To not want to bring in food for the whole office

[bankholiday2]

Name changed for this as I think I'm probably being silly and stingy.

I have been working for the same organisation for about 5 years. I have recently moved departments and the culture in the new team is to take it in turns buying in food for everyone. This seems to sometimes be breakfast, sometimes lunch.

The problem is, they spend a lot of money! Someone bought in Greggs breakfast last Friday, spending over £30. I saw the receipt by chance. A few days before someone had ordered several pizzas to be shared between approx 20 people.

I really don't want to have to start buying food for the whole team. I don't have much spare cash. I always pre-prepare my own lunches etc to save £.

What can I do? This is new to me. I don't want to seem unfriendly by refusing their kind offerings, but I don't want to eat it and not return the favour. It's very awkward!

I choose to buy two packets of biscuits each week on a Friday, but I am a manager and I enjoy doing this for my office.

I also buy Easter eggs for everyone, and cakes on my birthday.

Others often buy cakes on birthdays, but not everyone.

Best advice, OP, is to say that you will not be taking part right from the start - but don't extrapolate from that point.

Certainly point out to your line manager that you do not want to do this as well. Any manager worth their salt should be able to accept this without comment.

Find out what the routine is then decide if you want to take part or not.

I once worked with a company where a group of us prepared communal lunches. It probably worked out cheaper overall. However it wasn't a 'culture' as such. It just evolved naturally eg someone would make soup; someone brought in nice cheese; someone made salad, etc.

This seems a bit ridiculous, if they have to do this would it not be easier to have a kitty that people chip into?I would hate to be the person that has to buy lunch on the week before pay day when I'm a bit skint.

how oftenonce a month or once a week?

Ugh, how annoying. I'd probably opt out from the beginning, but bring in the occasional home made thing if it's the office culture.

Your best bet is probably to ask someone what the 'rules' are around this, and then either say you're not playing or work out a way of doing it that suits you. It doesn't sound like 'buying a meal for your whole department' is part of your contract, after all.

I think the bringing in occasional cakes is the way to go. It allows you to join in at a lower budget.

Bloody Hell, I'd be the size of a house eating that lot!!
We bring in food to share at work quite often but it tends to be fruit/nuts and nibbles.

Greggs breakfast, pizza and what else, all seems rather unhealthy! Apart from the money, its just promoting an unhealthy diet in the workplace and a treat is fine but this sounds like a regular occurrence to me.

OP, you can address this without actually physically saying that you do not want to buy food for the office. Just make your own lunch, take it with you and when they see you not eating their pizza, just say 'oh thanks but I like to prepare for my own home cooked meals as I like to eat healthy and rarely eat out!' When they see you not eating their foods, then they will obviously realise that you won't be buying food yourself?

And if by some chance it does come up and they actually ask you to buy food for a particular day, just say, 'sorry but I am not able to participate as I like to prepare my own lunch and I do not think you would like my home cooked sandwich'

I think something along these lines is fine!

It does work out in the end. Nobody minds if someone opts out but if you have been eating their offerings need to also bring food in! There's lots of reasonable options - someone suggested Lidl pastries, or get baking - make cranberry and orange bagels, cost about £2 a dozen, they cost you in time but can be made the evening before and rise in the fridge/ cook room overnight!

I'd bake some scones. Very cheap and popular with jam and butter/cream. I wouldn't separate myself - they'll see you as a killjoy.

It's not once a month it seems to be at least twice a week for breakfast and once a week for lunch. I started two weeks ago tomorrow so I'm still a bit unclear on the exact arrangement. There isn't a kitty or anything like that I don't think.

Why don't you make something? It's pretty cheap to make a cake/biscuits

trying to think of something cheap.
what about some cheese and bacon scone you could make?
do you have cosco.some pastries?
i know its still doing it but i also know how uncomfortable it would feel to opt out.all very easy to say but youve got to deal with what they think or do and only you know ur office to know how they would take this.
is there someone you feel able to talk to on this in the office.and tell them ur financial situation and ask for their advice.

This would grate on me. When u was working, I never had the money to do something like this and there's so many food things I cannot or will not eat. So it is something which wouldn't even out for me.

Can you find an ally there and talk to them about it, find out more about the nuances of the whole setup? Maybe other people hate it too.

I used to work in a shit hole where you’d be on a rota to bring in cakes for everyone on a Friday. But you’d be reimbursed for your efforts. Paying lunch for everyone would piss me off. What if you’re really hungry one day and there isn’t enough food to go around? My lunch/break time is my own. I’d never work in a place with this kind of culture again, it’s really uncomfortable.

I couldn't be bothered to do anything towards it when it was my turn, I know.
I would absolutely hate the whole idea.

Ask someone what the deal is? Then decide. Often a cheaper alternative might be a great idea! Maybe homemade sausage rolls? Large pasta salad for lunch?

We do a ‘Friday’ treat and everyone takes turns to bring something yummy in but it isn’t for quite that many people!

I would hate this and happily not take part. I’m a misery guts granted, but I don’t even get into the buying sweets from holiday or bringing cakes on my birthday - I don’t eat others offerings so don’t feel obliged to add another thing to forget onto my mental list.

I’ve worked in smaller teams/departments where I’ve happily joined in but I can’t be arsed with getting into it in the massive place I am now where most people wouldn’t know my surname. I certainly don’t know all of theirs....

Bollocks to providing individual meals... unless you take in a load of cornflakes and pints of milk. That I approve of

What a pain in the arse.

(This faff, not the OP)

Just say you don't want to join in. I wouldn't bother giving an excuse. If you have already had some of the food that's been bought in by other people then you might want to take in something to make sure it doesn't look like you were happy to take the free food without reciprocating. A cake would be ok.

Don't apologise - own your decision!

I would hate this! I never eat breakfast and always bring my own lunch in (and don't always eat it). Things are ridiculously tight financially (more outgoing than coming in) so for those saying "just do it" it really isn't that simple and unless you have ever been constantly in an overdraft and have cc bills to pay just to survive you really cannot understand how awful these situations are to end up faced with. No-one wants to tell their colleagues they can't afford a one off £10/£20 for something like this as a "team" thing.

I am a really fussy eater, so I tend to use that excuse - I'd just say I'll sit with you, but I'll bring my own so please don't count me in the numbers for catering, or something like that!

Good luck - I know it's not easy.

Thing is, if you don't take part, you'll definitely be ostracised.