Stinking up the office
noel2fit
Posts: 235 Member
As I heated up my salmon in the microwave, and sat down in my cubicle for lunch I started to wonder: Am I the smelly kid?
As my diet has been changing from M&Ms to boiled eggs for snack, I'm wondering if I'm starting to bother the people around me. Has anyone else run into this? What's the etiquette for eating healthy (and pungent) food at work? Eating at my desk is sometimes required. What are some good healthy snacks that will bother my neighbors less than boiled eggs and beef jerky?
Or do you just bust open your can of tuna and let the neighbors deal? Weight loss > smelliness?
As my diet has been changing from M&Ms to boiled eggs for snack, I'm wondering if I'm starting to bother the people around me. Has anyone else run into this? What's the etiquette for eating healthy (and pungent) food at work? Eating at my desk is sometimes required. What are some good healthy snacks that will bother my neighbors less than boiled eggs and beef jerky?
Or do you just bust open your can of tuna and let the neighbors deal? Weight loss > smelliness?
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Replies
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We make disgruntled faces at people who heat up fish of any kind in the office microwave.
Cold fish (lox, shrimp salad, tuna salad) is not a problem. If I know I have to eat at my desk that day I bring in a sandwich, nothing that requires heating. I just think it's good manners to keep food with strong odors in the kitchen.0 -
No offense, but smelly food heated in the office is one of my worst pet peeves. A boiled egg snack probably wouldn't bother me, but if you're heating up seafood/fish or anything really smelly, it can be very offensive. I'm not sure what type of environment you work in, but it can be a huge turn-off for customers too. I tend to stick with soups, salads, or other things that aren't really pungent. If you're looking for protein, my snacks are usually nuts, cheese, greek yogurt, or fruit. I would save the salmon for dinner at home unless you're going to eat it cold.0
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HA! I LOVE this explanation! Smelly kid !!! I've often wondered that same thing! We have a break room at work where everyone eats, so I do pick and choose when to eat at my desk (tuna lettuce wrap days, for example) or in there. But most of the time, people don't really care about the smell of your food unless it's seriously bad. And in that case, just apologize, move to your desk, and smile to yourself because you could have just as easily brought fries for lunch. Keep it up! 0
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Absolutely no fish in the office microwave unless you like ackward meetings with HR. Our Union even got involved in a microwave fish issue in my office. It was messy.0
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I bring my own, healthy meals and snacks, so I applaud your effort. But no, you cannot heat up salmon in the shared microwave or eat it at your desk. Sorry, but no. You can eat it cold or bring in something that isn't smelly. Hard boiled eggs are a little less offensive but still not great. We once had a guy at work who ate them at his desk all day long. Thankfully I sit on the other end of the office, but if I sat next time it would have been a problem.0
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I am the smelly kid and sorry, not sorry. I love sardines (though I haven't eaten them in a while), salmon, and tuna.0
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Pfffft. I say go for it. I have eaten salmon, eggs, tuna, etc. at my desk and no one has complained about it. I don't appreciate having to smell my neighbour's french fries when I'm trying to avoid them, but I'm not about to ask him or her to change their diet because of my nose.0
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We have offices with enough space between them that eating at your desk won't really bother anyone. I have people that drift in for the popcorn when they smell it though...
We also have a kitchen/break room, and I smell all kinds of things coming out of there (good or bad). I'm sort of with the mindset that it's my diet and I want to be happy with it. If I had a job where I could not leave for work for lunch on a regular basis, you can bet I'd pack whatever I'd otherwise have to eat there. I don't want to default to something I don't want just because it has less of a smell. I tend to be really selfish when it comes to my food/weight loss in general though.0 -
Katiebear_81 wrote: »Pfffft. I say go for it. I have eaten salmon, eggs, tuna, etc. at my desk and no one has complained about it. I don't appreciate having to smell my neighbour's french fries when I'm trying to avoid them, but I'm not about to ask him or her to change their diet because of my nose.
