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

You are being ridiculous!

Unless I know the person well, and I'm happy their kitchen is clean, I'll absolutely bin the food. Same reason why I'd never buy food from people selling on Facebook local groups who do it as a side thing.

@lookfortheheroes no thank you I will not come in for a coffee because I have a phobia of strange kitchens.

Nope, I don't live in a state of paranoia that I'm going to catch covid, food poisoning or anything else from home cooking.

What a sad way to love your life.

@Bearbehind

It's your ego that won't let you tell the truth.

😂😂😂

Your using laughing emojis to tell me you think this is bullshit.

Why else would you not tell someone the truth? You will hurt people more by lying to them. Telling the truth gives the person an opportunity to see the problem. Lying to them will just lead to resentment and hurt.

@lookfortheheros

Not me. I happily eat things I know other people have made.

It wouldn't bother me at all! The only time I've said anything about homemade food was when I had to refuse cake at work as it contained strawberries, which make me sick. Thankfully she took the hint and there were no strawberries the next time!

Might worry about pate or similar if not a close friend but unlikely to be gifted this type of food. What about say Macmillan fundraisers, cafes - where do you stop.

Why else would you not tell someone the truth? You will hurt people more by lying to them. Telling the truth gives the person an opportunity to see the problem. Lying to them will just lead to resentment and hurt.

I disagree - I think people should have the awareness to realise that unless their homemade gifts are good enough to sell then they are unlikely to be well received

@Bearbehind

I’m not paranoid - I just don’t want homemade stuff - it’s not even limited to food - I hated those mittens too

I would genuinely rather receive nothing

Tell them this then.

You do what you like, OP. You sound really rude though so perhaps you won't be troubled by these gifts that you deplore so much.

If you had anything about you, you'd tell people upfront, now, that you don't want any homemade gifts, just in case. Tell them outright what will be their fate should you receive them. I'd have a modicum of respect for somebody who saved me the bother.

You're completely unreasonable and petty thought to start a thread instructing other people to follow your suit.

And buy selling, I don’t just mean on Facebook etc

How OTT can you get?

The only people who’d ever give us homemade edibles would be family or friends, and I wouldn’t dream of binning them.

Levels of hygiene-freakery on MN really are beyond a joke sometimes.

Depends what it was. Fresh food to be eaten within a day or two of preparation I wouldn't worry about, in fact I'd be delighted. I'd be more careful about certain preserved food, such as chutney, because you do need to understand what you are doing if you don't want to give someone botulism.

@Bearbehind

Why else would you not tell someone the truth? You will hurt people more by lying to them. Telling the truth gives the person an opportunity to see the problem. Lying to them will just lead to resentment and hurt.

I disagree - I think people should have the awareness to realise that unless their homemade gifts are good enough to sell then they are unlikely to be well received

Unlikely to be well received by you. That's your thoughts on it. Not everyones. That's why you need to tell them the truth.

If you had anything about you, you'd tell people upfront, now, that you don't want any homemade gifts, just in case. Tell them outright what will be their fate should you receive them. I'd have a modicum of respect for somebody who saved me the bother.

I do tell people I don’t want gifts - any gifts -

The trouble is people often think that translates to a token homemade thing

@Bearbehind

Why else would you not tell someone the truth? You will hurt people more by lying to them. Telling the truth gives the person an opportunity to see the problem. Lying to them will just lead to resentment and hurt.

I disagree - I think people should have the awareness to realise that unless their homemade gifts are good enough to sell then they are unlikely to be well received

What are you on about? I receive plenty of home baked goods from friends and family that isn't "good enough to sell" but I love it.

Urgh you horrible snob. The fact you'll not just chuck/charity shop a lovingly made gift because it's not up to your standards, but are happy to answer about this all over the internet, shows that you have no grace whatsoever. Moreover the fact you won't just be upfront with people who I assume are your friends so they don't waste any more of their time makes you a coward.

@Bearbehind

If you had anything about you, you'd tell people upfront, now, that you don't want any homemade gifts, just in case. Tell them outright what will be their fate should you receive them. I'd have a modicum of respect for somebody who saved me the bother.

I do tell people I don’t want gifts - any gifts -

The trouble is people often think that translates to a token homemade thing

Quite. They probably think that you're being nice. You're not, so stop feigning. Tell them that any homemade gifts will be going in the bin.

Are you able to do that? I promise you that you wouldn't be receiving them after that so, win-win, no?

I often wonder - do all the germophobes actually genuinely think homemade food gifts are likely to make them ill, or is it just that they can't control their 'ick' response?

The fact you'll not just chuck/charity shop a lovingly made gift because it's not up to your standards

It’s nothing to do with that item not being up to standard - I just don’t like them so why would I keep them?

I’ve said I ask people not to give me anything

Haha I’m with you op. It’s dreadful and I’m ashamed of myself. I can probably guarantee that every gift giver has a cleaner kitchen than mine.
Still ... jars of preserves/ home baked cakes/ even the home cooked meals my lovely neighbours brought after I’d given birth. All in the bin :(
I just can’t do it. It’s psychological. I probably need therapy. And no... before you ask, I can barely eat out either, and can’t even really do shop bought sandwiches.
I’m always amazed at grown ups eating the cakes at school bake sales
I can’t imagine there’d ever EVER be a day where I could manage that.

I think people should have the awareness to realise that unless their homemade gifts are good enough to sell then they are unlikely to be well received

That's just not true though. Not for me, anyway, and not for a lot of people I suspect. It's only true if you're a more mercenary person.

Some people understand that the value of a gift is not in the cost, it's in the time and effort put into it.

The thought of someone thinking about what I might like, buying ingredients/materials, spending time designing/making it, brings me far more pleasure than a gift that thousands of other people will have.

Well I'm 54 and have eaten stuff made by other people regularly throughout my life and I'm not dead yet so no.