The lunchtime dilemma

The lunchtime dilemma seems to have defined this summer. Here's some necessary background information to fully understand the extent of this complex issue:

• My job is awesome, but technically I'm an intern and thus get paid by the hour. Going out for lunch is a double whammy since I have to log my lunchtime hours. Spending money and getting docked pay?! Bogus.
• I would still be bothered even if I didn't have to take off for my lunchtime hours since I can bring food from home for free (the perk to the downside of living with your parents). I want to be saving money at the moment, not spending it.
  
• Beyond this, I have lots of food issues:
1. I keep kosher, so I don't eat meat in restaurants. For argument's sake I am a vegetarian. My coworkers love to go to places like this Brazilian buffet where they all get meat on a stick? I don't know, I didn't ask.... ["Everyday we serve fine meats from a rotisserie machine cut to your order"]
2. I am lactose intolerant. Eliminate pizza, much Italian food, etc.
   
3. I like menus that include the words healthy, natural, unprocessed, organic, vegetarian. As proven by the meat on a stick and my coworkers' excitement over places like Ruby Tuesdays, we are clearly on different pages.
4. I prefer my own food damnit.
   

There might be more factors, but I think that is a general overview.

So I bring my lunch to work everyday (see every point above for reasons why) but it seems that 85% of the time my coworkers are going out to lunch. Now, they are very endearing in that they consistently ask me if I want to come and express dismay when I reject them day in and day out. I do *occasionally* go out when it's celebratory or when they manage to choose places that don't have salad as their only non-meat/healthy option (I am not paying/losing my salary for a proteinless $5+ salad) like when we went out for burritos (mmm) at a place that had tofu on the menu! But let me tell you the stress that went into that choice as my coworker Joe and I attempted to rack our brains for a place that all parties involved would be happy.

The best thing, though, was when everyone went out to a place my coworkers call the Turkey Farm. This place used to be an actual turkey farm, and now is surrounded by suburban condos. The menu is meat meat meat (fine, they have vegetable quiche) BUT they have picnic tables outside! Perfect happy medium: my coworkers get to spend money on meat, and I get to join them, outside the office, in the sunshine, but eating my own free, yummy, healthy, non-stomach-hurting sandwich!

OK, so in retrospect the issue doesn't seem as bad as it was when I started work and really wanted to be social and get to know my coworkers. But still, it has been the topic of many conversations amongst me and my friends. And I can't knock my coworkers completely, because on days when we all eat in the office kitchen we watch Jeopardy and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and make fun of the contestants. A girl can only complain so much...