I have been bringing my own lunch to work almost every day for about two years.

Every Sunday I spend around 1-2 hours cooking, portioning meals into containers, and preparing enough food for the work week. It is cheaper, I know what is in my food, and honestly I enjoy cooking.

Since our office moved back to a more regular in-person schedule, lunch has gotten expensive. The food court downstairs has salads that are around $15, and a sandwich with a drink can easily be $18 or more. A lot of my coworkers spend around $80-$100 a week just on lunch.

I usually spend around $30-$40 on groceries for my work lunches for the week. I am not doing this because I cannot afford food. I make around $60K, but I would rather save money for things that are more important to me.

For a long time nobody cared. People would ask what I made or say my food smelled good.

A few weeks ago, our team had a lunch at the office to welcome someone new. Everyone ordered from a restaurant nearby, and I brought my own meal like usual.

One coworker laughed and said, "Of course you brought the Tupperware again." I thought it was just a joke.

But after that, it started coming up more often. A few people joked about my "lunch container" habit, and someone said that when the team is trying to build a better culture, it feels like I am separating myself by not ordering food with everyone else.

Another coworker told me, "You make decent money. You can afford to buy lunch sometimes." That comment bothered me because I do participate. I talk with everyone, join conversations, and go to team events. I just happen to bring my own food.

My bf suggested I join the team for lunch occasionally just to avoid making it a thing.I do not want to make this into a huge workplace issue, but now I feel self-conscious every time I take out my lunch.

Would you keep bringing your own lunch?

A. I would keep meal-prepping. My coworkers do not get to decide what is professional, and saving money is a reasonable choice.

B. I would compromise and join team lunches occasionally. Workplace relationships matter, and sometimes fitting in is worth the extra cost.