Is this a crazy person thing?
 

Sometimes some of my ideas, when repeated to other people, sound a bit nutball so I'm going to run this by you all, with a bit of background (I'll try to be brief. I won't be, but I'll try):

A few years ago my husband and I started eating low carb-ish together and mostly just getting processed foods out of our lives. It was great, felt good, both lost weight, went on vacation and never recovered. I think part of what made us so successful was that I would get up in the morning and pack his lunch and snacks for work, and while I was doing it, go ahead and organize mine as well. Everything he was going to eat, breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, was in his bag (and mine was all ready on the top shelf in the fridge).

Because I had to plan that in advance, I could really think it through and make sure there was bulk and balance - enough food, hitting all the major nutritional high points, etc. It worked really well for both of us.

Also, I really really always enjoyed bagged lunches at school, or little odds and ends of things to choose from so for me, it's like a little picnic every day.

FF five years, fifty pounds each (YOWZA) and a child, we need to do something. My husband works from home, I'm a SAHM. Our daughter is going to do what we do and eat how we eat. I'm pretty good about making sure we have planned healthy meals and snacks but my husband and I are both secretly, ashamedly sneaking extra all day long and after she goes to bed.

SO, my point! FINALLY! Is it nuts if I go back to "packing" lunch for all of us and just leaving it in the fridge? I could get something like these

http://www.mytoybox.com/goodbyn-lunc...ed-orange.html

so that it's organized and appealing (mostly to my daughter) and even portion controlled. I know I could just use little plastic containers, but these are dish washer safe and they only hold so much - and we frequently spend the day in the car and I have to pack lunches and keeping track of a billion little containers, making sure Kid doesn't eat all the grapes before Dad gets to them, and that Dad doesn't knock out the almonds because he thought we already had ours - ugh. Three of these would easily fit with some ice packs in a rolling cooler bag/backpack we already own.

Is this a crazy person thing? TO ME, I think it sounds like a nice way to organize everything at one time in the morning so I don't have to think and continue to try to make good choices all day long. I can plan in advance. When my daughter starts asking for more snacks, I can remind her that we can look in her box to see what she has and because the compartments aren't huge, the portions will be reasonable. This was pretty successful for us in the past, but it made sense because he was going off to work. I don't know, it makes sense in my head but then I think, is this just an excuse for me to buy cute lunchboxes?

I actually don't think it's crazy at all! I think it's a great way for you to set a good habit for your daughter....and a fun way to do it!

I think you use whatever tools will work. If you feel organization and portion control will improve with this tool, by all means--go for it! Makes sense to me.

I don't think it's crazy, I think that being organized ahead of time is the key to anything and you can make it a fun family activity with you all having one and decorating it with your daughter!

I think thats a wonderful idea, I do the same type of thing for my son. He has his own set of bowls in the fridge that he knows are for just him. They are full of healthy snacks and treats, they go with him when he spends the day somewhere so I know he's eating healthy and he feels pretty special cause they are all his own.

I think its great, and it'll be a huge help when she goes to school, she'll already know what the deal is with a lunch box and you'll be so used to packing it up it'll be a breeze!

So what if it is crazy? Or if other people think it's crazy?

Mostly when people ask "is this crazy," they mean is this unusual or even a little weird?

Yep, it is. So what? You know what normal is? Eating crap. Do you really want to be normal?

Thinking outside the box, finding unusual solutions, being creative... it's a good thing.

And "kid stuff" isn't just for kids. When I was eating carby foods - I bought "Gerber graduates" cracker packs at the dollar store, instead of similar packs of Cheez-its. I have no kids, never have but the "baby food" crackers were in 60 calorie packs (insead of 210 calories for the Cheez-its).

I say whatever works for you, go for it!

I think it's charming! Are you my Aunt Eleanor? She had a dinner party for the family once where she gave us all a packed lunch box.:) She was such a sweetie.

