Many friends and family members asked me what I have for my lunch. The office building has a modest and very clean cafeteria (can seat 50 to 100 people) offering sandwiches, wraps, soup, salad bar, rice meal,

• I tried the salad bar a few times. I pick the healthy veggie + nuts + beans + dried/fresh fruit + egg white. I think it’s USD 7 per pound, but I only spent $3. Enough for me.
• I tried the creamy soup. It goes well with my bread.
• I have not tried the rice meal with 2 dishes (meat or veggie) costing $7. I feel it’s not good value for money.

There’s a Chinese restaurant 3 minutes bike ride away from office. USD 7 can get a rice set with a meat/seafood. Size is too heavy for me.

There’s a Subway restaurant about 4 minutes bike ride away from office. USD 5 can get a half-foot sandwich. Healthy and not too heavy.

I can also bring sliced bread from home. I can also slice my own onion and tomato. I have clean, washed lettuce in office. I could bring some cheese slices and ham. Can make a sandwich myself.

I can also bring pizza from home and reheat in the microwave. I find pizza too fatty.

#1 lesson — I find it cheaper and healthier to bring from home my “grain” food like pre-cooked rice, sliced bread, wrap, naan. These grain food can supplement the soup or salad from the cafeteria.