This is my thinking also. People bring in yummy things all the time without any warning (meaning I've already planned my day and I don't want to change everything up to fit in a small portion of a calorie-dense treat). I have to sit here and smell that for a few hours while trying to avoid it. They can deal with the occasional hard boiled egg or whatever.0 -
I used to work in an open plan office with mostly Indian and Sri Lankan colleagues. The smell of their lunch used to make me really hungry! I love stinky food...
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Katiebear_81 wrote: »Pfffft. I say go for it. I have eaten salmon, eggs, tuna, etc. at my desk and no one has complained about it. I don't appreciate having to smell my neighbour's french fries when I'm trying to avoid them, but I'm not about to ask him or her to change their diet because of my nose.
This is my thinking also. People bring in yummy things all the time without any warning (meaning I've already planned my day and I don't want to change everything up to fit in a small portion of a calorie-dense treat). I have to sit here and smell that for a few hours while trying to avoid it. They can deal with the occasional hard boiled egg or whatever.
That's not the same thing as bringing in something that smells awful and makes people gag. I love salmon, but would throw up if someone peeled hard boiled eggs next to me. I guess by your reasoning the whole office would have to suck it up and smell my puke because it's my body.0 -
If you have to microwave fish, after your food is done microwave a cup of water with a tablespoon or two of lemon juice until the water boils. Let sit for a minute or two then wipe the microwave down with a paper towel. It gets rid of the fishy smell. I realize all these steps are a pain, but it's better than having your coworkers complain to HR that it smells. It also works for burnt popcorn smell, FYI.
Another option is to make your fish the night before, and eat it cold on a sandwich or in a salad for lunch the next day. With hardboiled eggs, I would peel them before work and keep them in a little ziplock bag, it's usually the peeling process that smells.0 -
dahhhhhling wrote: »If you have to microwave fish, after your food is done microwave a cup of water with a tablespoon or two of lemon juice until the water boils. Let sit for a minute or two then wipe the microwave down with a paper towel. It gets rid of the fishy smell. I realize all these steps are a pain, but it's better than having your coworkers complain to HR that it smells. It also works for burnt popcorn smell, FYI.
Another option is to make your fish the night before, and eat it cold on a sandwich or in a salad for lunch the next day. Same with hard boiled eggs.
Now that is a good compromise.0 -
Katiebear_81 wrote: »Pfffft. I say go for it. I have eaten salmon, eggs, tuna, etc. at my desk and no one has complained about it. I don't appreciate having to smell my neighbour's french fries when I'm trying to avoid them, but I'm not about to ask him or her to change their diet because of my nose.
This is my thinking also. People bring in yummy things all the time without any warning (meaning I've already planned my day and I don't want to change everything up to fit in a small portion of a calorie-dense treat). I have to sit here and smell that for a few hours while trying to avoid it. They can deal with the occasional hard boiled egg or whatever.
That's not the same thing as bringing in something that smells awful and makes people gag. I love salmon, but would throw up if someone peeled hard boiled eggs next to me. I guess by your reasoning the whole office would have to suck it up and smell my puke because it's my body.
Uh, no. That was not my reasoning at all, actually.
As I said in a previous post, I don't work "next" to anyone. I don't peel hard boiled eggs "next" to anyone. I have a private office that is sectioned off from my coworkers down the hall. They smell my popcorn because I have to microwave it in the kitchen/break room. They don't smell the eggs with the exception of me taking them from the fridge and walking them to my office. I have the ability to be a little more "whatever" about it, because I'm not really bothering anyone.
That being said, I've smelled plenty of "normal" things that make me feel nauseated. Should I inform the coworker who is making widely-loved meatballs in the crockpot to share that she needs to stop because the smell of ketchup warming up makes me vomit? Probably not.
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I actually had to take office etiquette training for my job. I remember this was brought up specifically, don't eat pungent food at your desk. I don't really considered boiled eggs pungent though.
