AIBU to think cake is a perfectly good lunch

[Ephiny]

I think this might be my first AIBU.

Basically I'm too lazy to make a packed lunch most days, and anyway most options aren't very appealing. The cafe at work has various sandwiches/wraps and salads, but they aren't great unless you get them on the first day (they sit for 2-3 days) and anyway I'm picky about my food - no meat/fish, no mayonnaise or dressings, no onion, various other things. I usually can't find anything I like and end up just getting a coffee and whatever cake I fancy.

I don't think this is too bad. The coffee is usually a latte, which means protein and calcium, and quite filling. If the cake is a flapjack or something, that's oats for fibre, if it's a muffin with fruit in that's 'healthy'...if it's a pastry, well, I don't know, there's sometimes apple or something in it :) AIBU to think this is actually a perfectly fine lunch, and not less proper or healthy than what other people have just because it's sweet?

But I am embarrassed to tell anyone in real life that this is how I eat, and if I have to I pretend the cake is for dessert not my actual lunch. AIBU?

Yes, YABU. Sugar crash in the afternoon must be a killer.

If you want something cake-ish the very least you could do is get something like a cheese and spinach muffin or a ham and mushroom bagel.

yabu sorry I don't think it is healthy but in my younger days when I first started working my lunch would be a KitKat.

I don't think YABU, as long as you have a good breakfast and dinner with plenty of fruit, veg, protein etc. and no other high sugar foods.

I think YABU if you are trying to persuade yourself that cake is a healthy lunch. However YANBU to have cake for lunch if that's what you want. It won't do you any harm as long as you eat well for your other meals. Why be ashamed, its your body, you can choose to eat whatever you like, from someone who often has chocolate for lunch, with no shame at all

yanbu

I sometimes have cake for breakfast too.

The staff canteen at work does brilliant hot puddings. I quite often jam roly poly or apple crumble with lashings of custard for lunch. A ham sandwich pales into insignificance next to that !

Carbohydrates, protein, fat and sugar. Food of the Gods !

Well I'm sat scoffing a yuel log truffle so probably not the best person to ask

YABU as it's only acceptable if its really goooood cake. None of this flapjack malarky or muffin nonsense.

If you are feeding it to yourself then what business is it of anyone else's? If you are sending your child off to school every day with a lunchbox full of cake then YABU because it clearly isn't a decent lunch.

I like cake though. Especially for lunch

I just had cake mix for lunch :)

But no it's not healthy. But do whatever you like, life is too short anyway.

HoratiaWinwood Perhaps she's fit and healthy enough that her insulin response is good and she doesn't get a sugar crash?

I also wouldn't say that the GI of the bagel or spinach muffin suggestions are sufficiently different to a blueberry muffin to make a difference, and a large latte would modify it considerably anyway.

YABVU. psml at the idea that flapjack is "healthy".
Your current diet might have dire consequences later.

No such thing as healthy and unhealthy food.

No a cake isn't a good lunch, but if you're eating healthily at all your other meals you'll probably be all right.

I also don't see why it would give her a sugar crash.

I think it's healthier than eating a big bready sandwich followed by cake. If I fancied cake for lunch I'd have a salad first (a healthy one, not one covered in creamy dressing or cheese) followed by the cake.

Cake is an acceptable part of a balanced diet! As long as you're not eating crap like chocolate or crisps throughout the rest of the day, a piece of cake isn't going to do you any harm.

No such thing as healthy and unhealthy food.

Sandwiches are often not a very good lunch, nutritionally speaking.

To clarify, I don't think it is a bad lunch sometimes, I think it is a bad usual lunch.

And spinach or mushrooms at least provide nutrition rather than "just" calories.

Maybe I missed the tone of the OP. Maybe I was supposed to say "Great idea! Mine's a chocolate fudge cake!"

No, I wanted genuine opinions, so thank you!

I don't get any sugar crash, and don't really snack during the day (except for fruit when I get home), and my weight is fine.

Obviously don't want any long term bad consequences though...

No fruit or veg in it which to me is a marker of a decent/healthy meal so you are a bit U.

I agree though that it's not really less healthy than a ham and cheese sandwich on white bread, pasty, sausage roll etc which a lot of people would eat at lunch time.

Do you have access to a microwave? Innocent veg pots, fresh soup or similar might be good healthier options... I wouldn't want to eat a 3 day old sandwich either!

Make yourself a sandwich Ephiny

DH does this most days now, it only takes a minute. Then you can have cake on the days when you run out of bread or whatever.

I don't think as a regular, every day thing, it can possibly be healthy, unless you are eating very well at breakfast and dinner to ensure you get all the elements of a balanced diet. Are you?

No. This isn't a good lunch. Your Latte will be high in fat and contain caffeine. The cake will be full of carbs, sugar and fat.
It isn't healthy in the same way as contains dairy so has protein and calcium, and ham and pineapple pizza has fibre , calcium and protein, and is one of your five a day!
Your theory is flawed bollocks. Sorry!

Well I make a fat free reduced sugar fruit cake packed with sultanas and raisins and often have that for breakfast.

However, I think you are scraping the barrel a bit saying latte is your protein and calcium source. I know it's milk, but I wouldn't class it as a "portion" of protein and calcium.

However, a bit of cake for lunch now and then won't hurt, so YANBU.

How long have you been eating just cake & a coffee for lunch Ephiny? If it's been months and months and you haven't noticed any ill effects or weight gain, then you can assume it's fine (can't you? I'm not aware of cake causing long-term health problems except in terms of making you fat.)

Well I make a fat free reduced sugar fruit cake packed with sultanas and raisins and often have that for breakfast.
Erm... do you have any idea how much sugar is in dried fruit?