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Original poster

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

52 replies

Idrileena · 19/09/2023 16:00

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

OP posts:
Inthetropics · 20/09/2023 01:55

Where i live it's considered good manners to give it back with something inside.

WellPlaced · 20/09/2023 01:58

I never knew this!!

I’ve been offending family and friends for years

Tonight1 · 20/09/2023 03:20

I guess it's not a typical Brit thing.

No it had never occurred to me to refill.

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Thursa · 20/09/2023 04:02

I’d send it back with a packet of biscuits or some chocolates. Never empty, and nothing home made as I’m not a good cook.

Kinsters · 20/09/2023 04:29

I tend to give things back empty. I'm not good at baking and do it very rarely so if I waited until I baked to give things back people would be waiting a long time!

I repay the favour in other ways though. If I'm getting something special I'll get extra for our neighbours for example.

HappiDaze · 20/09/2023 05:40

Wash it and return it

greenspaces4peace · 20/09/2023 05:45

filled, usually cookies (canada).

camelfinger · 20/09/2023 05:45

This sounds exhausting. I’d rather have a clean box returned than the sense of obligation.

FrogInASock · 20/09/2023 06:20

If I send people off with leftovers it’s never in a Tupperware. I’ve got a collection of take away containers and recycled ‘single use’ dishes and boxes that do the job so I never expect to see them again.
And I’ve just started taking food for shared events in disposables too. I can walk away empty handed. Which is nice.

TakeMe2Insanity · 20/09/2023 06:23

I’m Pakistani and we’d always return with food/sweets inside it would be seen as extremely poor manners to return empty.

pumpkintits · 20/09/2023 06:29

We very rarely receive food but I'm a feeder so am constantly sending my baking to family and to be lucky, we are lucky to get the plates/tuppaware back! I bet if I went to MILs house I would find half my tuppaware!

My mum lives in Turkey and it's custom over there to send the dish back with something in it, her neighbour sent a bowl of this traditional Turkish rice pudding over (can't for the life of me remember what it was called but it was amazing) and when it was gone my mum filled the bowl with sweets before returning it.

Gumbo · 20/09/2023 06:38

I've always had mine returned to me empty - with the exception of the CFs who never return the container at all 😡

I also return it empty unless it's a time of year (like now) when I'm overrun with tomatoes some or other garden produce, in which case I'll offload it on the owner of the container 😁

Sammysquiz · 20/09/2023 06:47

Dancesaideveryone · 19/09/2023 22:48

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. Smile

Show quote history

Once it’s been returned to the owner there’s no further action needed!

usedtobeasizeten · 20/09/2023 07:13

Cultural here too. Chocolate/small amount of fruit etc.

dottypencilcase · 20/09/2023 07:18

SEAsian here. Always return empty boxes with food in them- my mum would keep boxes until she'd cooked something special and then send me round to drop off the box. I do the same. I also do regular curry drop-offs to my neighbour too. It's just what we do.

dimsumfatsum · 20/09/2023 07:19

pumpkintits · 20/09/2023 06:29

We very rarely receive food but I'm a feeder so am constantly sending my baking to family and to be lucky, we are lucky to get the plates/tuppaware back! I bet if I went to MILs house I would find half my tuppaware!

My mum lives in Turkey and it's custom over there to send the dish back with something in it, her neighbour sent a bowl of this traditional Turkish rice pudding over (can't for the life of me remember what it was called but it was amazing) and when it was gone my mum filled the bowl with sweets before returning it.

Sutlac?

allthehops · 20/09/2023 07:35

Flipping heck, I've never heard of that rule. Wouldn't even occur to me to make something to give back, and I wouldn't expect it either.

sunglassesonthetable · 20/09/2023 07:42

UK here. Always just wash and return.

But what a lovely custom!

usedtobeasizeten · 20/09/2023 10:03

allthehops · 20/09/2023 07:35

Flipping heck, I've never heard of that rule. Wouldn't even occur to me to make something to give back, and I wouldn't expect it either.

It isn’t a rule.

IvorTheEngineDriver · 20/09/2023 11:01

Empty and washed.

SM4713 · 20/09/2023 11:24

I am aware of this tradition/concept and it depends who it is. I would generally give them a bag of fresh veg from my garden, jar of home-made jam or chutney etc, rather than making a meal to put in the container.

We've been renovating and 1 of the workmen is single, doesn't cook and lives on take-away. He worked very late recently so I packed up some roast, veg and dessert for him. He returned the containers, because I'd specifically asked him to. He did return them, but all un washed! 🙄

raqua · 20/09/2023 13:02

the rice pudding you are referring to could be sutluc , I love it too!

pumpkintits · 21/09/2023 22:48

raqua · 20/09/2023 13:02

the rice pudding you are referring to could be sutluc , I love it too!

I'm not sure, it had mixed beans in it, as well as raisins. But the favour of a rice pudding. And now I really want some homemade rice pudding!

MyAnacondaMight · 21/09/2023 23:00

What sort of containers are these?! I seem to always give and receive food either in recycled takeaway tubs, or disposable food boxes. Even mid range Tupperware I would just assume to be part of the gift, that gets passed on/around in turn.

How “good” does a container have to be to warrant returning?!