Co Worker

[CarolinaKip]

So, I was in my schools lunchroom standing eating out of my container watching the two classes I have to at lunch. I am eating a lovely bowl of fruit including expensive cherries. A co worker I really like comes in out of no where reaches into my container to grab a piece of red pear! What! I was in shock, she actually reached into my bowl?! She then told me, I just washed my hands. Well you guys know I stopped eating and closed it up. My teacher I work with finally gets CC and was in shock too. She said she winced when she saw it happen.

How many of you have had something like this happen and what did you do? Should I say something to her, she knows I'm gluten-free, but I know she doesn't "get it". Would you have finished your food? I was too afraid to take a chance. I didn't get mad because I know the co worker has no clue, but was dissappointed not to eat my cherries.

[kareng]

Would the teacher you work for tell her? It's gross to take food out of someones bowl anyway. We always think of what to do after, but if it happens again, just give her the bowl of food and tell " Well, I can't eat that now. You enjoy!" then smile.

[K8ling]

Oh my goodness. I would have stabbed them with my fork. It was inappropriate. I would have taken my fruit, washed it thoroughly and then finished it.

I am so sorry people are that rude!

[jenngolightly]

So, I was in my schools lunchroom standing eating out of my container watching the two classes I have to at lunch. I am eating a lovely bowl of fruit including expensive cherries. A co worker I really like comes in out of no where reaches into my container to grab a piece of red pear! What! I was in shock, she actually reached into my bowl?! She then told me, I just washed my hands. Well you guys know I stopped eating and closed it up. My teacher I work with finally gets CC and was in shock too. She said she winced when she saw it happen.

How many of you have had something like this happen and what did you do? Should I say something to her, she knows I'm gluten-free, but I know she doesn't "get it". Would you have finished your food? I was too afraid to take a chance. I didn't get mad because I know the co worker has no clue, but was dissappointed not to eat my cherries.

What normal person does that? Even if you weren't gluten-free, it's completely inappropriate. Emily Post is turning over in her grave. Unfortunately, you're battling more than ignorance here, you've got someone who has a problem with boundaries in general, so even education about Celiac may not completely "cure" this person. Do what you can to educate her about cross-contamination, either yourself or your other co-worker might talk to her. But in the end you may just take defensive measures and duck-and-cover when you see her coming.

[Juliebove]

My husband did this once to my daughter in a restaurant. He was eating a big wheaty sandwich and he grabbed something off of her plate with his wheaty hands. You should have seen how big her eyes got! She then shoved her plate to him and said, "It's yours now!" He got kind of mad then. And I still don't think he *gets* it, but he knows not to grab something off her her plate or my plate. I also have food allergies.

But even if we didn't have food allergies, I think that is a very rude thing to do! Daughter and I sometimes share food or try each other's food but we talk about it first and before either of us has taken a bite, the owner of the plate will cut or take a piece of whatever it is and put it on the other person's plate.

I remember when we were first married, we went to a Christmas party at my husband's grandma's house. They do a traditional Italian Catholic thing. There were stuffed peppers but my MIL got peppers from the wrong crock. So instead of the usual sweet peppers, they were horribly hot. She did warn everyone, but my husband likes to show off. Of course then his mouth was burning. He glugged down his drink then grabbed mine and drank it all. I was horrified. He had been drinking regular soda because that was what he preferred at the time. There was a 2 liter bottle of diet soda sitting right behind him. He could have easily gotten more. Because there was no diet soda in the house, I brought my own can. There went my drink! To this day, he still thinks he did nothing wrong. His mouth was burning and that was his only concern.

[lynnelise]

Wow...that is pretty gross! I would never dream of grabbing food from someone's bowl! If the person asked if I wanted a bite I may consider it but would find a clean utinsel to remove my portion with, not my hands! Gluten aside it's flu season! I guess if this happened to me I would probably rewash the fruit and eat it, or give it all to the coworker. I wouldn't be very happy about things for certain!

[ravenwoodglass]

You may like this person but she is no real freind. Talk to her, nicely, but explain that if she should do something like this again you will have to talk to the principal. That was a very poor example of acceptable behavior in front of the children.

[Nor-TX]

I know exactly what you are talking about. We were in a school staff meeting and I had a bowl of Glutino pretzels with a little container of almond butter. The teacher sitting next to me was eating a big delicious looking brownie and she was holding it, put it down, took the same hand and dipped it into my bowl and rummaged around so she could get a handful of my pretzels, saying "You eat these all the time, I want to taste them and see if they are like regular pretzels!"

Needless to say I didn't continue eating. I pushed the bowl towards her and said, "Oh you can have the rest." She said, "No thanks, they aren't like my regular ones, I don't like them." So I threw the rest out.

Too expensive to waste. Now I keep my treats in a little baggie and either keep it in my lap or close to my body.

Not sure when rudeness became a part of today's normal social behavior!

[Jungle]

How Rude!

I guess the first time this happens you are surprised. But the second time you can have a plan.

It is like when you are pregnant and people you don't know come and rub your belly. I just started smacking their hand away. They have no right to touch you even if you have a big baby belly.

They have no right to be in your food. I wouldn't worry about being rude. After you tell them "it is yours now as I don't want to chance being sick" I'd add. "Don't worry you can give me the $10 to cover the cost tomorrow, and it is too bad I don't have anything to eat now. I guess I'll just have to be hungry."

[Roda]

I tell my kids that if they reach for my plate to grab something they may end up with a fork in their hands! Keeps the kids from getting grabby..might work on adults too. I do not mind sharing if they ask politly and I will get it for them and then put it on their plates.

[RahCreature]

That is very rude! I am rather appalled. Though I agree with the people here I have gotten agressive about people taking my food. I made a point to show my very "thrifty" husband how much my food costs so he leaves it alone and is a strong advocate when people go after my food nothing like a cheap person having a spouse with an expensive disorder =D