Do fire stations accept leftover goodies?

Evelyn_Gorfram

Yesterday was my birthday. My mom wanted to be sure I was happy, so she made me promise to buy myself a birthday cake - with candles! - and, the vagaries of Mom-management being what they are, I did. (Trust me, it's so much easier this way.)

I've bought the cake I most wanted, taken pictures for evidence, and eaten my birthday slice (within my calories goal, too). I'd planned to wrap and freeze the rest of the slices and dole them out for treats, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that - I can hear them calling my name right now. My friends and neighbors mostly people don't need a big dose of high-fat sugary carbs anymore than I do, so I'm not sure what to do with the rest of the cake (I guess I could throw it out, but it's very good cake...)

It's been opened and sliced and a piece is missing, so the food bank is out. It occurred to me that there's a fire station near here, presumably chock-full of active athletic types who can burn a extra hundred grams of carbs or two without much adverse effect. Plus, they'd probably like it.

Does anyone have any experience with bringing food like this to fire stations? (Are they likely to be offended by it not being a whole cake?)

Or, what do you do with your extra goodies? Should I just look up the nearest "Weights-R-Us Gym & Testosterone Parlor," set the cake outside the door, yell "Free Carbs!," and try to avoid being trampled?

TavistockToad

:huh: :noway:

middlehaitch

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Share with your friends and neighbours. They may not need the treat, but may want it, and appreciate a regular slice of delicious yummyness.

Put a couple of slices in the freezer for your self too.

Don't try the fire dept.

Cheers, h.

funjen1972

Our local hospice center takes all leftovers for the families of their patients. We also have a homeless shelter that takes them.

I went to a potluck yesterday and have leftovers. I'm taking those to work today.

Lounmoun

I'd invite your friends and neighbors, coworkers, etc over for some cake rather than try to think of strangers you can dump cake on. You would be sharing one piece of cake per person and it isn't your job to decide who can handle what foods.
It is also okay to dispose of any food you don't want to eat even if it is cake. Just throw it away quickly and move on.


In future you could buy a single slice of cake at a restaurant, a single cupcake from a bakery or bake a small cake. Or just send your mom a photo of a cake you did not buy/eat and lie about it if you really did not want cake and can't just say that.

paperpudding

Do you have a job?

If this were me, i would take cake to work and put it in staff room with Help Yourself on it.

Could you do that?

jemhh

I agree with taking it to work. And then next time don't get an entire cake if you don't want it.

I would never even think of taking it to the fire station unless I worked there.

CarvedTones

We have a neighborhood fire station and when the kids were younger we would walk over and they would tour them around the station and let them sit in one of the trucks (they are on rotation, so they know which one goes next). Sometimes we would take treats, usually cookies. I would not have taken them a cake with a slice missing, but if I had sliced it and laid the pieces out in an overlapping circle on a plate, I am sure they would have been happy to get it. But they knew us; showing up with something for them wasn't first contact.

snickerscharlie

If I have leftovers of anything I can't trust myself around, I either freeze them in individual servings or toss them.

Machka9

Evelyn_Gorfram wrote: »

It's been opened and sliced and a piece is missing, so the food bank is out. It occurred to me that there's a fire station near here, presumably chock-full of active athletic types who can burn a extra hundred grams of carbs or two without much adverse effect. Plus, they'd probably like it.

Does anyone have any experience with bringing food like this to fire stations? (Are they likely to be offended by it not being a whole cake?)

Or, what do you do with your extra goodies? Should I just look up the nearest "Weights-R-Us Gym & Testosterone Parlor," set the cake outside the door, yell "Free Carbs!," and try to avoid being trampled?

If a complete stranger gave you a cake with a slice missing, would YOU eat it?


As the others have mentioned, you could take it to work. Some of my coworkers do that. But even then, personally, I don't go for those cakes ... who knows where it's been.


On a birthday a couple years ago, I made two single-serve lava cakes ... one for me and one for my husband. That solved the leftover cake problem.

On my last birthday, we went out for dinner, and I ordered the nicest dessert on the menu. There were no leftovers there either.

pinuplove

snickerscharlie wrote: »

If I have leftovers of anything I can't trust myself around, I either freeze them in individual servings or toss them.

Seriously, if you don't share it with neighbors or coworkers and would rather not freeze it, toss it. What is more wasteful - cake in the trash, or on your hips?

