Fish, fast food and re-heated leftovers are some of the foods that office employees are enjoying on their lunch breaks – at the expense of their co-workers.
Experts at Londonoffices.com have compiled a selection of the lunches that staff members love to eat at their desk or in the cafeteria, that annoy their colleagues.
The list includes lunches that leave a potent smell in the office, such as fish, eggs and fast foods, as well as some foods that we can’t help but eat noisily, such as crisps and soups.
Completing the list of foods that you shouldn’t eat in your office are leftovers, curries, baked foods, onions or garlic and sauce based foods.
A spokesperson for Londonoffices.com says, ‘When you’re working five days a week, having a cheese sandwich every day for lunch doesn’t quite cut the mustard, so more and more office workers are looking for something new to try.
‘The problem is that whilst you might be enjoying your leftovers of last night’s dinner, or a meal-to-go from that new fast food place in town, if it has a potent smell or is noisy to eat this probably means that your colleagues aren’t enjoying it as much as you are.
‘Many office staff choose to eat their lunch at their desk now which some workers might find irritating, as it can be very off-putting having to listen to someone chomp away at their food.
‘If you think that you might’ve bought in a lunch that could cause a stink and distract your colleagues, perhaps consider eating it away from your office.’
These are the top ten foods that shouldn’t be eaten in the office, according to Londonoffices.com:
1. Leftovers
Last night’s dinner may have smelt delicious when you served it, but it’s unlikely to smell as good when you take it to work the next day.
Blitzing your leftovers in the office microwave sends the smell of your food flying round the building, so perhaps consider leaving it at home.
2. Fast food
Having to sit through the unpleasant greasy smell of burger and chips is a real annoyance for your colleagues, so next time you decide on a local fast food chain for lunch you might want to eat in instead of taking away.
3. Fish
No matter how much you like it, it’s an undeniable fact that fish reeks. Whether it’s a tuna salad or leftover Salmon, it’s going to stink out your office and for quite some time, so maybe bring in a lunch with a less distinctive smell.
4. Baked goods
Baked goods won’t have an adverse effect on your colleagues, although it may make them jealous, but the high sugar and fat content will eventually leave you sluggish and low on energy.
5. Eggs
Work in an office for long enough, and you’re bound to run into someone who inexplicably thinks boiled eggs are acceptable to eat within smelling distance of their colleagues. Sadly, they’re not.
6. Onions or garlic
The smells of onions and garlic may not necessarily prove an issue to your co-workers whilst you’re tucking into your lunch, but be wary if you have an important meeting or face-to-face chat in the afternoon, as that smell will linger on your breath for some time.
7. Sauce based foods
Foods such as Burritos, chicken wings and pastas can all come with a large amount of different sauces, which aside from getting all over your face can also ruin your work clothes. Avoid at all costs if you need to look presentable around the office.
8. Crisps
Crisps are a packed lunch staple, but if you work in a quiet office the sound of the bag rustling and the crunch of you eating them can be extremely irritating to anyone working in close quarters with you.
9. Soup
Slurping your food is one the most off-putting sounds you can make whilst eating, so it might be best to eat it away from your desk if you can’t help but eat it noisily.
10. Curry
Curries make a delicious and filling lunch, but much like a lot of cooked foods, the smell can travel around your office. If it’s not distracting your colleagues, it’s probably making them envious.
Further reading on lunchtime foods
