In  those first panicked weeks of the coronavirus pandemic, lunch was
a respite for me and my husband. Before the lockdown,we hardly saw
each other sometimes, as Brad travelled a lot on work., . “It was like
a date, every day,”  I remember, of those midday meals. I'd cook ,
slow-cooked barbecue beef for him (even though I am  mostly vegan), au
gratin potatoes (secretly made with vegan cheese), and a salad with
croutons made from homemade bread. “We would eat lunch together and
watch the birds outside,” she said. “Sometimes we’d even have a drink,
because why not?”

The honeymoon lasted a month.

“It was fun. But then I realized . . . this is taking up my whole
day,” she said. “I’d fix his breakfast, and by the time it’s cleaned
up, it was time to start fixing lunch. And then I’d have to sit down
and have lunch with him, and then I’d have to clean up.
Now my  choice is guided by what’s fast and will produce the fewest
number of dishes to wash. It might be a reheated frozen burrito or a
some leftover brown rice to which I add some leftover  chicken and
vegetables.

For  my friend Alice,, a 42-year-old mom of two,. lunch had never
been a priority, but that changed last spring. With the full familly
at home " Whats for Lunch" became the most dreaded words. Then she
made a pact with her family. Two days of the week ,one midweek and one
weekend day would be for special lunches.

I had discovered the Homebaker ready baking kit supplies company while browsing for easy freshly made dessert options (It was a peanut butter cake!). I shared the discovery with her, along with one more main dish recipe list. And this was the start of our special lunches which kept Brad as well as her family, so satisfied.

We ordered the same items weekly from their subscription based model, and excitedly  exchanged photos to see whose had more oomph!
Lockdown lunches suddenly didn't seem that bad!