Lunchbox Envy

From the makers of QI and No Such Thing As A Fish: Gastronomically-minded QI researchers Jack Chambers and Manu Henriot join chef and food writer Rosie MacKean to unpack the world of food and drink, one lunchbox at a time.

Can you unboil an egg? Why would you milk a spider? How much Dairy Milk would it take to kill you? Dig in now to get answers to the questions you never knew you had.

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80 episodes
Updated July 26

Episodes80

Newest first

Jun 15, 2025 · 34 min
18: 🫒 Beware The Italian Olive Mafia
What did we use olives for before we ate them? What is the SPF of olive oil? Why should Americans be suspicious of Italian olive oil?
Jun 8, 2025 · 34 min
17: 🥔 A Potato-Only Diet: Surviving Or Thriving?
How do you milk a potato? Can you survive on a potato-only diet? Why do potatoes make daughters-in-law cry?
Jun 1, 2025 · 36 min
16: 🍷 Does More Expensive Wine Actually Taste Better?
Does alcohol actually burn off when you cook with wine? Does more expensive wine actually taste better? How do you take communion in outer space?
May 25, 2025 · 36 min
15: 🧅 The Day Onions Broke Wall Street
Which is the wrong direction to cut onions in? How did Viking doctors use onions to save lives on the operating table? Why do capuchin monkeys go wild over onions?
May 18, 2025 · 37 min
14: 🍋 Your Lemons Might Not Be Vegan
Why might your lemon not be vegan? How does a lemon affect your empathy? Who used lemons as a contraceptive?
May 11, 2025 · 37 min
13: 🍚 Your Rice Might Have Been Farmed By Ducks
Why do risotto spoons have holes in them? Why do rice farmers like ducks swimming in their fields? Why are we all so scared of reheating rice?
May 4, 2025 · 34 min
12: 🥜 The World's Most Average Jar Of Peanut Butter
How can you make peanuts dance? Which insect tastes great with peanut butter? Why is the most expensive jar of peanut butter the most average?
Apr 27, 2025 · 44 min
11: ☕ The Drink That Fuelled The Enlightement
Why should you put salt in your coffee? How does caffeine actually keep us awake? And do we really have coffee to thank for The Enlightenment?
Apr 20, 2025 · 35 min
10: 🥚 Egg Maths Ain't Mathing
What is the deal with egg maths? What can you smuggle inside an egg? And what are green eggs actually eaten with?
Apr 17, 2025 · 8 min
Bonus: 🐣 Happy Easter!
A little extra morsel all about chocolate eggs. Happy Easter!
Apr 13, 2025 · 34 min
9: 🍦Georgian Bread-Flavoured Ice Cream Is Surprisingly Delicious
Why has space ice cream never been to space? What was the World War II substitute for ice cream? How did the Georgians make ice cream out of bread?
Apr 6, 2025 · 33 min
8: 🍅 How Napoleon Invented Tinned Tomatoes
Why do tomatoes taste so much nicer on holiday? How is Napoleon responsible for tinned tomatoes? When do tomatoes scream?
Mar 31, 2025 · 28 min
7: 🧂 The University Paying Its Rent In Pepper
Which peppercorn is good for popping at festivals? Who still pays rent in peppercorns? How do you make a pepper martini?
Mar 24, 2025 · 33 min
6: 🍝 When Colgate Made Lasagna
What went wrong with Beeton’s inedible macaroni? Why did Colgate once sell lasagna? Where does Bologna keep its mysterious Golden Tagliatella?
Mar 17, 2025 · 25 min
5: 🌭 Our Nuclear Submarines Depend On Sausages
What makes sausages sausage-shaped? How can you win a duel armed only with a sausage? What is the worrying sausagey weakness in the UK’s nuclear deterrent?
Mar 10, 2025 · 26 min
4: 🍗 Who Invented The Modern Chicken?
WARNING - BROILERS AHEAD: How many chickens do you eat each year? What's the best way to shuck a chicken oyster? Who invented the frozen chicken?
Mar 3, 2025 · 25 min
3: 🥛 How Do You Milk A Flying Cow?
Why is it so hard to milk a moose? How have we all been duped by Big Milk?
Feb 24, 2025 · 25 min
2: 🍌 The Banana That Went To Alton Towers
Why do we have Alton Towers to thank for the British banana? What's the least appealing peeling technique? What's the most threatening thing you can do with a banana and a biro?
Feb 24, 2025 · 27 min
1: 🧄 Why Won't Ninjas Eat Garlic?
How could garlic breath help win a war? Can you taste garlic with your feet? Does anyone actually follow the recipe-recommended amount of garlic?
Feb 12, 2025 · 40 sec
✨ Introducing Lunchbox Envy!
Join QI's most gastronomically-minded Elves, Manu and Jack along with chef and food writer Rosie MacKean as they unpack the world of food and drink, one lunchbox at a time.

Lunchbox Envy

18: 🫒 Beware The Italian Olive Mafia

17: 🥔 A Potato-Only Diet: Surviving Or Thriving?

16: 🍷 Does More Expensive Wine Actually Taste Better?

15: 🧅 The Day Onions Broke Wall Street

14: 🍋 Your Lemons Might Not Be Vegan

13: 🍚 Your Rice Might Have Been Farmed By Ducks

12: 🥜 The World's Most Average Jar Of Peanut Butter

11: ☕ The Drink That Fuelled The Enlightement

10: 🥚 Egg Maths Ain't Mathing

Bonus: 🐣 Happy Easter!

9: 🍦Georgian Bread-Flavoured Ice Cream Is Surprisingly Delicious

8: 🍅 How Napoleon Invented Tinned Tomatoes

7: 🧂 The University Paying Its Rent In Pepper

6: 🍝 When Colgate Made Lasagna

5: 🌭 Our Nuclear Submarines Depend On Sausages

4: 🍗 Who Invented The Modern Chicken?

3: 🥛 How Do You Milk A Flying Cow?

2: 🍌 The Banana That Went To Alton Towers

1: 🧄 Why Won't Ninjas Eat Garlic?

✨ Introducing Lunchbox Envy!