To absolutely hate buffets at work!

[mandyhassandy]

I work in a big organisation where there's a team (or sometime whole department of 50 people) buffet luncheon held for some reason or other every few weeks.. Birthdays, people leaving, retirements, wedding, engagements.. Any excuse to have one really!
The buffets involve everyone having to bring in something to contribute, I usually play it safe with cakes or biscuits but some people really go to town. Some with cook.
I really struggle with the smells of a lot of the stuff. I'm very bland in my eating, and there's a lot I can't/won't eat. So I tend to sit in the sidelines, ideally near the door or an open window just to spare myself some of the dreadful smells/sights Strong pungent smells like garlicy things make me feel ill. Any seeing people handling food without proper serving utensils and sometime grubby hands only adds to my nausea.
These buffets are always pre-arranged and staff are expected to be there. No excuses. We have to keep our diaries free to attend. I feel I can't get out of them and I struggle every time. Being in a confined space (meeting room) for an hour feeling nauseous and queezy, smelling things I wouldn't chose to smell/see is really making me dread work.
Anyone else have this at their workplaces?

I don't get paid breaks and refuse to have any involvement in lunch buffets, too many gross people snottering everywhere and God knows how many don't wash their hands properly after the loo.

Is she TRYING to kill you all?

When I was working in a large organisation I wasn't keen on a bring buffet. It was the lack of hygiene that put me off, people touching and breathingon stuff. That, and tight fisted managers coming in and saying innocently Oh I didn't bring anything! then stuffing their faces with food that much less well paid people brought in! One of my colleagues, who's quite cheeky, sent a general invitation to a buffet for someone's leaving party and put "No freeloaders allowed" at the bottom 😂

All of this is odd. Regular employee buffets including for engagments and weddings?

I'm also struggling to believe that you HAVE to go, it really seems like the sort of thing that is voluntary and where people drift in and out. Would anyone really notice if you weren't there?

Are you neurodiverse by any chance?

That's kind, but it may also put a certain pressure on the Coeliac to eat it, which can bring its own stress. It also forces the Coeliac to trust that whoever has provided it and put it out knows what they are doing - so many don't, as is regularly demonstrated on here - and that no- one else has contaminated it. That's probably not relaxing or enjoyable. Ask me how I know.

My first advice would be to try and explain to your line manager that you have genuine sensory issues that make these events miserable for you. I would expect a decent manager to understand that and make an adjustment for you...but not every manager is reasonable, so as a contingency plan, I advise a handkerchief with some olbas oil on it, or some strong mints, or whatever other strong scent you can tolerate and use discreetly for the time that you are required to be there. I love a buffet, but I struggle with disgusting smells on trains (especially cross country trains with their foul toilets) and I use peppermint oil on a hanky and airwaves chewing gum to help drown it out.

This reminds me of the woman we had who made cupcakes with fresh whipped cream on the top in summer! Why do people do this? Food bacteria just multiplying by the minute.

Trust me. There are places that make this mandatory and pile pressure on you to eat

I hear you OP. I'm not fussy with food but I loath eating stuff when I have no clue where it's prepared. Also, grubby hands pawing over food is vomit inducing.

I agree with you. I won’t eat anything cooked at someone’s home without me there by got knows who, who may or may not have washed their hands.

I just physically can’t, my body tells me it’s tainted. It’s not judgement on anyone.

Smells bother me too. I hate smelling hot food in the daytime. I think have a sandwich ffs. (Unreasonable, I know).

Do you get Vol-au-vents? Now they are the proper piece de resistance of a proper buffet!!

Yeah it's not kind at all is it. It's like LOOOK I MADE THIS ALLERGEN FREE THING FOR YOOOOU EAT IT. WHY DON'T YOU TRUST ME. OH you can't eat ANY dairy? Not even a little bit of parmesan? IT'S OK I ONLY REUSED THE BOWL I MADE THE CHEESE STRAWS IN THERE WONT BE MUCH IN THERE..wait why are you gasping for breath..

Yes, they do. It is always "Oh, you HAVE to have one of the sandwiches Janice made!" or "Why aren't you eating anything" even if you've eaten, but you're not stuffing your face enough. There are also often jibes about "this is why you're thin," "are you on a diet," etc.

I used to work as events planner in a place that had like a business members club and there would be fancy finger food and dainty sandwiches served on platters every week and cooked by caterers for some evening event or other and that was nice! But yeah I don’t like the sound of those buffets.

I had a friend whose dinners were always “pot luck” which means everyone brings something. I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing ( he was Canadian) but as I didn’t know many of his friends I was basically having to trust strangers who have cooked at home so I just started declining the invitations.

I assume you’re not actually eating the food (wise!) but it’s making you sick just looking at it? If so you should be allowed to have a coffee and quick chat then go IMO.

Yes. We do quarterly. It's in response to a staff survey where we asked what would help people feel more connected to colleagues across teams/help morale/ reduce isolation for people often based off site. The most commonly offered suggestion was lunches like you describe. They have proved very popular. I do sympathise with you though. I have my own reasons for not wanting to eat a buffet lunch (So I don't. I pick at the fruit and salad. No one notices.) If I were you and you are really suffering that badly I'd have a word with my manager, explain and ask to be excused on health grounds. (They have no right to force you to contribute, and you should still be permitted your legal break away from your work station/contractual break, but during paid hours they can probably make you attend unless there's good reason.)

I love buffets. My immune system is in pretty good order so I'm not that fussed about eating other people's food, but I think I would definitely bring something of my own that I knew was fine and would make sure I had some of that in case everything looked awful. I really like trying new foods, though, so would probably gorge myself silly and have a semi-somnolent afternoon. One of the few things I miss about work, tbh.

I hate buffets, the only thing worse for me are those all you can eat buffets! I don’t have any issues with food or cleanliness at all, I’m just not a fan of soggy sandwiches / sausage rolls in Tupperware. My condolences to you.

@OriginalUsername2 I felt sick when I saw people eating cake baked by a woman who's well-known for not washing her hands after using the toilet. I thought I must be extremely fussy.

Just don't eat it.

If this is real, and you are this upset about sone people eating some food, I don't really know what else to say OP.

Haha, didn't expect this many replies! :) Another thing I absolutely hate about buffets is when well-meaning people are pushing my to try something... Saying "you should try this..." or "just have a tiny bit...". I'm like "NO thanks" but they carry on pushing, like they can't just accept that I don't WANT to try the items. Hate buffets with a passion!

No we don't but I would love this 😍

@Peanus that's the most accurate description ever! Made me retch a little 🤢😶

My very first job as a graduate was at a place where the tea ladies had a sideline of making the buffets for meetings. The type of buffet you could have depended on the importance of the attendees. The bog standard was sandwiches. If you got a research manager or research fellow you could have a hot buffet with chicken nuggets, quiches, and similar. If you could get the Director of Research then you could have wine.

The people in the department next to the conference room used to lurk and swoop in as soon as the room was empty to get at the leftovers. They chanced their luck too far one day by hiding behind the room divider and sliding in after the lunch but before the meeting attendees had finished their meeting and were summarily evicted.

There was also a market in inviting senior people, not because they were wanted, but because the buffet upgrade was.

This thread alone has made me feel nauseous 🤢

I totally get it op. Other people’s dubious hygiene and funky food smells - yuck. I would just be brutally honest and ask if I could be excused. Say it’s affecting your well-being.

🤣 laughing so hard I almost spat my water out!

Oh, and don't get me started on those cold refrigerator precooked chipolatas, which seem to be a staple at these things 🤢