The Dreaded Office Kitchen

[alamaz]

Okay, I seriously work with a bunch of pigs who don't clean up after themselves at the office so our little kitchen area is inches deep in crumbs from 10 years ago (and no, really, I'm not kidding). Every day there are bagels, coffee cakes, desserts, cookies, sandwhiches -whatever- sitting around. There is NO clean place and if there is a clean place it will be dirty before the end of the day. Right now I try to make my food at my desk except when I have to use the microwave (which is most days). Beyond repeatedly asking my co-workers to mind thier crumbs, what other things can I do? I'm trying not to get irrtated at the people who while stuffing their faces proclaim "I'm so fat" "My butt doesn't need this" etc. meanwhile telling me how much "willpower" I have to not consume every last morsel of gluten that is sitting just beyong my reach. UGH.

So, this turned into a sort of rant at the same time but I'm trying to figure out this sharing the kitchen with people who don't get it and I can't really be b%$@#y about it too since they are co-workers and not my husband So far I have my own dish washing soap and use paper towels to wash any dishes I have and keep all my dishes at my desk. Any other tips?

Thanks!

[dally099]

hi, can you prepare your meals at home and just avoid the kitchen all together? thats what i do when we have to go somewhere and im not sure on the conditions of the kitchen, i just use those ziploc reusable containers and then i only have to heat things up, or i bring my own sandwhiches. other than that i dont know what else to say, ive been in your shoes with co workers who dont really care about anyone but themselves. good luck!

[wowzer]

Sometimes I eat in my car. Now that it is nice outside, I can use the picnic table.

[Phyllis28]

The only thing I do in the kitchen at work is reheat in the microwave. I wipe down the area in front of the microwave and the buttons on the microwave. I put a papertowel (sometimes more than one) on the bottom of the micorwave. I wash my hands. I put my lunch, which is in a container or on a heavy paper plate, in the microwave and make sure it is covered. I wash my hands and pull my lunch out when it is heated. I eat at my desk.

I don't use the refrigerator. I pack my lunch in a soft sided lunch box with lots of blue ice.

If you are allowed and have room, you might consider buying a small mircowave that you use and keep at your desk. The electrical in my cube will not handle the microwave, otherwise I would do this.

[Karen B.]

I keep a supply of plates and plasticware at my desk where I know it won't get crumbs on it. If I microwave, I cover my food with a paper plate on bottom to protect against what's on the tray and on top to protect against food crumbs dropping down from the top of the microwave. I eat at my desk usually. I bring my lunch in a soft sided "6-pack" size lunchbox with blue ice.

At first, I tried to clean the area up before I ate but I got tired of using my lunch time to clean up after a bunch of pigs. It's like they think magic pixies are going to come in and clean up after them. A few times, I've heard some of the worst offenders making comments about how the night cleaning staff doesn't clean properly. I had to comment that the night crew is only supposed to dump the trash and mop, not slop the hogs or clean the sty. Less than tactful, I suppose, but I had just gotten through pitching about $15 of Benecol, shredded cheese and other stuff I had kept in the fridge to make lunches. All of it had crumbs in it and all of it was clearly labeled with my name and the following message "I HAVE A SEVERE REACTION TO WHEAT AND BREAD. PLEASE DO NOT USE THIS FOOD."

My immedate co-workers are good about looking out for me but you'll always have some cow-pies in the pasture of life.

[loco-ladi]

I have simular problems, however in one direction that I work they are very familar with my "eating issues" and the "regulars" who work in that direction have made a special place for them tomake their sandwiches etc, it doesn't solve all my problems but the ones who are aware do make an effort not to make me ill, I have occationally returned to favor so to speak by making little "goodies" while I am there.

Not all fellow workers are inconciderate, if you find some that are the best, make sure to let them know its great that they care!

I do however have 3 other directions that I travel to for work, notice they are not mentioned above, that would be because they could care less, it doesn't effect their life and if I get sick then I should have been more careful.....

Wonder when I can hold a "pool job" which way I will pick.....hmmmmmmmm I wonder?

[mamabear]

I can blow a whole day of good will by eating lunch in my office!!!! There's nothing worse than having to eat around all those cakes, cookies and bread and having to explain, explain,explain and avoid,avoid,avoid. I feel the anger well up in me, and I do believe I need to eat away from the break room to keep my sanity. Maybe I need to be more careful as you guys, and wipe it all down.........but their mother doesn't work there!!!!!!

[SunnyDyRain]

Nothing beats the one day I came back from lunch to find my boss sitting at my computer eating a hoagie.

Also, I eat at my desk and when I don't SUPER clean up, or leave something at work for the next day... mice get in and I have mouse terds all over my desk.

GRRR... no where is safe.

[alamaz]

My immedate co-workers are good about looking out for me but you'll always have some cow-pies in the pasture of life.

That is one way to look at it! I am so tired of policing the kitchens everywhere I go. I think I will definitely invest in my own set of paperplates and untensils and maybe try to bring meals that don't always have to be heated up in the microwave. This morning there was a jumbo sized box of fresh bagels out on the counter and the crumb trail went from the kitchen to each individual office/cube. It never ends!

Also, I eat at my desk and when I don't SUPER clean up, or leave something at work for the next day... mice get in and I have mouse terds all over my desk.

Ew! We don't have mice but we have had a pretty intense infestation of ants and flying ants last summer. I keep all my food in ziploc baggies in a drawer and everything else in the fridge. However, my theory is that the ants came for all the crumbs these people let fly around and never pick up since they made a bee line for the kitchen area.

[kbtoyssni]

Can you get a mini fridge and a cheap microwave to put in your cube? I would want to have to navigate the messy office kitchen. I'm lucky that my coworkers all all very tidy - no small feat in a department of 120 people!

