“There’s no such thing
as a free lunch”
– popularised by Milton Friedman, economist
T
he british sandwich Chicken is still the most popular filling in
association (yes, there commercially made sandwiches accounting
is one) has launched a for around 30% of sandwich sales -- using
campaign to encourage the equivalent amount of chicken in weight
people across the uk to to more than 175 fully loaded Jumbo Jets.
‘Love Lunch’ after its research showed That said, other fillings such as cheese,
that almost 60% of adults admit to eating bacon and ham are slowly catching up in
lunch at their desk at least once a week the popularity stakes.
and well over a quarter to taking less than
the legal 20 minute break. Sandwiches and labelling The UK’s top ten favourite
the results of the survey also showed When it comes to a diabetic’s diet, it’s sandwiches (2012):
that people in the south West and Wales helpful if sandwiches are packed in boxes
currently take the shortest average lunch with easy-to-read labels that include carb 1. chicken salad
break and those in scotland and northern content information. bsa Director Jim 2. Prawn mayonnaise
ireland the longest. only a third of us Winship comments, “the british sandwich 3. egg & cress
managing to find somewhere nice to sit association has always encouraged clear 4. bacon & Lettuce+tomato
and relax and enjoy our lunch and over labelling on sandwiches so that consumers 5. mixed selection
20% admitting to often skipping lunch. it can make a reasoned choice. there are 6. chicken & bacon
would appear that the uk is lagging well mixed views about traffic light labelling. The 7. cheese & onion
behind the rest of europe when it comes ec, for example, prefers gDa information 8. tuna+sweetcorn
to lunch breaks. to be given rather than traffic lights as these 9. Ploughman’s
bsa Director Jim Winship explains: can be misleading. 10. chicken & sweetcorn
“While uk employment legislation means “in the case of packaged sandwiches, all
employees are entitled to a minimum of a major retailers provide information either on
20 minutes break if they are working for six the front or back of pack and most provide
hours or more it would seem that people are much more than they are required to as
simply not making the most of the time. We they see it as part of their responsibility to
want to remind people about the benefits of consumers to work with government to
taking time away from their place of work, encourage healthier diets.
grabbing a nutritious lunch and, weather “in the case of foodservice outlets
willing, enjoying some fresh air.” like greggs and Pret a manger, where
sandwiches are made on site by hand, it
Time worth taking is not always possible to provide nutritional
and there is plenty of evidence to support information on pack as there can be
the benefits of taking a proper break for variations in size from one sandwich to the
lunch with some reports even suggesting next. this can affect nutrition levels and,
that the time you spend away from the therefore, makes it difficult to precisely
office is more than compensated for by an label each product. indeed, if they were
increase in productivity in the afternoon. to do so these outlets could be accused
eating any type of meal at lunchtime of misleading consumers if there were
can help keep the metabolism active variations between sandwiches. However,
but some foods clearly pack more of a most retailers who are unable to provide the
nutritional punch than others, with experts guidance information on label – and there is
recommending a combination of complex no legal requirement for foodservice outlets
carbohydrates and lean proteins to help to label – do voluntarily provide guidance on
provide a long-lasting energy source and websites or at point-of-sale.”
stable blood sugars.
the Weight control information network
claims that people who regularly skip meals
tend to weigh more than those that eat regularly. (continued over)