| My dad is a junk food addict and every so often my mom will sweep the pantry and drop it off at our house. Half eaten bags of Doritos, etc. "You're all thin so you can eat this." We are thin because we don't eat this garbage! |
| You are very fortunate. I’d get creative and make all kinds of good recipes with those. It’s free food! FYI you can so freeze them, and put them out at next gathering. If unopened, donate to food pantry. |
| If you really want the ILs to take the food, you need to immediately pack it up as you are cleaning the table, leave the bag by the front door and as you walk them to their car, take the bar and put it in their car. Basically be more assertive |
| Why is everyone responding to this very obvious troll? |
I don’t think it’s a troll. People really are unaware enough to realize there are people who are hungry and would love to have free food. It’s a disgrace. |
That is what I was wondering too! It was a good play on the other post but I am surprised people took it seriously! |
This. Or throw it out and stop complaining. |
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I started throwing it out in front of people.
They don’t want to take the brownies, pie, dip, etc. that they brought home, then I ask everyone and say we don’t want leftovers so if no one wants it, it’s going in the trash. Then I get a trash bag and throw them away in front of the people who brought them. You only have to do this a couple of times until they start bringing less or cave and take it home. . |
| You either accept it and throw things out after everyone leaves or you get more forceful about it. You make it clear multiple times before the event that you cannot accept leftovers and everyone should take home anything leftover from what they brought. Then make sure everything is ready to go at the end of the event and physically hand it to people. Don't let people leave without their food. If they don't want to accept it tell them they can put it in the trash can in the corner. But make them throw it away. After a couple times people will get the message. |
I mean, it's the people who are continually bringing excess food over to OP's house that seem unaware. They could find outlets to donate food to people who actually need it rather than relatives who don't need/want it- e.g., MIL could bake for a food kitchen. OP, you've gotten some good suggestions, good luick! |
+1 You could even ask the relatives for help putting the food into trash bags. Maybe that will help them stop buying too much. |
Gorging on food is not a solution to other people not having food. If it was, American obesity would have solved world hunger. |
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I tell people it’s going to get thrown out. If they still don’t take it, I might throw it out right in front of them.
Leftover desserts I might bring to the office. In the case of a normal contribution to a meal, the guests leave what they bring. It’s tacky to take away what you have brought. But it sounds like your mother-in-law is in a different category because she grossly overdo it. I’m sure it’s coming from a place of love, which is why you have to be firm and maybe throw things out right in front of her so she really understands you don’t want it. |
+1 Bored much, OP? |
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Anyway to find out if you live close to the poster of the other leftover food thread. Problems could be solved for both if could shuttle unwanted leftovers to the family that keeps having leftovers taken from them!
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1301567.page |