Whether you work in a big or small office, there is probably a break room. And in that break room, you are likely to find plenty of freebie food goodies just begging to be eaten on any given day.
It might seem like a dream come true, especially on a stressful day, when a free donut could definitely cheer you up. But there are downsides to this free food that mysteriously materializes in your break room. Let’s look at the pros and cons of free office food.
Table of contents:
1. Pro: Free snack anytime
An unexpected snack or even a full meal will definitely brighten up your day. Especially if you needed to give yourself a pep talk to eat your bag lunch.
2. Con: Calories
If you have been working hard on getting in shape, you probably took the time to pack a nutritious lunch. Free office meals and snacks can definitely derail your weight loss goals. While one special snack or meal here and there will not ruin it all, too many free goodies will definitely pad your waistline.
3. Pro: Money
You will save money on buying snacks or going out to eat. With free food around the office, you will not need to dip into your own wallet when your stomach starts to rumble. You can just head into the break room and enjoy something tasty for free.
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4. Con: Overeating
You will likely find yourself gobbling up more than you intended when there are free snacks. Especially if they are easily accessible. They say, “out of sight, out of mind,” so if trying to eat healthfully is a concern for you, keep away from the free food and push it out of your mind.
5. Pro: Happiness
When offices supply food to employees, it has been reported to make the employees happier overall. Even more so, the happiest employees were offered healthful foods. So having good food can really change your mood and make you happy to be at work.
6. Con: Sugar
The downside to this, though, is that not many companies are dishing out foods that are healthy. Walk into any break room in America at any given time and you are likely to find boxes of donuts, trays of cookies, or other sugary and fatty items. When you eat foods that are high in sugar, you will get a temporary spike in energy and then come crashing down, probably while you are in that awful afternoon meeting.
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So what is the verdict on free office food? It definitely has its perks. It is great for when you are hungry and you need something to cheer you up. And sometimes, sweet and fatty foods really do hit the spot.
But when the free food is all laden with fat and calories, it can be a huge detriment to your waistline. Overall, the key to free office food is balance. Smartly indulge when appropriate and take along your own healthful snacks to keep you from being tempted into the land of donuts.
Does your office give out free food to employees? Tell us all about it!
