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.

Hi folks,

Bit of peace and love, please?

You don't need to "challenge" anyone in that hectoring way, it's unnecessary.

Thank you @GreyhoundG1rl and MNHQ.

The people in most my other offices have had sausage, bacon, egg or breakfast type rolls for breakfast most mornings.
I'm not sure anyone tried to police what smells came in the offices.

Just say you will take 5 mins less at lunch, but in that conversation highlight the fact that the water cooler gossipers waste more time !

At times in the morning id pre-order a full cooked breakfast American style, but that usually got eaten before ready for 9am start time, although the smell was noticeable at times but that was also due to a few others with their breakfasts too.

Why can't you eat breakfast before going to work? Just wondering as you don't say.
I wondered that too!

@AlwaysLatte

Why can't you eat breakfast before going to work? Just wondering as you don't say. I wondered that too!

Because she needs to take a break from her screen which can only be a hue Ed by cooking Tupperware eggs and baked beans 🤷🏼‍♀️

@Thinkbiglittleone but the breakfast rolls will smell less because they haven't been cooked on the premises, besides who doesn't like the smell of bacon . Also breakfast baps brought in at the start of work so all the smells at the same time, mid morning beany/eggy pong is another matter.

I must be odd as I really hate baked beans and Heinz tomato soup. The smell and sight of someone eating them at 10am would make me feel quite nauseous. There are other options - I'm currently sat in a hotel room eating a porridge pot that I put boiling water into.

I think the employer has asked her to stop doing it for more reasons than just smell, or they wouldn't be asking her to split her lunch break up. so suggesting she takes in a nice cold dish, or something that's going to take a while to eat out of a thermos flask is a bit pointless and likely to piss off her employer.
If the op wants to eat a significant meal mid morning, then she will need to use her own time.

Probably ponging out the microwave so nobody else can use it.

Sitting with a plate of toast/beans/egg, and presumably a knife and fork? Yeah, that's taking the P a bit.

@Thinkbiglittleone

The people in most my other offices have had sausage, bacon, egg or breakfast type rolls for breakfast most mornings. I'm not sure anyone tried to police what smells came in the offices.

Just say you will take 5 mins less at lunch, but in that conversation highlight the fact that the water cooler gossipers waste more time !

Same at my previous workplaces, but a fresh bacon bap doesn't pong half as much as pre cooked and reheated eggs.

If they're not bothered about you having cold food, the issue is probably more that it stinks! Although people take lunch at different times, there's more chance of being able to escape whilst people cook rancid stuff in the microwave! Also does seem excessive to be sat eating with a knife and fork at your desk outside of break times.

Solution: move your computer into the kitchen and cook odourless eggs (www.kansalagro.com/odorless-organic-eggs.htm)!
Then perhaps all these complainers will let you have your morning break in peace.

Same at my previous workplaces, but a fresh bacon bap doesn't pong half as much as pre cooked and reheated eggs.

She is bringing in pre whisked eggs not reheated or pre cooked as I understand it, so effectively just making scrambled eggs, I'm amazed people are so funny over this, it does sound really petty, but I suppose all offices mix differently, we all got on well and the people were quite relaxed.

Oh and Yes the bacon and egg butties smell of egg once in the office, we all just got on with it
I suppose all offices are different, we just all got on

Krispy She's not reheating pre cooked eggs. She's whisking them at home and then cooking in the microwave at work.

But that still stinks....

@zingally

Sitting with a plate of toast/beans/egg, and presumably a knife and fork? Yeah, that's taking the P a bit.

This!

@MakeMathsFun

Solution: move your computer into the kitchen and cook odourless eggs (www.kansalagro.com/odorless-organic-eggs.htm)! Then perhaps all these complainers will let you have your morning break in peace.

Op isn't on a break. She thinks it's ok to do this whilst supposedly working because it only takes two minutes from start to finish...

In a new job I’d think you’d come across more professional if you ate breakfast earlier and before coming in , or as they suggest something cold as much less noticeable

I suspect the OP isn’t even reading the thread anymore. She hasn’t commented in absolutely ages, has she?

I used to work as a legal secretary in a previous existence and I can’t imagine that in any of those places eating a cooked breakfast during work time would have been permitted.

It's now reached Nottingham post, I think this has been one of the most publicized posts I know of in recent times.

Eating a cooked breakfast at one's desk does seem a bit cheeky at face value. But maybe it shouldn't be. Two mins is less time than it takes to go to the toilet or make a brew. Where does it stop? Low fiber meals to minimise toilet trips? Fixed number of drinks allowed?

I could never do a job that micromanaged me that much. Sometimes I have a sleep for an hour whem work's quiet. Nobody cares as long as work gets done.

Wow! Quite a silly thread really. But I swear half the posters were about ten years old?! All that “yuck, eggs are stinky, bleurghhh” nonsense! Grow up 🙄 And no one commented on the pp who said she literally vomited on the floor because someone was eating an egg sandwich 🙄🙄🙄🙄 How do people like that ever cope in a cafe or on a plane or - well, loads of places! Not saying OP was right - but there was definitely lots of competitive delicacy about food.

@Carrotsandbroccoli

Wow! Quite a silly thread really. But I swear half the posters were about ten years old?! All that “yuck, eggs are stinky, bleurghhh” nonsense! Grow up 🙄 And no one commented on the pp who said she literally vomited on the floor because someone was eating an egg sandwich 🙄🙄🙄🙄 How do people like that ever cope in a cafe or on a plane or - well, loads of places! Not saying OP was right - but there was definitely lots of competitive delicacy about food.

You obviously have no idea about how some people work. They can't help their sensitivities. It's not childish. Sometimes it goes alongside ASD or other sensory issues. Thanks for making me feel like people judge me....you sound about as sensitive and aware as a rock.