I’m a Lunchabaholic.

I buy Lunchables. Lunchables, or their generic counterpart, are little packages that have five round crackers, five little round pieces of lunchmeat, five little baby slices of cheese, and sometimes cookies and a drink. They cost about $1.50 each; sometimes I get them on sale for less.  But when you think about it, the price is outrageous for what you get.

I know better. I know if I just bought a whole package of crackers and a whole package of lunchmeat, I could get the same stuff for less than fifty cents. The Scotch blood in me makes me cringe every time I pile them into my grocery basket.

Yes, I buy them partly for the convenience of it all.  But it’s really deeper than that.  There’s something about having a divided tray filled with matching food that’s hard to define.  All I know is it’s somewhat nostalgic and really fun to eat. So, when the Scotchman in me is arguing not to buy them, the kid in me always wins.

I think it started with elementary school. Back in my day, we had lunch trays that were divided into different sections. You got a main course in the big part; some veggies were in a smaller section.  Then there was a dessert in a square in the upper left corner, and another square on the other corner that fit a half-pint of milk perfectly.  A long section for your silverware went down the left side. The food wasn’t that great, but we all loved those trays.

By the time I had young children, they had done away with divided trays at school in favor of easier-to-clean flat trays.  How sad.  But I found some brightly colored ones at the store one day and, in a weak moment, bought a stack of ten for home.

We have used them for years now, and I plan to use them for my grandchildren then the time comes.  They are nearly priceless.

My kids always loved them. There are five sections, and I would have to come up with exactly five things to put in them.  I learned pretty quickly that if I only had four things and placed the trays in front of them, they’d get looks on their faces like, “There’s an empty spot here … I can’t eat this!”  So, I’d open a box of raisins or something and fill up the last spot.  It was fun for me, too.

Whoever invented Lunchables must have gone to elementary school in my era. Four cubbyholes; four kinds of food. Five cubbyholes; five kinds of food. The fact that they’ve cut the meat round to match the crackers is an added bonus. And they’re stacked neatly in little round partitions.  They’re just too cute.

So, by now you have probably figured out that although I claim I buy them for my children, I love those Lunchables. I love the round meat and I love getting two cookies for dessert. And yes, I love not having to stuff away after lunch.

Call me an idiot. Call me a pushover. Call me a sentimental old fool. Call me lazy. I don’t care.

I’ll look you square in the eye and proudly exclaim, “My name is Sarah and I’m a Lunchabaholic and proud of it!”