---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If I care about the people I work with…"
description: "\"“If I care about the people I work with, why tempt them to make a lousy choice? So I dumped the entire bucket of sweets into a garbage can in my office..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/tom-rath-3501_food_if-i-care-about-the-people-i-work-with-w_1891640.jpg"
---

#  If I care about the people I work with, why tempt them to…

![“If I care about the people I work with, why tempt them to make a lousy choice? So I dumped the entire bucket of sweets into a garbage can in my office. Many foods are better off in the trash than in your stomach. The next time you receive unhealthy food as a gift, subtly dispose of it later. When…” quote by Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/tom-rath-3501_food_if-i-care-about-the-people-i-work-with-w_1891640.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/tom-rath-3501_food_if-i-care-about-the-people-i-work-with-w_1891640.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d92/tom-rath-3501_food_if-i-care-about-the-people-i-work-with-w_1891640.jpg)

> ““If I care about the people I work with, why tempt them to make a lousy choice? So I dumped the entire bucket of sweets into a garbage can in my office. Many foods are better off in the trash than in your stomach. The next time you receive unhealthy food as a gift, subtly dispose of it later. When you get a free dessert or candy with a meal, leave it behind. If the item is clearly bad for your health, don’t feel guilty. You are not wasting food. You may be saving lives.””

[Tom Rath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rath/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Encourages discarding unhealthy food gifts to protect colleagues’ health, prioritizing wellbeing over waste.

**In simple terms:** Throw away unhealthy treats to keep people healthy.

Key Takeaway

Choose health over indulgence.

Themes

health ethics workplace wellbeing choices

Mood

thoughtful concerned

Type

advice ethical

When to use this quote

- office gatherings
- receiving gifts
- meal accompaniments
- company events

Key Concepts

public health behavioral nudges social responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you politely decline unhealthy gifts?
- What alternatives promote healthy sharing?

A Different Perspective

May cause food waste concerns or perceived stinginess.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Next time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-time/) [Receive Unhealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/receive-unhealthy-2736657/) [Saving Lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving-lives/) [Trash Stomach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trash-stomach-2736656/) [Unhealthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhealthy/) [Unhealthy food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhealthy-food/) [Wasting Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasting-food-771116/)

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