Stopping people from stealing your food

FiresongUK
FiresongUK Posts: 27
in Health and Weight Loss
Last week I stocked the freezer up with like £20 of food. I ate mostly fresh stuff that week or at my mothers. This week I'm waiting for payday and have maybe £2 in my piggy bank. I get in from uni and decide to try out them tasty veggie sausages I bought last week. Check the freezer and they're not there. All 12 of them. In fact, nothing is there. The only things that remain are turkey dinosaurs, chips and frozen mice. None of which are mine. All I have left to eat now is cup-a-soups and cereal. I can't even have milk with the cereal because someone's opened that and it's gone stale. I'm so upset right now. It was expensive, good food as well.

Pretty sure I know who it is. I've only recently gone part-time veggie but my housemate (C) has a girlfriend who is a vegetarian. My other housemate doesn't know how to work the oven and exclusively eats takeaway. I doubt he'd dare try quorn either, considering his picky eating habits. So I stormed up to C's room and asked if he knew where the hell all my food had gone.

He said he has no idea. I was getting pretty upset and told him I won't be able to afford to eat this week now and it was a lot of food. He said his stuff has been going missing too, but I could take some of his stuff from the freezer if I needed to. Turkey dinosaurs and chips doesn't exactly adhere to my diet but I might have no other choice. I got nothing else out of him. I know for sure he'd know if his girlfriend had taken them. She's really shy so I could easily intimidate her, but that will probably piss C off a hell of a lot and I don't want to start a house war. Been there, done that, and it meant I couldn't ever leave my room for months because I didn't want further confrontation. I've already brought the food situation up before so they know.

Right now all I can do is leave passive-aggressive notes around the kitchen saying "I'M WATCHING" and "BEHIND YOU". Need some ideas on how to keep them from stealing other stuff, and what I can do to get all that nice food back :(
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Replies

  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
    This technically isnt a food question is it? But for what it's worth...

    Move out....
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Wrap things up with your name on a label...and leave a note on the freezer door asking that your things be left alone. If that doesn't work...webcam.
    You could (calmly) confront the girlfriend...don't go off on her, just calmly tell her about your finances and ask her not to "borrow" your stuff. Even if she denies doing it...the message got delivered.
  • leeshults
    leeshults Posts: 223 Member
    I agree.....put your name on your food. It's so rude but I wonder if the boyfriend said "sure honey, eat whatever you want" to his girlfriend. But now he knows too! So maybe you won't have that problem in the future. I'm so sorry they ate your food! Nothing more frustrating then having nothing to eat when you are trying to eat well.....
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Be an adult and have a house meeting with all the roommates to lay down the rules about food sharing. When I had a roommate, we shared food. So maybe it's just mis-communication.

    Label your food and leave a note on the fridge reminding everyone that labeled food isn't for community use.
  • Butrovich
    Butrovich Posts: 410 Member
    Make a delicious choclate dish with plenty of laxative in it. Put your name on it or leave it in the fridge, then see who rushes to the bathroom first.
  • Super_Amy
    Super_Amy Posts: 97 Member
    Once, in college, I had room mates that were so bad about eating my food that I used to keep it in a locked box. Seriously.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Put a little rat poison in it. You'll find out who ate what pretty quick.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Make a delicious choclate dish with plenty of laxative in it. Put your name on it or leave it in the fridge, then see who rushes to the bathroom first.

    where is the like button...too funny.
  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
    Wrap all your food up in a bag that has your name on it and taped shut. They will then have to go out of their way to get to YOUR food. Put your name on it and note saying this is all you've got to eat for the month and if they take it then their food will just be thrown away since you can't eat it and if you can't eat no one can eat.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    Put a little rat poison in it. You'll find out who ate what pretty quick.
    Came in to post this............also razor blades
  • ImpishVanity
    ImpishVanity Posts: 224 Member
    Yes, communication is key. Sit down with the housemates AND the girlfriend and calmly explain that the house rule needs to be "if you didn't buy it, it's not yours". My roommates and I share food, but that was expressly stated and everyone still asks or at least mentions if they use something not theirs to make sure it was ok. We all also actively replace things that are used up. It's called being respectful adults. If the problem persists, then move out or get new housemates.
  • penny_eclipse
    penny_eclipse Posts: 524 Member
    How big is the freezer? Can you all sit down and allocate a drawer to each person?
    Can you write your name on the boxes (and stuff in the fridge?), can you buy less in bulk, and buy what you need as and when so there's less to go missing?
    Can you check each day to check it's not gone?
    Can decant the contents of packages into tuppaware/freezer bags with your name on so people don't actually know what's in it, or how to cook it, and you can keep the boxes/instructions in your room...etc?
    I've been there and lived in sucky shared situations and some of those things have helped in some places.
    It's rude and it sucks, but short of sitting down as a house and making someone admit to who it was (which simply isn't going to happen), you just need to move forward and try to prevent it happening again.
    I'd still try to make everyone sit down and agree some ground rules moving forward.
    For example a shelf each in the fridge, a drawer each in the freezer etc...
  • xfrlss22
    xfrlss22 Posts: 10 Member
    Make a delicious choclate dish with plenty of laxative in it. Put your name on it or leave it in the fridge, then see who rushes to the bathroom first.

    This! Too funny, you'd definitely who was do the stealing.
  • vvendy_darling
    vvendy_darling Posts: 75
    Confront the person who took your food? Or is that too simple?
  • Mygsds
    Mygsds Posts: 1,564 Member
    So sorry about your food being gone. I agree with the other posters have a meeting and label everything. Some people have no sense when it comes to others things. Good luck...
  • Marcia315
    Marcia315 Posts: 460 Member
    PUt on your big girl panties and talk to the girlfriend about it.
  • vlmay1955
    vlmay1955 Posts: 100 Member
    I had a roommate who used to eat my food, but I ate hers and it wasn't too much of an issue. Then I got mononucleosis (common college ailment!). I was pretty sick from it. I put a note on the items in the fridge such as my juice that I would slug directly from the bottle "Danger! Mono germs!!!". This didn't deter her and guess what, she ended up with mono too and her symptoms were identical to mine (mono can vary quite a bit).

