Start a lunch bunch at work By Jorj Morgan Are you looking to be a kinder and gentler employer? Perhaps you want to encourage your co-workers to spend quality time with each other - a team building exercise. Maybe you are looking for some free time during the workday or a way to limit those fast food, high-calorie lunches on the run. Whatever the reason, a Lunch Bunch is a terrific vehicle to come together, eat well and enjoy some moments of pampering during the workweek. Here is the idea. What is a Lunch Bunch? At noontime is there a group of people hanging around the make shift kitchen office waiting for his or her turn at the microwave oven? Or maybe you have seen the commercial on television where several women co-workers riding an elevator, talk about what they have passed off for a meal the night before. The idea of eating and not enjoying the taste of the food, or sharing that time socializing with others is a casualty of our fast paced society. But, there is an alternative experience. Choose two or three or your co-workers to share this experiment. The members of a convenient Lunch Bunch should have the same workplace (in the same building, if not on the same floor), similar schedules (working in the office, not out on daily sales calls), and similar tastes in food (willing to experiment in place of turkey on rye every day). The idea is that each member chooses a day to bring lunch for the other members - each week. One person prepares and delivers lunch to four co-workers including herself, one day a week. Three days a week she receives lunch at her desk. The fifth day of the week is free to allow for lunch meetings and errands. What Do I Make For Lunch? This is the fun part. Your lunch can be as simple or as creative as you and your schedule permit. By only planning - or even thinking about - one lunch a week, you have some time to include extras into your food plan. Cooking, organizing or purchasing lunch for four pals takes the same amount of time as preparing your own bag lunch. What I hope you will discover is that as others take time and thought in preparing your lunch, you in turn will be inspired to take care and thought in preparing theirs. To start you off, I have four fun lunch meal plans that are ready for you to make your own. Each plan includes packaging and presentation ideas. I encourage you to incorporate your own recipes and thoughts. The ones offered below are just guidelines to get you started. As you form your Lunch Bunch, take note of what worked for you and what needs work to make the idea successful in your workplace. Send us your group plans, photos and recipes. We'll post your results and share them with other BlueSuitMoms. As the Lunch Bunch group grows, we will be adding a contest for the Best Lunch Bunch in the BlueSuitMom Community! Stay in touch by sending an e-mail. In return, we'll send you new and different weekly menu plans for you to share with others. Now it's time to take a look around and see who you want to ask to be in your Lunch Bunch. It all begins with you! Also see: • Lunch Bunch Meal Plans • More Lunch Bunch Meal Plans Jorj Morgan is the Lifestyle Director of BlueSuitMom.com and the author of 5 books including "At Home In The Kitchen." Experience fun, camaraderie, and quality meals by joining her in forming your own Lunch Bunch. Please share your experience with Jorj and other BlueSuitMoms by sending an e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .