Whether you work from home or leave the house to get to the office, we all need good fuel to get us through the day.

A nice lunch isn’t just nutritional, it gives us something to look forward to and splits the day up nicely especially if you aren’t able to grab a snack while working.

Do you have a favourite lunch time meal that brightens your day no matter what?

National Sandwich Day is Wednesday November 3.

Moneypenny conducted a study of 1,000 UK office workers where they asked them all about their work lunch.

The survey was conducted by OnePoll between 24/09/2021 to 30/09/2021, surveying 1000 UK office workers aged 18 or over.

The top three lunches were a packed lunch in first place, leftovers in second and a meal deal came in third place.

The survey found that 42% of the nation’s go to work lunch is a packed lunch and 53 per cent of those who take food from home to their work place for lunch are aged 55 or over.  

Having said this, meal deals are preferred by some of us with a fifth of UK workers choosing them over other lunch options. Men (28%) and Gen Z (34%) are more likely to opt for a meal deal.

Up to an average of £15 to £20 a week is spent on buying meal deals since a quarter of the respondents said so.

The survey also found out which shop is the most popular choice for UK workers.

A third of workers told Moneypenny choose to go to Tesco the most, making it the UK’s favourite place to pick up lunch.

Greggs came in second place according to the survey with 30% saying they get their lunch from the bakery. It’s the most popular place to get lunch for workers over the age of 55 since a third said so.

The Leader: A sandwich (Canva)A sandwich (Canva)

Others included with 22% and Sainsbury’s with 21%.

Going to a local delicatessen is where 18% prefer to go to buy their work lunch and 17% said Costa Coffee was their go to place.

Asda was preferred by 16% and Pret A Manger by 16% too.

The majority of Gen Z, 41%, said they get their lunch from Starbucks which was more than any other age group.

Moneypenny also asked the workers about their treat lunches and if they think healthy eating is a priority.

Some, 32%, said they never have a treat lunch but having said this, 4% said their week starts with a treat lunch on a Monday.

The survey’s results showed that the least likely to enjoy a treat lunch is the older generations with 44% saying so.

Moneypenny also found out that 32% said they think their appetite increased when working from home and 60% said they tend to eat their lunch at their desk.

 

It also found that 36% eat in their living room while 28% prefer to eat in their kitchen or dining room.

Opting for a healthier option three times a week is what just under half, 47%, choose to do and a quarter said they are somewhat productive after lunch.

Healthier food makes a third of UK workers more productive, they said.

Ceri Henfrey, Chief Operating Officer at Moneypenny said: “Looking after our brains whilst at work is more than just taking a quick break from looking at screens.

“Putting the right things into our bodies that promote relaxation and also productivity is so important to having a good day at work.

“We hope that the nutritionist’s advice and our findings will prompt a discussion into the UK taking better care of themselves during their lunch break.”

If you’d like to see the report in full, you can visit Moneypenny’s website.