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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Slurping worse than crunching?

17 replies

amyneedssleep · 30/01/2023 14:02

Bit of a silly one but I'm interested in opinions! I share an office with one other colleague. We both tend to eat our lunches at our desk (I do so because I like to go out for a brisk walk during my actual lunch break so will eat while I'm reading through emails on my return whereas my colleague doesn't move from her desk all day.)

Colleague tends to bring in 'slurpy' lunches; soups, noodle broths etc. I tend to have crunchy lunches; crisps, crackers, carrot sticks etc.

Her slurping really gets to me. It's SO loud and puts me on edge for the entire time she's eating. However I don't think I can ask her to eat her lunch elsewhere as like I said, my lunches tend to be crunchy which can be just as noisy just in a different, less disgusting way (in my opinion.) We have to stagger our lunches so I can't go out when she's eating (although to be fair I'm not sure she's technically 'on' her lunch, she doesn't really seem to take a lunch break, but I do think out of respect for her it'd be a dick move to go out and leave the phones to her when she's trying to eat a hot meal.)

I could solve this quite easily by implementing a 'no lunch at desks' policy (I'm slightly senior to her) but then I wouldn't have time for my daily walk which is really important for my mental health.

So what do you think?

Yes, YABU - Crunching is just as bad as slurping, if you want her to stop you need to start taking your lunch away from your desk and forgo your daily walk
No, YANBU - Slurping is definitely worse than crunching and you should tell her to eat elsewhere

OP posts:
HoldingTheDoor · 30/01/2023 14:11

YABU.

mynameiscalypso · 30/01/2023 14:13

I agree re slurping. I'm not sure there's a solution but it should be banned in general. Especially when my DH does it.

Kimberz · 30/01/2023 14:14

Slurping or crunching. I cant stand any food related noises.

Pop some ear phones in

HelloBunny · 30/01/2023 14:19

Slurping is worse! My DH sort of slurp / inhales his food into his mouth, instead of fully inserting the spoon / fork. He can even do to sandwiches. Bites some off & sucks it in vacuum-style. Urgh!

weathervane1 · 30/01/2023 14:20

Chewing with your mouth open....

Sucking on fingers trying to get a bit of loose nail...

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 30/01/2023 14:24

Well either is bad! You should be able to eat both types of food without making noises!

Just put earplugs in as others have suggested

amyneedssleep · 30/01/2023 14:26

HelloBunny · 30/01/2023 14:19

Slurping is worse! My DH sort of slurp / inhales his food into his mouth, instead of fully inserting the spoon / fork. He can even do to sandwiches. Bites some off & sucks it in vacuum-style. Urgh!

Yes, this is what she's like. I think for me, slurping is worse because there are ways to minimise it and people who do it loudly just don't seem to care about how it sounds, whereas crunching is inevitable (and I do try and soften the food I'm eating a bit before biting into it, so it's not as obnoxiously loud as it could be.)

But I appreciate I'm being outvoted here so I will go with the consensus!

OP posts:
NeedMoMoney · 30/01/2023 14:26

There is a woman at work that ALWAYS slurps her cup of tea!! We work in a small area so there's no way of avoiding hearing it! It grinds my gears!!! YANBU!

amyneedssleep · 30/01/2023 14:30

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 30/01/2023 14:24

Well either is bad! You should be able to eat both types of food without making noises!

Just put earplugs in as others have suggested

Maybe I'm just really sensitive to noise but I don't see how anyone can eat crunchy food like crisps or carrot sticks silently? Like, you can soften it to a certain degree if you have all day, but can you really eat it silently?

OP posts:
kittymu9397 · 30/01/2023 14:31

They're both absolutely VILE but slurping is another level of nasty 🤮

AffIt · 30/01/2023 14:33

There is somebody else in your office who is dying on the inside right now because of the pair of you...

(It's not me, btw, I don't work with the OP. Just speculating, based on previous experience.)

Oysterbabe · 30/01/2023 14:34

Crunching is definitely worse. The sound of my husband eating rice cakes makes my mind go to some very dark places.

LividNC · 30/01/2023 14:34

Crunching my foods as you’ve described would have me in prison for your murder. Even thinking about it makes my back itch up the middle.

So, yabu. But both of you are.

amyneedssleep · 30/01/2023 14:36

AffIt · 30/01/2023 14:33

There is somebody else in your office who is dying on the inside right now because of the pair of you...

(It's not me, btw, I don't work with the OP. Just speculating, based on previous experience.)

It's just us two in our office so this isn't a major concern 😄

OP posts:
AffIt · 30/01/2023 14:39

amyneedssleep · 30/01/2023 14:36

It's just us two in our office so this isn't a major concern 😄

In that case, it is the unstoppable object meets the immovable force... 😄

Both crunching and slurping are annoying, but if forced to choose, I would take the cruncher over the slurper. Crunching I can objectify to an extent, slurping absolutely turns my stomach.

Can you both compromise and start having sandwiches for lunch?

amyneedssleep · 30/01/2023 14:42

AffIt · 30/01/2023 14:39

In that case, it is the unstoppable object meets the immovable force... 😄

Both crunching and slurping are annoying, but if forced to choose, I would take the cruncher over the slurper. Crunching I can objectify to an extent, slurping absolutely turns my stomach.

Can you both compromise and start having sandwiches for lunch?

I think this is where I'm heading, and it's time for me to switch my humous and crudites to a nice inoffensive sandwich 😆

I'll still have to have a tricky conversation with her about her slurping but at least I'll be able to point out my own changed habits.

OP posts:
BogRollBOGOF · 30/01/2023 14:43

Crunching is an inevitable part of some foods.

Slurping is unnecessary. Food/ drinks can be put into the mouth without being sucked in like a Vaxx.

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