In many countries, lunch is the main meal of the day. It’s a chance to take a break from the heat (or cold), recharge our metabolism, and socialize before going back to our routines.

But research shows that many Americans don’t take a regular lunch break. And we know packing it for someone else can be quite stressful (see Is There a Dark Side to Those Adorable Bento Boxes?)

The strains of modern life have led many of us—including food writers —to eat hunched over our keyboards alone, looking at Facebook and picking at a Sad Desk Salad. And that may be the saddest thing of all for our mental and physical health.

“Staying inside, in the same location, is really detrimental to