Just talk to your co-workers and ask if it bothers them.0 -
Katiebear_81 wrote: »Pfffft. I say go for it. I have eaten salmon, eggs, tuna, etc. at my desk and no one has complained about it. I don't appreciate having to smell my neighbour's french fries when I'm trying to avoid them, but I'm not about to ask him or her to change their diet because of my nose.
This is my thinking also. People bring in yummy things all the time without any warning (meaning I've already planned my day and I don't want to change everything up to fit in a small portion of a calorie-dense treat). I have to sit here and smell that for a few hours while trying to avoid it. They can deal with the occasional hard boiled egg or whatever.
That's not the same thing as bringing in something that smells awful and makes people gag. I love salmon, but would throw up if someone peeled hard boiled eggs next to me. I guess by your reasoning the whole office would have to suck it up and smell my puke because it's my body.
Uh, no. That was not my reasoning at all, actually.
As I said in a previous post, I don't work "next" to anyone. I don't peel hard boiled eggs "next" to anyone. I have a private office that is sectioned off from my coworkers down the hall. They smell my popcorn because I have to microwave it in the kitchen/break room. They don't smell the eggs with the exception of me taking them from the fridge and walking them to my office. I have the ability to be a little more "whatever" about it, because I'm not really bothering anyone.
That being said, I've smelled plenty of "normal" things that make me feel nauseated. Should I inform the coworker who is making widely-loved meatballs in the crockpot to share that she needs to stop because the smell of ketchup warming up makes me vomit? Probably not.
I'm speaking in general terms about office etiquette, since this is what OP asked. Not your specific environment. No, you don't need to inform your coworker anything. We're talking about what is the responsibility of the smelly eater, not the one who is offended.0 -
WickedPineapple wrote: »I actually had to take office etiquette training for my job. I remember this was brought up specifically, don't eat pungent food at your desk. I don't really considered boiled eggs pungent though.
Just talk to your co-workers and ask if it bothers them.
That's a good idea to talk to your coworkers. Maybe you'll get to talking about fish recipes and everyone will start bringing fish. Win!
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A related question: if weight loss is more important than etiquette, does that mean it's appropriate to run for an hour on your lunch break and return a sweaty mess without showering? Of course it's not appropriate.0
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As I heated up my salmon in the microwave, and sat down in my cubicle for lunch I started to wonder: Am I the smelly kid?
As my diet has been changing from M&Ms to boiled eggs for snack, I'm wondering if I'm starting to bother the people around me. Has anyone else run into this? What's the etiquette for eating healthy (and pungent) food at work? Eating at my desk is sometimes required. What are some good healthy snacks that will bother my neighbors less than boiled eggs and beef jerky?
Or do you just bust open your can of tuna and let the neighbors deal? Weight loss > smelliness?
greek yogurt
cottage cheese
nuts
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you are the smelly kid and it would be an office no no to do that
it's considered rude.
popcorn is ok. fish is not. eggs are questionable
save the smelly food for home0 -
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you are the smelly kid and it would be an office no no to do that
it's considered rude.
popcorn is ok. fish is not. eggs are questionable
save the smelly food for home
Popcorn is okay as long as you monitor it and make sure it doesn't burn. Once it burns, it can be smellier than fish.
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WickedPineapple wrote: »I actually had to take office etiquette training for my job. I remember this was brought up specifically, don't eat pungent food at your desk. I don't really considered boiled eggs pungent though.
Just talk to your co-workers and ask if it bothers them.
Agreed. It's best to be gracious and respectful of others. And pay attention. They may not say it bothers them, but if you microwave your salmon and you see bad reactions on their faces, then it's a no-go.0 -
Katiebear_81 wrote: »Pfffft. I say go for it. I have eaten salmon, eggs, tuna, etc. at my desk and no one has complained about it. I don't appreciate having to smell my neighbour's french fries when I'm trying to avoid them, but I'm not about to ask him or her to change their diet because of my nose.
