When you are a twenty something woman, working full time, living the city life and, well, not making a ton of money, there is nothing better than free food at the office.
Why? First, it saves on you having to eat a full dinner because you’re already full by late afternoon! Second, saves the environment and one less plastic bag is being used to bring groceries home. I know, reaching on that one, but work with me.
In my office, I’m fortunate that sometimes, food just magically appears in alcoves so that we can take it as we wish. Past food treasures include: Garrett’s popcorn (the holy grail), muffins, danishes and candy. You do have to be careful though if that stuff is out for birthday parties though and you grab it before the e-mail has gone out announcing it’s free reign. People really don’t like that.
But the real treat is the twice-weekly snack cart, which visits all of our company floors between 2-4 p.m. with a mid-afternoon treat of fruit, cookies, candy or rice krispie treats.
People are known to get crabby when the snack cart hasn’t made the trip around the office around 3:30 p.m., often IM’ing staff members on other floors to see if it’s been by them yet. Hey, when you get hungry, you get impatient.
And when it does come and I hear the bell that it’s close, people around me grab their money, rush to the main walkway and wait. Yes, wait for it to appear, sometimes grumbling if it’s picked over. We’re a tough group. I’ve even had to run after the cart a few times, shouting “wait!” so I can get my apple (or M&Ms, let’s be honest).
Unfortunately, today when the snack cart went by today, I was on the phone and couldn’t mime my order in exchange for an IOU. I’ve even put calls (non-important ones) on hold when the snack cart comes by, some even stop meetings to go grab a treat. We’re hard core.
Let’s not talk about what this is doing to my waistline. To be fair, 90 percent of the time, I am taking the fruit. That is the truth :)
Do you have any kind of “snack cart-like” treat at work? Or what would your afternoon treat of choice be (can be sweet or healthy). I’m always in the mood for fresh fruit or a rice krispie treat to mix it up. Only on the really bad days do I go for candy. Have to control myself :)
Note: Thank you everyone for the really sweet comments on Tuesday’s make up post. You guys are so sweet with the compliments.
Only a very crappy snack machine here. It sucks. I often walk to CVS. No lie.
I work at a college and my office works with graduates or businesses to help get people certified for this and that (financial planning, project management, etc.) When we have corporate clients we order them snacks and sodas from our catering office because they’re usually in class 8-5. Sometimes though, they get out early and about 1-4 times a month we get the leftovers. The instructor will call us to tell us class is out, the person who answers the phone yells “COOKIES!!!” and someone will run to the classroom to retrieve the goods. When they return they are mobbed as we all grab a cookie (or two or a brownie) and stand around eating with big smiles on our faces. We all look forward to those days!
My office didn’t have a snack cart, but I did have a snack drawer and whilst pregnant, that drawer (okay, it encompassed SEVERAL drawers) had to be refilled more than twice a week. BAD BAD BAD.
I love this – Meg and I have a snack cart system where we look out for each other if one or the other of us can’t make it to the snack cart in time. And yes, I jump up with glee every time I hear that little bell.
See, now I feel about office supplies the way you feel about free food. Give me even a free highlighter, and I’m a happy camper!
i’ve been trying to keep my snacks healthy lately with granola bars and carrots but man every once and a while i just need some chocolate, mmmmchocolate.
I wish they had a snack cart at my job but I guess that wouldn’t be beneficial to all the people working out.
I have to suck it up and trudge my fat ass to the vending machine for doritos and a snickers.
The holidays are the best and worst time here. We get cookies, chocolates, sweets and candy from a whole group of vendors.
We also have some frozen foods that I will eat if I’m here late as well.
It’s even worse in my office. I work for that large coffee company known for it’s mermaid logo and whenever there are leftover pastries from a meeting, they’re left out in the kitchen – first come, first serve. Yesterday it was blueberry donuts.
This doesn’t happen so much anymore (it used to be practically every day with the leftover sandwiches, pastries, cake) since the economy forced the company to cut costs. First thing to go is free food in meetings, you know? It’s been good for my thighs, so I’m not complaining.
