So... food pictures on Facebook are rude now?

[weeblewobble]

Lately, I have a lot more time for experimenting in the kitchen.  My efforts are turning out pretty darn nicely, if I do say so myself.  I'm proud of them, so I post the pictures of my efforts on Facebook.  A pie, roast chicken, homemade candy, that sort of thing.  Most of the time, people just respond with, "Oh, yummy!"  or "Share the recipe?" or similar.  But an acquaintance of DH's, Janice, whom I know casually through a volunteer group he participates in, "Save some for me!" or "Send my share to Friday's board meeting with DH!"

So last week, Janice sees DH at the volunteer group's office and goes off about how rude I am to post pictures of the food I'm making on Facebook and then not sending a portion to Janice when she asks for some.   "If she's not going to share with the people she knows, she shouldn't post it in a public forum!" Janice groused.  "Didn't she learn that lesson in elementary school?" 

DH couldn't get out a response besides, "What?!"  before she flounced out of the room.
 
Honestly, I didn't respond to her Facebook comments because thought she was kidding.  It seemed awfully nerve-y to assume you get a portion of something just because you see it.  It would be like walking into a restaurant and demanding a bite from other diners because you happened to see their plates. 

DH went to the volunteer office to drop something off and the secretary says, "Oh, wait, Janice left this recipe for you."  Janice had left a recipe for a variation of a dish I'd posted on Facebook with a note implying that I should make up a batch and send it with DH to next Friday's group meeting. 

I de-friended and blocked her as soon as I heard about the first "lashing" DH received.  Frankly, after the recipe thing, I think I need to avoid Janice all together because she's coming across as plain old nutty.  I have no intention of making that recipe for her after the way she spoke to DH. She doesn't have any authority over DH.  She's another volunteer, so at least we don't have to worry about that.  But my question concerns Janice's original, although badly expressed, point.   

Is it rude to post food pictures on Facebook?  I know it's rude to discuss a social event in a public forum if you don't plan on inviting everybody who sees it.  But does food that you aren't planning to share count as rude?

[Moray]

I am very offended that you would mention all this wonderful food and not give any to me *flounces in a huff*

Seriously, though? No. Not even close to rude. Janice is being nutty, just like you said, and her complaint only reflects badly on herself.

[Reika]

Wow, that's a new one to me. Friends of mine and I tend to post pictures of stuff we're making, or did make that came out fantastic. Like your experience, we'll post comments of "Oh, yum, share the recipe?" and such.

I think Janice is just out there.

[Sophia]

A normal person wouldn't have responded that way.  It is done frequently, and I've never seen a negative response. 

[Harriet Jones]

You're not being rude.  I would have assumed that Janice was joking.  Does she get mad when food bloggers post their recipes or people on pinterest repin something?

[PastryGoddess]

It's not rude to post pictures of food on facebook.  However it is rude to assume that you can place a take out order on someone elses facebook page, and then get hissy when they decline to fill your order.

Janice sounds like a nut and you are smart to have gotten rid of her.  Too bad DH has to still deal with her

[Judah]

Now I'm hungry (sigh).   

Janice is a nutter and defriending her was the right thing. 

[jmarvellous]

That is bizarre.
If you were in the habit of sending food with your husband to meetings, I could see her saying, "Next time, we'd love to try those brownies weeblewobble posted on Facebook this week!" and not actually expecting to get them, but being pleased if they arrive. Requesting, and then DEMANDING, specific food when you don't even typically send anything is just inappropriate. Sending a recipe along is just too much.

If you encounter Janice, perhaps, "I'm glad you enjoy my food pictures, but I'm not a caterer" would be appropriate.

To answer the basic question: No, it's not rude to post such pictures. Not at all. I don't do it much anymore (I used to when I had a food blog), nor do I really care about others' photos of their food, but it's easy enough to block or ignore!

[cicero]

her first remarks ("save some for me") i didnt' find rude - on their own. I also post food pictures and so do many of my friends, and we will often comment things like "i'm on my way over", "please mail some to me" "I'm bringing the coffee" etc.

but the rest - very bizarre.

and no, it's not rude to post food pictures on FB. what next - it's rude to post vacation pictures unless you take her along?

[ITSJUSTME]

Is it remotely possible that Janice was kidding??  I mean REALLY???

And I have no idea how old any of you are but forgive me = public forums (not to mention Mark Zuckerberg) were not even a glimmer in anyone's when I was in elementary school.  We learned if you BRING FOOD bring enough to share but we also learned not to bug people for things that were not offered to us.

[Luci45]

Well..............I did suggest that someone who always brings something to our family Harvest Feast that maybe a dish she posted might be appropriate for the next one on November. I didn't flounce, whine, beg, or complain, though, so I hope I was OK. I got 'Like' and a smilie face comment.

Yes, I would have thought Janice was kidding, too. I just skim over posts I'm not interested in but I understand why you got rid of

[weeblewobble]

That is bizarre.
If you were in the habit of sending food with your husband to meetings, I could see her saying, "Next time, we'd love to try those brownies weeblewobble posted on Facebook this week!" and not actually expecting to get them, but being pleased if they arrive. Requesting, and then DEMANDING, specific food when you don't even typically send anything is just inappropriate. Sending a recipe along is just too much.

If you encounter Janice, perhaps, "I'm glad you enjoy my food pictures, but I'm not a caterer" would be appropriate.

To answer the basic question: No, it's not rude to post such pictures. Not at all. I don't do it much anymore (I used to when I had a food blog), nor do I really care about others' photos of their food, but it's easy enough to block or ignore!

What's funny is I didn't get offended when a member of my book club saw a cake I'd made and said, "Gorgeous! Can you bring one of those to our next meeting?" I guess it was because I was planning to bring food to the meeting anyway (which each member does for our meetings) and her question helped me decide what to bring.  But in that case, I was going to be cooking anyway and I would actually get to partake of the cake.

[weeblewobble]

Is it remotely possible that Janice was kidding??  I mean REALLY???

And I have no idea how old any of you are but forgive me = public forums (not to mention Mark Zuckerberg) were not even a glimmer in anyone's when I was in elementary school.  We learned if you BRING FOOD bring enough to share but we also learned not to bug people for things that were not offered to us.

She was not kidding.  And, given some other comments, I think she was referring to the rule that if you "didn't bring enough gum to share with the whole class, you don't get to chew any" rule.  I guess her school didn't teach "don't bug others."

[Nika]

If she gets offended when she sees food pics on FB, then she should get off FB.

Seriously, everyone posts food pics!

[Moray]

That is bizarre.
If you were in the habit of sending food with your husband to meetings, I could see her saying, "Next time, we'd love to try those brownies weeblewobble posted on Facebook this week!" and not actually expecting to get them, but being pleased if they arrive. Requesting, and then DEMANDING, specific food when you don't even typically send anything is just inappropriate. Sending a recipe along is just too much.

If you encounter Janice, perhaps, "I'm glad you enjoy my food pictures, but I'm not a caterer" would be appropriate.

To answer the basic question: No, it's not rude to post such pictures. Not at all. I don't do it much anymore (I used to when I had a food blog), nor do I really care about others' photos of their food, but it's easy enough to block or ignore!

What's funny is I didn't get offended when a member of my book club saw a cake I'd made and said, "Gorgeous! Can you bring one of those to our next meeting?" I guess it was because I was planning to bring food to the meeting anyway (which each member does for our meetings) and her question helped me decide what to bring.  But in that case, I was going to be cooking anyway and I would actually get to partake of the cake.

There's also that she *asked*, instead of placing an order Amazing what a little courtesy will do!