This is my thinking also. People bring in yummy things all the time without any warning (meaning I've already planned my day and I don't want to change everything up to fit in a small portion of a calorie-dense treat). I have to sit here and smell that for a few hours while trying to avoid it. They can deal with the occasional hard boiled egg or whatever.
That's not the same thing as bringing in something that smells awful and makes people gag. I love salmon, but would throw up if someone peeled hard boiled eggs next to me. I guess by your reasoning the whole office would have to suck it up and smell my puke because it's my body.
Uh, no. That was not my reasoning at all, actually.
As I said in a previous post, I don't work "next" to anyone. I don't peel hard boiled eggs "next" to anyone. I have a private office that is sectioned off from my coworkers down the hall. They smell my popcorn because I have to microwave it in the kitchen/break room. They don't smell the eggs with the exception of me taking them from the fridge and walking them to my office. I have the ability to be a little more "whatever" about it, because I'm not really bothering anyone.
That being said, I've smelled plenty of "normal" things that make me feel nauseated. Should I inform the coworker who is making widely-loved meatballs in the crockpot to share that she needs to stop because the smell of ketchup warming up makes me vomit? Probably not.
I'm speaking in general terms about office etiquette, since this is what OP asked. Not your specific environment. No, you don't need to inform your coworker anything. We're talking about what is the responsibility of the smelly eater, not the one who is offended.
You responded to me, specifically, about a specific scenario I proposed.
The reaction of the offended relates to this topic, so I don't see why it can't be brought up?
OP DID ask what we would do personally. I explained what I would do and why - which is that I wouldn't care because my office environment doesn't require me to. You responded to that specific statement as if I had made a generalized rule about office etiquette. Which I did not.0 -
Katiebear_81 wrote: »Pfffft. I say go for it. I have eaten salmon, eggs, tuna, etc. at my desk and no one has complained about it. I don't appreciate having to smell my neighbour's french fries when I'm trying to avoid them, but I'm not about to ask him or her to change their diet because of my nose.
This is my thinking also. People bring in yummy things all the time without any warning (meaning I've already planned my day and I don't want to change everything up to fit in a small portion of a calorie-dense treat). I have to sit here and smell that for a few hours while trying to avoid it. They can deal with the occasional hard boiled egg or whatever.
That's not the same thing as bringing in something that smells awful and makes people gag. I love salmon, but would throw up if someone peeled hard boiled eggs next to me. I guess by your reasoning the whole office would have to suck it up and smell my puke because it's my body.
Uh, no. That was not my reasoning at all, actually.
As I said in a previous post, I don't work "next" to anyone. I don't peel hard boiled eggs "next" to anyone. I have a private office that is sectioned off from my coworkers down the hall. They smell my popcorn because I have to microwave it in the kitchen/break room. They don't smell the eggs with the exception of me taking them from the fridge and walking them to my office. I have the ability to be a little more "whatever" about it, because I'm not really bothering anyone.
That being said, I've smelled plenty of "normal" things that make me feel nauseated. Should I inform the coworker who is making widely-loved meatballs in the crockpot to share that she needs to stop because the smell of ketchup warming up makes me vomit? Probably not.
I'm speaking in general terms about office etiquette, since this is what OP asked. Not your specific environment. No, you don't need to inform your coworker anything. We're talking about what is the responsibility of the smelly eater, not the one who is offended.
You responded to me, specifically, about a specific scenario I proposed.
The reaction of the offended relates to this topic, so I don't see why it can't be brought up?
OP DID ask what we would do personally. I explained what I would do and why - which is that I wouldn't care because my office environment doesn't require me to. You responded to that specific statement as if I had made a generalized rule about office etiquette. Which I did not.
Your post that I responded to didn't include the information about your office environment (it was evidently in another comment). I was only responding to your comment that you have to smell yummy food, which is just not the same as pungent food. All right, I suppose to be fair if ketchup makes you gag, by all means let your coworkers know, especially if they are eating it heated up on a regular basis. No harm in (kindly) letting them know.0 -
Couldn't agree more. Fish is about the worst thing, but popcorn is not okay. That smell lingers for hours.andrikosDE wrote: »
The best course of action is that if you're in doubt, avoid it.