I'm on the Sonoma diet that has you eat all your meals on a 9 inch plate. That really gives you a sense of portion size. Preparing your portions at a time when you are not about to dive in and eat gives you a better chance of not over endulging. Try it and let us know if it is a pattern changer. You may have the makings of the next new bestselling diet book-
"Think inside the box"

I don't think it's crazy at all. I think lots of people prepare their food ahead of time. It's almost the same concept as Nutri System and Jenny Craig, have all your food made and ready and sometimes just need to reheat it.

The Japanese do something similar with bento boxes, some cute style ones. So if you don't want the kiddie one maybe you can look for a more grown up style (of course there is nothing wrong with using kid ones, the Japanese usually use cute lunch boxes)

That sounds like a great idea! I might try the same.

Uh, I think you just sold me!! Those are so cool!! I'm trying to figure out how to pack them for my boys as I sit here. How would they keep cool in their backpacks all day? This would save so much time and plastic baggies!

I love the idea even for you staying at home. That's called "PLANNING"! :D

Sure why not do it? Heck how many people cook ALL their meals on Sunday so they don't have to cook until the next Sunday? It makes life easier and if it's what works for you do it!

I'm glad I ran it by you guys. I feel pretty good about this. I like the idea of making all my choices for the day and not having to think about it.

Also, we did Jenny Craig years ago and lost about 30 pounds each. It was terribly easy. Then we ran into the holidays and we were never home so we were eating fast food in the car a lot. I won't have to do that if I'm already in the habit of packing food.

Thanks for the input!

beerab, I just checked out your blog and what's your current topic? Packing lunches!

Haha how funny! Yeah it makes my life so easy to have my lunches prep'd a few days in advance :)

If that's the craziest you get, you've got a ways to go before actual crazy! :lol: I think it's a great idea. If it helps, Tosca Reno suggests people carry bag coolers around in Clean Eating.

I was just wondering you know, is this neurotic? Is there some kind of mentally unhealthy thinking going on that I'm planning this out and packing food with us? But I guess not. And really, when you're out, gosh. The choices are abysmal. Even "healthy" fast food is pretty garbagy and you can't count on a good salad or your grilled chicken is under done or covered in who knows what.

So yeah, am genius (humor me)!

What's "crazy" or "nuts" about planning ahead and portioning out food? I don't get it.

Also: What a cute lunch container!

Google "Laptop Lunches". Not crazy.

The line between mentally healthy and unhealthy really depends on whether your behavior is disruptive/harmful - are you better off with or without the habit - is it disrupting your functioning or enjoyment of life? Functioning is even the primary factor mental health professionals are taught to look for. If it works, there's no need to fix it (at least that's what I was taught in grad school in developmental psych).

Sure it could become neurotic, if you felt that you could only eat food out of little compartments. But just the act of making and packing daily lunches for household members? Nope, not neurotic.

If it works (makes life easier)... Good.

If it makes life more difficult or unpleasant... not so good.


Obviously that's an oversimplification, because some people don't recognize when they've crossed the line - but for the most part if you're living with other people, they will tell you when it gets "crazy" in a way that isn't working.

I don't even have kids and I want one of these for me! I'm a teacher and this would work great for me.

These boxes are super cute, right? The laptop ones are nice but...these come with stickers (I will secretly always be a ten year old girl in 1983, filling out her sticker book)!

Passionista, all I can really say in defense of that is I don't feel like I have a very good grasp of normal when it comes to food. My grandmother was a bulimic right up until she went into hospice care. My mother has been gaining and losing huge amounts of weight my whole life. Either you are on a diet (not eating) or you're not on a diet (and eating everything in sight). That's all I know. In the past, I have lost weight (WW, Jenny Craig, and the low carb eating I mentioned in the first post are exceptions, those felt like training wheels for getting close to normal, although WW can get really weirdly obsessive. My particular meetings were just...wow. People were OBSESSIVE in what I thought was not a great way) by just not eating. Days and days of not eating. Or eating weird things. Or just as little as possible. So I know that what sounds like a good idea and actually makes the weight come off is often, for me, just the flip side of eating whatever, whenever. You know, it's like I'm obsessed with eating everything and can't stop thinking about food, or I'm obsessed with not eating and controlling in weird ways.

