For the last month I have been preparing training for employees of a large department in a large Midwestern city. I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to put together a successful training initiative, and one of the most important ones is one that is often overlooked: lunch.

People have to eat. People in a windowless room listening to one instructor after another really have to eat. The lunch hour has the opportunity to be the highlight or the hassle. As the instructor, if you make it the highlight, the whole day pans out smoother.