Do you take an apple to work as part of your lunch? If the answer is yes, do you actually eat it?
People on TikTok are discovering they all have the same lunchtime habit, and a nutritionist has explained why.
People all have the same lunch habit
TikTok users are sharing videos of themselves taking an apple on its “daily trip” out of the house before returning it at the end of the day.
Turns out, everyone does the same thing. You put the apple in your lunch bag in the morning, but don’t actually eat it.
So, you put it back in the fridge in the evening and repeat the same thing the next day until you eventually take a bite – or throw it away.
“This is the most relatable thing I’ve seen,” one person said.
Another said: “Why are we all living the same life.”
“I call it taking the groceries for a field trip,” someone else added.
So, why do we all do it?
Why people don’t eat their apples
We asked dietician Michelle Routhenstein why people never eat their apples, and she told The Focus it could be due to the fact it’s not very practical to eat.
“Most people have good intentions when it comes to healthy eating, but do not follow through due to various factors such as time constraints, social and meeting setting etiquette, or simply forgetting about the apple in the midst of a busy day,” she said.
While they are easily portable, crunching into the fruit isn’t a viable option when stuck in meetings or trying to eat by a computer. Finger food like cucumber slices, bell pepper strips or carrot sticks could be a better option.
How to make apples more interesting
Another nutritionist, Emily Van Eck, said it’s the lack of creativity and “black and white thinking” into what being healthy actually means that’s the issue.
“We often fall into the trap of thinking that being healthy with food means not adding sauces, dips, or other things that add calories. But added calories, fat, and protein is also added energy, vitamins, minerals, and satisfaction,” she said.
So, people aren’t eating their apples because they find them boring. Livening it up could be the key to enjoying the fruit, using other ingredients to turn it into something you actually want to eat.
For some, simply cutting the apple up into bite-sized pieces could make it more appetizing. You could also take a little tub of peanut butter or almond butter on the side to dip it into.
Apples also pair well with cheddar cheese, orange marmalade and plain yogurt – or even just a little sprinkle of cinnamon could add that extra flavor you need.
If it’s the browning that’s putting you off, squeezing some lemon juice over your apple slices will stop them from turning brown.
Michelle Routhenstein is a Preventive Cardiology Dietitian and Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in heart disease management and prevention. She holds a Master of Science Degree in Clinical Nutrition and completed her nutrition dietetic training residency at New York University.
Emily Van Eck is a registered dietitian and certified intuitive eating counselor with a private practice based in Austin, Texas. She has a Master of Science in Human Nutrition from Texas State University and specializes in eating disorders, body image, and hormone health.
