Like many people, I hate being rushed so early in the morning. I want to take that extra minute lying down awake in bed, turn on the TV, and have yogurt with fresh fruits, just before dressing up and getting ready for a busy day ahead. If given the time (or at instances when I couldn’t sleep), I’d even casually prepare my baon and perhaps a hearty breakfast as well. But for those days when such indulgences just wouldn’t do, I still get to take my sweet time as I know I can rely on any of these three convenient food packs perfect for that all-important power lunch.
Go Frozen
You can save that trip to the grocery for another day and head to the nearby Marks & Spencer branch as they now offer frozen meals that you can just easily blast in the microwave and consequently have a classic Italian dish or a spicy Asian entre in mere minutes. They are all free of artificial coloring and flavoring and so each pack guarantees nothing but authentic flavors and aroma. From appetizing Bacon and Sausage Rolls to mains like chicken kiev, vegetable curry, and chicken tikka masala to desserts such as chocolate fudge pudding and apple crumble, this gastronomic range would make your office lunches (and TV dinners) a resto-worthy one.
Go Green
I was not big on veggie salads, that is, until I got hooked on Goolai. And I blame it all on the perfect mix of ingredients and delicious dressings, which accompany each filling pack. Forego the boring Caesar salad and Thousand Island dressings and try Goolai’s cranberry, strawberry, poppyseed, mango, creamy onion, Tex mex, honey lime, avocado, and garlic Parmesan dressings, just to name a few. Its variety of lettuces, which include romaine, red rapid, iceberg and lollo rosa, all come from their hydrophonic farms in Tagaytay and Cavite. And they really seem to know their salads as each pack contains the right mix of ingredients, which often incorporate sliced fruits, nuts and the protein.
Go Gourmet
If you don’t have the time and money to take a break and have lunch in a restaurant, then why not just bring the same fine dining dishes to the office with you? La Cuisine Francaise makes that possible by having French and Mediterranean fare to go. Favorites such as the tabboule salad, vegetable or beef lasagna, chicken tapenade, mushroom quiche, roast pork, beef paupiette, and lamb moussaka are on hand and ready for take out anytime of day. You can even grab a pear and almond tart while you’re at it and make lunch as gourmet as it can be. Opting for La Cuisine Francaise’s packed foods will not only save you from the lunch traffic but also from the service charge!
Marks & Spencer is exclusively distributed by Rustan Marketing Specialists, Inc. The frozen food line is available at Greenbelt 5, Glorietta 4, Shangri-La Mall, Gateway, Alabang Town Center, Trinoma, Megamall, Mall of Asia, SM Pampanga, Marquee Mall, Ayala Cebu, Robinson’s Place Malate, and SM North Edsa.
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Goolai is located at Shoppersville Greenhills. The salads are also available in most Rustan’s supermarkets, Landmark, Metro Market, some Robinson’s supermarkets, and Unimart.
La Cuisine Francaise is located at the ground floor of Paseo Parkview Condominiums, Sedeno corner San Agustin Streets, Salcedo Village, Makati. Tel. nos.: 8932072 and (0918)9246405.