How To Handle The ‘Food Police’ At Your Workplace

Most of us know better than to microwave food in the office break room, but there are a lot of other potential pitfalls related to eating at work. And in many cases, this can play out in the form of unsolicited input from judgmental coworkers.

If you’ve experienced feedback that seemed designed to make you feel guilty for your dietary choices, you’re not alone.

A no-win situation

It’s not just those who indulge in a little in-office junk food who hear from the self-deputized food police.

Sure, there are countless examples of people facing criticism from colleagues over their choice to open a bag of chips or cut a piece of cake. But Alison Green, an advice columnist for issues related to office politics, recently wrote that even those who choose a lighter option often feel attacked for not eating enough.

“For whatever reason, food choices seem to be up for public critique, which can make for some awfully irritating exchanges when you’re just trying to microwave your Lean Cuisine in the break room,” she wrote.

Green has been collecting horror stories that all share a common theme: People feel forced to endure the verbal barrage because they’re stuck in an office with the co-workers who deliver it.

How to handle it

Most folks don’t want to make waves, particularly where they spend 40+ hours a week. But being assertive in defense of your own interests doesn’t have to result in the beginning of an interoffice feud.

Whether you feel vilified for what you eat or targeted by some officewide weight-loss contest, it’s well within your rights to speak up (respectfully, of course).

A phrase as simple as “I’d prefer not to discuss my dietary choices at work” might be all it takes to draw a line in the sand.

Chris Agee August 20th, 2024

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