Bringing Refreshments

When I was in school, if my birthday ever fell on a school day (most years it didn't--it's four days before Christmas), my mom could bring in cupcakes to my class at school. Back in those days, most moms bringing in cupcakes baked the cupcakes themselves and it was rare when one didn't.

Fast forward 25 years. Now I'm a mom. My children have birthday during the school year and can bring treats. Yet, I can't bake the cupcakes myself. Whatever I bring has to be bought from the store and often, pre-packaged. Don't these people realize that whatever I bake at home probably tastes far better than any prepackaged snack cakes?

I do realize that some children have food allergies, many more today than did in my generation. But buying something from the store doesn't guarantee that there has been no cross-contamination. I also realize that some people, in the move from a generation that always cooked food at home to a generation that buys pre-made meals from the store, have forgotten the proper way to prepare food and therefore, foodborn illnesses are more common in this generation. But I know how to cook. My kitchen is immaculate, and I am a hand-washing fiend when I engage in food preparation. It really bothers me that because of the stupidity and carelessness of the few, the rest of us have to suffer.

The question is, when is this going to bleed over into church events and we won't get to share our skills as cooks and bakers? I love to cook and bake for others. I'm already sad that I can't do it for my child's class.

Of course, having to buy my son's classroom treats last week instead of baking them saved me time, so I guess it's not all bad. But I could have saved $10 by baking a batch of cupcakes from scratch. And they would have tasted better.