Someone talk me out of buying lunch

[mxmoney]

I brought my lunch but I don't wanna eat it. I want a meatball sub. Please, Mustachians, fortify my resolve and talk me down from this craving!

[lemanfan]

Are you saying you want the threat of a facepunch unless you eat your broccoli?  :)

[cats]

What have you packed for lunch?

Some things that might help:

-How much time are you going to spend standing in line getting that meatball sub?  Wouldn't it be nicer to just take your lunch outside and enjoy a few minutes of fresh air instead?

-How are you going to feel after eating it?  I find with a lot of restaurant food, I feel kind of yuck afterwards.  And really, you spend what, MAYBE 15 minutes eating it?  15 minutes of eating vs. an afternoon of feeling sluggish.  Hmmmm.

-Is it really going to taste as good as you imagine?  I know I have this problem with baked goods....they seem like they are going to taste amazing and....usually they're just good or even kind of meh, which is a let down.  Total waste of money and calories. 

-Food waste is actually a substantial contributor to global warming!  Plus all the packaging, etc. involved with takeout.  Do something nice for your future self and eat the food you already have.

[diapasoun]

1. You got this.

2. You put effort into bringing your lunch! Lean into that effort! Think of how you made sure to provide for yourself, that you were covered; these are the literal fruits of your labors.

3. Whatever it is that you brought, presumably you brought because you are willing to eat this food. Lean into that, too. Think of how delicious it is. If it's also nutritious, think of how it's going to be such good fuel for your body.

4. Take the money you would have spent on the sub and transfer it to savings after you eat your delicious, thoughtful homemade lunch.

[Tasse]

You have a perfectly good homemade lunch with you, and despite this available nutrition you would prefer to throw away your money to acquire different nutrition which will bring you no lasting satisfaction?

[thd7t]

I more or less always want a meatball sub.  You should create rules that allow you to have them.  For example, only on road trips or only if my kids are having one.  Meatball subs are so delicious, but you should definitely not eat them whenever you want one!

[ketchup]

In 5 years will you wish you ate a meatball sub today?  Do you wish you ate a meatball sub on this day 5 years ago?  Would that have made a difference in your life?

I don't eat restaurant food unless someone else is footing the bill or it's a deliberate "date" (whether romantic with the girlfriend or a planned meeting up with someone or whatever).  I certainly don't eat it alone, no upside there at all.  Maybe if I was trapped in an airport for 14 hours.

[mxmoney]

Thanks everyone! Currently eating the curry and rice I brought with me. I still want the sub but I'm not gonna do it!

[Tasse]

Mmmm, curry and rice. Sounds delicious.

[Trifle]

Well done!  Now relish the thought that you have money in your wallet that would otherwise have been gone.  Awesome!  Small habits can create big things, and eating home brought lunch is one of them.  :)

[Zikoris]

Do you want meatball subs often? Why not incorporate some kind of subs into your meal planning?

[Radagast]

Thanks everyone! Currently eating the curry and rice I brought with me. I still want the sub but I'm not gonna do it!

You had this debate after bringing curry and rice? I can't even imagine! If I brought something awesome like curry and rice there would be no debate. I am having the debate right now because I have crackers and cheese.

[Trifle]

Thanks everyone! Currently eating the curry and rice I brought with me. I still want the sub but I'm not gonna do it!

You had this debate after bringing curry and rice? I can't even imagine! If I brought something awesome like curry and rice there would be no debate. I am having the debate right now because I have crackers and cheese.

Hahaha -- I hear you.  I had a leftover baked potato and a banana. 

[YoungGranny]

Thanks everyone! Currently eating the curry and rice I brought with me. I still want the sub but I'm not gonna do it!

You had this debate after bringing curry and rice? I can't even imagine! If I brought something awesome like curry and rice there would be no debate. I am having the debate right now because I have crackers and cheese.

You're having this debate after bringing crackers and cheese!? I can't even imagine! I love crackers and cheese and surely there's still no reason for debate with a lunch like that. ;)

[mm1970]

Thanks everyone! Currently eating the curry and rice I brought with me. I still want the sub but I'm not gonna do it!

You had this debate after bringing curry and rice? I can't even imagine! If I brought something awesome like curry and rice there would be no debate. I am having the debate right now because I have crackers and cheese.

You're having this debate after bringing crackers and cheese!? I can't even imagine! I love crackers and cheese and surely there's still no reason for debate with a lunch like that. ;)

ah ha ha, I eat salad for lunch every day.  Curry and rice would be awesome

[dougules]

Maybe you could make homemade meatballs for supper then pack a homemade meatball sub for lunch tomorrow.  As a side note, meatballs and sauce freeze fairly well.   You could make a big batch, freeze the leftovers in individual portions, and make meatball subs every so often for a while. 

Honestly the curry sounds better to me, though. 

[NV Teacher]

I use the delay approach.  I want to eat/do something that I really shouldn't.  I tell myself I can "later".  Most of the time it works.

[I'm a red panda]

Why not make a batch of meatballs and french bread at home and then have meatball subs for lunch later?

That's one of my favorite meals. 

Good job on eating your curry and rice, which also sounds delicious.

[Radagast]

Thanks everyone! Currently eating the curry and rice I brought with me. I still want the sub but I'm not gonna do it!

You had this debate after bringing curry and rice? I can't even imagine! If I brought something awesome like curry and rice there would be no debate. I am having the debate right now because I have crackers and cheese.

You're having this debate after bringing crackers and cheese!? I can't even imagine! I love crackers and cheese and surely there's still no reason for debate with a lunch like that. ;)

My crackers have two ingredients: wheat flour and water, and the water's all gone! I feel like I'm marching in an army 200 years ago.

[GuitarStv]

Make a meatball sub for your lunch tomorrow.

[patchyfacialhair]

Just be deliberate with your food going forward. In my journal, I recently remarked about the first beer I've had in a while.

Basically, I made an exception to enjoy myself with one beer last night because I was cooking at my house, and our houseguests bought a six pack of local stuff, and handed me one. That's a condition where I deemed it more than acceptable (to my waistline and wallet).

But out and about for a random get together or "just for fun"....nah...I'll stick with water.

Same thing with food choices. Make a rule: only get a meatball sub when on vacation or when homemade as part of regular meal planning. Cheaper and better that way.

[sparkytheop]

Now I want meatballs...  Looks like I know what I'm making this weekend.

[MrThatsDifferent]

Thanks everyone! Currently eating the curry and rice I brought with me. I still want the sub but I'm not gonna do it!

I was going to say: eat the lunch first and if you’re still hungry, get the sub. Oh, you have to drink a glass of water before and after you eat the lunch, and then brush your teeth. Then decide if you want more. ;-)

[mspym]

The "eat your lunch first + drink some water" approach is how I talk myself out of most lunch-purchase impulses. And now I am contemplating making meatballs.