New job - already fed up with unhealthy ‘working lunches‘

YABtotallyU! It’s a monthly meeting, for God’s sake. If you don’t like it, take in your own lunch. It would look like a complete pisstake to ask for longer.

If you can’t adjust your diet for one lunch a month then it’s most sensible for you to bring something with you. The obvious choice it is salad, wrap, sandwich, crackers, etc. Given you don’t like cold lunches maybe you could invest in a thermos and bring soup/pasta/noodles/rice/casserole/etc from home.

How well do you think complaining about the food provided which your colleagues clearly enjoy,is free of charge and likely seen as a perk is going to be perceived by your colleagues? You would be setting yourself up to be viewed as not a team player.

Instead of asking to be treated differently (which absolutely is how this will be perceived) find a different solution.

Imagine how your bosses would feel, and how unproductive the meetings would become if others followed your lead and demanded their own choice of food. Because you can bet your bottom dollar it wouldn't all arrive at the same time, it would take significantly more time to get the right food to the right person and a fair few would forget what they had ordered and start eating someone else's lunch. Your 10 minute lunch would become closer to an hour and piss pretty much everyone else off because of wasted time.

There are thermos flasks for food easily available if you have to have hot food. If these don't keep food hot enough from home, microwave it just before you go to the meeting.

Or take a tub of couscous with healthy veg, nuts and seeds. Add boiling water when it's time to eat and you have a healthy lunch ready in 5 minutes. Take a travel kettle if there isn't any boiling water facility.

Yet unable to work out that a tuppaware full of tuna salad would entirely solve this dilemma 😂

Don’t be ridiculous. One unhealthy meal a month isn’t going to ‘undo’ anything

I don't think it's fair for you to 'have' to eat something that you don't enjoy, for whatever reason (I get that you're not being forced). Rather than asking for extra time in the meeting, could you speak to management about other food options? Surely they could order in from a place that caters for all?

I'm not a health or fitness lover at all. I'm overweight and under-exercised 😂And I love junk food as much as anyone, but I really would not want to eat Greggs or Domino's for lunch, even if it was only monthly. Eating something like that would make me sluggish and full the rest of the afternoon.

If it was me, I'd ask for alternative options - you can only ask. If they can't do this then I would bring something from home. Or, if your job allows, I'd take a short break before the meeting to run out and grab something hot.

@AliceSeal I am a successful woman and am not going to apologise for being a size 14. I am not, however, ungracious or precious about food.

Take a salad or something healthy to have mid morning and a smoothie as suggested by others. It's once a month and it isn't all about you.

I really would not say anything to your place of work they are putting on ‘free’ lunches once a month which I presume they don’t force you to eat - simple option if you don’t like the ‘free’ lunch option once a month take a pre made healthy option and just say you’re on a health kick … problem solved!

Just let them have at it, why are you letting it bother you?

surely there's more than five minutes from the point the pizza/ greggs or whatever arrives whilst someone sets it up, and everyone helps themselves where you can go "I'm just gonna pop downstairs and microwave my lunch, as I don't eat XYZ" No need for everyone to have to have a longer break, or for you to make a big fuss, there'll probably be a few minutes once everyone's got their food where there's no actual work happening too, so if shouldn't matter if you're not back as soon as they sit down.

Surely that'd be exactly the same as if someone went 'sorry guys, I just need to fill my water bottle up/ run to the loo quickly'. I really doubt there's a 4 hour meeting with only enough of a break for everyone to put some pizza on paper plates or run to the loo.

Screw that. I can't be bothered with those sort of careers anymore. I'm.off to build a temporary campsite today 😎

Yeah, I get that. I still think we need a culture change, just like has/is happening with alcohol.

Let's face it, the NHS is collapsing under the stress of so many unhealthy people, people that wouldn't be in that situation if they just had a better diet. A concerted effort has been made to start kids off with a good diet, in the hopes that the coming generations will be healthier and still have a health care system to look after them. Then they go to work and all that work gets un done.

Because people who work in offices are adults?

Unhealthy food is a very real issue in offices. We don't want to see it in schools anymore, so why the places where we work?

Genuinely made me laugh.😂
Bet you’re great at the conferences and soft market testing, linking the ideas and Plugging the gaps
pizza.Greggs. Feminism that’s untapped for sure

Thank you, I do try 🤣

All that, in response to a troll who’s now banned and made it all up to be provocative. Kudos for pizza,feminism and Greggs in one sentence

sure thing, you crack on in your inimitable way

Go you. You're not allowed to be successful or slim. You have to tug your forelock and forget about feminism where pizza and Greggs are concerned.

I'm with you. I am careful with what I eat because of the effort it took me to lose the fat I didn't want on me. Greggs is shit food. Takeaway pizza is NOT healthy - just delicious. Personally I'd stuff myself with it in front of me as I have no control at that point. Three days later I'll feel okay again and will have digested it.
Two things I hate - "go on, treat yourself, it's only one..." No. I'll choose when and where and with what, thanks
"You don't need to diet, you're slim" Yes. Because I diet. Doesn't take the brains of an archbishop to put those two together surely?

You have the right to eat what you want and avoid what you don't. Others don't have the right to force you to eat what you don't.

Well, you will have seen then that I said I will take more care next time before I post !
So there really was no need of your post calling me daft !
It’s ok though , I forgive you , everyone is entitled to make mistakes 😂

I have read your posts.

Yes, we get it. I think that point has been made! 😅

Even if the OP derailed her own thread, I still think it's quite a common issue in offices that we should talk about. Unhealthy food, cakes and biscuits, etc, it does make it really difficult if you are trying to stick to a healthy diet.. and the issues around how to approach it sensitively are valid, clearly.

I agree @Tessiebear2023, a 6 figure salary high flying role comes at a price. Although whether someone with such limited problem solving skills they can’t work out how to avoid an unhealthy lunch once a month really is a high flyer on a huge salary is another question.

I essentially agree with you for most jobs. But if this is a high-flying 6-figure job, a monthly lunchtime meeting might not be unreasonable, you are expected to do unpaid overtime and attend out of hours board meetings. It comes with the enhanced holiday and bonuses.

I haven't read the whole thread, but it looks like I'm going to go against the grain.

Work shouldn't be scheduling meetings you are expected to attend in your lunch break. You don't get paid for your lunch break and you are entitled to do what you want it in. The more people put up with this behaviour the more entitled employers become.

I should say, I'm irritated with my employer at the moment and my goodwill is drying up so this may be clouding my view slightly.

Tell them you are taking your lunch break and you'll rejoin the meeting once you've obtained some lunch you want and you've had a break.