Bringing food to work

TX_Aggie_Dad · May 2013

Does anyone else work in an environment where bringing your lunch is looked down upon? In my industry (public accounting), there is a sense of "you can afford to go out to eat" and so the only people that really bring their lunch are administrative assistants that are getting paid much less than the professionals in the office. I'm just curious how widespread this is.

jrshelt10 · May 2013

I work in a large engineering office and most of the people here bring their lunch in. Most of us feel that since the bulk of our job is sitting around in a cubicle that bringing a healthy lunch is a good way not to pack on the pounds. We might go out once a week or so but the majority of people feel that bringing lunch is a healthy option.

Hellbent_Heidi · May 2013

:laugh: I'm actually a bit shocked that accountants where you work aren't more sensible about wasting money by eating out every day of the work week! Most of our accouting people are cheapskates, that will "seagull" in on every free meal offered in any meeting (even meetings they aren't in).

usmcmp · May 2013

Most of us lower people in our accounting office bring our lunches while the higher people go out to eat. At least once a month we'll have an office party and I catch a lot of harassment when I don't join or just make healthy choices. I remind them that my choices affect me and not them, so what does it matter to them if I have a salad instead of tacos. You'll either get tougher skin and not let it bother you or you'll cave more often than you should. Eventually they just learn that is the way you are and you are going to continue doing things your way.

nicola1141 · May 2013

I'm not sure it's looked down upon, but very few people in my profession bring their work in either (corporate law). I think it's a combination of the same as you said ("you can afford to eat out"), the insane hours means people don't have time (or think they don't have time) to make a lunch, or they have business development/client lunches so often that a lot of the food would go to waste.

I've changed jobs so I'm not in a firm environment (where that mentality is much worse), but still most people I work with buy their lunch. I've just started bringing mine at least 3 times a week. I don't think anyone has even noticed. A lot of people eat at their desks anyway (just usually takeout food), so no one's likely to notice that what I'm eating at my desk is not take-out.

lsapphire · May 2013

Just view it as setting a healthier environment.

santje00 · May 2013

Does anyone else work in an environment where bringing your lunch is looked down upon? In my industry (public accounting), there is a sense of "you can afford to go out to eat" and so the only people that really bring their lunch are administrative assistants that are getting paid much less than the professionals in the office. I'm just curious how widespread this is.

I'm quite lucky to work in a family company, but to be honest you shouldn't really care what others think + you can make a lot of healthy choices eating out as well. As long as you knock chips (fries) on the head and don't choose anything deep you are good to go!

Good Luck

lizsmith1976 · May 2013

I remember those days! I spent 6 years at D&T and gained probably 30 pounds due to lunches out and snacking all day. It is so hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle especially with the long hours!

I left for industry and now bring my lunch almost every day + go to the gym at lunch...

I guess I am not being helpful at all since my advice appears to be "quit public accounting"... Sorry!

Just look up the nutrition information at the restaurants befroe you go and try to make the most healthy choice possible

TX_Aggie_Dad · May 2013

I'm not sure it's looked down upon, but very few people in my profession bring their work in either (corporate law). I think it's a combination of the same as you said ("you can afford to eat out"), the insane hours means people don't have time (or think they don't have time) to make a lunch, or they have business development/client lunches so often that a lot of the food would go to waste.

This sounds similar to my experience. Well, I'm somewhat senior in our office so maybe I can set an example for some of our junior folks that would also like to eat a bit healthier. We'll see. I refuse to be one of the fat, hunched-over old guys around here. The life of eating out every day plus sitting at a desk for 12+ hours a day can make you look like a troll by the time you are all said and done. No thanks.

ShaSimone · May 2013

In my office (manufacturing/office) it's split. Definitely not look down upon because two office fridges are bursting at the seams with sack lunches, and the microwaves are on a waiting list between 11:00 and 12:00. But we also have a cafeteria on site that offers hot meals so the prevalent attitude at my job is people rarely leave the plant to go out to eat.

MirandaDeCrane · May 2013

I teach, and many people on our faculty just pick up a tray from the student cafeteria. Have you SEEN what a school lunch looks like these days?

You couldn't PAY me to eat that mess daily! It isn't the taste...it's the calories/sodium/processed junk...everything is popped from a can. :noway:

WifeofPJ · May 2013

:laugh: I'm actually a bit shocked that accountants where you work aren't more sensible about wasting money by eating out every day of the work week! Most of our accouting people are cheapskates, that will "seagull" in on every free meal offered in any meeting (even meetings they aren't in).

Do I work with you? I have people who do the same thing.

Most of the people on my team eat in the cafe I bring my lunch and eat while working because I go to the gym during my lunch hour but no one looks down on it.

Danny_Boy13 · May 2013

I have never heard of such a thing to be honest. Although I dont work at a high level pay grade. I say that you just tell them to mind their own.... you are trying to eat better and a lot of places are not as conducive for that life style. When you make your own you know exactly what is in it. When you go out you have no idea what is in it or how it is prepared.

dawn_eichert · May 2013

I work in a professional environment and majority of the folks here will bring their lunch. We usually end up eating at our desks anyway as we are dealing with folks in other time zones so there isn't a set "lunch hour". A lot of times, when someone warms something up that smells really good, we end up with recipe swaps and such.

I would totally ignore anyone who wants to look down on you for eating healthy

dtroutman · May 2013

Sometimes in our office we eat out but for the most part everyone brings lunch. It only gets hard to turn down when the boss buys everyones lunch for birthdays or special occasions than its hard to say no : )

sullus · May 2013

I don't know what a lot of my co-workers eat for lunch, and they don't know what I do. We've got a few guys that order out, and a few that bring lunch from home (I bring Breakfast, snack, lunch every day)

The only consistent theme here is you're looked down on if you don't eat at your desk. (Software engineers - small office, 11 of us)

RachelHoffman0709 · May 2013

I work in an accounting office and just about every single one of us brings our lunch in. Even our CFO brings in his lunch, he is a huge health nut. Not only is bringing your lunch usually healthier, but more cost effective as well.

smartin0181 · May 2013

I bring food to work and I work in a restaurant. The manager asks what are you eating, and I am like cereal or veggies lol. Plus we don't get breaks for eating. Gotta eat it fast, or wait til its slow... If it ever gets there.

centarix · May 2013

I bring lunch everyday. I work for an IT company where pizza and extravagant lunches at Chick-Fil-a are common. I usually end up bringing my plastic bag with healthy food inside whatever restaurant my coworkers are attending. They are always asking "Do you want me to buy you anything? "Is that all you are going to eat?" Doesn't bother me at all really.

BarbieAS · May 2013

My last job (also in public accounting) was just like that, too. It's even worse when you're out at clients for weeks on end and then it's REALLY frowned upon because it's seen as "unprofessional" to eat at the client's location (even in their breakroom or whatever), plus it's encouraged to go out with your team for lunch. Very frustrating. I'm glad that at my current job it's much different. Most people here do bring something.