Bringing baked goods into work

[Bibblybumblebee]

I really enjoy baking - I’m quite good - only thing I’m really any good at!
I like baking traditional cakes like Victoria sponge, lemon drizzle, carrot.

I normally bake on the weekend and sometimes bake a tray bake cake and take it to work.
I work in a team of about 10 people. So there’s plenty for everyone to help themselves- it’s normally demolished by Wednesday.

2 woman I work with are always on a diet or talking about fitness - both in there late 50s.
One of them asked to have a word with me today and said her and this other woman both agree it’s not appropriate to bring in homemade cakes to work because it’s unhealthy and not fair when people are trying to be ‘good’.
She also said that if I could be reported to HR as I haven’t had a hygiene rating certificate at home. She said she’s worried if someone got sick from my homemade food I could get in trouble.

AIBU to feel a bit upset about this. My home is spotless my kitchen is clean.

I think these woman have just got food issues but I am worried they could report me.

I don’t bake cakes every week. Maybe once every 6 weeks.

Whats your opinion on people being in baked goods from home into work?

Why did you shout "FOR EXAMPLE" in your post?

FWIW it's dead easy to get an online food hygiene certificate. I did one when I was helping with some charity fund raising refreshments and had slight concerns about other people's hygiene levels.

It was laughably silly, along the lines of:
Before preparing food should you:
A. Wash your hands and tie back your hair?
B. Lick all the spoons?
C. Wipe your nose on the tea towel?

I passed with a score of 100% and this rather Mickey Mouse qualification allowed me to rule on matter of cleanliness to my thorough satisfaction 😁

I'd mention to your manager someone raised it as a concern and ask for clarification. If manager is happy for you to continue you should. If people don't want it they don't have to eat It.

If women brings it up I'd say "I've spoken to manager they are happy for me to continue, do not feel obliged to eat any. "

I would take some cake to HR! Maybe it's tough for these two women if people around them are talking about how yummy your baking is but they can't expect everybody to eat lettuce and celery all the time. Their attitude towards 'good' and 'bad' food sounds unhealthy.

Agree you’re not a business and you’ve shown due diligence. Isn’t great that you enable these two to exercise will power …. Your baking sounds great.

You are being really kind and they don’t have to eat them. This kind of thing is always massively appreciated at my work.

I don't eat sugar and very low carb (type 2 diabetic) but I'm perfectly fine about people bringing stuff in. I've done it myself in the past.

These women are out of line, it's not your fault if they have no self control. You aren't making them eat it!

I work in a company with 3 teams. One of them they’ve got a rota for each member of the team to bake each Wednesday (when we are in). I think in year and a half I’ve only eaten twice from the team. It’s call having a will power. Nobody is forcing them to eat. And as others have said you don’t need any rating unless you’re getting f money for the food. I’ve the feeling they’d like to eat but don’t want to cuz they feel it’s forbidden food and because of that they’re trying others not to eat. I’d ignore them

The guidelines explaining requirements for a food hygiene certificate mention volunteering more than once a month or so. I don't think you need one,

I worked in a very large office (think 600 people) and we used to do cake sales a few times a year to support a local charity. These were always extremely successful and usually everything had been sold within the hour.

I also enjoy baking regularly and used to take cakes in for the team I worked with. Nobody ever asked about a hygiene certificate and if anyone was on a diet, they just used to avoid the plate. I think those two women you worked with OP were complete miseries. If they don't want to join in, then they should just refuse politely and not cause trouble.

It's fine. They're nuts. "Trying to be good"? They sound like children. Their diet issues are not your problem.

If you're worried, talk to HR before they do and find out their take on it.

We have a lady at works that bakes and brings them in, my only complaint is she never tells me when they are in the staff room, and by the time I get there they are gone.

people that decide what other people get to talk about are always in the wrong. Women who talk about food and diets all the time are dull and boring

I think it’s a lovely thing to do. You are doing it in such a way that people can take it or leave it without pressure. Perhaps see what your manager thinks if it would give you some reassurance. It may well be tempting them from their diets, but that’s a them issue. Why should everyone else who enjoys what you bring, have to miss out

What with the fatuous blanket labelling of cake as "unhealthy" they'll probably complain to HR that they're "triggered" by lemon drizzle cake.

We used to do lots of bakesales, some for charity, some just for fun. Our H&S Officer used to laugh nervously, and look the other way. I used to leave a note with mine detailing allergens, whether it contained dairy, animal products etc and also something tongue in cheek about people eating at their own risk, which frankly is kind of implicit in these situations.
The women who have no will power are not your responsibility. When I was trying to diet on a bakesale day, I would eat tiny pieces of lots of things, and compliment the bakes, as it mattered a lot to so many people.

What misery guts they sound! I would love it if you worked with me. If I didn't want any I wouldn't feel obliged to.

Years and years ago I was getting over a long illness, and baking was a good way of starting to gradually build up my strength again. I baked mainly brownies or lemon drizzle cake, and my then boyfriend took them into work with him. His colleagues were absolutely delighted at having free homemade cake.

I’d say ‘Thanks for you comments last week Jane, I’ve been thinking…I’m going to carry on bringing in cake. You know it’s not compulsory to eat it don’t you, you fat fuck?

Im genuinely concerned with how sensitive and entitled society has become. If you’re greedy then that is your problem. Figure it out.

I would contact HR and explained to them you felt intimidated with their threat and question if you are doing something wrong . Their attitude is vile and had that been someone in my team I would report them to HR myself

Just take in an apple cake and a couple of apples, a carrot cake and a couple of carrots and a lemon drizzle cake with a couple of sour lemons.

I'm an employer in a business of around 250 people. We encourage and support charity bakes for our charity of the year. We have regular bakes and baking competitions. We contribute towards the cost of ingredients.

Tell them in the nicest possible way to go and rotate themselves on a brass cactus. 😂

Same here. We encourage cake bakes for our official charity and have no issues with staff having cake bakes for their own charitable causes.

Oh and we're a law firm so we are fully aware of HR and health and safety issues.

Hmmm. In two minds about this but I think maybe you should stop. A lot of people struggle significantly with weight and I have always found it very hard when people bring cakes and sweets to work (although I have a quite disordered relationship with food). I really struggle with binge eating and having it there is triggering - genuinely. You wouldn’t bring booze to work where alcoholics work would you? So maybe stick to making cakes for your friends now that your colleagues have said it bothers them.

Lovely