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Original poster

Would you eat cake baked by a colleague?

180 replies

Seniorschoolmum · 27/04/2019 07:01

Recently someone had a significant birthday, and two colleagues brought in home made cakes. Both beautifully decorated.

Yet a couple of people declined a slice, saying they never eat home cooked anything because they can’t be sure what the food hygiene was like.
I was a bit stunned. Am I just slow on the uptake or is that normal now?
I “get” not eating cake if you’re on a diet or just don’t like cake.

OP posts:
Passthecake30 · 27/04/2019 09:54

The main reason I refuse is that I'm very fussy. After biting into a brownie that was "healthy", I.e made with beetroot, I am more cautious, and generally take a small slice and try it discretely.
I'm not fussed about germs.

lucysmam · 27/04/2019 09:55

I'd have happily eaten the cake.

One of my colleagues makes the most lovely buns, and quite often will make extra if she's baking to bring to work to share, even though she doesn't like cake.

goingtotown · 27/04/2019 09:55

It would depend on who bakes the cake. We have a colleague who never washes her hands after using the loo.

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derxa · 27/04/2019 09:57

This is another of those ‘only on MN’ things I never see happen in the real world (or my tiny bit of it). Me too. Plus the poor social skills. Just decline gracefully.

RickyGold · 27/04/2019 09:58

I don't eat homemade cake at work but nothing to do with germs, if I want cake I want to pick it myself and have something I really want and no one ever brings in meringues!

ErrmWTAF · 27/04/2019 09:58

I'd operate on the baseline of "ok, unless evidenced otherwise".

Like, if I saw their house was a shithole, or their personal grooming or comments or not washing their hands after using the loo, etc, I'd probably avoid eating their cake, but I wouldn't be obvious about why not.

userxx · 27/04/2019 09:58

It depends on who baked it. I have a friend who would refuse straight away. Some people are just like that.

BettysLeftTentacle · 27/04/2019 10:03

@Oblomov who’s to say these anxieties aren’t being addressed? There’s no magic fix to problems like these, it can take years and years just to get to the root cause and then there’s no garauntee it will get better. I didn’t even realise I had a problem until I was in therapy for other things.

My kids eat anything put in front of them by the way. They don’t care what it is (apart from a couple of things they know they don’t like) or who put it there. They show none of the same anxious traits as I do. If anything the struugles I have with anxiety in general have made me a better parent. I’ve been able to recognise the things that are wrong in my own thinking and where they have come from and put things into place to stop that happening for my children.

ReginaGeorgeous · 27/04/2019 10:04

We love a bit of home baking in our office. I have a colleague who bakes the most wonderful banana loaf. Never seen anyone decline on hygiene grounds.

Langrish · 27/04/2019 10:06

Lots of plausible reasons why people wouldn’t but bloody rude to spell that out. No thanks, I’m off sugar for now is kinder.

KaterinaPetrova · 27/04/2019 10:11

I actually can understand this. Although I generally do eat homemade stuff, I do have one friend who bakes delicious foods but her hygiene is terrible.
There's no counter top space and what area she does use isn't cleaned and her cats are regularly up there. We try to avoid her offerings when possible.

When I do baking for bake sales or to take to work my kitchen is scrubbed within an inch of its life. Everything is pristine. And I don't mind letting people know that just in case they're concerned.

Badtasteflump · 27/04/2019 10:15

I have thought it before but would never say it out loud Shock

I have a colleague who loves baking. She has cats and when she has brought in her cakes before, you can count the cat hairs stuck to the icing - there must be lots of cat hair in the air in her home or something

For that reason I would gag if I tried to politely eat something of hers - so I make excuses.

Burlea · 27/04/2019 10:24

A few years ago my manager brought in some home made fruit cake in a Tupperware container, fortunately I don't like that type of cake. When the last piece was taken out another colleague took out the kitchen roll which was at the bottom to find the box had lots of cat hair.

stressedoutpa · 27/04/2019 10:25

Yes, of course. Some of my colleagues make amazing cakes! Also, I am sure that their food hygiene is probably better than commercial catering.

A very well known chocolate factory has a full time rat catcher and a friend who worked there said they had a cockroach problem.

Another friend who worked for Rentokil never ate out in restaurants because he had seen too many filthy kitchens.

StillMedusa · 27/04/2019 10:27

Wow I eat the stuff we cook with our kids in school.. special needs and the cooking definitely wouldn't meet anyone's hygiene standards... but it's been in the oven so it's fine... 15 years and I'm still standing Grin.

dangerrabbit · 27/04/2019 10:27

I’ve got a colleague who refuses to make home made cakes and says so to the cake makers face! I find that really rude.

Ownerofmultiplechimps · 27/04/2019 10:31

I’ve declined politely before from a colleague I know has cats & lets them freely roam on kitchen work tops & consequently there is always visible cat hair in her baking (also has form for trying to charge you when she offers it round & you accept, when it’s not a cake sale etc just to recoup some of her costs. That’s another thread entirely!)

Katyy · 27/04/2019 10:35

I have emetophobia so can eat hardly anything outside my own home, wish I could, I miss out so much.I have loads of excuses ready though.I would hate to upset anyone.

afterashowerr · 27/04/2019 11:07

Yes, I'd eat cake baked by a colleague, never by a child though( I work in a school).

Celebelly · 27/04/2019 11:11

I certainly do! I don't have a sensitive stomach at all, and I love cake... I don't even mind the odd dog or cat hair Grin I just pull it out and keep going! It hadn't really ever occurred to me not to eat stuff someone else has made.

Peachesandcream14 · 27/04/2019 11:25

I'm fairly lax with hygiene standards tbh, but I won't eat anything made by people who have cats, because most people seem to let them into the kitchen surfaces whilst also having the litter tray in the kitchen, so filthy, shitty paws and hair all over the surfaces. It's totally rank tbh.

NigesFakeWalkingStick · 27/04/2019 11:27

I wouldn't eat it, and haven't when similar things happened when I worked. But I'm a huge germophobic and have OCD about nearly everything, and hate eating other people's food. However, I wouldn't be a cunt about it Grin

Theoldwoman · 27/04/2019 11:36

Incredibly rude! I would only decline if it was a flavour I truly couldn't stomach!

stressedoutpa · 27/04/2019 11:38

I'm fairly lax with hygiene standards tbh, but I won't eat anything made by people who have cats, because most people seem to let them into the kitchen surfaces whilst also having the litter tray in the kitchen, so filthy, shitty paws and hair all over the surfaces. It's totally rank tbh.

^ What utter rot!

I have a cat and have lots of friends who have cats. Only one friend has a problem with cats jumping on her kitchen table. She shoos them off all the time, however, both are rescues and one was a stray for quite a long time so they are both very food orientated and always sniffing around for their next meal.

Babynamess · 27/04/2019 11:44

How rude. They could have accepted and put in the bin discreetly.

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