[Karen B.]

Nothing beats the one day I came back from lunch to find my boss sitting at my computer eating a hoagie.

Also, I eat at my desk and when I don't SUPER clean up, or leave something at work for the next day... mice get in and I have mouse terds all over my desk.

GRRR... no where is safe.

Like when I was first diagnosed Celiac and didn't know about the goodies at Whole Foods. I had just discovered triple chocolate meringue cookies -- totally gluten-free and available at Kroger (if a bit pricey). I brought them to an office luncheon and we discussed at lunch the health crisis I was just getting over (a 6 week short term medical leave) and what the new diet required. Then, to clean up the table, my boss takes a plate of regular cookie, dumps them on my meringue cookies and smooshes the top on the container, converting the top cookie into crumbs. Then he hands me the container. I told him to just throw them away. I can tell you everyone gave him grief over that. (my immediate co-workers do look out for me) It's been 4 years and I'd have to say he still doesn't get it most of the time.

[Yenni]

I have given up on trying to do anything with my food at work. I make my stuff at home and then I bring it all in a cooler box. I bring my own fork and everything.

[Guhlia]

If you want hot food, I suggest buying a Thermos food jar. The more expensive ones will keep food hot for hours. Lots of things keep in a thermos like mac & cheese, baked beans, mashed potato, hot dogs, casseroles, soup, stuffed shells or lasagna, etc... This is how I eat at the racetrack every weekend and it works very well for me. Actually, I feed my whole family out of a few thermoses at the track. I generally pack two or three thermoses of hot food and then a thermos of lemonade (for me). The thermoses can be packed in a backpack or large purse or tote bag and transported relatively easily. I hope that helps. If you decide to go that route, I recommend getting Thermos brand and getting the most expensive ones available, they work much, much, much better. Plus, then you can use them for 12 hour road trips and such.

[little d]

Ya'll would not want to use the microwave or sit at the table in my brake room, It would make anybody sick, and I work in a hospital. I have to sometime use paper towels it is not clean in the microwave. And then you will have someone is very clean and clean it so they can use it, and on top of that we have patients and thier families using the microwave, talk about grose sometimes. And I can't just go down to the Cafateria everything there is not worthy. Sometime I will get omelet from there. Going out side no can't do that either because its dark and not the best part of town as well so I do my best. And my nurses and other coworks that I work they are trying to understand my issues and they are learning with me. Then I have that one person who says you have not been dx with celiac disease so you don't have it. I don't care I feel better with the diet anyway

Donna

[SunnyDyRain]

Then I have that one person who says you have not been dx with celiac disease so you don't have it. I don't care I feel better with the diet anyway

Donna

Before I was diagnosed, I suspected... I knew if i ate pasta for dinner I'd get D. I knew that if I ate steak.. i wouldn't. Ok so I would go out with my friends, and not order my usual pasta. They were all confused so i told them "I think i have Celiac disease and i'm gluten intolerant" my one friend said! "Oh I saw that on HOUSE! Do you hear voices? " I told her no and she was disapointed. My other friend said "She is a Hypocondriac, she has what ever Gregory House diagnosed his mystery pacient with this week! " I was hurt, but at that point i knew I had to get a diagnosis or i'd never have credibilty or the willpower to stick to it.

My sister still thinks this is "phase" and I'll "outgrow it". I told her i couldn't dip my carrot into the dip after she dipped a piece of bread into it, she then told me "You over think everything"

geeze.. it's my health I think i need to over think it.

[Karen B.]

Before I was diagnosed, I suspected... I knew if i ate pasta for dinner I'd get D. I knew that if I ate steak.. i wouldn't. Ok so I would go out with my friends, and not order my usual pasta. They were all confused so i told them "I think i have Celiac disease and i'm gluten intolerant" my one friend said! "Oh I saw that on HOUSE! Do you hear voices? " I told her no and she was disapointed. My other friend said "She is a Hypocondriac, she has what ever Gregory House diagnosed his mystery pacient with this week! " I was hurt, but at that point i knew I had to get a diagnosis or i'd never have credibilty or the willpower to stick to it.

My sister still thinks this is "phase" and I'll "outgrow it". I told her i couldn't dip my carrot into the dip after she dipped a piece of bread into it, she then told me "You over think everything"

geeze.. it's my health I think i need to over think it.

My brother still thinks we make too big a deal of it. Everyone in my family that has it was asymptomatic prior to diagnosis and we're all overweight. It's funny sometimes how you hear the same stuff from the same people when you're in your 40s and 50s that you heard when when you were 10. If I hadn't gotten an actual diagnosis, he'd dismiss it entirely. My Mom still tries to make him gluten containing food at our family dinners (like he's going to catch Celiac cooties) and ends up making herself sick. The ironic thing is he's had problems with constipation and diarhea since he was a teen and he'll never see a doctor to get a diagnosis. Want to guess who the closet Celiac is in my family?

[little d]

I totally agree with you, My sister first told me about celiac disease and her symptoms so I checked it out because I to was experinacing these symptoms that I saw on the web. But we both habe been tested and negative, but the VA told her it was all in her head, sounds like the VA right. But my sister now is not blaming celiac disease for her gastric problems, she is having problems with fibroid bursting in her uterus and shes gone to the ER 3 times in the last year for it. I told her that I have seen female problems related to celiac disease and she does get a blistery type rash DH i think it sounds like on her back and face. She is having trouble with veggies, green bean, potatoes, and such that grow she says. She totally I think needs a diagnoses of celiac disease, or IBS or something, shes bouncing between diets that may not be good for her.

Donna