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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

FIL bringing old veg as a 'gift' when visiting

71 replies

Susannahmoody · 04/07/2021 17:47

Anyone else's parents /in-laws do this?

He stayed at ours for 2 nights recently and brought some fruit and veg as it would go to waste otherwise. A couple of clementines were edible, but there was some chopped lettuce that was yellow and going bad around the edges, which I threw away when he left

Confused

Why bother bringing it?

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 04/07/2021 20:29

My parents and in particular ex PIL do that. It’s quite sweet though.

BeBloodyBold · 04/07/2021 20:32

My brother did this with chicken on the turn one Christmas. I was not happy as already had a very full fridge! Then my SIL came down with food poisoning - needless to say, no-one ate the chicken!!!!

xyzandabc · 04/07/2021 20:36

My parents drive over 500 miles to get to my house. So quarter of a cucumber, 2 nearly fuzzy tomatoes, 3 satsumas, half a lettuce and 2 bananas that are only good for baking travel all that way.

There is a brilliant bit in the Motherland Christmas special that those with parents who do this will appreciate.

TrashKitten10 · 04/07/2021 20:42

I didn't realise this was such a thing! MIL brought around grapes that she couldn't eat herself as they gave her a gippy tummy. Not sure if it was those grapes in particular or grapes in general Hmm so I erred on the side of caution and let DH enjoy the gippy grapes Grin

georgarina · 04/07/2021 20:57

As others have said it's not a gift, it's so as not to waste it.

I do this when I go away.

Makes more sense for someone to get use out of it than for it to go to waste.

Letsallscreamatthesistene · 04/07/2021 21:00

Depending on who it is im visiting, I do this. Its good to try and not waste things.

ThePlantsitter · 04/07/2021 21:00

My mum does this and my grandma did it to her too. Now my mum says 'I used to hate it when my mum did this' as she merrily plonks half an onion and an open block of cheese that's just travelled 200 miles in a warm car into my fridge Grin

Mollylikestodance · 04/07/2021 21:01

My in-laws do this to us... and I do it to them too! In fact anywhere I go visit I will take something that otherwise will go off when I'm gone. Or i offer it to our neighbours (or even ask the cat sitter if she wants to take it!).

Does this make me awful BlushGrin everything is fresh/within date. I just hate waste!!

GeorgiaGirl52 · 04/07/2021 21:05

@PotteringAlong

My mum does this if she comes to stop. I do it if I go to her house. Why would you throw away perfectly good food if it could be eaten instead? So the lettuce didn’t get used, but it definitely wouldn’t have been used if he had left it at home. It wasn’t a gift, it was not being wasteful. I find it more odd that you think it’s odd TBH.
This^ If I am going on a trip I take the contents of my refrigerator to my daughter. She can use what she wants and throw the rest out. It's not a "gift" I do the same when she travels. Plus I keep her dog and she is no gift either, believe me!!!
BackforGood · 04/07/2021 21:05

Why bother bringing it?

You've already answered in your opening post

as it would go to waste otherwise.

Confused as to why you are asking.

thelegohooverer · 04/07/2021 21:13

I love when my mil does this. If she’s going on holiday, I’ll cook dinner before she goes to save her the clean up (she’s fastidious about leaving her house perfect) and she always brings me the contents of her fridge.

I did bin the smoked salmon that was “only a day or two out of date” though Grin

TellmewhoIam · 04/07/2021 22:10

Is there a Recipes to Use Up Old Food thread? I'm longing for one now!

BarbarianMum · 04/07/2021 22:13

Aw poor you OP. I bet it took you all if 4.5 seconds to sort through it all and bin what you didnt want. Hmm

It's normal behaviour.

ZingDramaQueenOfSheeba · 04/07/2021 22:14

YABU

it wasn't a gift. he explained it.
it's a non-problem and you are overthinking it

BrownEyedSquirrel · 04/07/2021 23:17

My FIL brings one mango every time. It's... odd.

Pinchoftums · 04/07/2021 23:19

YABU stops food waste.

LadyBugg · 04/07/2021 23:23

Haha the inlaws did this in Motherland and Julia was fuming.

I've never seen it, but dh said his auntie and uncle always brought half an onion/3 carrots/4 cherry tomatoes with them on the 9 hour drive to his parents house to save them going to waste!

ChocolateCakeYum · 04/07/2021 23:47

I have relatives that do this. Rotten old veg and questionable meat.

My theory is they don’t want to fill up their own bins with it so bring it round so I can throw it out.

Zwellers · 05/07/2021 00:14

It's not normal behaviour. I have a relative that does this. Why on earth would they think I want some old lettuce , potato salad with no date and two slices of bread is beyond me. I tell them now that I Just chuck it in the bin.

GreyhoundG1rl · 05/07/2021 00:20

It's not normal behaviour
Don't be daft 😂

DillyDot · 05/07/2021 00:21

I'm all for this. Can't abide food waste.
If you think it's gone too far, don't use it, but most of my meal planning is based around the order things need to be used up.

DillyDot · 05/07/2021 00:32

@ThePlantsitter

My mum does this and my grandma did it to her too. Now my mum says 'I used to hate it when my mum did this' as she merrily plonks half an onion and an open block of cheese that's just travelled 200 miles in a warm car into my fridge Grin
Got any pastry (or the ingredients to make it? Then you've got delicious cheese and onion pasties. Or you could do a cheese and onion quiche / omelette if you have some eggs. Cheese, onion & potato pie is good old fashioned budget-busting fare. Tin of tomatoes and you're three quarters of the way to a cheesy pasta bake. Or add a stale baguette to the mix and you've got French bread pizza.

Why would you toss out perfectly good ingredients? I don't get it. It's going to be cooked anyway so what difference if it's a bit sweaty?

TellmewhoIam · 05/07/2021 01:27

@Zwellers

It's not normal behaviour. I have a relative that does this. Why on earth would they think I want some old lettuce , potato salad with no date and two slices of bread is beyond me. I tell them now that I Just chuck it in the bin.
Shred and stir fry the lettuce with oyster sauce and ginger. Sprinkle with toasted nuts and sesame oil. Make bread into croutons when the oven is warming for something. Store croutons in jar. Use with next batch of leftovers soup.
XenoBitch · 05/07/2021 01:52

My ex MiL would do this. Give us half a old lettuce etc.

Original poster
Susannahmoody · 05/07/2021 02:13

Some stuff we did use : but the lettuce was brown upon its arrival, so why bother fetching it at all? It was obvious it was ready for the bin already.

I am not going to eat brown lettuce (neither was he, apparently)

OP posts: