To not volunteer for the PTA cake stall again this term, seeing as how they'll no longer accept shop-bought products?

[LittleBella]

When I took a whole load of shop-bought little fairy cakes, doughnuts and muffins in from Morrisons today, the school secretary said: "oh we can't accept those, we can only accept home-baked stuff now. It's the law".

Seeing as how this sort of cake has been the norm on the cake stall for the last 5 years (it's been about half and half home baked and shop bought), either the govt must have sneaked in a new law over the summer while the rest of parliament was in recess, or the school are hardened law-breakers. The stall is on Fridays, so baking would have to happen on Thursdays and that is football and dancing day, so no chance.

Am I supposed to distress the farking things a la I don't know how she does it?

[pooka]

That's ridiculous. We had notes whenever there were cake sales last year to say that shop bought cakes were welcomed.

[AbbeyA]

Take it all out of the wrapping and present it as home made.

[onebatmother]

whaaa? why on earth? esp since they have no control whatsoever over the hygiene of home-made stuff?

[Ceolas]

"It's the law".

ROFL

I'm glad we're making laws on such important subjects

[Cappuccino]

maybe they just gave up because they had too much stuff, and 'the law' is just to save face

tbh I get annoyed - go on, shout at me - when I make home-made cakes for a stall, and then I get there and there is a big stack of Wagon Wheels and Mr Kipling

there is always far too much stuff and they end up reducing everything to 5p or stuffing extra in a bag

which is a bit annoying if you have taken the time to make a cake and other people have just gone to the shop

at church this doesn't happen, people bake, and the stall gets empty and everyone pays the going price

sorry and all that but I think YABU

[shortcircuit]

the idea of the cake store is surely to buy lovely homemade cakes though ?

[Ceolas]

tbh it would never occur to me to give bought cakes.

what's so difficult about baking anyway?

[MrsFluffleHasAWuffle]

at my dc school it's the opposite - they will no longer accept homebaked stuff for fayres, xmas party etc. It all has to be shopbought and still in the packaging.

I can actually understand why this is, but it's a shame to not be able to make up mini mince tarts for the little 'uns Christmas party anymore

[Hassled]

I think shop-bought cakes should be welcomed - and for working parents with little time, yet the expectation to contribute to one more PTA event, buying a cake is the only way of staying sane and managing to be seen to contribute. Our PTA's only caveat is no nuts. The secretary is mad.

[MinkyBorage]

maybe they think that idf people want to bu7y cakes from morrisons they'll um go to morrisons????

[onebatmother]

"
what's so difficult about baking anyway?"

Oh for crying out loud. Der.

[NoblesseOblige]

law my arse. i would boycott. don't donate OR purchase.

[Ceolas]

eh, onebatmother?

[Julesnobrain]

If you don't have time to bake then don't and DO NOT feel guilty. I think thats appalling manners to refuse your brought donation. Personally I would go to a bakery and buy one which looks more 'homemade' and present it as my own with a smug expression and skip off guilt free. Lifes to short..........

[onebatmother]

You sounded rather self-congratulatory Ceolas.

There is nothing technically difficult about baking, in that you could probably train a monkey to do it. But those of us who don't enjoy/can't afford/don't have time because working full time, it might not be possible.

[PeaMcLean]

Ceolas, my polite response to your comment is "Not everyone has the time or inclination to find home baking easy"

I won't repeat my honest reaction

Frankly though, OP, school should be grateful for all contributions, and for volunteers to help out.

[Hulababy]

Unwrap them all and send them in on a plate

I;d have had to ask her which law that was then.

[LittleBella]

I've explained what's difficult about baking. It's dancing and football day, so ferrying happens after school. No time to bake. (And I usually work on a Thursday unti collection time as well.)

No, they didn't have too much - they often don't have enough actually, there's regularly a disappointed little group who haven't got to the cake stall on time. Which is why I was slightly peeved, it seemed absurd.

[Hulababy]

Ceolas

I hate baking. I just can't get to grips with it at all. I love cooking and make all manner of meals and love experiementing and cooking for dinner parties for friends. But baking for me is a no go - just don't enjoy it.

Bought cakes allowed at our cake stalls.

[LittleBella]

And actually, even if I didn't work on a Thursday, I'm not going to spend the afternoon baking cakes. That's something I enjoy doing with the children, but I'm not doing it on my own, any more than I'd watch Shrek on my own tbh.

[PeaMcLean]

I'd like to take this opportunity to mention that in the last 10 years I have made 3 cakes and 2 were in the last two months. I was most proud but I woudn't inflict them on anyone else!

[Habbibu]

Weird - sounds the wrong way round, law-wise - they have more problem with hygiene, etc. Googled to see what law she might be talking about, but to no avail. I wonder if it's some sort of reselling issue - can't see why? But LittleBella, I do think that you ought to find the time to raise some chickens so that you have free-range eggs to go into your cakes, plus grow some raspberries to make into jam. I mean, what kind of mother are you?

[LittleBella]

She said it was the selling on law. So I said OK, just give them away free then, when they buy the others. I also said "If I'd put them in a storage container, you wouldn't have known, would you?"

She was a bit sniffy....

[Habbibu]

Actually, I bloody love baking - really do. But am prepared to accept that some of you are slatterns busy women with Stuff To Do.