You Need a Desk Lemon

I never managed to master the desk lunch when I worked in an office. No matter what I packed, the meal felt joyless and utilitarian under the fluorescent lights. Beyond the lighting, and lack of windows, the main issue I ran into is that no matter what I packed—salad, sandwich, or bowl—the fresh flavors always tasted a little muted. But even the saddest work lunch can be perked up al desk-o—all you need is a desk lemon.

A desk lemon, you might have guessed, is a lemon you keep in your desk. Unpeeled lemons do quite well without any refrigeration, so you can bring a few in on Monday and use them up throughout the week. You’ll also need a small knife of some kind and—if you want to get real fancy with it—a mini microplane. (The latter may get you slightly teased by your officemates, depending on the office culture.)

Once you have a desk lemon, I think you’ll find multiple ways for it to brighten your day. For example:

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• Start your day with a cup of hot tea (or hot water) with a fresh squeeze of lemon.

• Perk up your tuna, chicken, or pasta salad with a squeeze of juice and pinch of zest (if you go the microplane route).

• Harness the power of two acids by squeezing fresh lemon juice on your salad.

• Punch up a sad take-out grilled chicken sandwich or chicken Caesar wrap.

• Add a bit of brightness to a bland fruit salad.

If, as you near the end of the workday, you find yourself with a good amount of lemon left, just slice it up and plunk it in your water bottle. I don’t know about you, but I’m much more likely to drink water if tastes like something, especially if that something is a fresh and juicy lemon.