Lifestyle
Woman Says Co-worker ‘Always Has Something to Say’ About Her ‘Cultural’ Lunches
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A woman enjoys experimenting with cultural dishes for lunch
Her co-worker frequently makes comments about her food, which she feels are rude and judgmental
She distanced herself to avoid the remarks, but now her other co-workers say she is being “cold”
A woman seeks support from the Reddit community after facing uncomfortable comments at work about the food she brings for lunch. She explains in her post that what started as a fun way to try new meals has now left her feeling self-conscious at the office.
“Lately I’ve been experimenting with different cultural foods my friends have recommended to me. Stuff like jollof rice, chicken curry, jajangmyeon, pho, and some other dishes I’ve either cooked myself or picked up from restaurants,” she writes.
Trying these meals has become a highlight of her day, and she looks forward to lunch as “a mini food adventure.” But one co-worker, whom she calls “M,” “always has something to say” about her food choices, and it rarely feels kind.
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Stock photo of co-workers having a discussion
According to her post, it’s never a genuine compliment or curiosity, but more of a critique. “It’s more like, ‘Wow, that smells strong,’ or ‘That’s a lot of carbs,’ or ‘I don’t know how you can eat that for lunch, I’d be in a food coma.’ ”
Sometimes these comments are made loudly enough that the whole breakroom can hear. The poster explains that she never comments on M’s food, which is usually a salad or chips, because she doesn’t care what others are eating.
But the repeated remarks are starting to make her feel singled out. “Her little remarks are starting to make me self-conscious, like I can’t even enjoy my meal in peace,” she shares with the community.
To cope, she started distancing herself from her co-worker. “I’ve started keeping my distance sitting at my desk, timing my lunch differently, and avoiding small talk with her,” she writes.
Her efforts to carve out space have not gone unnoticed by other co-workers. Some have started to comment that she is being “cold” and insist that M is “just curious” about her food.
But to the woman, the behavior does not “feel curious, it feels judge-y.”
The Reddit community quickly came to her defense, with many agreeing she is not in the wrong. One commenter replies, “NTA. If there’s a coworker in my break room I don’t want to interact with I put my earbuds in as soon as I sit down and watch YouTube videos while I eat.”
The commenter also added that pretending not to hear unwanted chatter is a good way to avoid “really awkward” co-workers who make people feel uncomfortable. The advice seemed to validate the poster’s instinct to create space for herself during lunch.
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Stock photo of a woman stressed having a meal
Another supportive voice reminded her that no one else should control how she feels about her meals. “Honestly eat what you want don’t let someone else especially a non qualified nutritionist make you feel bad,” they wrote.
The commenter shared that they also enjoy experimenting with food and points out that dismissing cultural dishes as “strong smelling” could carry negative undertones.
Still, with her co-workers beginning to notice her distance, she turned to Reddit to ask the ultimate question: “AITA for distancing myself from a coworker who keeps making comments about the cultural foods I bring to the office?”
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