This week’s Girl Talk Thursday is about food and cheap meals and eating under $10. Which is pretty much what I always do when I’m working. I’m a big fan of the one pot meal. Sunday happens and I throw a bunch of stuff in a pot. The end result is a chili or a stir fry or stew or soup or something that reheats well and can sit in my fridge for a week. I do a lot of stir frying when I’m cooking for myself. Some veggies, tofu, rice if I’m ambitious. It’s all pretty simple and meat isn’t involved so generally it stays low cost.

This week however I am not cooking. I’m currently working and therefore I’m being fed. Lunch is a big deal on set. People LOVE their food. I’ve already had to do two lunch runs today alone. First was for some stunt guys with an early call. Went to a local restaurant, picked up some burgers and a couple of Arnold Palmers, and that was lunch. Second was a McD’s order for an actor. Big Mac, no onions. Easy.

My lunch today came off of a truck. Veggie burger topped with guac, side of french fries. Most amazing Mango & Mint smoothie ever. Actually, I think I have more smoothie in the fridge. Mmmm… smoothie…

My lunch was actually the crew’s breakfast. Working in the office I’m on a different schedule than everyone else. While we may be shooting nights, all of our vendors still have normal business hours. The office needs to be open when they are. Our staff of four is currently working split shifts. Our coordinator and other PA are on the early shift working 8 AM to roughly 8 PM. The assistant coordinator and myself are on the late shift. Our call is 10 AM and we’ve been going until 11 PM or so (last night was nuts and we didn’t finish until after midnight). Crew call however isn’t until 5 PM and catering works around that. They started serving “breakfast” at 3:30 and that’s when we had our lunch (minus the other PA who I made order something at 1 when I was grabbing the stunt guys orders). I was almost there until they served “lunch” tonight and considered staying. But I was tired. And not really hungry. Bed sounded like a much nicer option.

I was also eating from crafty all damn day. Fruit, nuts, the smoothie, chocolate… I had a bagel in the morning… COFFEE. So. Much. Coffee.

I didn’t need anymore food tonight.

This show is a little different than a lot of the shows I’ve worked on in that our office is right next to the stage so we do have access to craft service and catering. On a lot of productions the office will be located somewhere other than where shooting is taking place. When that happens we’re on our own for food. We stock our own kitchens, buy our own lunches. I’m getting spoiled here. I like it.

Oh man, yesterday at lunch they had this cucumber and dill salad… It was so damn good. The veggie options have been a little sparse on this show but they’re doing okay. I’m eating plenty. And a lot of it has been YUM.

I’m going to gain twenty pounds by the end of this week. I know it. Ah well, isn’t that like storing fat to get through the winter or something? After this week I’m back to unemployment and fending for myself. My meal options will be getting much slimmer. Back to the toast and hummus for me!