Ananya, 27, loved bringing homemade food to work — it reminded her of home and comfort while living away from family. For eight months, nobody complained about her flavorful, spice-rich lunches. But things changed when a new coworker joined. The woman, whom Ananya nicknamed “Karen,” loudly insulted her food, calling it “disgusting” and complaining about the smell of garlic.

The comments didn’t stop there. Day after day, Karen mocked her lunches in front of everyone, making Ananya feel embarrassed and singled out. Then one afternoon, Ananya discovered her food missing from the office fridge — thrown away by Karen because she “couldn’t stand the smell.” Hurt and furious, Ananya stayed quiet but decided she wasn’t going to let it slide.

The next day, Karen’s lunch mysteriously disappeared and was replaced with one of Ananya’s meals. Karen exploded, trying to confront Ananya and then running to HR to complain. But what she didn’t know was that another coworker had already reported her for throwing away Ananya’s lunch.

Shortly after, Karen received an official warning — a serious blow since she was still on probation. Ananya didn’t report her but felt she got what she deserved. While workplace conflict can be tricky, this story is a reminder that food is part of one’s identity — and respect in the workplace matters just as much as policies and professionalism.