Love the idea of a snack cart, but I definitely have visuals of you all running for it like the ice cream man. :-)
We don’t have something like that in our small office but in our kitchen drinks are free, and there’s a variety of food for a small fee (most expensive is $2) that I stock on a regular basis from Costco. At least I get to choose what’s in there!
for real? something like this exists? we def don’t have that at my company. we have a few vending machines, but I never actually use them. I usually have snacks in my desk or plan ahead and bring an extra yogurt or something. :)
IMing people on other floors?! Whoever heard of such desperation ;)
No snack carts here, but in a way I’m thankful — I’d choose the M&Ms over the fruit any day of the week. :)
Since I work in a small office, I bring all of my food. I eat breakfast at home, have a snack around noon and eat lunch around 2 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. I save most of my bad snacking for late at night … because, you know, that’s super awesome for my waistline. ;)
i wish we had a snack cart – i’m so jealous! my work does provide fridges stocked with multiple types of soda for free – and all the pretzels and popcorn you want. and sometimes on friday, one of our directors wheels around an “alcohol” cart that has some margaritas on it and we all celebrate friday. so all in all – i guess i started out complaining but then realized my work is pretty cool. the end. :)
we definitely don’t have a snack cart but there always seems to be a ton of junk food around the office. my boss ALWAYS has the fun size chocolate bars on her desk. i blame her for my recent cavities. krispy kremes show up in the office, coffee cakes, leftovers from meetings, and i currently have a freebie from a caterer on my desk – white chocolate covered pretzels.
I work in a small office, 5 people, so we don’t get a snack cart. To make up for it, I have a snack drawer. It’s filled with various granola bars, almonds, chocolate, chips, dried fruit and popcorn. If I’m hungry, I raid the drawer. I usually eat a granola bar for a snack or fruit if I have it with me.
i wish we had a snack cart at work, but i work in the conference resort industry and we get our lunches provided so i guess that makes up for it :)
That snack cart is a great idea whoever thought of it!
Reminds me of kids running out to greet the ice-cream van when it comes along!
I’m lucky that while there is not snack cart where I work, there is a huge supermarket downstairs where I can sneak out to if so needed. :)
In my work, there is an unofficial (stupid?) rule that on our birthdays we bring in cakes. Or if we’re going on holiday same rule applies. Which means there is a constant stock of cake and sweets in our department. Which is nice, but also hard because of trying to resist tempation. One of my colleague’s wives is a baker as well – he brought in incredible cakes for us the other day. I actually ate four of them. Oops.
This totally reminds of being a kid in the summertime and running to the change jar the instant I heard the distant jingle of the ice cream truck :-)
I work for a very small, very family oriented company so there are always little treats all over the place. I’m not much of a sweets person but I will kill people for a bag of salty popcorn in the afternoon…
I live in San Jose, CA where there are taco trucks that drive by all the office parking lots playing music. You can get basic tacos with some pretty interesting meats, including beef tongue!
I would commit crimes for a snack cart.
Umm… I bought 9 bags of coconut m&ms at walgreens the other day and stashed them in my desk drawer… They won’t last much longer.
Also, I blame you for introducing me to them :)
I SOOO want this snack cart for my work – that sounds awesome!!
I love working at my salon because my boss’ wife cooks every day and bring ton of food for all the employees = saving $$ for lunch.
I still can’t get over your snack cart at work – such a treat!!
Oooh cookies and rice krispy treats. I looove! But healthier afternoon choice is usually fruits..like apples, or oranges or mangoes or grapes since we stock them at home here.
We dont have a snack cart, just vending machines. I usually have some 100 calorie snack type things in a desk drawer and almost always have an apple or banana for that afternoon snack attack.
At my first job, we had a lot of volunteers (read: super cute retired ladies and gentlemen) that came in every day and had their breaks at the same time we did. They’d bring in home-made pies, cookies, candy, whatever. Delicious!
The downside to a small company? No snack cart BUT we do have a snack room for our clients which is stocked with candy and chips. Since it’s not healthy I tend to avoid it unless I’ve had a really bad day!
Rice Krispie treats. So yummy. They just taste SOOO good.
If we did have a snack cart I’d go for some cheez-its or goldfish crackers. Those are my go-to snack. If I’m at home, I love me some string cheese or yogurt. Or,let’s face it, a few Junior Mints.
I don’t work anywhere with a snack cart but if I did I would attack it for some peanut M&Ms. And a giant vat of iced coffee.
Working at home, I can graze on whatever I want. My husband comes home for lunch, so I always make some sort of sandwich-y thing for the two of us, which keeps my snacking somewhat under control. I’m not going to lie, though, I ate a whole pint of Haagen Dazs mango sorbet yesterday afternoon.
Your snack cart is free? Damn NYC inflation, ours is .50 cents!
I wish they had that at my old job. I was usually hungry and had no time to eat.
M&Ms are my weakness!! sometimes my coworkers and I will go get some Mrs. Fields cookies or Sugar Bliss Cupcakes. we don’t have anything cool like a snack cart. but I guess its better that we have to work a little for our treats :-)