Bringing food to work

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Replies

  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Luckily, most people in my corporate office eat a really quick lunch at their desks and then go outside walking or running on nice days and to the gym on not so nice days to get away from their desks for a while.
  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
    I work in a pharmacy and every one of us brings their own food, except for the occasional splurge, maybe 1-2 times a month.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    I'm a teacher and always bring my lunch in. We have a little office just used by languages and humanities with a fridge and a kettle. Most of us bring lunch in, although some use the school canteen. We only have 30 mins for lunch, and the nearest supermarket is about 5 mins drive away, so getting there and back would take a big chunk of lunch time away! I prefer to have my lunch in the fridge so I can actually sit down, eat and have a coffee before getting back to the madness of teaching French to teenagers!

    I used to work for an international bank (in the office) and I did go out for lunch because we had an hour, and I didn't want to spend it sitting at my desk. I did sometimes bring lunch in, but still go out for a break and look at the shops!
  • rachaelbmh
    rachaelbmh Posts: 54
    I used to work in an office environment and was the only one in my office that regularly brought my lunch. I'd often take my lunch out to the park across the street to get some fresh air - and help combat that stereotype that I was a total bummer for never leaving my desk. Sometimes coworkers would come along too.
  • Colleen118
    Colleen118 Posts: 491 Member
    I work in the corporate world where eating outis done a bit as well. I bring my lunch, eat at my desk, and like others use my lunch hour for walking or knocking off an errand or two.

    Sometimes, going out to eat is a way for those people who spend their entire day in the office to get away. While their is an "air" about their attitude that makes them seem like they have the money, I knew a lawyer who made a nice bankroll who was always broke because of the cost for her to eat out every meal. "No time to make my own meals; plus then I would never leave that office" was her reason. She would rather have been financially struck than not have a reason to get away from the office for an hour.
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
    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!
    Having worked in the finance business for the past 10 years, I completely concur. Many, MANY people go out to eat or eat in the company cafeteria, but there are loads more who bring in their lunches....and we have LOTS of SmartOnes, Lean Cuisines, and Healthy Choice lunches around the office.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    Pretty much everyone in my office brings their lunch with them except for the president and the CEO, they typically go out to eat together every day.

    Sounds like something else is going on with them, ow-ow.
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    I work in an office where most of the Managers and Team Leaders go out most days. When they don't it is usually because they are involved in an event that may be catered. I bring my lunch every single day. Not only my lunch, but since I come in at 4am, I bring breakfast and snacks as well. I decline lucnh invites 99% of the time and I probably only eaten from any of the catered events 5 times in 5 years.

    I prefer to bring my own meals. They are healthier. They tasted better. If anyone has an issue with it, they wisely keep it to themselves. I don't care.
  • reneemosley
    reneemosley Posts: 95 Member
    Must be tough to work around a bunch of judgy McJudgers........A guy can't even make his lunch without being looked down upon? Very foreign to me, No advice.
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
    i'd rather look poor to them and be healthy. who cares what they think?!

    i'd judge them for their unhealthy ways then ;) at least you know whats going in your food, do they lol
  • perficktangel
    perficktangel Posts: 26 Member
    I work at a title company and we have some to bring their lunches & some who either go out to eat or pick up something & bring it back to the office. Fortunately no one is judged or looked down on for bringing lunches in our office. There are quite a few who are watching what they eat & just bring something healthy.
  • Colleen118
    Colleen118 Posts: 491 Member
    I work in banking, a number of people bring lunch to the office and most people eat at their desk so there is really no difference. Now, going to the gym during the day........that is frowned upon. Assuming that if you have time to work-out, shower etc, you cannot be busy.......given that I am in the office most days at 7.30 and dont leave until 6, it seems a little unfair. Sill thing is that the company gym, 1 floor below mine, is as good as any private club in the area. Such a waste

