I am a big fan of bringing lunch to work. My reasons are pretty much the usual. Bringing a lunch saves money (here in midtown Manhattan, a take-out lunch seems to cost about $10 any way you, er, slice it---that's $50 a week and $200 a month!), and I like knowing just what I'm getting nutrition-wise, when I pack my own. Not to mention it makes me feel good to avoid the endless parade of disposable plastic containers, plastic utensils, thick stacks of napkins and paper and plastic bags that always add an extra helping of eco-guilt when I grab 'n' go. No thank you! I'll be over here with my tupperware and my leftovers, thank you very much. Image: Near Modern Disaster Even a dedicated brown-bagger sometimes runs low on ideas, though, and that is why I enjoy the 'Brought My Lunch' pool on Flickr. As the pools organizers explain,

This is a photo group to showcase the lunch you brought to work. The goal is to create an incentive to 1) bring lunch to work (instead of buying expensive, less healthy meals around the office) and 2) to bring better lunches to work, lunches that are worthy of not just eating, but photographing. It's also nice to just break out the camera and use some company time to take photos and connect with a photo community. Note: if you don't work in an office, that's fine. Lunch is lunch. Also, leftovers and microwavable foods are fine as well. Does not have to be homemade. Also: Add a "brought my lunch" (or broughtmylunch) tag to the photos you post to the group pool.

Image: Miyukimouse Jeffrey Yamaguchi, one of the group's admins, has posted a helpful "Tips For Bringing Your Lunch to Work" article at his website, 52 Projects. And oh yeah...on the days when I do feel like exploring the neighborhood's (famously few and far between) commercial lunch options, I much appreciate the work of the fine people at Midtown Lunch.

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