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?

The comparison about passive smoking doesn't really work, because if smoke is present you can't choose whether to breathe it in or not. (Aka passive)
If someone brings in cake, you can actively choose have it...or not...

I imagine the situation is someone brings in cake, and leaves it on a plate for people to help themselves, rather than insisting each person has some and forcing them to eat it?

Who knew cake could be so contentious??? It's cake, not heroin! It's once every six weeks, not every week....and as for the pp saying it's work, not a tea party, do you realise how utterly joyless that makes you sound?

And what about if you have colleagues who are fasting for Ramadan or giving up cake for Lent? Is it fine to tempt them too and then just tut-tut about lack of willpower? Cake belongs in the home not the workplace! Having tempting foods around does, of course , make them more likely to give in to hunger hormones and eat it. Isn’t that why the OP is bringing it in?

Actually, I wouldn’t find heroin tempting as I’ve never taken it and can see for myself the devastating effects. Cake, on the other hand, is highly tempting and addictive because we all know what it’s like.

If anyone chooses to fast for religious reasons, that's up to them. If their faith is so weak they are "tempted" by a slice of homemade cake, that's their problem.

I'm not convinced dogs belong in the workplace but the person in the workspace next to ours brings theirs in, every day - not just every 6 weeks. It barks every time someone comes to the door, (which is often) it occassionally wees or shits on the floor and is way more annoying than a cake minding it's own business, on a plate, in the corner!

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle I take it you have no anti-bullying training in your workplace. If you did you would have learned to respect others’ beliefs and take them into account.

@Fizbosshoes dogs are a definite no-no. They are intimidating. Maybe your neighbouring office is the place serving up heroin?! Two wrongs don’t make a right though.

This discussion is absolutely in no way at all comparable with work place smoking. There was no control over where smoke went- hence passive smoking.

No one is being forced to take a slice of cake. Cake doesn't emit clouds of calories and carbohydrates.

@IHaveNeverLivedintheCastle I’m sure there is a lot of social pressure to consume the cake and people who don’t want it are branded “joyless”! As I said, I love cake, but I have learned that only joyless food suits me. Must be hellish for the diabetics seeing that food sitting around looking tasty.

I work for NHSE so I doubt we’d get away with the heroin, but we’re all about the cake.
if someone bought in a dog on heroin who’d made a cake - I don’t know. It’s a tricky one.

Of course we have. And good luck if you think bringing a plate of cakes in during Ramadan or Lent constitutes bullying. It absolutely does not.

During Ramadan this year we have had 2 very successful charity bakes. No one was forced to eat anything. Oh and btw, I'm a partner in a law firm. One of the partners in the Employment law unit is a practising Muslim.

@Twoshoesnewshoes how the hell is the NHS pushing cake to people? Don’t you read your own advice?

Someone who is fasting for Ramadan isn't going to be tempted by a slice of cake, and if the cake is only brought in once every few weeks, it might not even happed during Ramadan anyway. During the most recent years that I worked in an office, several colleagues observed Ramadan and they didn't expect anyone else to avoid eating their usual lunch or snacks so as not to tempt them! My daughter and son in law are Muslim and have recently moved in with us, and they would never expect us to change our eating habits because they are observing Ramadan, any more than I would expect them not to get up in the middle of the night to eat before dawn starts to break.

Stop making things up. You're projecting your own issues. Not actual reality.

It's actually pretty patronising of Torrington Dean to assume that Muslim colleagues want or expect special treatment the way she seems to think they do.

Of course there is a big difference between people eating their own food and it being offered to others as a social thing.

Bake sales during Ramadan…. I’m sure it won’t be long before they are banned.

Ignore them, OP. Being on a permanent diet doesn't give you the right to stop a pleasant thing happening for others.

it’s normally demolished by Wednesday.

is that like an oxymoron ?

I'd say you need to bring in smaller cakes if some people want them/some dont or be willing to throw them out after a day - I wouldnt want somebodys weekly baking hobby to be available most the week/every week

But a cake turning up ever so often/a Monday lunch treat would be amazing

I’m slightly biased because in my last office there was more than one person who brought in tray names every six weeks.

And there was a culture of anyone who had a birthday / promotion / wedding / new house buying M&S tubs at lunchtime. It really was endless. I think if it’s one employee, bringing in home bakes, 7 or 8 times a year, then that’s maybe ok.

But for some people the struggle to regulate their consumption of calories is very real.

I have been amazed at some of the very hostile pieces of advice the Op has received. The request from the colleague not to bring in cakes as they are too much of a temptation was reasonable - the hygiene certificate being mentioned was not. But would someone not like to suggest a more diplomatic response rather that full out war. It’s a small issue but I’ve been blown away by how angry the responses have been - HR probably needs to show some leadership in the playground.

Why would it be banned?

What an odd thing to say. Do you think office workers who are Muslim are clamouring for their ban? I think my business partner, who is Muslim and specialises in Employment law would be pretty horrified at that suggestion.

Would you like them to be banned? Maybe you could try assuming that practising Muslims in a workplace are actual grown ups.

Why do you feel the need to bring cakes to work?

Apparently, not everyone is happy about it. Can't you stop?

I'll hold my hands up and say I'd find it difficult to resist the temptation of cake. I might feel bad about it , or maybe tweak what I eat later in the day, possibly do a longer/harder workout than planned... but I enjoy the cake!

(Although my favourite thing is some Indian sweets a work friend usually brings for diwali)

The OP brings cake once every 6 weeks, so 8 times a year, often a traybake type thing so options are :

• have a piece
• don't have a piece
• cut a smaller piece

Even if you had a piece 75% of the time, i dont think 6 unscheduled cakes per year would be the sole cause of an obesity problem!

I was simply stating that people who are fasting might not appreciate tons of cake around the place. It doesn’t actually matter whether the fasting is for health, Lent or Ramadan. Seeing sweet foods on offer is a temptation.

Why can’t the OP respect the views of those trying to resist fattening foods?

Plus I think bake sales have no place in the workplace. It all seems a bit primary school, doesn’t it? I don’t think many of my colleagues have the free time to be doing a load of baking and bringing it in. Is there pressure to participate in all of that too? Putting in all that time for shopping and baking? Competing over who has the least soggy bottom? Who needs that stress?