Do teachers like homemade foodie gifts?

[everydayaschoolday]

Might teachers be wary of hygiene concerns of homemade foodie gifts? I don't want to waste an afternoon baking if gifts are going to be quietly discarded, when I can easily get something else instead that would be appropriate. Really looking for honest replies if there are any teachers/TAs reading.

[Mathsdidi]

I love homemade foody gifts, but it depends on the child giving it as to whether I eat it or not. We have some impeccably clean children and some rather grubby looking children, I won't eat food made by the grubby ones as I don't trust their hygeine standards.

So if you are a clean household I would love your goodies

[everydayaschoolday]

Clam sorry to hear of vet problems last year . Hope dog is all better now and ready for next instalment of christmas goodies this year! 6 x 'yes' 2 x 'try something else'

[Blatherskite]

I mentioned in front of DD's keyworker that we were going to be making Christmas cakes and she said "ooh, will you make me one?" so I was going to!

Hopefully she'll eat it not bin it!

[everydayaschoolday]

oh 7 x 'yes' and 2 x 'try something else'. I'm hedging my bets i'm on the 'impeccably clean children' side of the fence, and will state no children were harmed involved in the cooking of these goods . thanks for all replies. I have to finish some work now but will catch up on thread tomorrow.

[clam]

Dog in fine fettle now thanks.
But you could always just cut to the chase and buy wine!

[FannyBazaar]

I gave a large tin of home made biscuits to the teachers last year. I couldn't be bothered trying to figure out who we should include (teacher, TA, teacher who does the spelling tests, SENCO, dinner ladies, breakfast club staff etc) so just sent them in for everyone. This also gives those who wouldn't dream of touching anything home made the chance to avoid it and those who love homemade can scoff.

Anyway, we were asked for the recipes for one or two of the things in the New Year by a TA and got a special thank you from another one of the staff. Tin was returned so I guess we should fill it again this year.

[EcoLady]

It does depend on the family and the child! From most I would be delighted and happily gobble share.

The one thing I would urge makers to keep in mind ... how perishable is the foodie gift and will it be eaten in time if the teacher receives delights from lots of their pupils? Fresh cakes etc don't keep and if the staff get inundated, some inevitably goes to waste. Do please send such goodies in early in the final week of term to maximise sharing in the staffroom :-)

[AudrinaAdare]

I am gutted that I stopped teaching before sweet-flavoured vodka became popular. I always loved foodie gifts though because I'd bought a house, was skint, had no time and regifted a lot / asked for money or vouchers which were spent on others. Food was MINE.

[MumToTheBoy]

I've taught in 5 schools and only ate home made food brought in by pupils at one of them!!

Once I was given a jar of homemade jam and there was a huge hair hanging out of it, from under the lid. I was very polite and expressed my genuine thanks at the gift but it did go swiftly in the bin after school.

As many teachers have said before on mn a homemade card with a lovely message is more than enough.

[exoticfruits]

It depends entirely on the home!

[2kidsintow]

Nope. Sorry. No matter which home. We've discussed this in my staffroom. Half of us would give something a go and the other half would quietly bin it later.

I learnt my lesson after eating a cat hair cupcake from one lovely young girl one year.

[CherryMonster]

well, i always send in cupcakes with the girls to school for birthdays, i make sure i include enough for their class teacher and ta's. i always get wonderful comments from them. cakes this year have included piggy cupcakes, and bee's, which went down really well. am thinking of sending in a handmade christmas cake this year.

[RyleDup]

I'd probably quietly discard it.

[ravenAK]

I would happily eat it.

We had a discussion about this in the staffroom t'other day & the concensus was that it was fine to eat even the grubbiest cupcakes etc because a) we breathe air that is basically lurgy swamp all day anyway, this time of year & b) most of us quite fancy a bit of food poisoning because then we could have a guilt free day off on the school's d&v policy, rather than staggering in with stinking colds whilst chuffing up green slime...

In all seriousness though, some teachers will bin (or just abandon in staffroom to be scoffed by less fussy colleagues), so don't spend hours if this bothers you! Thank you letters/cards from a child are my most appreciated gifts. Well, that or wine.

[everydayaschoolday]

10 x 'yes' and 4 x 'try something else'. Not counting those sitting on the fence!!

But have noted preferences for childless involvement in the baking or notes to the thoroughness of hand washing (I'd do this, you know ); handing foodstuffs in up to a week before school closes to maximise sharing in staffroom potential; wine is never a poor substitute; and that heartfelt thanks in a card written by the children mean the most.

[olibeansmummy]

It does depend on the child's cleanliness/ teacher's individual feelings. Also if one dominant member of staff rejects homemade items, the others often follow suit because they don't want to look minging! It's a bit of a minefield really...

[FannyFifer]

I make cupcakes for most school occasions, always get asked by teachers will I be making them for bake sale/ Xmas etc.
I make it very clear the children do not help.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

i really never knew some people were so ridiculously fussy. So all the stories in the tabloids in the past about banning cake sales etc for health and safety reasons are not far off the mark. What on earth have we become?

[clam]

Exactly, gwen. And how ungrateful and rude, too. So, if someone went out of their way to make cupcakes (or whatever), people on here would tip their hard work in the bin?

[mugglewumpsmum]

another yes to homemade treats from this teacher. though I do agree with the mucky hands paranoia. as long as you make the point that you made them. and before the MN teacher police attack me, I only use lower case in my free time.

[CailinRua]

Im a teacher and I love to get homemade goodies. In my staff we all tuck in but there is one member of staff who won't touch anthing 'not shop bought'. Think this is quite funny because I've working in cafes, shops and a bakery factory in summers past and at times the hygiene left much to be desired. Agree that some people are being ridiculously fussy. I'd give them but in a big general tin, then the fusspots can decline and the people who want can help themselves.

[TellMeLater]

Good to know and quietly suspected as much. It would really upset me to know that someone had disposed of my baking without even trying it.....hence the fairly thoughtless but acceptable bottle of wine gets handed over and I keep the home made goodies for those who appreciate them.

[anja1cam]

I know my contributions have been appreciated / eaten. Tins of biscuits for the staff room(s) and cakes etc for birthdays / fetes etc. I think you might need to check if your school has a policy either way?

I must say that I never even occurred to me up to this point that they might get binned!!! Of course if they tasted horrible that's another question

[Molehillmountain]

The only thing I would say is that if lots of children are lovely enough to bring in home made gifts with a short shelf life then they may not get the appreciation they deserve. But actually I think people should give what gives them pleasure to give and they think the teacher will like. Just remember that teachers have limited space at home for displaying framed photos of your dc

[RyleDup]

I guess you don't know how hygienic people are at home though. Its nothing to do with whether the kids are helping or not. It depends whether the parents have reasonable standards themselves. I bought a cake at the school cake sale one. I found a hair and a piece of broken plastic in it. Put me off peoples homemade offerings for life.