Sometimes I do a gut check and come up with "I don't know, better ask someone else."

kaplods, those are some very good guide lines that make sense to me.

Great Idea!!! I may even purchase one... of course the one with the ears and stickers!!!

Apparently they used to come with some kind of little extra compartment that snapped on the front, but they wouldn't stay on when sliding in and out of backpacks so that part has been discontinued. I LOVE compartments, wonder if I could find one on ebay?

Ummm....i love it. I need a lunch box for school and I think i might buy it.

If planning everything and sticking into a box helps, go for it. It seems really easy to just grab and go if you're running errand or have a day outside of the home too. Awesome

Crazy does not equal imaginative and creative, which is what I think your idea is. Go for it!

Ah. I see what you mean now. Well, I carry around portions of food sometimes (veggies in ziploc baggies and some fruit, and/or some plain nuts, chiefly). I get anxious sometimes when I know I'm going somewhere where the food choices will be poor. For me, having that (which is similar to your box) is anxiety-relieving, prevents my making less-than-ideal choices, and prevents my getting too hungry. I don't think any of those things are bad.

I think it's a GREAT idea. And if it works for you, then BONUS!!! :)

We do this quite often at my house. It's just me and my mom so we'll cook a big dinner on Sunday and have enough for me to take my lunch to work the next 2 days. It's great b/c I only have to cook every 3 days or so if I want. ;) I usually cook on the days I'm off (2 days one week, 5 days the next week) and have a variety to choose from when I go back to work.

I agree with what others have said and I also think it is an awesome idea :)

I have a huge issue with staying focused. If I don't plan down to the detail then my mind just wanders off and I have a hard time getting everything organized.

In order for me to lose weight I have to plan and organize my meals or I will be like oh dang I forgot to eat and/or be staring into the fridge like umm I know I have food here somewhere lol

I just use bowls and such right now but getting a cute box might be a fun idea. They have these fit & fresh dishes I have been wanting to get forever.
http://www.fit-fresh.com/index_alt2.php

I think this a great idea, and as someone else says, it sounds as though it has a lot in common with Japanese bento lunch boxes. I love bento, and if you're interested, I thought you might be keen to have a look at these two great bento blogs, for lunch and presentation ideas!

http://justbento.com/
http://www.aibento.net/

I LOVE bento boxes - I am thoroughly um, bemused? flummoxed? amazed? by the fancy fussy Hello-Kitty-out-of-rice-balls bentos! That's crazy! I can't really see myself spending two hours at night carefully crafting lunch but oh how my daughter would LOVE that. She's a big fan of sushi and cherry tomatoes and I see those play a big part in creative bento. I'm going to have to do them for a party like 2Bees Aunt Elanor! Little bento boxes would make a great goodie bag filler instead of the usual bubbles, sidewalk chalk, etc.

Those Fit N Fresh containers look great! I love how the ice packs fit right in. That's brilliant!

This thread has inspired me to consider packing my meals the night before. I've been trying to plan my meals at least a day ahead, and I still find myself violating the list, because I open the fridge and change my mind about what I want to eat at the last minute. Spontaneous choices aren't always my best choices.

If I made container meals, I think I might be more apt to use them. I did really well on Nutrisystem and Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating (SSHE meals are fresh meals available by delivery or pick-up if you live near a distribution center).

This may be the crazy train, but I'm definitely hopping aboard.

Toot toot.

Love this. LOVE this! In fact, if you don't mind, Colleen, I may steal it for my sig.

I LOVE those lunch boxes! How awesome!

I sometimes take things right after I buy them and immediately portion them out into single portions - ex. I like low fat cottage cheese - so I get the big tub and then divide into my 1/2 C Glad containers. I do the same if I get a large tub of yogurt. If I buy a brick of cheese, when I open it, I immediately cut it up into one ounce portions. This way, if I do need to just grab a snack, everything is already divided into portions.

I just cooked a bunch of chicken last night. Tonight, I will divide it into 3 -4 oz portions, bag it and freeze it to grab for later.

Really - anything that makes life easier is a plus in my book!!