Getting picked on about what you eat at work?

OddballExtreme
OddballExtreme Posts: 296 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Before I get to the point of this story, here's a little bit of background. I am Vietnamese-American, and I'm used to eating white rice without anything on it. I have a meat and a vegetable accompanying that white rice to give me some flavor. I also have Type 2 diabetes, meaning I have to watch how much rice I'm eating.

Now that you have that info, here's the story.

At my job on Monday, a supervisor noticed my white rice and started asking, "Why didn't you put gravy or butter on that rice?"

I answered, "I've never had anything on my rice in my life. Besides, I've got the other foods for flavor."

He came back with, "Oh, come on, that's not real rice. Real rice has something on it for flavor."

I couldn't believe he had the nerve to look at what I was eating and claim to tell me how to eat my own lunch.


Yesterday, I'm eating my lunch, and again, he comes up and says, "Where's the salt and pepper for the rice?"

I sighed and said, "I told you yesterday. I've got plenty of flavor from the other foods."

He sat at the table behind me and said, "Just leave the lunch with me, and I'll have plenty of ways to grease it up."


I was getting very annoyed by this, so this morning I spoke with my supervisor (not the same supervisor) and told her what he was doing to me. I said, "It took a year for me to lose 50 pounds, and it's like he's trying to make me gain it back. I don't know if he's trying to joke around, but I don't find it very funny."

She agreed with me and said, "Yeah, that butter and gravy would not be of any help in your trying to stay in shape. I'll tell him to stop. Thanks for telling me."

I think she told him because I didn't see him at lunch today. What I eat is my business, and what others eat is their business.

Has this happened to you? Has anyone gotten into your business over the food you eat at work (either very healthy or not)?
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Replies

  • Kmenczynski88
    Kmenczynski88 Posts: 70 Member
    Yep, i get it all the time....

    I get - how come you never indulge in sweets or fast food?
    I get - how come you eat plain noodles/rice/etc?

    People say it because they don't understand. They never will.....

    Don't let anyone else steer you away from your goals. Eat how you want and block out all of the nonsense. I bet any money is you eat clean and exercise like i anticipate you do... you look better then he does. Most people respect my eating preferences and decisions, but from time to time people will give me "advice" like in your situation. I usually respond with because I'm in better shape then you and want to keep it that way. Keep doing you.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    I consider myself lucky that noone comments on my food choices at work. The people I consider even luckier are my co-workers, because they wouldn't want to even try. Why do people put up with this?

    Good on you for talking to your supervisor and having a stop put to it. I also recommend the blank faced, one eyebrow slightly cocked silent "what the F makes you think that this is an appropriate conversation" stare until they get really uncomfortable and go away...
  • Topher1978
    Topher1978 Posts: 975 Member
    Mountains out of mole hills. Rediculous.
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
    Maybe I'm just wired differently and I heard this conversation going down a certain way in my head, but really...

    It sounded like was hitting on/flirting with you, in that sort of inept way guys sometimes have when we think we're being charming but aren't.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    Here's my short reply:

    At my job on Monday, a supervisor noticed my white rice and started asking, "Why didn't you put gravy or butter on that rice?"

    EWWW! GRAVY on rice??? BUTTER on rice? EWWW!

    You had meat and veg to go with it. That's more than enough. That's how I have always eaten rice with my family.
  • ApexLeader
    ApexLeader Posts: 580 Member
    i find it ironic that a non-asian guy is telling an asian person about "real rice"

    thought it does seem like he was trying to harmlessly chit chat with you and you went to your supervisor over it. i think that says a lot about you.
  • jynxxxed
    jynxxxed Posts: 1,010 Member
    I don't see how that would bother you, it sounded like he was just joking.. but okay. I'm glad he stopped I guess.
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
    Seriously? Some people. Why do they give a rat's *kitten* what you're eating? It's not going in their mouths. Good for you for making it stop, you don't need that.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,821 Member
    Mostly I get fat people commenting on my portions and variety. I eat nuts, fruit, and a specially proportioned meals. Most of the others buy something at the cafeteria (which is not bad, just not always what I eat.).

    In this case, I would have told him him to keep his mouth shut. you are a human with rights and the ability to set boundaries.

    Maybe you should get that t-shirt that says: "How about a nice hot cup of shut the f*&^k up?"
  • kingkoopaluv
    kingkoopaluv Posts: 147 Member
    where in the world do people people put butter or gravy on rice? i'm guessing middle america on this one.
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    Yep, I get the same from friends. Instead of getting mcdoubles at Mcdonalds now, I get the one meat/one cheese regular cheeseburger. About 100-200 calories less, and my friends "Why don't you just get the mcdouble? Ur paying the same for less, that's stupid" and I'll say because I'm trying to cut less calories and they still don't seem to understand, they think of it as just one meat and one cheese more. When that adds up to 200 calories or more. Or when they tell me to get a "large size" because its only a few cents more and "we will eat it for you" and its like ugh no I DO WANT the large fries, but I'm not going to get it, because of a few cents and watch you guys picking off my own french fries. If you want more french fries, YOU get them and do not be picking off my own.
  • LaurenOliver
    LaurenOliver Posts: 48
    Who the heck puts gravy on rice?
  • BOYZ2MENORAH
    BOYZ2MENORAH Posts: 9
    Mountains out of mole hills. Rediculous.

    my first thought; i've got bigger fish to fry than to care about someone else's feelings on MY lunch
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    I've only gotten flack when I've microwaved leftover fish at lunch. I'd have to agree; fish smells pretty disgusting, but it's such a good food!

    I think you might have taken the rice comments more offensively than he intended them. I suspect that he was trying to make conversation more than he was criticizing the way you eat rice.

    Of course I wasn't there, so I don't know.
  • penrbrown
    penrbrown Posts: 2,685 Member
    I'm ... not sure why this would bother you so much? Why not just tell him it's how you like your rice instead of taking it to higher ups?
  • saintspoon
    saintspoon Posts: 242 Member
    Maybe I'm just wired differently and I heard this conversation going down a certain way in my head, but really...

    It sounded like was hitting on/flirting with you, in that sort of inept way guys sometimes have when we think we're being charming but aren't.

    Yeah I think he was just trying to find a way to talk to you ... maybe not even to flirt but just to joke around for the social aspect of it! You need to think of some snappy comebacks lady... way more fulfilling than teliing a supervisor :ohwell:

    edited to correct typo
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    P.S: I like a little butter (maybe half a pat) on my rice because it tastes nice and creamy that way.
  • Brunner26_2
    Brunner26_2 Posts: 1,152
    I think he was just joking around, but I've been in similar situations. Just yesterday I was offered a piece of cake and I declined and another coworker said "See, I told you. No fun."
  • tekwriter
    tekwriter Posts: 923 Member
    i agree with evankeel sounds like he is trying to hit on you.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Thats good you talked to the supervisor. Dont know what his stupid kick was, but that sounds just annoying. If you didnt have type II I'd say just to be obnoxious bring in a big bowl of nothing but rice just to get his goat and tell him you are a supertaster and can taste the minerals from the soil in the rice. I'd come up with some absurd explanation.

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