Do you give back a tupperware/plate empty or with food?

[Idrileena]

Hi!

Whenever you get food/dessert from your neighbour/friend for instance, do you return the tupperware empty or do you put food in exchange instead?

I always just gave the clean tupperware/plate back but was told recently that it's good manners not to return it empty but to put homemade food/dessert back inside as a thank you.

What do you do?

Thank you

I would expect it back clean and empty. I give food and receive it - never heard of this!!!!

It's never occurred to me to put something else in it as I always just return them cleaned and receive them back that way too.

That said, it's a lovely idea to fill it with something else!

As long as it doesn't become an awkward ping pong situation where you're locked into forever exchanging homemade baking...which is exactly the kind of awkward social situation I could see myself falling into with this, tbh.

I wouldn't think it rude not to fill it with something, but I can imagine there are some cultures where it might be considered rude if the norm is to refill it with something else.

I give out lots of things in Tupperware, regularly to about a dozen people. They all say thank you at the time and return the Tupperware clean and empty. I’ve never had somebody return it with more food inside.

Usually empty but if we’ve made something and have excess we will put that in. It’s not ‘a thing’ that we do though; just if we’ve made something nice and happen to be returning someone’s Tupperware.

Empty, because otherwise you'd just have to wash the bloody thing again, surely?

Empty and clean

I mean WTAF to anything else

Clean and empty, or maybe clean with candy.
I would not cook just to fill it.

That's one of those old-fashioned semi-superstitions like never giving someone a purse or wallet for a present without putting a coin in it, or never giving someone a knife as a present in case it cuts love.

Honestly, if I've given you a container of something, it means I had too much of whatever it was, and was happy for you to take it off my hands. I absolutely do not need for you to go off and bake or make something as a return.

That sounds like one of those mad reciprocation patterns like 'They invited us so we invited them so they invited us so we invited them' etc -- or sending someone a thank you card to thank them for the thank you card they sent you because you sent them a present...

Thank you everyone

The thank you cards made me laugh

Empty!

Depends on the culture – in parts of America where people pickle gallons and gallons of green beans every year there's a saying “never return an empty jar”.

I don’t care if it’s empty, but I do want my containers back please!

Clean and empty.

Depending on who I got it from.

Best friend - empty as it's normally things from the dinner party/BBQ we attended.
Neighbours - I may return it with some chocolate or biscuits but never full, just a couple of bits.

It’s a cultural thing - my DH is Cypriot and whenever we give something in Tupperware to his side of the family, they always return it with something lovely in it!

So does it become a back and forth thing then? Who breaks the cycle? What would be the consequences?

I'm invested in this now.

Cultural here as well. The container must be returned with food.

As it's going back to the original sender the reciprocation has ended.

Yes this!

It's not a never ending cycle though-someone brings a cake to my house when they come for dinner. We eat the cake. I will then wash the plate and put a treat in it-homemade if I've been baking or some bought shortbread or something. Return plate to owner next time I see them and say thank you. The end 😂

That’s crackers

Empty is fine

i now have this wonderful mad vision of a whole suburb re-gifting desert. I guess eventually your trifle would come back to you..

That's brilliant and so lovely a tradition.

I always return it with something, even if it's a wrapped sweet. I would never return it empty.

Others find it strange but also somewhat cute.

If the food was a gift, my family always give the tub back with something nice inside, even if only a bar of chocolate. If we had friends round and everybody had brought a dish, then we wouldn't necessarily put something in the tub when we return it. In all circumstances the tub would be washed, of course, before returning it.

But then, in my culture, we often spell 'love' F-O-O-D 😄

I have a friend who always returns containers clean and with a piece of ribbon tied round it, plus a little note to say thank you. I find that rather sweet, so I do it too. Better than racking my brains trying to think of what to fill it with!

I'm Arab and it's considered incredibly poor manners and tight to return Tupperware empty. Always send it back with some yummy food. Usually, we take it in consideration whilst cooking dinner or baking that makes it enough to fill that Tupperware. If extremely busy and in rush to return it, we fill with sweets or chocolates. My mum had always had huge containers of homemade sweets and biscuits for people who drop by or to put in others Tupperware. Pretty much every household that I know does the same. I guess it's easier in the west as people are used to be served hobnobs and digestives with tea, so putting a pack of biscuits in a Tupperware isn't a big deal I believe. As opposed to other countries that considers it important to serve homemade stuff only, as a big sign of hospitality and good hosting etiquette.

Always with some yummy food, it is cultural and we have always done this.

Yeah with food … never empty unless you can’t do it because you are sick for example. In that case you can return the favour by sharing food when you are better.
Although agree it’s a cultural thing (Indian here)…