    They provide that for before and after work use. I personally think if they are going to spend the funds to install a gym, they should also develop programs for employees to utilize it. Use it for team moral building: Pow Wow over an upcoming agenda while walking on a treadmill. My current boss used to have "Pond Meetings" before our company moved. She would have her meetings outside while either sitting or walking around the pond on site. Some of the most productive meetings they had. More gets done when it doesn't feel like work....
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    My last job, it was chinese takeout on fridays. I would always decline as I am on restricted sodium - I haven't touched chinese takeout in .. I dont know .. 3 years anyway. Boss and co-workers knew about why I declined, but I still got a "kind word of warning" that people were noticing and questioning if i was a team player or not.
  • Txgirl1204
    Txgirl1204 Posts: 37
    I work in a hospital so the food is pretty pricy here and sometimes nasty looking. I bring my lunch every day and so do most of my co-workers. Quite a few of us are watching what we eat. I like to go online and research different lunch ideas just to put some variety in my lunches :) And I bring my own snacks and breakfast items.
  • SweetestLibby
    SweetestLibby Posts: 607 Member
    My last job, it was chinese takeout on fridays. I would always decline as I am on restricted sodium - I haven't touched chinese takeout in .. I dont know .. 3 years anyway. Boss and co-workers knew about why I declined, but I still got a "kind word of warning" that people were noticing and questioning if i was a team player or not.

    I used to get this a work as well. So I'll bring my lunch and eat with the team while they're eating take out. After more than 2 years they're used to it!

    To the OP's question: I don't let the opinions of other impact my food choices. I tell people I'd rather spend my money on clothes, shoes, my car, SCHOOL, a nice vacation, etc rather than on eating out all the time. PRIORITIES!
  • princessputz
    princessputz Posts: 283 Member
    I work on an oil and gas site about 25 km or 16 miles away from the nearest town so everyone is forced to bring lunch...
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    My last job, it was chinese takeout on fridays. I would always decline as I am on restricted sodium - I haven't touched chinese takeout in .. I dont know .. 3 years anyway. Boss and co-workers knew about why I declined, but I still got a "kind word of warning" that people were noticing and questioning if i was a team player or not.

    I used to get this a work as well. So I'll bring my lunch and eat with the team while they're eating take out. After more than 2 years they're used to it!

    To the OP's question: I don't let the opinions of other impact my food choices. I tell people I'd rather spend my money on clothes, shoes, my car, SCHOOL, a nice vacation, etc rather than on eating out all the time. PRIORITIES!

    Turns out I'm not actually a team player, though. Used to go in sick from time to time - When asked why I would come in sick, told them; "why stay home and make my family miserable when I can come here and make you ****ers miserable?"
  • kt_kat_88
    kt_kat_88 Posts: 74 Member
    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 :)

    I have the same experience at my job in an accounting office. ive been here 5 years and have gained 50lbs.
  • lizamichelle1
    lizamichelle1 Posts: 36 Member
    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:

    Which is why my girls take their own lunch. Even if it is pb&j or chicken nuggets. I bought the food from whole foods, the chicken nuggets are actually chicken breast that I sliced and breaded. They like it better. It just sucks having to get the lunches together every day.

    As for the office, I work in a family business. I get paid the least, I am sure (lol), I buy out more than everyone else. Mostly because my lunch would normally be my dinner since I cook in bulk. I usually dont want to eat the same thing twice in a day. Cold cuts are bad for my blood pressure so I really shouldn't eat those. But may still be better than the other alternatives: chinese, Wendy's, etc.

    So I feel the opposite, the "family" brings in food 98% of the time and have stuff stashed in the cabinets.
  • Sjenny5891
    Sjenny5891 Posts: 717 Member
    I work the midnight shift at a factory. Nothing is open at 3am so everyone packs.

