Best/ Worst / Funniest MM You Got

amother

Fri, Mar 06 2015, 10:34 am

nywife wrote:

I totally understand why you're frustrated but at the same time, what are we supposed to do? People are allergic to different things in every household. I'm sure there was a product even in your mm that someone was allergic to. I can understand not sending nuts or things that a lot of people react to, but short of not giving at all what is there to do?

I'm the poster you were responding to. Sure people gave stuff that my child was allergic to. I didn't have that same reaction. Why? This was the actual nut and not watered down mixed into something else. The very whiff of it can give my child a reaction. I know on a logical level, I shouldn't be mad, but on an emotional one, if this person ever listened to me talk, they would know. Other ppl forewarned me and said oh the chocolate has nuts in it. I appreciated that heads-up. I wasn't mad at those ppl. Also my child is extremely young with no seichel with regards to allergies. It's not like he/she can pick up an epi pen and inject himself/herself. It's all on me. But I do have older children that I'm still trying to train to not just open stuff. It's all a learning curve for the whole family coping with an allergy.

Bottom line, it doesn't foster good will (purpose of mishloach manot) between people if you send me something that could possibly kill my child and the very smell can cause a reaction. And again these ppl had no idea what they sent because they had prepackaged from an organization mishloach manot.

seeker

Fri, Mar 06 2015, 11:06 am

nywife wrote:

As I said in a different thread, what you can do is package foods, especially common allergens, separately and well. The person who posed this said there were open cashews loose in the MM. This is an allergy nightmare. It would have been better if she could have opened the mm, seen the closed bag of cashews inside, and been able to dispose of it properly. There are enough people out there with severe nut allergies that this should be known (my deepest sympathies to those with rare but severe allergies, you have a real difficulty because there is no way the whole works is going to be aware of your condition so you're really in your own most of the time! Oy!) This was also in a prepackaged one, so I expect higher standards, it's not like some random Neighbor forgot you have an allergy - this is going to a lot of the general public, you can be sure a significant percentage have allergies, and the least one can expect from a company marketing these things for sale is responsible packaging. The way packaged foods often have allergen warnings.

JAWSCIENCE

Fri, Mar 06 2015, 11:52 am

I think if a child has an allergy that involves reaction to just smells the right thing to do is indeed place a sign on the door saying "severe allergy - leave all MM outside" or collect all the MM yourself and put them on the back porch/garage where the kids don't go. Then open them by yourself later outside so nuts can go straight to the trash and everyone remains safe. I do not think anyone would be insulted by this.

The people who gave you the MM had no idea what was in it. I would suggest emailing some of the more common organizations that make these packages and ask them that for next year they include labels of common allergens "contains: egg, soy, peanut, almond, dairy" etc. on the outside of MM. It is kind of surprising they don't do this and might increase the popularity of your MM. If even one organization takes you up on the suggestion you have made that many people safer....

I would also email and say they should not put loose ANYTHING in a package. who eats loose items? Everything ought to be in some kind of wrapping.

Notsobusy

Fri, Mar 06 2015, 2:10 pm

seeker wrote:

She actually wrote that the cashews were packaged, putting in loose cashews would be rather strange.

Quote:

But now it's hell. Even as I opened up the packaging of the mishloach manot (not the package of cashews) a nutty aroma filled the immediate area,

etky

Sat, Mar 07 2015, 10:10 am

Most creative - my neighbor sent a MM based on the classic Nomi Shemer song: Ha-oreach (the guest).
The chorus of the song is : טנא ירוק, פרח לבן, יין אדום, פת במלח...
So she gave - in a small green basket - a bottle of red wine with a crocheted white flower decoration hanging around it, and a loaf of freshly baked Ciabbata with a tiny salt shaker.

amother

Sat, Mar 07 2015, 11:33 am

Best: My friend chooses one family to give a real shaloch manos to every year, and this year we were chosen! Tons of bread, rugelach, cream cheese, yogurts, granola, chocolate milk, fish...

I was so touched and also really inspired to do the same for next year IYH..

ChossidMom

Tue, Mar 10 2015, 2:24 am

I made really good MM's this year. My neighbors remembered from last year to wait for them! I put in a big homemade, w.w. mezonos roll (forgot to label as mezonos, groan), a small container of onion flavored white cheese for spreading, a small container of fresh salad, a small bag (this is Israel) of shoko (chocolate milk) and a chocolate muffin/cupcake.

My absolute fave MM that I received came at the right moment. I had just come in from a bris and I was starved. I found a MM from my naturopath friend which was comprised of rolls and a round platter with techina in the middle and other homemade salads around it (eggplant, cuke salad, cole slaw and beet salad). It really hit the spot!

Every year my neighbor orders a huge yerushalmi kugel and gives a few big slices + pickles and a carton of drink. I like this because it's real food and can be served at the seuda.

Here's one I wasn't crazy about. A neighbor gave us this HUGE bucket that says "popcorn" all over it and filled it with popcorn. In the center they put a nice bottle of wine. Eh. Now I'm stuck with the popcorn bucket. Haven't a clue what to do with it or where to store it.