How to politely request healthier food choices when meeting clients?

[Lemonthyme]

How do you politely say to a company "please don't feed me beige food"?

I was with a client yesterday and they asked before I arrived if I had any allergies etc. Which I don't. But when food came it was chicken nuggets, chips and crisps. I kid you not. It was like being in a wacky warehouse.

I've now been on such a healthy diet for a while, I ate some and it was only because I was hungry that I did eat, if there had been a fruit bowl I'd have only eaten fruit. I just didn't want to be doing it and felt awful physically afterwards. I know one meal of crap like that isn't going to make a difference to my weight but I don't like feeling like I'm bloated with that rubbish afterwards. Calories you just don't enjoy aren't fun are they? And I want to get better at asking for something less crap in future.

Do you think it's rude to say "can I have something healthy?" or "please can we have some fruit or vegetables?"

While I've barely eaten any bread for months, I still would have preferred a sandwich to that pants stuff. I work from home a lot of the time so it's not a big issue but it's surely possible to try and get something a smidge healthier.

I used to have to do regular meetings/training courses that were run in a local pub that had a huge meeting space out the back. Lunch was always baguettes with chips... not a lettuce leaf in sight. I hadn't got any food with me on the first occasion but then made sure that I took a salad with me, some nuts and a protein bar. I now always make sure that I've got a couple of protein bars, bags of nuts and clear protein powder in my handbag which have saved me on quite a few occasions.

How about : No dietary restrictions but some fruit or salad would be lovely please.

Not answering your question but you reminded me of a new client visit I made years ago. It was a pet food production place. The last part of the tour was their meat extruding facility. It had fish going at that time and all the fish remains were dumped one end and cat food came out the other end. The smell was absolutely disgusting. We then went to the meeting room for lunch, where they served tuna sandwiches… I went hungry that day! 🤣

Please don’t crunch noisy apples in meetings 😫😫

Before I had my gallbladder out I had some very strange conversations about work lunches. I couldn't eat anything with fat in it and the weird and wonderful things I was offered to eat! Naked lettuce leaves, jelly sweets, thankfully not mixed together.
Just bring your own lunch, tell them you have complex dietary restrictions and it's easier.

This. I would be seriously unimpressed if this is the sort of fare that they provide.

Nuts, bananas, berries, oatcakes. No need for a fridge.

I don’t have allergies but I am intolerant to a lot (IBD) so tend to take my own food everywhere.

So we have all day meetings and equally awful food is provided. I say "oh gluten doesn't agree with me but I am not a coeliac " and then I either take a sandwich (if it would be really rude not to eat) and then just eat the ham or cheese inside. Or mostly I just don't eat. If you fast, as I do, I plan my fast days to coincide with the "all day meeting" day. Once youve done it once people seem to accept it and then it becomes à lot less of a big deal.

Do this

Totally. But I wouldn’t eat it. Take something of your own and don’t overly explain why just say I’m fine thanks I’ve got my own stuff.

You are making this more difficult than it needs to be. They asked you about food preferences - next time, just say, "a salad would be great, thanks" (or chicken sandwich or whatever it is that you feel you could eat which wouldn't be too much trouble for them to prepare/source).

These John west tuna pots are quite decent for a hermetically sealed portable non refrigerated snack / small meal: https://www.john-west.co.uk/product/on-the-go-honey-ginger-super-tuna-salad-gluten-free/

The kids have taken them on d of e walks as an alternative to other things sometimes.

Why not just say no deep fried food?

Tell them you're vegan

Work canteens are a lot like school dinners.

If they ask about dietary needs can you not just say I am on a bit of a health kick so a salad or baked potato or soup and a sandwich would be great.

I think best to take your own and just tell them when they ask about allergies that you'll do so. Lots of workplaces have a set offer for catering for meetings and not much flexibility within that (we have sandwiches which can be adapted for dietary requirements but our catering team wouldn't be able to provide a salad- there's just no mechanism to do that)- if we had a client coming in I suppose one of the main team could go out to the shops specially, but I'd be quite surprised to be expected to do that if I were the client!

I agree the food you were given sounds very odd though.

That's so true about the white bread! Happens where I work too!

Lie and say you're vegan

Unless it hinders sales obviously

😂

Why is it critical of others' food to say I prefer to eat non UPF?

Because it’s just been offered to you, you know full well that others will be eating it. So you choose to diss it? It’s rude and sanctimonious. Just decline it without being a cow about other peoples food.

You haven't answered my question of why it is critical of others' food to say I prefer non UPF.
Also, you're being rude to me!

Regardless of what you think of their food offer, they are the client and they are paying you for your work, not the other way around, so I don't think it would be reasonable for you to start asking for your preferred type of food when you visit them. As the contractor I'd say you're very much the one who should be tripping over yourself to accommodate what they want, not the other way around.

Again, for the hard of thinking. When the food the others are about to eat, and have just offered you, is UPF and you decline it, on the basis that it’s UPF, the inference is that’s it’s muck you won’t touch. It’s not an allergy, just a dietary preference. You would be - in the op’s case - quite clearly dissing your client’s hospitality. It is therefore, unneccesarily critical and rude. Not to mention, a bit bloody daft from a client relationship point of view.

Just say no thanks to the food and move on, without the explanation, literally no one else is that interested in your diet.

@BillieWiper "But it would seem weird to say 'the nuggets and chips you served me are unacceptable'"

Where did I write that I'd say that?

@AgnesMcDoo Thanks for sharing that, I had no idea anyone else asked for stuff like this. I'll try next time.