Eat to the beat: the Lunchman

In a fit of new year thriftiness I've been bringing in my sandwiches everyday. Blimey, it's been dull. I've been trying to use up a vat of homemade chutney, and the cheese and chutney combo every single day hasn't been doing much to lift the January blues.

I can't help feeling that lunchtime would be that bit more exciting with the help of the Lunchman. As the name might suggest, it's a lunchbox in the shape of a walkman. In terms of nostalgia, the walkman is probably where it's at for me - bringing back fond memories of skipping to school listening to my cassettes of Betty Boo, Beats International and Technotronic, all taped off the top 40.

Though my main contact with cheese is now primarily as a food type, rather than a musical genre, the Lunchman has the same potential to get me skipping off to work (or at least a bit chirpier about lunchtime) as my tapes did back then. And, as it costs just £6.50, I might actually be able to afford it before January payday too.

The lunchman is available from Culture Label. Invest in Hanna Melin's tea towel too and you've surely got the perfect mix taped.