TheIronsMan

Yes they do

amusedmonkey

I don't think it's fair for you to decide for your neighbors and friends. I would just share with people you know. It's their choice if they want one. I know I would want a piece although I may not necessarily need it (for the record, I'm obese and my budget for carbs is 200-300 grams). If you absolutely can't help but make decisions for them, just throw it away. It's weird to go to the fire station with a half eaten cake unless you know the people there.

JennJ323

We have a large conference every year in January at work, always have leftovers at lunch and dinner (both are catered all week) and we always drop them off at the police/fire station. They love it! It's more than just cake though, it's an entire meal for the crew. I don't know if I'd bother with just a cake, but full meals I'm sure they'd appreciate.

quiksylver296

If you explained to them like you did to us, they'd take it I'm sure. Or a local homeless shelter.

hesn92

I'd just freeze it or take it to work. I don't have this problem though living with 2 kids and my husband.

glassyo

I would cut it up so no one knows it's a used cake and just ask them.

But mostly I leave food I've tried and not liked or couldn't control myself around on a bus stop bench for the homeless. I started doing this when I'd bought some grapes during one of my evening walks and knew I wouldn't be able to stop eating them so threw them away. The next morning I saw a homeless man eating them and thought it sucked he had to go through the trash can so made it a habit to leave any food more accessible.

And it's up to anyone taking the food to trust they're not being poisoned.

AnnPT77

I’ll probably regret posting this, but part of how it’s received may depend on who you are (or who you appear to be), perhaps in the context of your particular neighborhood subculture(s) as well.

I find I can do things as a little old lady (of majority ethnic background and middle-class dress) that would’ve been less well received when I was a 20-something, let alone if I unreasonably “looked suspicious” in some completely specious way to the particular audience.

Just another option: If there’s a busy park or plaza near you, take the cake there with some napkins and maybe paper plates, etc. (if gooey), start greeting strangers, and ask them if they’d like a slice of your birthday cake. I’d predict that would be fun – but this is also the kind of thing I’d get away with more easily than some others.

Bonus points if it’s a park with relatively more homeless people, if you’re not scared to go there.

Cbean08

Give it to people you know well (close neighbor, family, friends, co-workers) or toss it. Are there any neighbors who might have kids or grandkids around who would want some? Only ask if you know them well though. I find it strange to give someone a partially eaten cake if you aren't close with them.

Another option- wrap it in foil and freeze it. Overnight ship it to your mother. Since she was adamant that you get it, she can deal with the leftovers.

Or else, just throw it away. People don't need to be so concerned with saving food they don't want or need. It's that same "clear your plate mentality," that leads people to overeat. It's okay to throw it away.

Next time, don't buy a whole cake. Buy a cupcake instead.

Safari_Gal

Evelyn_Gorfram wrote: »

Yesterday was my birthday. My mom wanted to be sure I was happy, so she made me promise to buy myself a birthday cake - with candles! - and, the vagaries of Mom-management being what they are, I did. (Trust me, it's so much easier this way.)

I've bought the cake I most wanted, taken pictures for evidence, and eaten my birthday slice (within my calories goal, too). I'd planned to wrap and freeze the rest of the slices and dole them out for treats, but I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do that - I can hear them calling my name right now. My friends and neighbors mostly people don't need a big dose of high-fat sugary carbs anymore than I do, so I'm not sure what to do with the rest of the cake (I guess I could throw it out, but it's very good cake...)

It's been opened and sliced and a piece is missing, so the food bank is out. It occurred to me that there's a fire station near here, presumably chock-full of active athletic types who can burn a extra hundred grams of carbs or two without much adverse effect. Plus, they'd probably like it.

Does anyone have any experience with bringing food like this to fire stations? (Are they likely to be offended by it not being a whole cake?)

Or, what do you do with your extra goodies? Should I just look up the nearest "Weights-R-Us Gym & Testosterone Parlor," set the cake outside the door, yell "Free Carbs!," and try to avoid being trampled?

I don’t think a half eaten cake should be gifted .. my 2 cents.
Freeze it or give to friends. They would better understand getting leftovers.

paperpudding

People at my work wouldnt feel that way - part of a cake would get left on table in staff room with Help Yourself on it and people would help themselves.