'AITA for making cinnamon bread for my sisters-in-law when my MIL is allergic to cinnamon?'
"AITA for making cinnamon bread for my sisters-in-law when my MIL is allergic to cinnamon?"
I (F22) have jumped on the sourdough bread train. I now make the bread we eat instead of buying it, and when I make a loaf of bread, I post a picture of it and post it on my story. I’ve had several people slide up and say they would love a loaf, including my in-laws.
Right now, we are home visiting our family. I brought my starter and baking supplies to make loaves for the people who have asked, while staying at my mom’s. For my in-laws, I made 3 loaves. The SILs (high school age) wanted a cinnamon swirl loaf, so that’s what I made for them.
My MIL says she is allergic to cinnamon, so I made her two small loaves (regular and a cheddar jalapeño). I baked her loaves first to avoid any cross contamination, and I wrapped the cinnamon loaf and put it in its own container separate from the loaves that would go to MIL. When I dropped them off, I made sure to tell them that one loaf was cinnamon.
Today, while we were there, MIL cut herself a slice of the cinnamon bread saying she wanted to taste it. All of us said she really shouldn’t since she’s allergic to cinnamon. She said she would avoid the cinnamon swirl and just eat the plain bread. After more protest, it was clear that she was not going to listen. She ate it, said it was good, and cut another slice. After a while, nothing happened.
My husband and I assumed that maybe she isn’t as allergic as she thought and everything was fine. We went back to my mom’s house, and an hour later both of our phones started blowing up. MIL says I gave her horrible diarrhea with my “nasty bread”, and is now claiming that I tried to poison her by giving them bread that has cinnamon in it.
My husband has pressed that I did everything I needed to do to keep the breads separate, and that eating the cinnamon bread was 100% her choice. She, and now my husbands grandma are adamant that I shouldn’t have brought cinnamon bread into the house at all and I should’ve just told my SILs no.
I thought bringing it would be fine. I’ve been there plenty of times when SILs had cinnamon rolls on the stove, or snickerdoodle cookies in a jar. I assumed that she wouldn’t even touch the container because as far as I had seen, she didn’t touch the other stuff.
The internet had a lot of thoughts about OP's quandary.
Boatunhappy6723 wrote:
Hey! I have a cinnamon allergy. I always bring my own dessert and would absolutely never expect family or friends to not have what they want because of my allergy.
You are absolutely NTA and your mother in law sounds like a whole lot of work.
OP responded:
This has been something I’ve actually said in the past. I’m allergic to raw berries, but in-laws really like berry picking in the summer.
They’ve invited us, and I either go and just carry the buckets, or I don’t go at all. I’m not expecting them to choose a different activity, and I always appreciate being invited regardless. But if I went and picked berries, and got a rash, I’d say “I shouldn’t have done that” and not “why did you invite me."
Pyritelle wrote:
You are obviously NTA, sorry but is your MIL a child? Did she do that to herself for attention? I don't get it.
OP responded:
Attention seeking is typical behavior with this one. 🙃
Dense-Passion2729 wrote:
I’m sorry I cannot stop laughing at the thought of accusing someone of giving you the runs hahahaha when you were warned and knowingly ate something you were allergic to. The audacity. Ahahaha NTA in any way!!!
OP responded:
Next time she offers me ice cream, maybe I’ll have to tell people she made me lactose intolerant despite my mom being the one that did that 😂
clairy115 wrote:
NTA. You did everything right. It is her own fault for eating it after being told several times that she shouldn't. Also going for seconds is crazy as she would have tasted the cinnamon the first time.
OP responded:
Not only taste, but the swirl of cinnamon is dark, and the bread it light. It’s very visually evident that there is cinnamon in that bread.
izanaegi wrote:
As someone with a cinnamon allergy, NTA and also you're so sweet for being so cautious.
OP responded:
My family has a few people who are actually deathly allergic to ingredients. Cousins with eggs, sister with peanuts, an uncle with shellfish, and me with some berries, when I hear allergy, I always make sure to be as cautious as a can regardless of how severe the allergy is lol
PleasantSpace6267 wrote:
Just dropping in to say my friend is allergic to cinnamon...but turns out there are two different types, Ceylon or Cassia. Most cinnamon is Cassia. A friend told her she should be able to have Ceylon and turns out she can!
Anyway, yeah, you MIL isn't a child so NTA.
OP responded:
That’s really interesting. I had no idea there were types of cinnamon and not just plain cinnamon lol. I’ll have to look into that because now I’m curious of the differences.
positmatt wrote:
NTA - and honestly, If you did this favor again, I would have the family sign a disclaimer acknowledging receipt of individual and seperate loafs of bread, but honestly this seems like a petty way to punish a good deed. If by any chance you have extra cinnamon swirl bread, I am sure there are many, myself included, that would like some of that nasty evil bread.
OP responded:
Taking notes. Will be writing up the evil bread contract in the future.
MissKoalaBag wrote:
NTA. You did everything to prevent her from eating the cinnamon bread. You told her not to eat it and to be careful, but she ate it anyway. That was her choice. You made it perfectly clear that it was cinnamon bread and she shouldn't eat it, it was her own decision that messed her up.