Nosy co-workers

an easy solution to get them to stop peaking before lunch would be to leave it in the fridge, a desk drawer, or somewhere else out of site.

i've found that privacy is limited when you eat lunch at your desk.

i listen to music with headphones during lunch, and that tends to prevent people from talking to me -- which i like

Maybe hide the carrier that yuor food is in so they cant go through it.Also, get to them before they can get to you.Go up to them and tell them briefly what you are eating before they can have a nose.
Then ask them what they are eating and get them to do the work.
If they are still eating badly ask them why, seeing as they are supposedly learning for yuo.

If they can't take hints, you have to just say it like that, I don't like my food to be discussed.

Alternatively, you could decide not to mind.

Personally, I would take an extra lunch box (identical) with your proper lunch in it, and leave your usual lunch box in the same place as always, but fill it with three mars bars, a large slice of cake and a donut.
Then, when you are sure that they have peeked, switch the boxes around and wait to see the look on their faces when you open it up at lunch and pull out the healthy food.

I know it's childish, but it would be great fun, methinks.

OMG - That was going to be my advice exactly

Great minds think alike....

OR - If you REALLY want them to get the hint....get one of those BIG fake plastic rats, at least 6 to 8 inches long.

Put THAT in your lunch box, and wait for the shrieks.

If they say something, ask "then why were you looking in there?"

These women do not have proper boundaries, and will continue to overstep yours until you tell them exactly where they are.

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A few years back, I had to move my office temporaryily to a different location, for about a year.

I soon discovered that many people had become accustomed in the past to using my "new" office space as a pass through to the clinic floor (there were 2 doors on opposite ends of my office).

When I would ask people individually to please not do that, it had no effect.

So, I took about 10 heavy boxes filled with files and stacked them in front of the door, completely blocking its use.

People would breeze in my office as usual, then stop, perplexed. They'd say something brilliant like "there's boxes blocking the door"

my reply......."yes, there are"


BTW, these same people were interested in my food intake too.
I sometimes like to eat a bowl of instant oatmeal as a snack.....I don't know of any law that stipulates a time range in which oatmeal may be eaten, apparantly they knew something I didn't.

"It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon! You're eating oatmeal?!"

hey, people got nothing better to do.

You could drink your own urine and see if they continue to copy yuo.

get a hot dog and decorate it like a severed finger (with ketchup like blood) or some other body part.

When they question it (if they do) explain that is what happened to the last person that nosed around your business.

I was going LordE's route, except I was going to suggest putting some slinky-eye glasses in it so that when they open it, little googly eyes pop out at them. Seriously, if you've already expressed that you don't appreciate them poking about in your lunch, and they continue to do it, then they deserve pranks.

i was going to say 1/2 of what LordElpus said. Take your lunch in something else for yourself and leave your regular box there for them to peek into. Leave a note that says

"To _____ and ______, will you please stop going into my belongings"

and that's that.

nosy heffas.

This is definitely a boundaries issue. What a pair of nosy so and so's!

Lord E you have shown the path for evil fun Thanks to all for dropping by and making me laugh.

Region Philbis, after their first peek I started hiding my lunch box in the drawer. Not just lunch, I snack at my desk as well. So that gives them a lot of oppurtunity The head phone idea is great. I am going to use that. Very subtle.. but will achieve what I want.

Chai and Jespah. I'd have agree with you on the boundary issue. One of these 2 ladies have serious problems at work as well. I am glad these 2 are not in my team and I don't have to interact with them regarding work.

These 2 ladies sit very close to me and we usually catch up on some conversations. I would not want to say or do something that would cut away the talking ties. It gets very uncomfortable in the office. But at the same time I do not want to just sit there and listen to them dissecting my lunch box.

You all are such nice people. I'd be sayin' "get the hell out of my lunch box, you nosy heffa!" Thanks, onyx, heffa, I like it.

Oh, and I'd probably smile while I said it.

Onyx--

"Heffa"--like in virgin cow?

yeah. but i know it's spelled heifer..it just doesn't carry the same punch o

I know you know that I know that you know, Onyx. I like the sound of heffa....

Pet stores sell live crickets for some reason (feed for some critter I suppose) so get a tupperware thingy and fill it with live crickets and a packet of Mayo, put that in your lunch pail and set it on your desk.

Nah, it's gotta go on the desk of one of the nosy heffas. LoveMyFamily doesn't need mayo all over her own things. Unless, uh, she likes that.

Onyx--

Remember, I'm terribly out of date. "Heffa" is an elegant term of distain.