Called “greedy” at work

[HamOnBeth]

Yesterday we had a lunch buffet for a staff member who is going on mat leave. Usual routine is the buffet comes out at lunch time and everyone brings something such as sandwiches, sausage rolls, flapjacks, etc etc … basic party food. We do a little gift and card giving presentation then everyone gets tucked into the buffet. After lunch the food stays there and people just pick at it during the afternoon whilst they work.

So after lunch we got back to work and I walked across and got a few more sandwiches (other people were also going back up). An hour or so later I went back and got a few more bits - certainly not platefuls - just a couple of sandwiches, a couple of (bite size) flapjacks and a muffin.

We leave at 5pm. At 4pm someone said “there is so much food left”. That’s all I heard so I assumed it needed using up so I went back and got a few more bits. At this point someone said “Jesus Christ Beth, are you hungry?!”

I said “well it needs using up doesn’t it?” And laughed trying to keep it light hearted. Someone else then said “there is going to be none left for people to take home! No need to be greedy with it”.

Long story short it was apparently agreed that whatever was left would be taken home by those with kids. I did not hear this. I said I hadn’t heard this so someone said “Well no, you won’t have” and rolled their eyes.

was I really out of order here?? The food was there, lots of it. Nobody else was bothering with it. I’m embarrassed but I still don’t really think I did anything wrong? It’s not like I scoffed it all as soon as it came out.

It certainly sounds as if you had your fair share of the buffet and some!
I’d have been thinking you must be greedy very hungry but I’m not ok with the thought that people with children should be the ones to take the leftovers. They should have been primarily left for the person going on mat leave/members of staff.

But four plates worth of food… what else would you call it?

adjective

1. having an excessive desire or appetite for food. "he's scoffed the lot, the greedy pig"

I'm surprised people said it to her face but not surprised people thought it and think it on here too. OP's eating a lot is the same as excessive to many people. Humans do think, say and imply negative things, no matter how much language evolves to make nice.

About 18 years ago I used to work in an office and we would occasionally do a bring a dish day. Most people would bring something (or go out at lunch and buy something) and we would have a nice time. The food was left out. There was a guy on another floor called Allen. Allen would descend like a food ghoul (despite contributing nothing), and lick his lips and wiggle his fingers like a cartoon at the dishes. On his third visit in just a few hours a few of us did say that only people that bought dishes could eat. He then patted his stomach and claimed he was on a diet. The man would also come into our floors kitchen fridge and eat other peoples food.

There is no nice way to say this OP. You are the office Allen!

jokes aside, yes you were being greedy. Let’s break this down - first lunch maybe what 3/4 sandwiches. Second plate ‘a few’ so whats that, 3-4? Last plate a couple. Thats 10 sandwiches at least! No you didn’t scoff it as soon as it came out, but it sounds like you made a sizeable dent. How much did you contribute in comparison to how much you consumed?

It is absolutely disgusting to take sandwiches and sausages rolls that have been sat out for hours home for children. In my office any buffet lunch is left out a couple of hours for staff and then binned.

Cakes are different as they can usually last a bit longer.

I'm not going to call the OP out on whether she was greedy or not. But what I would say is that offices are awful places for gluttony and over eating (or at least my office was). There's always someone's birthday, team meetings, sweet treat Fridays, co worker that constantly brings in home made goods and other occasions that mean there is a constant conveyor belt of food on offer. You have to have the strongest will power in the world to resist.

It does sound like a lot of food to consume. Four trips and each time having multiple sandwiches and multiple sweet treats.

That’s 6 slices of bread (minimum) which is a lot to eat in one day.

Would I say something if I saw someone doing this, no. Would I want to re think my diet and food choices if it was me, yes.

What did you contribute to the buffet OP?

Glad it stopped! See now THAT is greedy.

OP was not greedy, she didn’t deprive anyone else, she only went up again when it was clear there was still an excess of food, and what’s more there was plenty of food that should be binned by the end of the day like sandwiches. Sounds like she ate little and often, which is better for you than overloading a plate and eating it all in one go.

