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My grandmother…

2 replies

Jivebunny89 · 30/08/2017 21:47

I'm really wanting to know if it is just my grandmother (sprightly, active 80 year old) who is like this, or if it's more than just her.

In short, she visits and always brings us copious amounts of food as a gift. It's not just, one cake, but three. She likes baking, and we like cake, so that's not really a problem. But it's the packaged food she brings us. This time it was (as well as three cakes) two bottles of Ribena, an Uncle Ben's sauce and a box of Jacob's crackers. All were out of date.

She loves shopping and can't resist a bargain, even though she is comfortably off. I'm sort of used to her bringing the out of date stuff over, but my husband isn't, and finds it insulting. She never tells us it's OOD, just puts it straight into our cupboards and we have to seem grateful. She does actually eat OOD items herself, so it's not a case of "I found these in the back of the cupboard and didn't want them".

She has a heart of gold, and I know she's just trying to look out for us, but it's a limited generosity. I wouldn't dream of giving a friend out of date food as a gift, though I'd be fine with opening a pack of biscuits a few weeks out for myself.

Is there anyone else out there like this? I'm resigned to the fact that she's 80, has always done this and always will, though I don't like being the one to have to bin "gifts". She'd be deeply offended if she knew that.

OP posts:
newtlover · 30/08/2017 21:54

maybe a food bank would accept it if it's not OOD?
My mum is the same age and although she wouldn't do this, she does like to bring presents of food (always in date or home made, and always stuff we like)- I think it's good to remember that generation grew up with rationing and were young adults in post war austerity, their attitude to food is shaped by that- sometimes for the good (not wasting) sometimes not (buy or eat everything even if you don't want or need it)

shushpenfold · 30/08/2017 21:56

My uncle once turned up with presents for the kids - 5 protractors, 3 cutting boards and 3 small Stanley knives; my LOs were 10, 8 and 6 at the time and he used to be a teacher! We laughed then and since we've lost him now to cancer, we laugh at the memories of random he would turn up with. I miss the fun of 'what will it be this time'. Enjoy your grandmother's gifts. Smile

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