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'd tell them they are only for friends so they needn't worry.
Jealousy is an ugly trait. Hateful cows. They can slim down on the outside but they'll remain ugly on the inside. Horrible witches. 😤

@Bibblybumblebee if it wasn't for colleagues bringing in appies and cakes my repertoire of baked goods and "fancy presentation" would be zero!
i'm very grateful for the sharing of food in the workplace. because of this i'm a better cook.
their lack of will power is not your fault.
check with hr.

@Bibblybumblebee There is actually a bit of a movement against what you are doing...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-64315384#:~:text=A%20food%20adviser%20says%20workers,I%20would%20not%20eat%20cakes.%22

https://news.sky.com/story/bringing-cake-to-office-as-harmful-as-passive-smoking-uk-food-watchdog-says-12789287

https://www.warnergoodman.co.uk/site/blog/news/bringing-treats-into-work

Personally, I don't really mind when people do this, provided no one is doing any "pushing" though IME the bringing of cakes and pushing people to eat them tend to coexist.

The thing is -if I have budgeted for treat calories, I want to enjoy them at home with my family on movie night, a birthday, a day out or special occasion...not at work with people I work with. And whether we like it or not, we can feel pressured around food at work -either directly to eat something, or indirectly with pressure to be someone who "joins in".

Someone might die.

I would simply say as long as the majority enjoy it I will continue to do it and perhaps they should consider getting some professional help to assist them in improving their willpower and personal responsibility to control what they shove in their piehole.

Well I kinda get their perspective a bit. It's a bit simplistic to say "no-one is forcing them". Willpower is not infinite; if there are temptations at work it is harder.

It would probably annoy me to have someone bringing baked good every 6 weeks but that being said I would never say anything! Just one of these things you have to put up with

Bringing home baked cakes in is really normal behaviour in the workplace and I bet all your colleagues love it (apart from two miserable people) I really doubt there are any legal issues for example needing a hygiene certificate unless you were selling. You are gifting them to your co workers and they don’t have to accept.

You'd be a hit in my office! We love homemade cake!

There's a lady that bakes a lot and she puts little allergen notes by everything she brings in and states she can't guarantee a nut/milk/gluten etc environment.

An office I used to work in had a couple of very similar miserable women. They always whined that there should be healthy options instead of cakes for birthdays.
My colleague brought in cakes and bananas on his birthday and called their bluff. They still took cakes but shut up about the healthy options in future!

It is that simplistic simply don't eat it if you don't want to the cake is hardly going to leap into their mouths just by entering the room!

I'm gluten free but also aiming for a healthier lifestyle. I've been polite when a colleague has bought in special gf stuff for a birthday etc and there's no one else who eats it. I politely smile take it home then give it to my children and husband who think it's wonderful.

People have to take responsibility for themselves and their lifestyle habits

This lady be cray cray!!

let her take it to HR. They will either flag her for nuisance reports, or ask you to stop baking. In which case let it be known far and wide she’s the reason you stopped.

i can’t eat the cookies co workers bring in, so I just don’t…. Her willpower is not your problem.

ill bet everything is delicious

This is laughably unreasonable of them!! WTF!!

Tell them to control their urges and carry on as usual!

What a ridiculous OCD pair they are!

@Scottishskifun if it was that simple and people could just "not eat" something they want to eat there wouldn't be any fat people who didn't want to be

But what a way to go 😂

@myladybelle a lot of the reason people are overweight is because they underestimate calories from things (drinks included), portion sizes (especially with things like cereals, pizza etc) and think it's an automatic 2000 calories a day for women when it's not. Barely anyone can judge a 30g portion by eye and if you have a tracker it becomes eye opening (I rarely go above 1600 calories burnt due to my job). For me to lose weight I need to be a max 1200 calories a day. Everything should be in moderation as well.

If you pay attention to what your having and don't have mindless calories out of habit then it's pretty straightforward.

Actually...and I'm probably going to be flamed for this, I think it's that you're a size 18 and regularly bring in cakes that's the problem.

@Scottishskifun honestly no. I agree the behavior of the two women is not on. BUT to say it's really straightforward to lose weight is just not true - which is why many people can't despite good intentions

Take no notice of the busy bodies. I'm sure everyone appreciates what you bake and bring in. Next time any of them say anything, just say your just jealous cause your on a diet and can't eat any.

I work in a hospital. We do it all the time. It's always well received. I think they are unreasonable. I realise they might be trying to be good. Maybe they are struggling saying no when there's a nice bit of cake to have at morning break. If it really bothers you that much speak to HR. Ask where you stand. I've never heard anything like it.

its nice that you take cakes in. Dont stop. You dont need a food hygiene rating to bake your own cakes and give them away, if she had said that to me i would of said its not my fault you find it hard to control yourself

how? No one is forced to ear them

Just as an aside, I wouldn't be quick to blame the second woman (who is also always on a diet) who did not personally complain you. Sounds to me like the woman who complained to you is dragging her friend into this, perhaps unwillingly.

I was going to say that I kind of get their point as I’ve had an eating disorder in the past and i did really struggle in an office where people were constantly (everyday) bringing in cakes and biscuits and things. But equally I understood it was my problem not everyone else’s. But to complain about once every six weeks is ridiculous! You sound lovely and really kind, I bet everyone else in the office loves you

The thing is if you want to eat something you will. I’m fat because I eat what I want. But that isn’t the responsibility or fault of others. It’s MY responsibility to make the choice to eat something or not. Most of the time I do, because I want to and don’t give a shit. Other times I refrain because I might be feeling particularly healthy minded. Motivation is MINE to generate and use. Same as willpower. It has nothing to do with anyone else. People need to take responsibility for themselves and their choices. There are far too many people who absolve themselves of all accountability and responsibility for anything negative in their life.

Same with triggers. It’s not the world’s responsibility to police themselves to avoid your triggers. It’s your responsibility to learn about and manage your own triggers.

edit - by ‘you’ I don’t mean you personally……just you in a general sense.

You probably need to explain this comment a little more…..

What do you mean?

If OP was a size 6 would that make it ok in your book? 🤨