only two of the five containers ship with a lid - what's the deal with that? The website cites a national survey which found that the number one frustration experienced by parents who pack lunches in reusable containers is the search for lids and containers that match. Okay, fine, but don't limit my options because a few moms went crazy buying tupperware at IKEA. In fact, since each container is a different color, it should be easy to find their lids. Oh well. The lid of the box itself does a fair job of containing food, but anything wet would be a nightmare. The solution is to use cling wrap or foil, but this adds to the waste problem that we're trying to avoid in the first place. Ho hum. At least the two containers that do have lids don't leak.
Vegan Lunchbox by Jennifer McCann
Anyone who defines themselves as "vegan" and declares their self-imposed label to the world is, by default, a little preachy. And someone who raises their kids vegan? Well, it may not be for most parents, but you have to applaud Jennifer McCann's passion for healthy lunches. Sh is about as unimposing as a vegan can be, sticking to the food rather than the ethics behind them. Her prose may not be the most eloquent in the world, but neither is lunch. In fact, her simple, conversational style adds sincerity to her passion. It's almost cute.
Vegan Lunchbox is not without that annoying vegan tendency to substitute animal products with processed fake meat alternatives, like soy lunch meat and vegan chicken nuggets. These may be quick and easy, but are surely less nutritious than organic free-range eggs or a pot of enzyme-happy natural yoghurt. Fortunately, the bulk of the book's menus are whole foods. And this is where I feel like I really shouldn't be writing about a cookbook before actually trying one of the recipes. But in leafing through the options, I was warmed by her propensity for southern-style dishes like Red Rice & Black Beans and Tennessee Corn Pone Muffins. First, I'll give the Quinoa Amaranth Timbales a try, but will probably skip the Nut Butter & Jelly Cut-Outs.
Like the Laptop Lunchbox, the book caters to kids. So when will their parents catch on that this lunchbox thing is a good idea? That £19.99 may seem expensive, but in the long run its cheaper, healthier, tastier, and more environmentally friendly than anything you'll get at Subway.
Links to...
Laptop Lunchbox
Vegan Lunchbox blog, where you can find pictures of every menu found in the book
Laptop Lunchbox Flickr group
Product page for Vegan Lunchbox, the book
Recipes from Vegan Lunchbox
Thermos.com - these things are amazing
