It’s a hot day in the office and you’re up against some tight work deadlines, so you’re going to have to have lunch al-desko. But when you crack open your containers, are your workmates still going to be your friends afterwards?
What I’m getting at is that unspoken plea from everyone that works in a confined workspace, namely, ‘please don’t have anything for lunch that’s going to stink up the office and make us gag!’
Generally, if your go-to lunch is yoghurt, fruit, a salad or (some) sandwiches, you’re in the clear, but if you choose one of these foods, be prepared to be Ms. or Mr. unpopular in your workplace.
Fish
Of course, what else could be number one on the list? Before you put some of last night’s salmon in a container don’t even think about putting it in the staffroom microwave on a hot day – don’t.
Curry
While Chicken Tikka Masala might be one of the nation’s favourite meals, it doesn’t mean that you’re free to bring a pungent curry into the workplace. Not many people want their office to be smelling like their local Indian restaurant!
Hard-boiled eggs
Who remembers getting egg sandwiches in their school packed lunch and opening your lunchbox to discover a smell resembling some sort of meltdown at a sewage plant? Eggs are good for you, we’re not denying that, but they’re not good for consumption in a confined space.
Pungent vegetables
It’s important to eat your greens but do remember that veg like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts have their own smell which can only be described as an assault on the senses, and not in a good way!
Fast food
Yes, it might arouse some lunch envy when you stroll in with your McDonalds bag, but what will your co-workers think when the office still smells of grease a few hours later?
What’s the worst thing that one of your co-workers has ever brought in for lunch?