Saw this on Today's Dear Abby and thought of all of us. What do you think of her advice? What would you do in this situation?
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DEAR ABBY: I live in a small rural town with lots of nice neighbors. During the holidays, I receive a variety of delicious homemade gifts -- jams, cookies, breads and other specialties.
I am careful about my diet and consume no white flour or sugar. This means I must thank the person for the gifts, then figure out what to do with them. I hate throwing them out, and I don't know how to stop the practice. What's the best way to handle this annual dilemma? -- UNSURE IN NEW ENGLAND
DEAR UNSURE: If you work, consider bringing the goodies with you and sharing them with your co-workers. Or, donate them to a shelter or senior center where they might be enjoyed and appreciated.
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I'm not so sure about passing around holiday goodies. I've seen so many folks on here complain about goodies sitting around the break room, tempting them. Then again, if you know your co-workers well enough it might work out for the best.
This may not be the best example, but my mom had extra boxes of Kashi brownies, which I brought to work with me and left in the teacher's lounge with a note saying they were for everyone to share. I knew that my co-workers would appreciate them and many of them expressed thanks. I worked in an area with few dining options, so forgetting lunch meant going hungry.
Otherwise I'm not sure I would want to leave cookies and things around if someone is really struggling with eating. It seems very cruel to do that, even if one has the best intentions.
If I receive goodies they tend to wind up in the garbage, even if I bring them home for the family to share. We NEVER were big sweets eaters, so we'll have one or two pieces and eventually wind up tossing whatever sweets were given to us simply because they wind up sitting there for a month with nobody touching them. I don't really feel any qualms about tossing them in the garbage, because I figure that—while tasty—goodies like that are best enjoyed sparingly anyway.
So I enjoy once and move on. It's one of the reason I halve recipes and have smaller cake pans on hand.