    So I am not suggesting such a drastic measure. If possible and it will fit, if it was me having this problem I would probably put some sort of open box in the fridge and put all my stuff in the box and label it. I would probably try to play on whoever it is's good side and put something like "Please do not eat, this is X's food and I'm on a limited budget. Thank you for being considerate and ethical".
  • cuinboston2014
    cuinboston2014 Posts: 848 Member
    Make a delicious choclate dish with plenty of laxative in it. Put your name on it or leave it in the fridge, then see who rushes to the bathroom first.

    Someone at my work eats other people's food. I've had my lunch bag rummaged through and I'm pretty sure they keep drinking my coffee creamer too. My plan is to take the coffee creamer when it's empty, add some milk and tons of laxatives.... keep your hands off!!

    I think it's brilliant - and yes i would do it :)
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
    I had a bunch of different roommates over the years. Of course there should be house rules (and not just about food) but that's not always enough. What was most consistently effective for me has been mentioned here - Keep everything of yours in opaque plastic bags (so they can't see what's in there and be tempted) taped shut with masking or painter's tape with your name on it. Fridge, freezer, cabinets, and pantry. Your roommates may make fun of you, but you'll probably get to eat your own food :)
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
    For a person to take THAT amount of food, I don't think talking is going to do any good, especially since they don't even live there from the sound of it. You have a couple of choices here...
    1. Get a little fridge w/a freezer & put it in your room and get a lock for your room door. Keep ALL of your food in your room.
    OR
    2. Move out, as someone else suggested. Because even if you can secure your possessions in your room, do you really want to live that way? I would rather live in a dinky little studio apt by myself, than live w/people (or their friends) who I couldn't trust.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    She's really shy so I could easily intimidate her,

    or you could be an adult and ask her...?
  • MsTru2U
    MsTru2U Posts: 119 Member
    Ask her about it and if you get no resolution, buy a small fridge for your room
  • MyM0wM0w
    MyM0wM0w Posts: 2,008 Member
    Make a delicious choclate dish with plenty of laxative in it. Put your name on it or leave it in the fridge, then see who rushes to the bathroom first.

    I did this with a batch of brownies in college and it worked like a charm. After her sixth or seventh trip to the bathroom I told her what I'd done and WHY.

    She was more respectful of my food after that.
  • nomad1000
    nomad1000 Posts: 206 Member
    Here's the deal, you have narrowed it down to the girlfriend and while you may think she is shy, she isn't shy about stealing other people's food.

    So you talk to her. Not in an aggressive "what the hell did you think you were doing" way but a "hey, since no one else in the house took my food, that leaves you. Please don't do it again. I am on a budget and trying to eat healthier. And, to be honest, when I come back and all my food is gone and spoiled, it upsets me. Maybe you thought all the food in the fridge/freezer was communal before this but now you know, it's not. Anything with my name on it is not communal so don't eat it. I would prefer if we don't need to have this conversation again."

    Good luck. Food thievery is a giant pain.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Make a delicious choclate dish with plenty of laxative in it. Put your name on it or leave it in the fridge, then see who rushes to the bathroom first.

    Someone at my work eats other people's food. I've had my lunch bag rummaged through and I'm pretty sure they keep drinking my coffee creamer too. My plan is to take the coffee creamer when it's empty, add some milk and tons of laxatives.... keep your hands off!!

    I think it's brilliant - and yes i would do it :)

    Could be fun ...............you could also try adding lots of hot sauce to your dish.......or perhaps bring a "dog food" casserole.
  • bellesouth18
    bellesouth18 Posts: 1,071 Member
    I really like the chocolate laxative idea. But you mentioned dead mice in the freezer. Get several of those and put them all over your food packages. I wouldn't touch anything!

    Or you could get your own portable freezer and lock it, or buy a box that fits inside the current freezer and lock the box with your stuff in it, or give her a bill for the items taken, or have a talk with her and ask her for money so you can eat the rest of the week, or you could try talking with her first.

    Good luck.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Wait until you calm down, then talk to her. Don't go into it thinking you need to confront her or antagonize her. Simply tell her what is missing and how you would like to be reimbursed or have the items replaced. If she denies it, then you can tell her that you are disappointed in her actions and reactions and let he know that you will be securing your items in the future. Treat her like an adult and, hopefully, she will do the adult thing and pay you back.

    I recommend having a house meeting and discussing sections of the freezer/getting a box to put all of your items in, if you can.

    As for future purchases, I recommend wrapping all food in paper towels and then a ziplock bag (so that, looking at it, you can't tell what is in the ziplock). Then, on the bag, write "[Your Name] Dinner." She's less likely to steal your food if she has to open a ziplock and unwrap it. Also, with your name written against the paper towels (on the ziplock-- you can reuse the ziplock), it is blatant. There's no missing that it is yours.

    With milk, I would just tape over the lid until you want to open it and then mark the side with your name and the date.

    Sorry that you have to do this. If you can, consider moving somewhere with more respectful roommates (and a cheaper rent, so you're not down to your last quid with food).
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  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
    Just break up.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Confront the person who took your food? Or is that too simple?

    Get out with that logic.

    Find the person who ate your stuff and tell them to knock it off. If they don't, then start lacing with laxatives, horseradish, and sriracha sauce.

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