I wouldn't have said anything, but I'd have silently thought you were very greedy.

The people calling you greedy are probably the ones truly being greedy though, as they only wanted OP to stop taking more food as they were planning on taking it home for their kids. So they desperately shamed OP to stop eating more.

I'd assume the person has very serious food issues tbh and feel a bit sorry for them.

4 times up to a work buffet that others have all contributed to ?? Yes you are a greedy glutton for nourishment, clearly !
Do you scoff food all day at work normally ?

This is such an odd view.

she didn't need to consult with colleagues - the food was there for them. It wasn't there for the families of a select few. Fair enough for people (all the people who contributed not just these with families) to take home what was left - but that's what's left at finishing time.

people have such weird views on food. She went up multiple times as there was food left over. After everyone had eaten .

mn can be such a weird place to talk about food - competitive under eating etc

op - they were rude not you, and potentially are toeing the bullying line. Next time I'd just not bring anything and not eat anything from the buffet either

I hate shared lunches because I find them unhygienic and they are usually incredibly wasteful. I bet you half the people who would have taken food home ended up throwing it in the bin (or their family members did). But these colleagues sound like the worst kind of passive aggressive idiots. I would just keep them at arms length or develop a thick skin.
Don't feel bad for eating more - we didn't have much money and I was expected to finish everything I was given as a child and it's a hard mindset to shift. Although I'm slim I have given myself painful indigestion simply because if food is put in front of or near me I can't let it go to waste. I know it's not because I'm "greedy" and because I'm slim I've never had any negative comments about it. But I have had unwanted comments about my body, my appetite and my diet from female colleagues throughout my life.
People should get over judging others and focus on improving themselves.

Sorry just to be clear I mean the person thinking you're greedy must have food issues, not you!

Sounds like people policing what women eat as usual. The food was there and you can decide how much you eat OP.

Well, as others have pointed out a ‘plate’ isn’t a standard measurement. I never put much on a plate at buffets but do tend to go back more frequently than others.

But let’s assume op has jammed on as much food as logistically possible.

I’d call it ‘a lot’.

Greed wouldn’t enter into it unless she was elbowing people aside to get to the flapjacks or chucking half of it in the bin.

@HamOnBeth heavens, I wouldnt even be watching the people going up for more food!! why would anyone do that? as for only the ones with kids getting food to go home?? what a bloody cheek when you have all contributed!!e

Exactly! Who even counts such a ridiculous thing? People who have eyes on bagging the leftovers.

We have cold buffets at work once a week. Someone brings bread, someone else cheese, ham, vegetables etc. The food is left out for one hr in the morning. Then we each take home what we brought. If I don’t want to take it home I offer it to a colleague or bin it.

It wouldn’t enter our minds that one person (with kids) or just some people would get to take all leftovers. Weird.

Regarding washing hands there is a rule that we all wash and sanitize hands just before touching any food (sanitizer is next to the plates). I think most of us would anyway, it’s just common sense.

Tbh if they wanted to take some for their children why wouldn't you take a bit from the start and wrap it to keep it fresh especially with other peoples hands all over it. (Unfortunately not everyone washes their hands that would be my thinking anyway)

I don't think you were being greedy at all and certainly didn't warrant the comments from your colleagues. The food was out and left out to be picked at and then any left would go home for employees children. I'd have picked if I was peckish and got the nibbles. There's cake here at the moment and I know others will just be cutting slices and slivers all afternoon with any left (who am I kidding) being munched for breakfast here in the morning. I certainly don't count how many visits my colleagues go to the kitchen and certainly wouldn't call or imply a greediness.

A couple of buffet sandwiches could be two triangles so 1 slice of bread per trip.

@HamOnBethfabulous username!

This is such an insane post it has to be a pisstake 🤣🤣

I wrote similarly - then I found out it’s gluttonous - as in “glutton”.

We don’t know how much gluten was in the food the OP fed her face with four times.