Is it rude to serve guests something ‘shelf safe’

[Anonymous]

We have guests visiting from the uk (I am also from the uk originally) and for desert the kids had made brownies from a mix, mainly just so they could be involved in making the dinner. Guests refused the dessert and said it’s bc it was ‘shelf safe’ and America does not regulate such products like Europe (eg emulsifiers). I am aware of this fact but genuinely open to being told that making anything from a prepared mix is no longer ok - I guess I didn’t realize?

[Anonymous]

*dessert

[Anonymous]

Your guests were picky and rude.

A few US sourced box mix brownies should not be an issue unless the person has allergies.

[Anonymous]

Bizzare.

[Anonymous]

I’ve never heard this. It’s extremely rude, especially since the kids made it. Take a bite, at least. Have they no heart?

[Anonymous]

I'm French. It's true that coming from the EU, where food and supplements (even make-up!) are regulated much better than here, some anxious worriers can get into a tizzy. I shop at Whole Foods and pay a lot of attention to ingredients.

But they were irrational and rude. One boxed brownie from the supermarket won't cause any issues (since apparently a real allergy isn't the issue).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm French. It's true that coming from the EU, where food and supplements (even make-up!) are regulated much better than here, some anxious worriers can get into a tizzy. I shop at Whole Foods and pay a lot of attention to ingredients.

But they were irrational and rude. One boxed brownie from the supermarket won't cause any issues (since apparently a real allergy isn't the issue).

Op - they then proceeded to lecture me about what was ‘shelf safe’ as if it was so obvious. Should it be? I do understand ultra processed food but I suppose I don’t understand it as deeply as I thought I did where to them, brownies from a mix was the same as being given like - Lunchables? I felt v dumb

[Anonymous]

Guests were unbelievably rude. Don’t they know how to pretend they’re just absolutely stuffed from your delicious meal and couldn’t possibly eat a bite of dessert if they don’t want it?

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't have thought about the food differences either. I don't think it was rude that you forgot they might have an issue with it.

Are they planning on any tourism while they're here? If so it would be interesting to see how they navigate feeding themselves while out and about. Are they going to quiz every server about shelf safe food or GMOs? Most people here would see that as over-the- top behavior and I wouldn't want to be sitting with them if they're going to do that.

[Anonymous]

OP, your guests were extremely rude, and this is not something you should lose sleep over. The fact that your kids took part in making the brownies should have warranted them taking a few polite bites and keeping their mouths shut about their personal opinions. I understand it's a different story if allergies were in play, but aside from that, a few Pillsbury brownies from the box will not be the end of them. Very bizarre behavior and very rude to you as a host.

[Anonymous]

I mean, I think there's a difference between boxed Duncan Hines vs Trader Joe's boxed brownies, because of dyes and such. But I could suck it up for half a brownie.

[Anonymous]

Your guests were pricks and you’d be well served to tell them to get their a**es out of your house. I’m incredulous that happened.

[Anonymous]

I think they were very rude (surely they could have just said “no thanks I’m full” or something?!) but I have also experienced that sometimes people from other countries have heard things about food here and are genuinely scared of it, maybe rightly or wrongly. I had friends visit from Germany and they asked me a million questions about milk (they have toddlers who would be drinking it) and were really scared about hormones and antibiotics and the various different labels. I’m also from the UK and as I’m sure OP knows, box mixes are really uncommon there so I guess they were just thrown by it. I know it sounds odd, but I also found the concept of box mixes extremely strange when I first moved here.

[Anonymous]

Holy moly, your guests were rude. And not just to you but to your kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never heard this. It’s extremely rude, especially since the kids made it. Take a bite, at least. Have they no heart?

Agree’d