Re: Baked goods received as a Christmas gift

BirkiLady · ‎02-22-2015

When mom (in her 90's) was in Assisted Living and Skilled Care, one couple insisted on taking cookie gifts to her each Christmas. Both the RN's and the family gently reminded them she was 94, wasn't supposed to have too many sweets, and on a heart patient's diet. Year after year that couple brought the sugary cookies when family members were not around! We stopped writing thank you notes. (Didn't phase them.)

One year mom hid the cookies under the sink thinking the RN's and we would never know! I found the cookies a few days later (that's a guesstimate) when cleaning her kitchen and pitched them. Mom was a dementia patient and never missed the cookies.

Repeat performance the next year, but I arrived shortly after they left. Again, the cookies were thrown away. In 2017, mom was hospitalized. They snuck in, left cookies and snuck out. We have no idea how long those cookies were in mom's Skilled Care, but she remained in the hospital for over a week. She passed away six months later.

The husband acted like a great friend at mom's memorial service. Frankly, I couldn't remember how he had known mom. Found out he had been her handiman decades earlier after she was widowed. My son was young and remembers him, "Hanging around Gram's house not doing much except trimming some shrubs and cleaning gutters. But he sure knew what was inside. He cased her house each time he was there." (Mom always had the same professional decorator for interior work. This guy should not have been inside at all.)

My DIL, sister and I shivered in unison as we realized he must have been trying for years to pull something over. Either mom nixed it while still healthy OR he simply didn't have the opportunity with the RN's and me around so often OR he and his wife had put something in those cookies! We'll never know. <creapy handiman & cookie monster>

Money screams; wealth whispers.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

@BirkiLady wrote:
When mom (in her 90's) was in Assisted Living and Skilled Care, one couple insisted on taking cookie gifts to her each Christmas. Both the RN's and the family gently reminded them she was 94, wasn't supposed to have too many sweets, and on a heart patient's diet. Year after year that couple brought the sugary cookies when family members were not around! We stopped writing thank you notes. (Didn't phase them.)

One year mom hid the cookies under the sink thinking the RN's and we would never know! I found the cookies a few days later (that's a guesstimate) when cleaning her kitchen and pitched them. Mom was a dementia patient and never missed the cookies.

Repeat performance the next year, but I arrived shortly after they left. Again, the cookies were thrown away. In 2017, mom was hospitalized. They snuck in, left cookies and snuck out. We have no idea how long those cookies were in mom's Skilled Care, but she remained in the hospital for over a week. She passed away six months later.

The husband acted like a great friend at mom's memorial service. Frankly, I couldn't remember how he had known mom. Found out he had been her handiman decades earlier after she was widowed. My son was young and remembers him, "Hanging around Gram's house not doing much except trimming some shrubs and cleaning gutters. But he sure knew what was inside. He cased her house each time he was there." (Mom always had the same professional decorator for interior work. This guy should not have been inside at all.)

My DIL, sister and I shivered in unison as we realized he must have been trying for years to pull something over. Either mom nixed it while still healthy OR he simply didn't have the opportunity with the RN's and me around so often OR he and his wife had put something in those cookies! We'll never know. <creapy handiman & cookie monster>

Yikes! Kinda creepy, and totally inappropriate, that they kept bringing the sweets to her after you told them that she is on a specific diet and cannot have that sort of thing.

Reminds me of the ones who, when told NO GIFTS, they just must bring gifts to an affair because, well you know - it's all about them with people like that and that supercedes any notion of respecting the host. SMH

occasionalrain · ‎03-10-2010

So then, none of those who discard home made gifts of food accept dinner invitations?

If you aren't going to eat it, why not take a drive to where the homeless camp out and give it to them?

Of course I eat the generous gifts of home made baked goods. I'm more concerned with restaurants, especially the inexpensive chains.

BirkiLady · ‎02-22-2015

Here's my real take on baked goods in this era: So many people have health issues and are not able to eat sugars, wheat, eggs, dairy, etc. Why would anyone bake anything without calling and asking first?

With a much higher rate of diabetes, heart disease, gall bladder problems, digestive problems, autoimmune problems and on and on . . . it seems most people are more cautious about what foods they eat. If people are going to blindly take "goodies" to people homes, they risk the high chance of having it thrown away after they leave.

As a diabetic and Lupus patient, there is not a chance I'd risk trying anything someone brought to me. My health is too important to risk the severe consequences. I thought people were more enlightened in this day and age!

If it doesn't come out of my kitchen (or a really clean restaurant), I'm not going to eat it.

ETA: I don't ever (never have) go through buffet lines, either. It's always ordering off the menu for the healthy foods I'm able to eat.

Money screams; wealth whispers.

patofl · ‎11-18-2018

We exchange baked goods & home made candy with friends and Yes, we do happily gobble them up.However, I don't eat things from strangers. When I was working and people brought us in home made stuff we just put it on the table while they were there and tossed it in the trash after they left.

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

I will eat homemade goods if I know the person who made them. I will not buy homemade goods at craft fairs either nor do I eat any homemade items brought into work by clients.

My DH and I recently attended a holiday party for his job. There was a table of gift baskets and they did a chinese raffle for them. There was 1 gift basket that was all homemade cookies. The basket was lovely, the cookies looked lovely but I looked at them and wondered who would put a ticket in that bag to win that prize? Did anyone even know who brought them? But people did and someone won and was thrilled.

shoptilyadropagain · ‎03-19-2014

I don't but it's not so much that I'm leery of the cleanliness of those I don't know but I'm just not really that much into cookies/sweets/desserts, etc. (I'm more of a savory eater). I don't really received those types of things much anymore but when I did, I took them to work where they would get eaten. Now, if somebody wanted to bring me a holiday lasagna, I'd happily eat it.

Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, but Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad.
- Author Unknown

Shawnie · ‎03-10-2010

@patofl wrote:
We exchange baked goods & home made candy with friends and Yes, we do happily gobble them up.However, I don't eat things from strangers. When I was working and people brought us in home made stuff we just put it on the table while they were there and tossed it in the trash after they left.

It is the season where we receive all manner of purchased and home made goods at work. I love it. Yesterday the annual home made rum cake arrived. Today Harry and David Pears, and other purchased candies etc. I love this season. I eat the home made goodies with abandon. I would only throw something away if it tasted bad. Last year someone brought us some homemade chocolate chip cookies. Unfortunately, they had mismeasured the salt. We all tried them and had to agree they had to go. But something like that is a rarity.

dex · ‎03-09-2010

@Caaareful Shopper I bought cookies at Trader Joe’s that had hair all the way through them.It was visible from underneath.I had already taken a bite too.They were recalled.It looked to me like someone dumped the vacuum into the mixer.It was gross.I have also bought other things that looked suspect so I don’t think anyone but your own home is the safest baker.

occasionalrain · ‎03-10-2010

Years ago, I had an older neighbor who made wonderful sugar cookies and shared them with me; they were big and soft and wonderful. She gave me her recipe and every time I make them I think of her.

My book club has parties where we all bring food and we all eat it.