Home office with family - this is how you survive the lunch break

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At work, it can be so simple: at twelve o'clock sharp, a favorite colleague is at the desk to start the canteen.

Or there is a working lunch.

Well, now and then you may not have TIME at all for a proper lunch break - but then at least the children have eaten in the daycare or in the after-school care center.

When you work from home and when schools are closed, this naturally falls flat at first.

Unfortunately, since the majority of us at home do not provide a delicious, nutritious meal on demand, planning is now required so that the short break does not become a stress test - especially when a whole family has to be looked after too.

Plan fixed meal times

Hunger is the best cook, as the saying goes.

That may well be the case - but if you only stand at the stove when your stomach is already in the back of your knees, the lunch break will be more of a stress test than a moment of regeneration.

Not to mention what it means for concentration when working when there are several hungry mouths besides yourself who regularly ask when, now (finally) something to eat.

So set a time for yourself and, if necessary, your family, when everyone will meet at the kitchen table - and also how long this break should last.

Communicate to your colleagues that you are currently not available.

Make a (loose) menu for the week

What do we want to eat this week?

What do we have to buy for it?

How long does it take to prepare, what can or must we prepare?

How do we recycle leftovers or leftover ingredients?

Like any other to-do list, a menu brings structure to your everyday life.

A plan for the whole week also has the advantage that you have to go shopping less often because you know more precisely what you need in the week ahead.

Include your partner and children in the planning - maybe everyone can want a straightforward meal.

Think about tomorrow today

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Most employees in Germany have 40-45 minutes for their lunch break.

Even if you presumably have to be less slavish in the office at home than in the company: Anyone who wants to cook, eat and tidy freshly within this period of time will have to rotate quite a bit.

It is worth cooking something for lunch the evening before that is warmed up or tastes good in the refrigerator: soups and stews, salads made from grain or legumes with robust vegetables or casseroles and quiches are ideal.

Or you can cook a few servings of rice and cut the vegetables for a quick stir-fry.

Leftovers are your best friend

Are there two servings left of yesterday's chili con carne?

Together with four wheat tortillas, some grated cheese, and a dollop of sour cream, it turns into improvised burritos for four.

The remains of a mushroom pan are suitable as a filling for omelets or quiche, lentil soup can be padded with a bed of rice and vegetables with any fresh herbs and rice or couscous can be further processed into pilaf.

Include the children

In theory, children should support their parents with smaller household chores anyway.

But many of us take this from the little ones - be it because it is simply faster, they do it because they want to save themselves the discussion with the youngsters.

But since the children are at home all day and screaming for something to do, you can confidently entrust them with setting and clearing the table for the duration of the social isolation.

You can even take your time with that.

They have plenty of them right now.

Older children can be expected to take full responsibility for a meal or two.

Extra sausages?

Only in individual cases

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What is on the table is eaten - what was still true for our parents is no longer true in many families.

No matter how you usually do it: Don't be tempted to prepare four different dishes at the same time during your lunch break.

If you don't like food for everyone, you can switch to bread, butter and raw vegetables.

Postpone meals

If you don't care whether you eat warm for lunch or dinner, the simplest solution is obvious: move the snack to lunch and use the time in the late afternoon that is otherwise spent on the way home , for cooking.

At the same time, this is a great way to gain some distance from the working day.

Be kind to yourself

Outside and inside there is a state of emergency.

It's not just hard to digest for you.

Perhaps it will help you cook a particularly nice meal every day.

Perhaps it will help them not to stress themselves in this area as well.

So, just do what helps you feel better.

Scrambled eggs on bread is a totally acceptable lunch.

Fish fingers are delicious.