WHo takes lunch?

[booboo]

We don't break for lunch, we all pack our own and just nibble at it through the day as time allows and hunger demands. My own food bag usually has a couple of big PB&J's (good fast and slow energy food actually), granola bars, a couple of apples or oranges, and a handful of mini candy bars (usually Snickers or Baby Ruth, again good fast and slow energy). I like Clif bars a lot too and when I find them for under $1 a bar, I stock up. Also, if there are left over rice and beans in the fridge that's a nice treat. We provide pretty much unlimited water and Gatorade for the whole crew and go through a lot of both.

Then there are "occasional" 12 oz. curls at the "tailgate safety meeting" at the end of the day after everything is parked and put away.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I have to take a lunch break, my body needs to do other things about 20 minutes after I eat something. No way around that. If i do not eat, after around 5 hours I'm not working at my nominal level.

 

[treesandsurf]

A nice rice, bean and cheese burrito with tons of water and maybe an orange + a 20 minute cat nap will keep me going pretty strong in the afternoons. Should be eating a bigger breakfast but I am one of those punch the alarm snooze until ten minutes before I'm out the door kinda people.

jp

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

but I am one of those punch the alarm snooze until ten minutes before I'm out the door kinda people.

My Diane has to leave the house by 5:30, so we are up about an hour early, so i will make her breakfast and lunch. It's usually not worth it to go back to bedby the time she is gone, whatwith the dogs needing to go out a second time right around then.

Though now that I'm cutting back on the caffeine, could probably emulate you if I did

 

[squad143]

Usually I buy a large breakfast in the morning and supply all the Gatorade during the day. I don't like stopping for lunch and working on a full stomach, mid day. My ground worker is the same. When I have to hire extra workers, if they want to stop for lunch, thats fine. Everyone's different.

 

[tree md]

Usually I buy a large breakfast in the morning and supply all the Gatorade during the day. I don't like stopping for lunch and working on a full stomach, mid day. My ground worker is the same. When I have to hire extra workers, if they want to stop for lunch, thats fine. Everyone's different.

Same here, my guys would rather get the work done and knock off early. Especially in the Summer heat. We take our breaks though. Working in hundred degree weather, your body will make you take breaks. Food is there for anyone who wants it but it seldom gets touched when the temps are that hot.

 

[Raymond]

Same here, my guys would rather get the work done and knock off early. Especially in the Summer heat. We take our breaks though. Working in hundred degree weather, your body will make you take breaks. Food is there for anyone who wants it but it seldom gets touched when the temps are that hot.

Call me crazy but I like the heat.
I carry a fresh old towel. It's my buddy in the summer time.

 

[tree md]

Call me crazy but I like the heat.
I carry a fresh old towel. It's my buddy in the summer time.

Yeah, I keep a clean towel and shirt in the truck to change into. I would much rather work at a hundred degrees than in the teens and twenties. I'm one of those tropical white people...

 

[Raymond]

Yeah, I keep a clean towel and shirt in the truck to change into. I would much rather work at a hundred degrees than in the teens and twenties. I'm one of those tropical white people...

Me too. The only thing I hate about the hundreds is when it's over then it's 80's,
then 70's, then 60's, then 50's and before you know it, it's 20 again if we're lucky.
TO SUMMER!

 

[tbstimber]

I think that it depends on the day. If you're working a 4 hour day, you don't need lunch. Eat before and you'll be fine.

If you're working for 12 hours, you can't be runnning saws or climbing thinking about how hungry you are. If you need to eat, just eat. You'll work harder, because you won't focus on being hungry.

 

[TreeClimber57]

I think that it depends on the day. If you're working a 4 hour day, you don't need lunch. Eat before and you'll be fine.

I guess.. if you work a 4 hour day

If you're working for 12 hours, you can't be runnning saws or climbing thinking about how hungry you are. If you need to eat, just eat. You'll work harder, because you won't focus on being hungry.

Agreed!!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Yeah, I keep a clean towel and shirt in the truck to change into. I would much rather work at a hundred degrees than in the teens and twenties. I'm one of those tropical white people...

25-35F is the perfect range for me. it was 75F and humid Friday, and I was feeling it.

I'll keep several tee shirts in the truck to swap out as I go through the day. I love the CamelBak

If you're working for 12 hours, you can't be runnning saws or climbing thinking about how hungry you are. If you need to eat, just eat. You'll work harder, because you won't focus on being hungry.

