Celebrate British Food Fortnight with An Office Fuddle

As you know, we love a reason to celebrate here. There’s literally a little calendar on the desk with everything from Talk Like A Pirate Day to International Bagpipe Day. Keep March 10th free for the latter — plenty of time to order earplugs.

 

On 17th September, for two mouthwatering weeks, it’s British Food Fortnight. We know, British food can sometimes get a bit of a bad reputation, with jokes about suet pudding and boiled beef, but that’s just what people who don’t live here expect.

The rest of us know the truth. We’re a hugely multicultural bunch who are just as likely to be tucking into a hot and sour Tom Yum soup, a silky carbonara or a fluffy falafel as we are classic fish and chips. Once you’ve had the benefit of the world’s most interesting flavours, how could you ever go back?

 

Well, as British Food Fortnight knows, food also brings us together like little else. It’s the absolute best way to get to know other people and cultures. When you’re planning a new trip somewhere, who doesn’t have a list of places to eat that’s way longer than museums or cathedrals? We truly believe that there’s no better way to discover the world around you than through food.

But how, pray tell, are we going to bring this back to our favourite topic of workplace rewards? By celebrating British Food Fortnight the best way we know how. 

 

The glorious office fuddle.

For those who don’t know, a fuddle is where your employees can all bring dishes to share with their colleagues. It’s a truly fantastic way for people to get to know each other, give morale a tasty boost, and create some personal connection without making anyone feel uncomfortable.

Plus, it’s pretty much the most delicious team initiative available. But we may be biased. And lunchtime cannot come soon enough.

With batch cooking being so efficient, and people returning to offices, it’s an amazing time to try a fuddle and make everyone feel at home again. But there are things to bear in mind to do it properly — especially post-covid.

 

Be respectful. Or respect fuddle.

As much as it would be ideal if everyone got involved, you’ll never know someone’s reasons for sitting out. They could be dietary, religious, financial, health-related or really, anything at all. The important thing is that nobody feels pressured to participate. A great fuddle is inclusive, but not at the cost of making anyone else feel bad.

It’s obviously not going to be the best time to put financial pressure on everyone, which is where Asda for Business gift cards and e-gift cards can really come in handy to help everyone take part.

For those taking part, try to make sure that everyone’s dietary considerations are taken into account. 

 

Be Covid safe.

Understandably, people may be less keen to dip their hands into a communal platter of cheesy nachos or sandwiches. But it’s not an impossible problem to solve.

To make sure everyone feels comfortable, how about you portion the food in advance to give out, rather than a free for all.

There’s a reason that nobody trusts a bowl of peanuts on a bar near the bathroom. Keep your fuddle treats packed up neatly and you’ll keep everyone’s appetite intact.

 

Don’t forget to mix it up.

Day-old lasagne may be even more delicious, but by the sixth outing it’s a little stale. One of the best bits of a fuddle is getting outside of your comfort zone and finding something new you really love. Why not see if anyone’s willing to step up to the challenge of a new recipe, or switching with someone else? It might be tempting to make your signature dish every time, but it’s a whole lot less fun.

 

Making sure nobody’s left out (unless they want to be) is the key to office morale. At a time when everybody is feeling the pressure, Asda for Business gift cards offer practical rewards, incentives and basic support for the essentials.

Accepted in over 600 stores, for everything from chips and dips, to sweet treats to spring rolls, an e-gift card at the right time can make a great contribution to a fuddle or simply a thank you during a tough week.

Whatever you want to say to your amazing team, say it better with Asda for Business gift cards.