In this workplace drama from Ask a Manager, an employee has taken it upon himself to push his ideas of "healthy" eating on his coworkers, demanding that the office stop providing processed snacks. His unsolicited commentary on what others eat has made things uncomfortable, and the letter writer—who oversees the office snack supplies—is struggling to shut it down without unnecessary confrontation. Alison Green, the blog’s author, firmly advises that this must be addressed head-on: "No one has asked for his evaluation of their diets, and he needs to respect people’s autonomy and privacy and stay out of their food choices." The advice? A direct but professional conversation making it clear that this behavior needs to stop—whether he likes the snack options or not. The workplace is not the place for food policing, period.

Key Takeaways:

• A vegan employee is attempting to influence workplace snack offerings and commenting on his coworkers' food choices, which is making people uncomfortable.
• The letter writer recognizes the issue but wants a firm yet neutral way to shut it down.
• Alison Green advises a direct approach: The employee needs to be told, in no uncertain terms, to stop critiquing others’ food choices unless explicitly asked.
• If the employee has snack preferences, he can suggest additions rather than trying to limit options for everyone else.
• Food can be a personal or sensitive issue for many people, and no one should have to deal with unsolicited diet advice at work.
• If he's not a direct report, a coworker can still call this behavior out, making it clear that it’s unwelcomed and alienating.

This workplace snack saga is a good reminder that respecting boundaries—especially around personal choices like food—is key to a peaceful and professional environment. Would you handle this situation differently?
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