Sharing food with colleagues

I have this strange problem. I have had few food restrictions/choices since my early age and owing to this I really don't "prefer to eat" or eat those foods. To explain in detail, we have never had garlic/onion in our curries/stews and it was always in raw form. Also, I am pickle intolerant too, esp those which contain mustard powder like aavakaya. Though I savour hot and spicy food, there are few food choices that I have had all throughout my life and any minor intake of such foods causes upset in the stomach. It happened many a times. And apart from that, I cannot eat sour curds, soury rasam/charu, so even that food intake is limited too. And a few similar food choices that my body doesn't accept.

So, here goes the problem. During school/college days, my group of friends always understood me when I said I cannot eat their food when it contained onion-garlic and life was simple. But now, in the corporate sector where I work, problems seem to crop up. Not a major one. But I want to know how to deal with it.

For example: A colleague gets only aavakaya annam in her lunch box and shares it with me. I told her neatly that I do not eat pickle rice to which she made faces. Next she gets only curd rice and again offers it to me, saying "at my house the curds are not sour, you can have it" and that too with a sarcasm. Another time, when it was onion based curry that she offered and I refused to take it, and again she made a long face.

I have already informed her about my onion intake, curds intake but she seems to be bent on offering and making faces when I decently reject it. I was completely aghast in all those three situations. I am sure, I might encounter such situations where I would be offered food from colleagues and owing to my food choices/restrictions, I might or might not have it. The question is, how do I make it clear to them, without them getting offended or without extending the topic and at the same time not being rude.

P.S: I am not a troll and kindly avoid those comments. And I have already consulted my doc for such food related problems, and I have been strictly restricted not to have those foods which would upset my tummy. I am seriously trying to enhance my social skills. Kindly suggest.

 

To add to it, there are many occasions where I have actually had her food and relished it.

 

Thank you for that one statement. But there are these other colleagues who literally pester me to eat their food. You know, when I tried saying such things, they would say "maavi kooda try cheyandi..try our food too, it isn't that bad, kind of statements."

surely, great tip.

I think, I was a little hesitant with that and ended up till this stage. Also, there are quite a few things that go across the lunch table. Like one of my colleague, who joins us occasionally for lunch, commented about my food saying "you seem to be getting this food regularly", referring to the type of veggies that I get for lunch. As I have mentioned, I am a real dumb at getting the hints that very next moment. All I replied to her was "you don't join us regularly, thatz the reason u find repetition". I That shut her mouth for that moment. But then, I realized, late, very late, that this one always wanted to poke me no matter what. Regarding my dressing, my job, etc.. I would start a separate thread about it. That being the case, and since similar cases have occurred multiple number of times, I always felt, may be I should have simply moved to another lunch table, like you know, from the middle of such conversation, like moving with my lunch from one table to other... Is that professional enough? OR what should I have said to them so that they do not further extend the topic.

 

I think, it basically has to do with their unprofessional attitude and unable to digest a few facts about me. Like me being very very stylish in dressing when compared to them, or the fact that I earn well than them. Or, who knows what??? `

I always regret that I have not done that. Also, what do I do, if the opposite person is my senior, lead or manager??? Yeah, occasionally I do end up with such "making faces" lead or manager too.

Wonderful tip. Why don't I ever get that? umb me:

 

And there is another colleague of mine, who literally passes her curry box or other dishes to the whole bunch of people sitting around the table. And daily. I feel awkward giving it a pass every single time. Gawd.. it embarrasses me every single time and atleast one person in the group makes faces at me. I haven't faced such situation in my earlier companies.

Also, am I obliged to share my food too in such cases??

 

Here it goes again... I am just not comfortable eating rice with hands outside my home. And esp at office, this is a big No for me. I always eat with spoon and there is always one person who tells me to savor rice with hands. I just keep mum and do not care to reply. Gawd.. where did my independence go??? What makes people interfere into ones' personal choices that too at office?

 

I really wonder if I can say that coz the immediate retort I get is "oh .. please... try our food too.. why do you behave like that.. blah blah blah"

I think this would help me out, may be, be more mentally strong while doing it... but you know what?? Some of them explicitly take my name and say, 'xyz.. have it' or some thing but my name is pronounced. Is it always professional enough to say, 'no, thank you'??

I am telling you, I have never ever encountered so many "making faces" situations all through out my life. Been in this sector, for quite sometime, but in this office premises, it seems to be rampant. whatever, I am sticking to what you guys have suggested.