I happen to sit right next to the kitchen at my office. While this has plenty of perks (I can easily refill my water bottle all day) it also has its downfalls. The biggest of which is the wide variety of stenches that come wafting towards me each afternoon around lunchtime. One of the girls I work with has an extremely sensitive stomach when it comes to odd smells (she swears she's not pregnant) and is always feeling nauseous due to people's stinky lunches. I'm all for packing a lunch and bringing it to work - it's healthier and cheaper (according to geeksugar you can save $5000 a year if you make your lunch... think about it: you could go on several luxurious vacations or buy 2.5 Chanel handbags!), but when you decide what to pack keep in mind the presence and noses of your coworkers. Foods with heavy smells such as curried fish with asparagus or spicy unusual dishes are NOT OKAY as they will fill the office with an unpleasant smell for the rest of the day. 
Sandwiches, salad, soups, and foods that have relatively little to no smell are acceptable and encouraged. If the kitchen in your office has a door (mine doesn't) this does not automatically mean you are free to bring super fragrant food. Remember that your coworkers will be eating in that kitchen and you should be respectful. The last thing you want is people at the office calling you Stinky Food Girl behind your back. So do yourself and your colleagues a favor, don't bring smelly food to work.
Office Lunch Etiquette: Don't Bring Smelly Food
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Betsey Johnson
You can save 5K!? Wow. Im glad I pack my lunch!
1That's what GeekSugar told us (I think her old boss told her that), I ran some numbers and think it's probably more like 2K, but still that's a lot!
2I eat grapefruit (I peel it and eat it) in my office and I know people can smell it. I try to shut my door when I eat it. But people around here can smell anything! I was eating Instant Oatmeal at my desk, Maple & Brown Sugar, and 2 ladies came by asking what smelled like syrup.
It makes me so embarrassed when people can smell my food, so I try to shut my door, but then again, my boss doesn't like me to have my door shut all the time. And I'm snacking constantly right now (am pregnant)!
3Thanks for this post partysugar. For all you wondering about saving some money and packing a lunch...we've decided it's probably closer to $2,500 a year.
4One more office kitchen no-no - Don't OVERCOOK it in the microwave... burnt popcorn NOT A GOOD THING!!
5OliverCakery, TOTALLY agree. Nothing makes me more nauseated and wanting to barf than burnt butter popcorn!!!
6i try to pack my own lunch most times, cos im on a diet, so thats fab! and yeah, i cant stand it when the food smells linger too long, it gets into your clothes and hair too!
7yep, lunch can certainly add up. make your own sandwiches in the morning!
8telllll me about it!
9i remember when i used to stop by my dads work place and whenever i would go to the kitchen it freakin' reacked!
i really strong food smell ewwwww :vomit:
This is the 21st century, and we all work in diverse workplaces now. One person's fish curry is another's potpourri.
10Telling your readers it is okay to descrimante against people who eat mexican food (like mexicans) or indian food (like indians) at their workplace in designated eating places such as cafeterias and kitchens is totally not cool. May I suggest you write in article on workplace diversity.
My employer recently took away lunch breaks for salaried employees. We've been making an effort to bring in some of the smelliest foods possible. We've used curry, microwaved fish, anchiovies, and Tofu. Anybody have any suggestions on food that tastes good but smells bad?
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