To think that, unless you know the kitchen they were made in is very clean, homemade edible gifts go straight in the bin

[Bearbehind]

Especially this year

Given we’re sanitising things we touch and are ultra conscious about the spread of germs etc - AIBU to think that if you get edible gifts from someone’s who’s kitchen you either don’t know or don’t think is very clean - you’d just bin it?

I’m not saying you can catch Covid from the food but it’s the principle of not knowing how hygenic stuff is

I’m not a fan of homemade gifts at the best of times - I think a sort of rule should be that unless your homemade items are good enough to sell for actual money, then please don’t do it

No one is going to admit they binned it but I do hope those who would make homemade edible gifts, especially for teachers, this year think twice

Just wondering if you eat takeaways, OP and I've not rtft :)

Well the human race has somehow survived on food made by one person for another in often terrible hygiene conditions.
As long as the Christmas gift isn't chicken vol-au-vents or week old unwashed salad you will probably be OK.

Sharing and gifting food is about the oldest social interaction there is. Feel free to opt out but it's unnecessary and a bit sad.

Interesting thought. I know someone who started out as a keen baker then went into selling their bakes and delivering. Photos looked amazing but I've been in their house (although not the kitchen) and it's FILTHY! I image the kitchen the same. The sort of place where you know you're sitting on dirt you can see it but you have no choice. Therefore I never bought any of the bakes. Now they've opened a cafe....

Ok I read a bit more of the thread. Teachers I see where you are coming from!

This thread reminds me of this one www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2986358-Ive-been-told-Im-disgusting-I-am-actually-feeling-quite-smug-Lighthearted

Early on in lockdown I binned a couple of things my neighbour brought round. I’m not as bothered now.

So you never go to peoples houses for meals? Very strange

Yep, you ab totally unreasonable. I got married a few weeks ago and my homemade gifts were amazing, including my hand worked patchwork quilt and very pretty commemorative cross stitch. They’re beautiful and perfect and if bought from a shop would be hundreds of pounds - but people went to the effort of making us beautiful keepsakes.

Nah mate. Edible gifts go straight in my mouth

If not sure that all this freaking it about (most likely harmless) germs is any good for our immune systems TBH.

I’m with you OP. Our lovely neighbour downstairs is really into baking and very good at it. He keeps leaving little items on our doorstep which we put in the bin. I’ve asked him to stop countless times and told him we don’t ear them but he seems to forget that every time he turns his cooker on. I’ve given up saying anything now as I think the act of making and leaving them is the most important part of it for him. Terrible waste though.

@FreezerBird

The home-made stuff I give people generally has a high enough alcohol content to be safe I reckon.

You're my kind of person @Freezerbird

Well I am with you on this. Am not overly hygienic or fussy usually, but I don't want your manky mince pies or Christmas cake. The thought Is nice but sorry straight in the bin. God knows where your hands have been.

I've worked in cafes that were so nasty behind the scenes that I wouldn't eat my free lunch there and I'm not a picky person.

Having worked in a school and seen a lot of bakes, I’m one who will say no thank you. The state is some of the poor kids and their clothing made us shudder.

@Muchadoaboutlife

I rarely eat anything homemade by other people. They could have sneezed over it or stuck their finger up their bum and then stirred the cake with it. Yuk. No thanks

Thank you, PP, this is hands down the funniest thing I have ever read on here. What kind of psychopaths do you know that you think they could be capable of such a thing? And if you do think this could happen frequently enough to avoid homemade food, how can you feel confident that no-one working in a restaurant, or a cafe, or a supermarket, or a green grocer, or a deli, or a factory, or any other food handling job wouldn’t do exactly the same? What a nightmare world you must live in.

@Sheknowsaboutme

Having worked in a school and seen a lot of bakes, I’m one who will say no thank you. The state is some of the poor kids and their clothing made us shudder.

I hope you no longer work in a school

No, got Fed up of the manky bakes.

I think a sort of rule should be that unless your homemade items are good enough to sell for actual money, then please don’t do it

It’s a bit much that you think we should all be ruled by your own neurotic threshold.

Sure, biscuits iced by a toddler as a craft activity aren’t that appetising, because.... toddlers. But I have no reason to believe that anyone I know well enough to receive a gift from, or who is a competent adult with common sense and no psychopathic tendencies will give me anything less hygienic than I would cook myself.

Far more worried about a hotel wedding buffet prawn quiche than a home made flap jack.

I remember when a colleague brought cakes in for another colleagues birthday. Everyone was having there's pretty much there and then apart from me and two others. I thought I'd have mine later with my lunch. My colleague later was showing pics she had taken whilst making it then she showed one of her cat dipping it's nose into the buttercream bowl which was still full she thought this was hilarious and then another pic where the cat was on the side walking near the cakes.

I'm not a fan of animals on surfaces you're preparing food so when I popped out to eat outside I binned my cupcake, after that I just said no to her and others who brought stuff in. I wasn't the only one by the way. One person questioned her about the cat being on surfaces food was being prepped on she just said "o it's fine my cats clean".

I've never been given food as a gift from someone I thought was unclean or had an unclean kitchen. Generally, the types of people who do baking to give away have got it together. Most people are going to give something that tastes decent and prepared well. Slobby people don't usually bake for others. Sure if I got something I thought looked dodgy or from someone I thought hadn't a clue I properly wouldn't eat it but I don't think that's the typical experience.

I eat home made food presents.
However, I confess that I do not eat the biscuits/bread/cakes that my kids make at school. They all make their biscuits, all handle the dough then teacher gives then a random few each to take home. And I've seen how primary kids wash their hands, even in the era of covid.

are lower middle class women with very average educational attainment.
speak for yourself.
the ones I know usually have microbiology degrees or work in consumer research (the number of times I have seen people washing a raw chicken in the sink, then cleaning the sink with a dishtowel and using the same dishtowel to wipe their counters before they roll dough or icing on it tells me its a frequent occurrence - salmonella party!).
vegetarians, i‘m a lot more relaxed as long as they either don’t forage or know what they are doing.

I rarely eat anything homemade by other people. They could have sneezed over it or stuck their finger up their bum and then stirred the cake with it. Yuk. No thanks

I would have thought that kind of behaviour would be far more likely to emanate from a disgruntled employee in a food factory.

@ohnothisagain

are lower middle class women with very average educational attainment. speak for yourself. the ones I know usually have microbiology degrees or work in consumer research (the number of times I have seen people washing a raw chicken in the sink, then cleaning the sink with a dishtowel and using the same dishtowel to wipe their counters before they roll dough or icing on it tells me its a frequent occurrence - salmonella party!). vegetarians, i‘m a lot more relaxed as long as they either don’t forage or know what they are doing.

I’ve got a higher degree and 20 years experience in the field. The conversation is about binning cakes, which are low risk items unless they contain cream or raw egg - washing chickens does risk spreading pathogens and making people sick, but is irrelevant.

They may be low risk but the common element there is the disregard for hygiene IMO.