I need at least one, probably two, potty breaks on those rare days. My usual day is around six hours.

 

[TreeClimber57]

I love the CamelBak

Now that was a sweet invention

 

[Junior_M]

I gotta eat, we stop and eat a breakfast, usually at some place like Mcdonalds or if its a big job we'll go to like Cracker barrel or the local diner and eat a nice good breakfast, gotta have that southern cooking..

As far as lunch, I still gotta eat, if we need to get done, we'll all take a quick break and I'll let them make the decision, usually if we need to get done the guys make the decision to keep working, but if I am hungry and they decide to keep working, I cant do that, I start screwing up and making mistakes and all that does is cost me time and money, the time I cost myself screwing up, I might as well shut the job down and go to lunch.

usually go someplace to eat lunch, again its most the times a fast food or normal sit down restaurant..

 

[Greenstar]

I munch Odwalla bars throughout the day. I usually see them on sale periodically, then buy a hundred, or fifty, or so, just grabbing handfuls and boxes. They fit easily in a pocket to take into the tree with me. Lots of flavors. Keeps my energy and focus up. Plus coffee.

Where do you find them on sale (Odwalla bars)? They are excellent, and this is a very good idea. I think I remember them being expensive however??
How much are they, and how many per day do you generally consume?

Groundman, DAMN MAN! I wish I was that organized. Good stuff man. I was just talking to guys about stalking up with foods and drinks daily, but we just have a regular cab truck with guys crammed in usually. No L-box either. My new truck will have I-box on it, so more room for a cooler and lunchbox or so.

Damn, I'd have to say it varies for us too. Depends on the day/job. Somedays we just wing it. Other days we'll pick up $5 foot longs. Others pizza.. Shyte, yesterday we got sushi in Porter Sq. Cambridge. That was a first, and let me tell u, what a waste of time!! Great stuff, but by the time I was done I had a $17 bill, and we were late for our next job. And I know thats nothing when ur talking sushi, but a little more than I was ready for... one of our guys suggested it.
I like the sit down diner idea. Thats great when days allow that.
It all depends on the day with us! Every job is different. But I will say that I'm more careful with the bigger longer lunches now because I hate to break the stride and rythem of the crew just because one guy is a little hungry. We have no set time.

Peace

 

[TreeClimber57]

I like the sit down diner idea. Thats great when days allow that. It all depends on the day with us! Every job is different. But I will say that I'm more careful with the bigger longer lunches now because I hate to break the stride and rythem of the crew just because one guy is a little hungry. We have no set time. Peace

Bigger lunches, sit down ?? I have never done that. Now when I used to drive bigger trucks then I would take a cat nap when time allowed Used to grab a quick lunch my wife made up, and then snooze for a few minutes -- rarely more than 1/2hr though for both (except in winter maybe would stretch out a bit)

Now I usually have my Jeep on job site and it is tough to nap in that

 

[Mapleman]

I eat a very big breakfast and then skip lunch. If I eat lunch, I get groggy and want to take a nap at sixty feet. That usually is not too good for production work. If I'm running a big crew, I'll break them at noon and let them do what they want until one. For me, I can leave home at 156 pounds and return at 152. Great fun, tree work.

Ditto,

My weight varies between 153 and 157. I can easily drop four pounds in a day during the summer. When I do eat lunch, and it's not sent up in a bag, I find the hardest part of the day is the afternoon re-climb. My philosophy has always been if I'm in the zone, keep on rockin'--why mess with it.

When I eat during the work day, I try to keep it light. Exceptions are the cold-weather months and if I'm working a 'cane down south in really humid weather. A two-hour break in the Golden Coral between 1 and 3 can really even out those 12 to 14 hour days and boost crew morale.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

I can easily drop four pounds in a day during the summer.

I think that is called dehydration.

 

[asthesun]

I think that is called dehydration.

i saw the show about the guy who has swam the english channel a few times. he fattens up before he goes and then loses like 10 lbs in the several hours it takes to cross. once all your fuel burns up and you feel like passing out, just keep going a little more and you'll start burning pure fat. 'the wall'

 

[Mapleman]

I think that is called dehydration.

JP

I drink plenty of water. I have a very high matabolism. If I eat a light breakfy and skip lunch, I drop 3-4 lbs. no matter how much water I drink--go figure...