lunchtime blues

i've just started bringing my own bento during lunchtime in order to save money and to avoid the large crowd at our university cafeteria. the problem is, there's always somebody staying at our lounge every time i eat my lunch. normally,i would just say 'let's eat' which in my country doesn't really mean an offer to share your lunch but to excuse you for eating. i've noticed some of my japanese labmates would just eat their food silently but i feel that i am being impolite doing that. being a foreigner, saying itadakimasu at an audible voice so someone will excuse me for eating makes me uncomfortable either. i foresee another bento week by monday so how do i approach this is in a polite way? thanks!

Just say itadakimasu to yourself and eat. Japan is a practical country so no one will even think twice about it.

"Itadakimasu" is a means to express gratitude to mother nature or god or whoever it is up there that provided the food you used for your bento. So some locals would silently put their hands together, as though they are giving a prayer, before they start eating. Why not just do the same?

thanks for your suggestions. i silently pray the grace before meals everytime i eat so uco's suggestion would be great. i have no apprehensions saying 'itadakimasu' whenever i'm with my japanese friends or invited as a guest but it just makes me uncomfortable when i'm eating by myself.

I work at an office a couple of days a week where most people eat at their desks. I never hear anyone say いただきます out loud. As Uco says, say it to yourself and don't worry about the people around you.

Saying itadakimasu isn't really asking to be excused for eating, it's more appreciating that you have food to eat, so you don't need anyone else's input to go with it.