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Honestly, this is pretty hard to solve without some surveillance. I can think of a few options to try to ameliorate it.

1. Using psychology: Post a statement appealing to people’s self-image, because people care about their self image and no one wants to think of themselves as inconsiderate or dishonest. “Please be considerate. People have spent time and money on getting their lunch ready. Some of us have medical conditions which require a specific diet, and having our lunch stolen is much more of a burden than it might appear. Think about how you would feel if people took your property from your desk. Thank you for your consideration.” Or some such version.

2. Trying to catch them in the act by going to the kitchen at unpredictable times, because no one wants to be caught taking something that is not theirs.

3. Bringing something that you don’t have to keep in the kitchen. It would work, but then you’d have to accommodate the thief(s).

4. This is more out there, and I have never tried it. Maybe it would be possible to use some safe food colorant in a “trap” lunch. Whomever has a colorful tongue afterwards is probably the culprit! (Because no one wants to be seen as a thief)

Honestly, this is pretty hard to solve without some surveillance. I can think of a few options to try to ameliorate it.

1. Using psychology: Post a statement appealing to people’s self-image, because people care about their self image and no one wants to think of themselves as inconsiderate or dishonest. “Please be considerate. People have spent time and money on getting their lunch ready. Some of us have medical conditions which require a specific diet, and having our lunch stolen is much more of a burden than it might appear. Think about how you would feel if people took your property from your desk. Thank you for your consideration.” Or some such version.

2. Trying to catch them in the act by going to the kitchen at unpredictable times, because no one wants to be caught taking something that is not theirs.

3. Bringing something that you don’t have to keep in the kitchen, since if it's not physically in the kitchen, it cannot be taken from the kitchen. It would work, but then you’d have to accommodate the thief(s).

4. This is more out there, and I have never tried it. Maybe it would be possible to use some safe food colorant in a “trap” lunch. Whomever has a colorful tongue afterwards is probably the culprit! (Because no one wants to be seen as a thief)

Honestly, this is pretty hard to solve without some surveillance. I can think of a few options to try to ameliorate it.

1. Using psychology: Post a statement appealing to people’s self-image. “Please be considerate. People have spent time and money on getting their lunch ready. Some of us have medical conditions which require a specific diet, and having our lunch stolen is much more of a burden than it might appear. Think about how you would feel if people took your property from your desk. Thank you for your consideration.” Or some such version.

2. Trying to catch them in the act by going to the kitchen at unpredictable times.

3. Bringing something that you don’t have to keep in the kitchen. It would work, but then you’d have to accommodate the thief(s).

4. This is more out there, and I have never tried it. Maybe it would be possible to use some safe food colorant in a “trap” lunch. Whomever has a colorful tongue afterwards is probably the culprit!

Honestly, this is pretty hard to solve without some surveillance. I can think of a few options to try to ameliorate it.

1. Using psychology: Post a statement appealing to people’s self-image, because people care about their self image and no one wants to think of themselves as inconsiderate or dishonest. “Please be considerate. People have spent time and money on getting their lunch ready. Some of us have medical conditions which require a specific diet, and having our lunch stolen is much more of a burden than it might appear. Think about how you would feel if people took your property from your desk. Thank you for your consideration.” Or some such version.

2. Trying to catch them in the act by going to the kitchen at unpredictable times, because no one wants to be caught taking something that is not theirs.

3. Bringing something that you don’t have to keep in the kitchen. It would work, but then you’d have to accommodate the thief(s).

4. This is more out there, and I have never tried it. Maybe it would be possible to use some safe food colorant in a “trap” lunch. Whomever has a colorful tongue afterwards is probably the culprit! (Because no one wants to be seen as a thief)

Honestly, this is pretty hard to solve without some surveillance. I can think of a few options to try to ameliorate it.

1. Using psychology: Post a statement appealing to people’s self-image, because people care about their self image and no one wants to think of themselves as inconsiderate or dishonest. “Please be considerate. People have spent time and money on getting their lunch ready. Some of us have medical conditions which require a specific diet, and having our lunch stolen is much more of a burden than it might appear. Think about how you would feel if people took your property from your desk. Thank you for your consideration.” Or some such version.

2. Trying to catch them in the act by going to the kitchen at unpredictable times, because no one wants to be caught taking something that is not theirs.

3. Bringing something that you don’t have to keep in the kitchen. It would work, but then you’d have to accommodate the thief(s).

4. This is more out there, and I have never tried it. Maybe it would be possible to use some safe food colorant in a “trap” lunch. Whomever has a colorful tongue afterwards is probably the culprit! (Because no one wants to be seen as a thief)

Honestly, this is pretty hard to solve without some surveillance. I can think of a few options to try to ameliorate it.

1. Using psychology: Post a statement appealing to people’s self-image. “Please be considerate. People have spent time and money on getting their lunch ready. Some of us have medical conditions which require a specific diet, and having our lunch stolen is much more of a burden than it might appear. Think about how you would feel if people took your property from your desk. Thank you for your consideration.” Or some such version.

2. Trying to catch them in the act by going to the kitchen at unpredictable times.

3. Bringing something that you don’t have to keep in the kitchen. It would work, but then you’d have to accommodate the thief(s).

4. This is more out there, and I have never tried it. Maybe it would be possible to use some safe food colorant in a “trap” lunch. Whomever has a colorful tongue afterwards is probably the culprit!