    I have had people say something about my choice of food.... My answer-- That is why I've lost 70 pounds and you haven't. Shut her up real quick. ( Sorry she picked the wrong week to get on my bad side)
  • justdazed
    justdazed Posts: 57 Member
    I work in the video game industry and its split. We have the die-hard junk food lovers (Five Guys across the street) but the majority are very health conscious and will bring in lunches.

    I love love love the salad bar at Metropolitan Market and Whole Foods so that's where I typically go for lunch. I'm trying to get better about bringing my lunch.
  • rabblerabble
    rabblerabble Posts: 471 Member
    Our company is pretty much half of the office goes out to get lunch almost every day, and another half of us brown bag it almost every day. I just find it sensible to bring my own as it's less expensive and generally healthier.

    There is however a new Thai place being built just about a 5 minute walk up the road that I may have to try out a few times when it opens as i quite enjoy that cuisine.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    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.

    Been there before. I was somewhat ostracized at one point because I brought my lnuch. Of course, I didn't care and I still do it to this day. And it is fun to watch them getting bigger...and bigger...
  • ElizabethRaeBarnes
    ElizabethRaeBarnes Posts: 74 Member
    The women in my office complain about everything I do. I wore red lipstick today and they made fun of me. I have 80s glasses and they make fun of me. I also bring my own food-tea-snacks. They make fun of me. . . .

    Ya know what else, I am the healthiest person in the building besides the professional cyclist in the art department. I dont care what people think of me. :) You shouldnt either. At the end of the day does it matter what they think of you?
  • melissaeasley
    melissaeasley Posts: 3
    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:

    I teach as well, I always keep healthy lunch and snack stuff stashed in my cabinet. If I run out, I know I can borrow from a coworker for the day. They know about my stash and have borrowed, too! The only thing I'll grab from the cafeteria is a skim milk or a glass of unsweetened tea.
  • TX_Aggie_Dad
    TX_Aggie_Dad Posts: 173
    I dont care what people think of me. :) You shouldnt either. At the end of the day does it matter what they think of you?

    I wish this was how the world worked, but when it is your boss or your client, it does matter.

    I'm currently working out of our firm's office, so I bring my food everyday. I figure that if someone important asks me to join them for lunch, I can always do so. Otherwise, I plan to eat at my desk.

    The challenge will come when I'm at client sites. Someone above mentioned that bringing your lunch at a client site could be seen as unprofessional. If we're talking busting out some chicken and sweet potatoes and heating it up in the client's kitchen, then I'd have to unfortunately agree that it would be seen as unprofessional in my situation as well. In those situations, I'm likely looking at a combination of protein bars (and maybe RTD shakes) for snacks and doing my best to eat healthy when out at a restaurant for lunch. I'm hopeful that I can influence those around me to possible change the culture so we'll just have to continue eating healthy and do the best I can.
  • TiaFerrera
    TiaFerrera Posts: 93

    I wish this was how the world worked, but when it is your boss or your client, it does matter.

    I'm currently working out of our firm's office, so I bring my food everyday. I figure that if someone important asks me to join them for lunch, I can always do so. Otherwise, I plan to eat at my desk.

    The challenge will come when I'm at client sites. Someone above mentioned that bringing your lunch at a client site could be seen as unprofessional. If we're talking busting out some chicken and sweet potatoes and heating it up in the client's kitchen, then I'd have to unfortunately agree that it would be seen as unprofessional in my situation as well. In those situations, I'm likely looking at a combination of protein bars (and maybe RTD shakes) for snacks and doing my best to eat healthy when out at a restaurant for lunch. I'm hopeful that I can influence those around me to possible change the culture so we'll just have to continue eating healthy and do the best I can.

    Agreed, that's not how the world works. It may not matter what co-workers think (so long as they see you as professional and above reproach) but clients opinions certainly matter.

    I trade in breakfast for a cup of coffee and eat a light lunch because I like to save my calories for a big dinner.
    You might consider just "mentally shifting" lunch to be your big meal and plan to consume more during that time? After all, if you can't beat em', join em'.

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