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Katiebear_81 wrote: »Pfffft. I say go for it. I have eaten salmon, eggs, tuna, etc. at my desk and no one has complained about it. I don't appreciate having to smell my neighbour's french fries when I'm trying to avoid them, but I'm not about to ask him or her to change their diet because of my nose.
This is my thinking also. People bring in yummy things all the time without any warning (meaning I've already planned my day and I don't want to change everything up to fit in a small portion of a calorie-dense treat). I have to sit here and smell that for a few hours while trying to avoid it. They can deal with the occasional hard boiled egg or whatever.
That's not the same thing as bringing in something that smells awful and makes people gag. I love salmon, but would throw up if someone peeled hard boiled eggs next to me. I guess by your reasoning the whole office would have to suck it up and smell my puke because it's my body.
Uh, no. That was not my reasoning at all, actually.
As I said in a previous post, I don't work "next" to anyone. I don't peel hard boiled eggs "next" to anyone. I have a private office that is sectioned off from my coworkers down the hall. They smell my popcorn because I have to microwave it in the kitchen/break room. They don't smell the eggs with the exception of me taking them from the fridge and walking them to my office. I have the ability to be a little more "whatever" about it, because I'm not really bothering anyone.
That being said, I've smelled plenty of "normal" things that make me feel nauseated. Should I inform the coworker who is making widely-loved meatballs in the crockpot to share that she needs to stop because the smell of ketchup warming up makes me vomit? Probably not.
I'm speaking in general terms about office etiquette, since this is what OP asked. Not your specific environment. No, you don't need to inform your coworker anything. We're talking about what is the responsibility of the smelly eater, not the one who is offended.
You responded to me, specifically, about a specific scenario I proposed.
The reaction of the offended relates to this topic, so I don't see why it can't be brought up?
OP DID ask what we would do personally. I explained what I would do and why - which is that I wouldn't care because my office environment doesn't require me to. You responded to that specific statement as if I had made a generalized rule about office etiquette. Which I did not.
Your post that I responded to didn't include the information about your office environment (it was evidently in another comment). I was only responding to your comment that you have to smell yummy food, which is just not the same as pungent food. All right, I suppose to be fair if ketchup makes you gag, by all means let your coworkers know, especially if they are eating it heated up on a regular basis. No harm in (kindly) letting them know.
To be honest, my original comment about "they can deal" because I have to smell their yummy food, was completely tongue-in-cheek and making light with another user's comment. Which is why I was confused as to why you picked my post to respond with essentially "I guess that means I can puke and people have to deal", since that wasn't even close to the context of the conversation I was having.
I have no interest in talking to any of my coworkers about trivial things like food smells. I'll shut my door for a while if I need to. I enjoy the relaxed, casual environment we have too much to start encouraging asinine things like policing food in the office.0 -
Even something typically not smelly can be awful when nuked. Popcorn burned for example. Hate the burned popcorn smell. And people have a hard time nuking it without burning it.0
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SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage wrote: »
Couldn't agree more. Fish is about the worst thing, but popcorn is not okay. That smell lingers for hours.andrikosDE wrote: »
The best course of action is that if you're in doubt, avoid it.
The rule in our office is if you make microwaved popcorn, make enough for everyone.
But I also worked in a place that would have someone thrown out the window for making it. I accidentally burned a bag once there...never again haha.0 -
I think it depends on the people you work with. It doesn't seem as if they have complained. Some office environments are more relaxed than others and some environments don't have people running to HR with every single complaint. I'd discreetly ask 1 or 2 people you're most comfortable talking to and see if they have an opinion on what (if anything) is being said in the office about your lunch.
Microwave popcorn makes me gag. It doesn't smell good, it smells disgusting. But the consensus is that it's an "ok" food to microwave. This is all subjective based on the people around you. Only the people you work with can answer if microwaving fish for lunch is a problem or not.0
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