Pushy co workers who give out food

I often take a serving to my desk, have one bite, and throw the rest away.

I get to try it, and as a bonus, I'm removing the junk from myself and everyone else's opportunity to eat it and regret it later.

If someone is at your desk pushing food on you, you might even say, "I'm going to throw that in the garbage the second you leave," with a big smile.

Why is it that they cannot just respect the fact that you don't want the donut??? I don't get it! If you had stopped smoking, do you think that they would put a *kitten* and a lighter on your desk and walk away! ha ha I work in a Sixth Form and when the students bring in birthday cake, a slice usually finds its way on my desk. They don't take no for an answer, so I have stopped refusing now. I just thank them and when no-one is around, I wrap it in kitchen towel and pop it in the bin. They are happy as they think that I have eaten it and I am happy as I know that I haven't.

The coworkers that try to tempt you, are they all a perfect size 10 or are they needing to get fit and just don't have the will power that you have have? Just curious really as when I gave up smoking years ago, it was the smokers who tried to get me to have one!

haha I have this guy who insists on feeding me, brings in personal sized pies, baked goods, chinese treats he finds, chips, chocolate, you name it. I do say no, but he tells me it because I'm shy and he knows I really want it....So he brings it to my desk and leaves.
Frustrating to say the least.
I now say thank you, chuck it, bring it home....or taste it

Because when a woman says no she really means yes, right? Please...

Ah, but if we'd had that kind of willpower in the first place we wouldn't have an issue with workplace food.

I was brought up with the 'clear your plate, think of the starving children' ideology. So throwing food away horrifies me. Very little at home goes in the bin - most gets composted.

If it was just down to making excuses and blaming other people most of us would have cracked it by now. But for some of us it is a little bit more and keys into all sorts of emotions, especially guilt. For me that is certainly the case as I saw my Gran and mother go without to feed us kids. Food has always been how we show love - I still do it now, I just try to make the food more healthy!

And on my nice days I too bake and take into work. But l leave it in a big plastic box so it isn't easily seen and tell people to help themselves - out of plain sight and not so easy to just grab as you pass by!

Ah, but if we'd had that kind of willpower in the first place we wouldn't have an issue with workplace food.

Food has always been how we show love - I still do it now, I just try to make the food more healthy!

Its not food in the work-place - its the PEOPLE in the work-place who push the food. That is the issue.


The real root of the problem is the fact the offering person does not accept "no thank you" for the answer the first time. People can offer all the food they want - but the real problem is their lacking ability to accept "No Thank you" on the first prompting.

If people truly did care, regardless of relation, they will accept "no thank you" and move on - that is showing respect for one another.

Its people who routinely and continue to push who are extremely insensitive and rude.... You definitely dont need to show love with Food.

Well, try to say no thank you - let them know you watch what you eat...I wouldn't suggest throwing it out because that's just a waste. If it continues let them know it makes you uncomfortable because you don't want to hurt their feelings, but you don't want to mess with your results. But remember that it's ok to give in every now and then to treat yourself!

Not now, but in the past yes. I even had one coworker who gave my officemate *kitten* because she declined something that could have killed her (my officemate had very severe food allergies). She hated me, and stopped pushing food on me after a while, but before that, I would either, just set it in a public area for someone else to take, or put it back on her desk, with a polite "no thank you."

I usually say no thank you. But when it is a gift from the children I teach I feel like I need to accept it. I graciously accept it then I tell them I will save it for later. Then I take it home to my children. I know it makes my children happy when I bring home treats to them and it pleases the students to give me a gift. If I can see that they really want me to try it I will take a bite in front of them to tell them how wonderful it tastes then "save the rest for later."

I am a teacher and we have a lot of treats brought into work. I had surgery and so was on pureed foods so a colleague of mine brought me in butternut squash soup when it was her birthday, another brought in a low cal chocolate mousse for her birthday. When we had international day a mum made me pureed lentil dahl again so I could join in. Maybe I have been lucky but when you make it open and clear that you are losing weight people do understand. For my birthday I couldn't bring in cakes or biscuits or any kind of food so I brought in bunches of roses and everyone took one home.

Honestly...I think if someone plopped food on my desk I would walk it over to theirs and set it on their keyboard or something. Maybe then they'll get the hint!

People don't want others to lose weight for 2 reasons: 1. They will be jealous 2. That might mean they have to change too.

Nailed it, APresner!

plop it right back on theirs!!!

I have the same problem!! I get full meals pushed on me actually. There just being nice and polite, so I'm not rude back. What I do now is if it's something that someone bought individually (this happens a lot with cookies and doughnuts) I take it and say I'll eat it later, but I actually toss it later. When it's full meals (people bring extra food or make food at work) I just say that I'm weird about what I eat because I can get an upset stomach easily (which I can) so, even though I would love to eat, I can't. I have started bringing my own snacks to meetings though, because there's usually food there too. It's become less of a problem over time.

I've been saying no so long that they rarely push it anymore. When people would leave stuff, i just give it to someone else or leave it on someone elses desk. Hehehe

Yep. We also get sweets from the drug reps that comes in. I don't understand why all the small people in the office are the ones who brings the cupcakes, cakes and other stuff. I just wrap and take it for my kids or toss it.