Employer says I am not allowed to heat up my breakfast

[KittyKatty123]

I work full time, 9-5, computer facing all day, work that requires a lot of concentration. I understand the important of taking regular breaks to get away from the screen but don't take the mickey with this. I can't eat first thing in the morning so I have always eaten mid-morning, at my desk, sometimes something cold, sometimes something that needs a minute or two in the staff microwave.

Past employers have never had an issue with this.

I'm fairly new to this job but in the past two months that others have observed me doing this, including my line manager, no-one has ever raised it as an issue. We have access to a microwave and toaster so sometimes I'll bring in a tub of beans, or eggs that I've already put in a bowl and whisked at home so it takes 2 minutes in the microwave to heat them, sometimes I'll do some toast at the same time. All during the space of time it takes me to make my first cup of tea of the day - which is taken after having already put in 1-2 hours work since I got in that morning.

All of a sudden my line manager took me aside and said "it had been noticed" that I was heating up my breakfast and that I was no longer to do this as it was in work time, that the microwave and toaster were only for lunch breaks, unless I decided to split my break over both. This seems ridiculous to me as it takes max 5 minutes and I then bring it back to eat at my desk whilst working. I have seen colleagues gone for much much longer than this if they get into social conversation with colleagues.

Also, this instruction was directed only to me, not as a general "heads up" to the team or department as a whole, so it very personal.

In my mind, from an occupational health point of view, it is very important to take regular breaks throughout the day from VDU work, to make tea, go to the loo, chat with a colleague etc, so why is heating up food whilst making my tea any different.

Am I being unreasonable here? Do others do this at work with no issue? As I said, past employers have never had issue with it and I don't take the piss with it. Thank you.

@hotmeatymilk

speaking between mouthfuls while working is disgusting. Surely you’re meant to speak between mouthfuls, not during them…?

⭐️ too to the posters accusing OP of slurping, inhaling, munching, salivating. She’s eating beans from a Tupperware, not gnawing a carcass in the desert.

a 20-hour lunch a couple of times a week doing admin for their freelance side work
Can I come and work at this 20-hour lunch idyll

Haha, that maaaaay have been a typo (you can come and have a 2-hour lunch instead though, if you want!)

@hotmeatymilk

This person would then sit in their allocated office space and take the full one-hour lunch break to savour the chosen food. Heavens, they were using their full hour of unpaid time to enjoy a full hour of unpaid time, for its intended purpose – lunch; a break, hence the name – and savoured their food to boot. When we all know we should have a hand on keyboard at all times lest we deliver less than double our working hours, while cramming in a processed protein bar containing, allegedly, a whole meal in misery form.

This thread has driven me to go to a cafe for a slap-up lunch, and I WFH

You've broken me @hotmeatymilk

@hotmeatymilk

speaking between mouthfuls while working is disgusting. Surely you’re meant to speak between mouthfuls, not during them…?

⭐️ too to the posters accusing OP of slurping, inhaling, munching, salivating. She’s eating beans from a Tupperware, not gnawing a carcass in the desert.

a 20-hour lunch a couple of times a week doing admin for their freelance side work
Can I come and work at this 20-hour lunch idyll

So you’d go to a boardroom, eat a burger and speak between mouthfuls? If so your work environment is HIGHLY unusual.

Good thing the OP says she’s not eating it every day then.
Well if she's not doing it everyday, it shouldn't be too much of a hardship to stop doing then should it?

an inoffensive sandwich or similar to eat at your desk discreetly.
What counts as an inoffensive sandwich and how does one legislate for that?

I don't know why there's so much throwing up of hands in horror at food on this thread. It's a bit dysfunctional.

Astrak, if it had been vegetarian food would you still have complained? Or if it was meat/fish but cold? And do you find it a problem if anyone takes their full lunch break to eat lunch? Or, again, does it depend on what they're eating?

@Pigeoninthehouse

Good thing the OP says she’s not eating it every day then. Well if she's not doing it everyday, it shouldn't be too much of a hardship to stop doing then should it?

I don’t know what her tolerance levels are. Maybe one day a week is what she needs, maybe three times a week.

But I don’t profess to speak for the OP and make up facts that are not in the original or follow up posts

Scrambled eggs and beans are mess?

Really?

At your desk, when you're supposed to be working? Yes, it's a mess. That should be eaten at home or in the employee lounge.

