Meals For the Convention / Circuit Assemblies

[Omoyeme]

Over the years (decades for many) we've truly enjoyed our assembly intermissions because they allow Jehovah's people to associate, visit old friends and last but not least -- eat lunch!  Yes, we've been encouraged by the FDS to "keep our meals simple" but for many cultures that may present a challenge, especially those with minor children.

- So, those who prepare your convention lunches, do you prepare/cook the evening before or early in the morning?  (This was my task.)

- Do you take breakfast before you leave for the convention or carry that along with your lunch? 

 

Side question: If you notice someone sitting by themselves and not eating (i.e., having no lunchbag; nor cooler), what would you do?  I ask this because I experienced this a while ago but I'll share that later.  

Edited July 22, 2017 by Omo_Yeme

[vern]

fruit/nutz..... don't eat much.... makes you sleepy.  8D

water....not soda.....

[Thesauron]

Over the years (decades for many) we've truly enjoyed our assembly intermissions because they allow Jehovah's people to associate, visit old friends and last but not least -- eat lunch!  Yes, we've been encouraged by the FDS to "keep our meals simple" but for many cultures that may present a challenge, especially those with minor children.
- So, those who prepare your convention lunches, do you prepare/cook the evening before or early in the morning?  (This was my task.)
- Do you take breakfast before you leave for the convention or carry that along with your lunch? 
 
Side question: If you notice someone sitting by themselves and not eating (i.e., having no lunchbag; nor cooler), what would you do?  I ask this because I experienced this a while ago but I'll share that later.  

It depends on the arena. If the arena has good food facilities, it might be worthwhile to pay for a hit meal. But if not, we always have a light meal, such as a salad, prepared. A nice breakfast with a little yoghurt and/or sandwich at the arena before the program is always better than a hurried breakfast early in the morning, unless you're staying at a hotel with a nice breakfast buffet. If you can prepare a simple meal the day before, or a few days before, it's better than stressing with that on the morning of the convention. Also, some hotels will provide their guests with packed meals.

And, if someone sitting near me doesn't have food, I make sure to share. It will always give you a nice conversation and perhaps a new friend.


Johan

[Skyler]

49 minutes ago, Omo_Yeme said:

Over the years (decades for many) we've truly enjoyed our assembly intermissions because they allow Jehovah's people to associate, visit old friends and last but not least -- eat lunch!  Yes, we've been encouraged by the FDS to "keep our meals simple" but for many cultures that may present a challenge, especially those with minor children.

- So, those who prepare your convention lunches, do you prepare/cook the evening before or early in the morning?  (This was my task.)

- Do you take breakfast before you leave for the convention or carry that along with your lunch? 

 

Side question: If you notice someone sitting by themselves and not eating (i.e., having no lunchbag; nor cooler), what would you do?  I ask this because I experienced this a while ago but I'll share that later.  

 

 

My family and I always have a light, simple breakfast and lunch, and then a larger evening meal. Hotels don't always have refrigeration, so usually it is something shelf stable.

For breakfast, a granola bar, an apple, canned vegetable juice. For lunch, PBJ sandwich, some trail mix, whole wheat crackers, a banana/orange/peach, bottled water.

My friend brought a big restaurant meal purchased that morning. The smell was tempting, but if I eat too much I know I will fall asleep, which, bless her heart, is exactly what she did. 

 

[Qapla]

We drive from home each day so breakfast and supper is not a problem. There are 5 of us.

 

For lunch, we usually eat a sandwich or crackers and meat/cheese. 

 

If I am going to have a sandwich, I keep it simple. If it is lunch meat, I do not put lettuce/tomatoes or even mustard/mayo - those things just make the bread soggy.

 

If it is PBJ, I take the jelly separate and apply it when I eat.

 

For the crackers (Triscuit/Ritz/Waverly) we cut the cheese and meat the day before the Convention and just put it in zip-lock bags. Toss the bags in the cooler and the crackers in a bag.

 

We also take a cooler with water and drinks - all kept cold with the "blue-ice" packs.

 

We keep it simple.

[Vido]

I grew up in a house-hold that prepared a three course meal for the convention lunch ( only).  But we now( my wife and I) make a conscious effort of having  a heavier that usual breakfast  ( buffet or not). This usualy keeps us for the day until dinner....This provides us with an opportune time of socializing with our brothers during lunch.....

[kejedo]

I eat my usual breakfast, which is a spoonful or two of cottage cheese (perhaps with pineapple included) and one cup of coffee. We bring a fresh made-at -home salad for lunch with ice cold water bottles to keep the salad from wilting. The water is usually just cold enough by lunch break and the salad still fresh and edible.  Dinner is generally light, as I am a low-carber ( a slice of cheese, perhaps and maybe a handful of nuts, or a sugar free yogurt), but husb might have a sandwich.   The digestion of spiritual  food is of weightier source. 

[Omoyeme]

10 hours ago, Vido said:

I grew up in a house-hold that prepared a three course meal for the convention lunch ( only).  But we now( my wife and I) make a conscious effort of having  a heavier that usual breakfast  ( buffet or not). This usualy keeps us for the day until dinner....This provides us with an opportune time of socializing with our brothers during lunch.....

Hmm! Large breakfast, forgo lunch, then dinner.  I like that idea. 

