Okay, here's the latest dilemma.
I was asked to make 50 sandwich cookies from a specific recipe for a special church activity for the teenage girls and families.
Is it a service to do this when I know the sugar and shortening are very bad for you? We wouldn't dream of serving alcohol to these kids, so why do we ply them with sugar?
If I don't do my share, I know the group president is going to do hers and mine both, so I feel guilty if I don't do it.
Besides all the ethical issues here, is it fair for her to ask me to make these when she knows I will not eat them, not only for the sugar but for the gluten?
The work of it is intense; this involves rolling and baking 100 nickel-size balls of greasy slimy cookie dough, making frosting, and sticking them together. I really don't have time for this, with my student load picking up, a trip to pack for, bills to pay before I go, and a women's meeting to attend the evening before. But I had already said yes, so I am doing it.
The ingredients were also quite expensive, as I don't ordinarily have cake mix, shortening, cream cheese, or powdered sugar on hand.
I would welcome any suggestions on how to handle this in the future; do I try to educate them, suggest alternative treats, just say no to making sweets, or what? Treats are a big part of American culture, but also of my church culture, so I really stand out. It's kind of like being a vegetarian at a barbecue.
Whenever I am asked to provide a sweet or a dessert, I answer, "I don't bake (or make) things I can't eat, but I will be happy to provide a store bought package of goodies." Then it's up to them if they want to take on the added baking themselves or take me up on the offer for store bought.
ReplyDeleteAlso, since I'm addicted to sugar, I sometimes decline by saying, "I don't make homemade sweets, that's like asking an alcoholic to tend the bar."
Or,since you have food sensitivities, you might look at their recipe and excitedly tell them, "This is great! I can use rice flour instead of all-purpose flour, and I will try safflower oil instead of shortening... " and start naming all the healthy ingredients you could use in place of what is listed, and I bet they will revoke their request for you to make it. hahaha