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?

I try and eat healthy and swerve the biscuits people bring in. I sometimes curse myself for giving in but it would never occur to me to ask someone not to bring it!

Even if I don’t eat it I think it’s nice when someone has thought to bring in biscuits.

I would take them in but put a big sighn by them saying " only for people not on a diet" or something. failing that send them my way

If you need a hygiene certificate- what’s happens when people bring baked stuff for a Macmillan coffee morning or the WI have a stand at a fete?!
Are they demanding all greggs, cake and sweet shops etc on their route to work to close, as it’s too much temptation too. All a bit daft really isn’t it!

I am pretty sure it's okay to do this. As others have said, check with the boss and others in the office. If allowed and the general consensus is keep doing it, go with that.
Just take some fruit in for the two who have no willpower!

I don't have a problem with people bringing homemade cakes into work. I'm an adult and can choose what I eat.

However I also arrange events and know from the risk assessments that the food has to be clearly labelled, that would be my only concern if you went to management for clarification.

Check with your manager.
Pop a note with list of ingredients next to the cake and you could add another saying. Not compulsory.

Their willpower is not your problem. And since you're not selling the cakes I really don't think the council are going to be concerned about doing a hygiene inspection!

Wow that sounds like a them problem! This happens at my work too, but I can’t have any as I have coeliac disease. They need to develop some self control! If everyone else seems to enjoy your baking, just ignore them.

i wish I worked with you!

You sound lovely. I wish I worked with someone who brought in delicious cakes!

There’s a woman in my company who has been fast-tracked promoted to Director level and it’s a standing joke amongst a few that it’s for three reasons: she’s beautiful; she is omnipresent at the office early mornings and late evenings; she bakes cakes for the office. That sounds awful, but there’s no evidence of actually being any good at her job and some evidence of being useless and carried by her boss, apart from looking fab in promotional materials, always just being around and the baking is delicious. You keep going @Bibblybumblebee & please do a food hygiene course that you can shove in the face of your nasty colleagues with no willpower.

@Bibblybumblebee i think you sound lovely. Don’t stop being kind just because of 2 misery guts

"Thank you, Marjorie Dawes"

would be my response.

I would never touch home baked cakes in the office but have no issue at all with others bringing them in and eating them. Such odd behaviour from your colleague.

Ignore, and see if they report you?

You'll be a menopausal old trout one day too love

Why not compromise? Bake smaller. Halve the recipe. You don't need to feed people cake for 3 days at a time. It's not about who's right and who's wrong. It's about people learning to work together. When a nice gesture is divisive in an office, it's always better to find a compromise.

As others have said - good grief. But there is something odd about the interaction and I think you might have instinctively picked up on it. The "you might get in trouble" bit almost sounds like a threat dressed up as faux concern, especially if they used words like "inappropriate. " Definitely check with HR/management what the situation is, but I would be amazed if they cared - really, its is common in offices to bring in treats, and it cheers everyone up. I do remember working in an office where one woman had coeliac disease and how appreciative she was when someone bought in a cake that was gluten free . So a second prong of any response, if you can be bothered with these 2 women at all, is to bring in a sugar free cake.

Trust me, HR are not going to care about food you make at home that colleagues can choose to share (or not) the only concern would be if you had people in the office with severe allergies (e.g. nuts) but that would be the same for everyone’s lunches. They are just being petty, nobody is asking them to eat it

Slightly off topic but I CANNOT STAND foods being labelled as ‘good’ or ‘being good’ in reference to being on a diet. Just say you’re on a diet??? It can be extremely toxic to those with disordered eating, so I’d actually say those asking you to not bring in cakes are more of a HR issue than you

In the office I clean they regularly have bake sales, bake offs and sales of samosas etc, everything gets marked by cake making. I think it gives people quite a lift!

My thoughts are - can I join your team??

Maybe bring it up in a meeting and see if everyone wants you to stop. See how popular that idea is… and what utter bollocks about reporting you to HR and pretending to have concerns over your hygiene 🙄

DH is the baker here. He bakes because he enjoys baking and cooking. Even when the girls were at home there was surplus for family and friends. With the girls gone he was a bit down at not really having a need to bake but these days he bakes and we both take cake, quiche, sausage rolls etc into where we volunteer. He's also started dog biscuits for some neighbours with dogs.

If you enjoy it keep doing it. Your colleagues will enjoy the produce of your oven.

Good grief!! What a pair of miseries. Maybe they could show some generosity themselves and bring in some fruit or something to share as an alternative.

BYW I’m a 50plus year old in a low carb and gluten free way of eating so I’d be passing but there is no way I’d complain and I would appreciate the kindness.