[Vido]

14 hours ago, Vido said:

I grew up in a house-hold that prepared a three course meal for the convention lunch ( only).  But we now( my wife and I) make a conscious effort of having  a heavier that usual breakfast  ( buffet or not). This usualy keeps us for the day until dinner....This provides us with an opportune time of socializing with our brothers during lunch.....

Then when you want to socialise, you establish that our brothers are still enjoying their meals.....creates a bit of a predicament....I ussually reserve that time for catching up on my spiritual routine.....or to have a romantic stroll with my wife

[Vido]

4 hours ago, Omo_Yeme said:

Hmm! Large breakfast, forgo lunch, then dinner.  I like that idea. 

Works for me as I am basically a morning, breakfast person

[Sylv]

This year we picked up some prepackaged 7 bean salads from Costco and added some diced barbecued chicken for lunch. Breakfast was picked up and eaten in the car. We left the house at 6 every morning, as our assignment started at 7. As soon as we sat down I ate a granola bar, as I needed a little something to tie me over until lunch.

[Greg Dent]

My wife well I try and help till I get in the way. Make wraps usually a whole wheat tortilla with roasted chicken cheese lettuce and some mustard.  Or a nice ham. I like this. Another say she made a nice greek salad with lots of feta.  Always take nice grapes and cherries like the old days when you could buy the fruit bags Used to love those. I like a can of pepsi for a treat at lunch.  Sometimes she will make a pasta sald with peppers tomatoes red onion cheddar cheese and a nice dressing to put on it. She always makes her one home made dressing. 

[Luezette]

Tuna sandwich. A banana. Yogurt. Water. 

[Qapla]

If you take any of these:

• Peanut Butter (and Jelly - optional)
• Cheese 
• Crackers (Ritz, Triscuits, Wafer, etc)
• Pretzel
• Apple
• Banana
• Water

You do not actually need to take a cooler. Any of these items could easily be placed in a purse or bookbag and eliminate the need for an additional thing to carry.

[walkr2]

If you take any of these:

• Peanut Butter (and Jelly - optional)
• Cheese 
• Crackers (Ritz, Triscuits, Wafer, etc)
• Pretzel
• Apple
• Banana
• Water

You do not actually need to take a cooler. Any of these items could easily be placed in a purse or bookbag and eliminate the need for an additional thing to carry.

And a bottle of water or waters could be room temperature!

[Luezette]

And if you feel a full bottle of water is too heavy, you can always carry an empty bottle and fill it when you get to the assembly hall. Or buy one if you desire. 

Long gone are the days of a cooler (even a small one), with macaroni salad, crackers, etc. Maybe I'm saying all of this because my children are grown, and gone with their own families. 

 

Edited July 31, 2017 by Luezette

[Luezette]

And Greg, I LOVE feta cheese! At Trader Joes, they sale Italian Salad with small slices of feta cheese in it. The only thing is though they sale it by itself, it's only crumbled. I need to find the sliced variety. 

[1gemstone]

I  take a sandwich and two bottles of frozen water, it stays icy cold all day.

[Vinnie]

I try to have a decent breakfast, a light lunch sandwich, fruit and Cookies,(yep I get to have cookies on special occasions) water, moderate supper. I find sitting all day for 3 days is not good for the digestion. Sometimes hard to find a balance.

 

[Tbs77]

For me the same all three days no problem:
Jerky, nuts, water and low cal soda; no carbs for me... I will pass out for afternoon session and then miss my second Attendant assignment! BTW, I got to be @ my first assignment 6:30 this morning! TTYL.....


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[madison]

We like to eat an easy breakfast which is our go too most days of porridge/ rolled oats or overnight oats/ Bircher muesli. (Depending where you are from they are called different things.) If for some reason I am running late getting ready I will take the overnight oats with me and eat when we arrive. My husband is the coffee maker so he makes me a coffee and fills a flask. 

 

I prep food on the Thursday before and usually buy a roast chicken shred it and store in the fridge along with salad ingredients. Then when dinner is over which usually includes roast veg or pasta (I make extra for leftovers) then I set to making the lunch as soon as dinner is over.

I always make our lunch the night before and we usually like salad that has either roast potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, cooked cold pasta mixed with mayo or drained canned beans or chic peas with different things like boiled eggs, tuna or chopped chicken, cherry tomatoes, diced canned beetroot (pack a tea towel for your lap to catch unwanted spills) cucumber, mixed lettuce or baby spinach. You can put your dressing in a little non spill container. Sometimes I make the salad vegan for me if I'm not feeling like anything heavy. Wraps are an easy go to as they keep well if made the night before. By the last day I'm over making salad so we have wraps or chicken, mayo and lettuce rolls.

 

We take extra sandwiches like peanut butter, some bananas, apples or blueberries  to have when the sessions are over as we usually have to stay back for cleaning.

 

If i have time I make muffins, cookies or little cakes to take to share with our friends.

 

Also insulated  water bottles are the best! It keeps your water cold all day, especially good if you happen to leave it in the car. Great for the ministry too!

[Omoyeme]

On 7/30/2017 at 5:51 PM, Luezette said:

Tuna sandwich. A banana. Yogurt. Water. 

 

Luezette Sis, next time you make a tuna sandwich, add some sliced avocado on top.  It's delicious...and filling! 

[nanceebgd46]

How come I never thought of that...hummm...I really like albacore tuna

sandwiches...and I am an avocado aficionado from way back...so I'll

be trying your suggestion...ASAP!