Food at work

Do you bake something and take it to work from time to time? Do others in your building do it as well?

I'm the baker in our department and I enjoy making cookies, coffee cakes, pastries and the like for my co-workers. They seem to really appreciate it and they know that they can ask me to make something for work and I'll always bring whatever they want. I don't often buy something (donuts, for example), but I always make something. Yesterday morning, one of my co-workers came into my office and said, "You know, your apple cake would taste wonderful right now! Hint, Hint. Not that you have to make one!" So last night, I threw together a coffee cake and brought it into this morning. He's on his second piece of cake. 

One of my co-workers is a donut hound, so he brings a half-dozen in a few times a month for us...there are five of us in the dept, so it works. Sometimes our boss will spring for some donuts, too. And I do sometimes. I hate to go to DD (Dunkin' Donuts), largely because of the insane traffic jams there in the morning, but I'll buy if somebody else flies. My other co-worker does nothing like this, nor does our receptionist. I don't mind, I just do it because I like to treat once in a while.

Sometimes, somebody in the building will bring a cake in and set it out in the kitchen cafe for anybody who wants a slice. I don't do that, I usually just bring in enough for our dept and that's it and we keep it in our main office. (To be honest, I'm scared to death that somebody might find a cat hair in something and I'd never hear the end of it! It's never happened and I'm so careful when I'm baking. But it would only take one time.) There's usually something in the cafe for people to munch on. Makes it bit difficult trying to lose weight, although, most of the time, I can stay away from the stuff. Most of the time. With me, eating something depends on who made it, too. 

Do you like to treat your co-workers from time to time? Do you eat cake or cookies that a co-worker has brought into work? 

I'm just curious.

Yes I usually get asked to bring in my short bread cookies. I usually make a couple  of batches before Christmas. If I bring it in, then I won't be eating it all

either! Lol. One way to lose weight! I know what you mean about the cat hairs though Pam! Lol.

I have to be very careful around Topaz in the kitchen now as he often get's under my feet and has been stepped on twice now.

He is really getting up there the poor guy. He's doing pretty well for his age though. He is about 18 might even be 19.

If I'm ever hungry at work, I'll make myself something to eat at work.. Ah the beauty of prepped ingredients.. simplicity of tossing it in a pan!

Why can't home be like this.

My first job after college....we ate a lot.  It was a small office; just 6-7 of us if we were all there.  Plus clients; but they weren't always included.  My Mom was my co-worker there so I got treated really well!  Sometimes Mom would bring me breakfast or lunch; because she is awesome like that.  Sometimes a co-worker would bake something or make a lunch to bring in.  Like the Lima Bean Pot Pie one woman would make and bring once or twice a year.  She won't give the recipe out and it was amazing!  I still miss it and I haven't worked there in over 6 years!  Sometimes we would order out for lunch.  There is a farmers market/bazaar open nearby a couple times a week.  Inside there are mostly Amish vendors selling everything from fresh fruits and cheeses to sandwiches (hot and cold) to pastries.  We'd often send someone for sandwiches and fruit trays. The price was great and they would literally be cutting the fruit right then and there to make the trays.  Delicious!!  (Now I want an elephant ear...lol)

Then there were the times we'd involve the clients!  We'd do big potlucks for holidays or if we had a number of clients graduating at once or something.  Sometimes just a cake for a graduate.   It was always good!  I had one client who had worked in a bakery and was just an excellent baker.  She could have opened her own place.  She made the best chocolate rum cake I have ever had.  I've never had that delicious of a cake since!

I miss working there sometimes.  The job was stressful; but I had such great co-workers.  It really helped.  We also decorated each other's office or desk for birthdays.  One guy who worked there was the youngest of 10 children and was born on an older sister's birthday.  He was nearly 50 and had never had a party of his own.  You better believe we did it up for him! 

Sometimes. Not very often anymore though.   When I worked in an office some years ago I would frequently bring homemade cookies, braided sweet breads, buns etc to work for the staff.

However, I work in a facility with way too many people to bake for.  There is 16 people alone who sit in the room where my desk is.  And when I'm in clinic there is sometimes double that in the clinic area.

When I sat in an area where there were only 6 staff including myself, I would sometimes bring things to work. But I eventually stopped because a couple of the people used to spread the word around that I had brought things and I would have people that I didn't even know coming in and helping themselves. One time I brought a Thai Chicken Noodle Salad. Not at all cheap to make! I brought enough for all 6 of us for lunch, plus a few portions extra for those who wanted more.  Some people in the room didn't even get to taste it because one of the girls went into the clinic and told people that I had brought lunch. The next thing I know the pan was empty because doctors, medical students and nurses from other areas were going in and helping themselves.

So I pretty much got fed up, and now when I bake or bring something, I tend to portion it out and bring it to select people only.