Microwaving eggs and beans and eating them in the office is grim. Eggs stink the microwave and the office out. If you'd just stuck to a cold breakfast I doubt you'd have this problem.

Microwaving eggs and beans and eating them in the office is grim.

Exactly. I love freshly cooked eggs, but reheated eggs smell horrible. It amazes me that there are people on this thread who don't realise that. Then to subject your coworkers to that is so inconsiderate.

Hmm, this is a bit of an odd one! On the one hand- if it's only taking you a few minutes to heat up your breakfast in the kitchen - especially if other people are able to chat while making tea etc... the time taken shouldn't be an issue.

I suspect your line manager has received some complaints from others about the eggs smelling in the morning but doesn't really know how to deal with it so is going down the 'work time' route. Also, no offence OP, but it's a little strange heating up scrambled eggs in the microwave at work for breakfast. I've never seen anyone do that in almost 20 years of working in office-based jobs (including in some very relaxed places).

I eat my eggs outside or in the kitchen.

Eating at the desk annoys others, you spend time cooking your food, walking to the kitchen etc

@YourWetSock

I eat my eggs outside or in the kitchen.

Eating at the desk annoys others, you spend time cooking your food, walking to the kitchen etc

Plus the lingering smell of unwashed storage container/cutlery if it's not cleaned up instantly.

The smell is one thing but the potential noise would get me. I have misophonia, so unless you eat absolutely silently, I would have to complain about you, and if that didn't work, I'd need to leave whilst you ate.

I'd feel I were taking the piss - cooking and eating a hot meal on work's time, so there's probably some of that too.

Oh yes @TuftyMarmoset

I find a weekly Beano an absolute essential!

@Aquamarine1029

Scrambled eggs and beans are mess?

Really?

At your desk, when you're supposed to be working? Yes, it's a mess. That should be eaten at home or in the employee lounge.

What’s an employee lounge?

Dunno @TuftyMarmoset but it sounds posh

@IntermittentParps

an inoffensive sandwich or similar to eat at your desk discreetly. What counts as an inoffensive sandwich and how does one legislate for that?

I don't know why there's so much throwing up of hands in horror at food on this thread. It's a bit dysfunctional.

Astrak, if it had been vegetarian food would you still have complained? Or if it was meat/fish but cold? And do you find it a problem if anyone takes their full lunch break to eat lunch? Or, again, does it depend on what they're eating?

Inoffensive = something that her office mates can't smell.

A turkey or chicken sandwich, cheese, yoghurt, croissant, protein shake or bar, etc. There are plenty of options.

@Aquamarine1029

Scrambled eggs and beans are mess?

Really?

At your desk, when you're supposed to be working? Yes, it's a mess. That should be eaten at home or in the employee lounge.

What’s an employee lounge😂😂😂. We don’t have them in the NHS.... we come and go from the office all day....everyone eats on the hop....at their desks....but not smelly cooked eggs🙄.... Toast/crumpets/ soup all good though

@scarpa can I come work for you??!! Love this

*I don’t know what her tolerance levels are. Maybe one day a week is what she needs, maybe three times a week.

But I don’t profess to speak for the OP and make up facts that are not in the original or follow up posts*
Have you interpreted me suggesting that the OP 'might take off' from the amount of beans and eggs she's eating ' as a real possibility, a statement of fact?

I do think it's slightly unprofessional - baked beans!! And eggs are smelly.... I would either eat before work or get there slightly earlier and eat a pastry or something less mealy.

@Aquamarine1029

Scrambled eggs and beans are mess?

Really?

At your desk, when you're supposed to be working? Yes, it's a mess. That should be eaten at home or in the employee lounge.

I have never worked anywhere with an Employee lounge! It sounds very posh!

[quote KittyKatty123]@scarpa can I come work for you??!! Love this[/quote]
Everyone's welcome, it's BYOBeans&Eggs though !

I think it's the confusion of private activity with public / inappropriate spaces.

Beans and eggs in a caff, fine, at your desk no, yuck.

So glad I work from home, because I don't think I could tolerate this crap now, I have lost my tolerance. It's like with those women who put their full face of make up on the train. It literally makes me want to commit murder. This is not your fucking bedroom and I don t want to see it.... and breathe

Eggs and beans? YABU for that!