Would you eat something homemade in the office?

[Noschky]

husband has a small business. During the festive period I tend to drop off sweet treats as a way of showing appreciation. I have always bought these treats in the past from bakeries/ supermarkets etc. This year I’m on maternity leave and thought it might be name to bake something myself. I’m a decent baker.

im just concerned that some people can be a bit funny about homemade goods due to hygiene concerns. I am a type A clean freak.

but should I just not bother or will something homemade be seen as a nice gesture?

I far prefer home made. Could not give a fig if people put pet bowls in the dishwasher.... the hot water & soap is there to clean it.

I think a lot of people are actually quite thick and don't understand that:

• baking a cake in the oven kills germs
• soap and water kills most things & your kitchen does not need to be sterile like an operating theatre.

We used to have baking competitions where I worked!

Homemade ... everybody time!

10oz butter
13oz caster sugar
4 medium eggs
3oz cocoa powder
4oz self raising flour
4 oz chocolate chips (I just sling in a small packet of them which i think is a few chips over the weight-this works fine with white,milk or plain chocolate chips)

Heat oven to 180
Line tin with baking paper
Cream butter and sugar
Add cocoa power and whisk (i use a hand held electric whisk but you could use a fork)
Add flour and whisk again
Add eggs (whisking each one before adding the next one)
Once smooth,add the chocolate chips and mix in with a fork

Add the mixture to the lined tin and bake for 45 minutes

Take them out of the tin (using the paper) and leave to cool on a baking rack and slice after about 10/15 minutes

This recipe never fails me and colleagues go mad for them (and so does dp!)

I would eat homemade stuff providing I had no concerns about that person's hygiene! It's often much nicer!

Totally agree with this!

Where I work homemade bakes always get snapped up before anything else.

I wouldn't, and the only appreciation I want from my employer is money and time off, and lots of it.

Homemade will be much nicer than stuff from a shop - who on earth would object?

We did too. Hotly contested by everyone from professors to postgrad students.

Yes, but I would be keeping fingers crossed the persons home is clean! I used to make a huge batch of Tiffin for other half's work, they'd ask for it every Christmas and I ended up making more and more because they'd squabble over it, big kids! Apparently it was mentioned again this year but pretty much everyone has WFH since covid.

People bring homemade things into our office, everyone makes the right noises and says how much they love it but the bin tells a different story.

Everywhere I've worked people have occasionally brought homemade treats in to share. People have generally been happy to try things, and certainly nobody has objected or complained in any way. Of course some people choose not to have anything, but that could be for any number of reasons not just hygiene concerns - something might not be to their taste, they might want to avoid the calories, they might have allergies or intolerances, etc.

If they're polite, they just say "no thank you", not "no thanks, they might be contaminated because of your lack of hygiene"! Similarly, if you're polite you'll offer things and not pressure people to accept or ask for an explanation if they decline.

Loved the bum fingers 😂what a thought!

God yes. We love a home baked goodies in our office.

I knew someone who put the toilet brush in the dishwasher to clean. Never ate a chocolate croissant she brought in after that.

I never touch anything homemade unless I know the person and their hygiene standards.

I forgot to add,I use stork marg or unsalted butter (cubed) and free range eggs

I've tried with caged eggs but my children tell me they tasted 'a bit odd' and it did seem a bit 'crumbly' compared to free range eggs

I found stork or unsalted butter 'better' than any other brand (the butter ones are 'richer' apparently but stork is just as good)

I have no idea if either makes a difference as I dont like brownies!

This is purely my adult dcs take on them over the years

Minority weirdos are anxious about home made

most people prefer it and appreciate the effort

Don't worry about allergens - if someone is allergic they'll give whatever it is a swerve...

I love a home made cake.

It depends on who made it.

Mostly yes, but not Bill who sneezes everywhere without tissues and is generally poor on the old hygiene, or people with loads of house pets that have pet hair on their clothing.

Homemade usually means it much nicer than shop bought . I'd maybe have second thoughts if the person was unkempt .

I will put pretty much anything in the dishwasher but Jesus Christ that is disgusting. I'm sure it does just clean it and it's hot and all that but fuck... no.

This. One particularly show-offy colleague always brings in her awful 'famous' homemade cupcakes and I always tell her they're lovely.

Tried one once and never again - I always hide the evidence in the upstairs bin/my handbag.

🙋‍♀️ and me! A colleague always used to bring in home made cakes…but she had three cats who walked all over the kitchen table and worktops. I never ate a thing she made.

Make something nice. If anyone is worried they don't have to eat it.