When I worked, I definitely cooked and brought stuff in. My chocolate chip cream cheese brownies were often requested as was my taco dip.

That's too bad , that some people have to spoil it by taking more than their share. There is always one person who does this. We 

have the same problem where I work as well. I check the schedule and find out when they are working and bring in my cookies the day

they are NOT there! Problem solved. Other wise I would have to make up special baggies for each individual. Lol.

I'm not a baker but sometimes I bring in a box of cookies from Trader Joe's or something like that.  I work for a small land surveying company--there are only four of us--so I don't have to worry about people from other departments or anything snarfing the goodies when I bring them.  LOL

I work from home now so I don't.  When I was still physically going into work and after the kids were on their own I would occasionally.  I mainly did it because I wanted something and there would be people to help me eat what I had made.  There are a lot of things I very rarely make now because of no one to help me eat it.

While I can cook/bake really well I don't usually bring things to work.  We have a fairly large staff - just under 30.  That is far too much work for me!

There are a few people who do bring baked goods in.  One woman quite frequently but man oh man, she's a lousy baker.  I've learned that nothing she cooks is really up to my standards; cookies undercooked for instance and I think she tries to use less sugar or is using a sugar substitute at times which I can tell the difference of.

I will sometimes buy donuts/cookies, etc. from bakeries for them.  But since I don't really even eat this stuff myself usually, I try not to unless it's a special occasion.  

sivyaleah said:

 
While I can cook/bake really well I don't usually bring things to work.  We have a fairly large staff - just under 30.  That is far too much work for me!

There are a few people who do bring baked goods in.  One woman quite frequently but man oh man, she's a lousy baker.  I've learned that nothing she cooks is really up to my standards; cookies undercooked for instance and I think she tries to use less sugar or is using a sugar substitute at times which I can tell the difference of.

I will sometimes buy donuts/cookies, etc. from bakeries for them.  But since I don't really even eat this stuff myself usually, I try not to unless it's a special occasion.

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She probably brings things into work because no one at home will eat them.  I have never tried sugar substitute or applesauce to replace fat in baked goods.  Even when there were 5 of us I didn't make sweets very often, I wanted them to be thought of as a special treat rather than a staple.  Since they were a special treat I didn't try to make them healthier.

Denice said:

 
She probably brings things into work because no one at home will eat them.  I have never tried sugar substitute or applesauce to replace fat in baked goods.  Even when there were 5 of us I didn't make sweets very often, I wanted them to be thought of as a special treat rather than a staple.  Since they were a special treat I didn't try to make them healthier.

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LOL maybe.  All I know is others here eat them so either they aren't picky or, I'm TOO picky 

kathyfromcanada said:

 
That's too bad , that some people have to spoil it by taking more than their share. There is always one person who does this. We 

have the same problem where I work as well. I check the schedule and find out when they are working and bring in my cookies the day

they are NOT there! Problem solved. Other wise I would have to make up special baggies for each individual. Lol.

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 LOL  I wish I could do that, but we all work the same hours and set clinic schedules!

It isn't so bad bringing things for the 15 girls in my seating area.  Things like cookies or cupcakes, or quick breads are pretty easy to bring.  However, there are a few from other rooms that hear about food and they just gravitate to it.  If I've brought extras I don't mind, but I think it's rude to just walk into a room and help yourself.

Back when I was sitting in that room with 5 other people, I bought some diabetic friendly goodies at a  bake sale in the hospital.  One of which was a banana quick bread.  I was having a slice for a snack, and there was another girl in the room with me. It would have been rude of me to not offer her some, so I did.  She didn't want any at that moment, but said that she might a bit later.  I was busy so I told her to help herself to a slice if she changed her mind and then left the room to go to my clinic. I left the wrapped loaf on my desk.

At the end of the day I returned to my desk to get my things to go home. I couldn't find the quick bread I had cut into, or the second one that I had bought.  I asked that girl if she happened to have it at her desk.  She looked at me surprised and then said something to the effect of  "Oh! I thought you didn't want it and were giving it away. I took it to my clinic for others to eat."

Each loaf was $9.00. So I spent $18.00 on snacks for people that I know in passing but don't work with.  I told her that if I didn't want it I would have taken it to my own clinic to give away, and that I bought it for my breakfasts and snacks. She didn't seem to think anything of it; all she did was shrug her shoulders and say sorry.

It's amazing how stupid some people can be. Whether she actually misunderstood, I can't say, but man, was I ticked off with her.  I know it's just food and I don't mean to come across as petty or obsessed by it. But I bought it with my diabetes in mind and the idea that I could slice it up and freeze it so I could have some healthy things to bring for either breakfast or an afternoon snack.

I've since bought other diabetic goodies at bake sales and I no longer offer up "self help" portions to people. And I don't feel badly about not sharing if others are around.  I just tell them that I bought it the bake sale and encourage them to go check it out.