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 am sure you at not alone OP, there will be people with food allergies or Vegans that are not always catered for at these events. Could you suggest that the company arranged for you platters of food or sandwiches to be delivered that come from a local kitchen which specifically caters for these events.

@mandyhassandy So you avoid a lot of foods/only like bland foods, feel nauseous around strong smells? I'm no doctor but this sounds like sensory issues/AFRID? Are you on the spectrum at all? I hope it's not offensive to use that term; my sister used to struggle massively with good aversions and still is sensitive to smells and she is having an autism assessment in her 40s (lots of other traits too)

Yanbu. As a veggie with a sensitive stomach I never eat from buffets. Who knows who prepared it.

No it doesn't! Get a grip!

I love a good buffet and rarely ever turn free food down.

How on earth did you not expect so many replies? MN attracts germaphobes like chips attract seagulls.

I'm on a strict eating plan for my health issues so I'd bring my own food and just join in the chat. I don't mind the food smells though. Maybe speak to your line manager?

It wouldn’t bother me. I’d attend to be sociable and would contribute but I also would not eat one bit of it. My colleagues though, would be all over it.

I think if it’s professionally catered food or an M&S buffet, fine but random offerings brought in from home kitchen? NFW thanks

Me too, really enjoyed that sort of thing.

However the op obviously has problems with it and I feel for her. I think she could be otherwise occupied during buffet time on occasion, or slip away early.

My gob is well and truly smacked!
Where I work we have a (voluntary) "bring and share lunch" once every couple of months and it's a great moment to get to know other people who work for the same organisation who I don't normally get a chance to chat to.

Some people just bring a pizza from the local independant bakery, or a selection of cold meats from the supermarket, others bring nice cakes from the supermaket and others turn out some truly amazing homemade food It never crosses my mind that someone who goes to the trouble to make a homemade contribution would have less perfect hygiene standards than I do.

But I'm sure I'll remember this thread next time.........

I think the polite thing would be to do is turn up for 10mins and wish the retiree / bride to be etc well. Then bail and make your excuses.

I work for a large organisation, and the only time we have an organization wide buffet is for those leaving after many years of service. Yours sound ott.

That sounds like a plan.
@mandyhassandy just take your own bland food.

You're to being unreasonable. If a smell makes you feel ill, you can't help it. Some food smells make me feel nauseous.

As someone who suffered with an ED for many years, I hear you OP. Social eating is hell for some people, regardless of whether they have an actual diagnosed condition 'entitling' them to be excused.

I'd explain to your manager what you've written here. If they care about their staff's mental wellbeing they will allow you to be excused. This doesn't sound like it's work related at all it just sounds like a lunch. Which most people probably enjoy but you're not one of them. Besides, you're not being paid for your lunch hour presumably so they can't force you to attend!

Derby? Stoke ? 👋🏻😉

The fact you never see anyone washing their hands before these things is gross. I just can't.

Don't mind a buffet! I think it's totally unreasonable to ask work to stop doing something that so many people clearly enjoy because of your hang-ups about germs, hygiene and smells.

Nice to see this thread has brought out all the "ewwwww, homemade manky" people.

Thank you!

We used to have Fuddles at work in Nottingham. Then I moved to London and everyone looked at me like Fuddle was some kind of dirty urban dictionary word and didn't know what the hell I meant when I said it.

I'm relieved to hear someone else use the word again

Hate buffets and all the germs that go with them.

@DollopOfFun &@ParanormalNorman my mum says fuddle too she's from Derbyshire

I remember a place I used to work at did this, the very first time the birthday buffet was announced I was very naive with my expectations. I was expecting to see picky bits food including a good selection of vegetables like carrot batons, houmous, olives cherry tomatoes etc.

There wasn't a veggie in sight the buffet comprised of chips, pizza, kebab, fried chicken and garlic bread and I think there was also baked beans, gravy and curry sauce.

I rolled up with my contribution from Sainsbury's which was bread sticks, tortilla chips/crisps, tomato salsa dip and taramasalata dip, they all laughed at me. I ended up taking the food I brought home.

This ^

And if they don't understand do your best to throw up over the next buffet.

I've no idea why employers think these "we're all part of the same team let's celebrate together" events work

They only work for some people. One size does not fit all where inviduals are concerned.

If they don't understand that look for another job and hope they aren't as deluded.

Well I am not ND, allergic, hygiene obsessed or coeliac - but oh god I hated the bloody office buffets!

All packed into a warm, airless room that stinks to high heaven of pâté, Brie and tikka “bites”… People spitting flakes of sausage roll out while they do that um, oh, cover my mouth a bit to answer a question thing... Flabby quiche, waxy cocktail sausages, baguette so dry it’s a fire hazard, Russian roulette with what the knife’s been used for…

The challenge for me was finding enough I could actually manage to eat so I didn’t starve all afternoon, while avoiding conversation with the bloke from marketing who ate a huge paper plateful while making boring chat with his mouth open.

And if anyone brings coleslaw, they should be escorted from the building.

Just no, no, no.