For my birthday someone close to me sent me gourmet brownies

Yes, OP that's rude even if the person doesn't know you did it. Don't you have a neighbor who would appreciate them?

Yes you would be an asshole. So give them to me to eat since I don’t eat healthy anyway!

Simply throw them away, and tell the person they were very good.

Take a bite of one so you can honestly give an opinion. Then do whatever you want with them.

It’s a gift. Not an obligation.

Freeze them until you can find someone who would appreciate them or when you're in a situation where you can share them at a dinner o0r get together.

A combination: Taste and compliment the sender, freeze them, and have them available for future use. I gift should be acknowledged and a taste won't make it a lie.

Just take a couple of bites and toss them, or give them away. Tell the person who gifted them to you ‘thank you’ and think no more of it.

You overdramatic Marys. If you don't want to eat something, throw it out. Cant believe some posters are crying that some damn brownies might go to waste.

They’re probably laced with COVID

Eat one bite, so you won't have to lie. Then you can say, "Oh, they were yummy, with a little hint of ___"

Never waste brownies.

Nope. Normally I’d say bring them into work or give them to a neighbor, but you can’t right now. Just throw them away and say they were delicious. It’s the thought that counts.

OP, are you a great big fat person?

Taking care of your health doesn't make you an asshole, but not thanking them for the brownies does, if you heaven't yet.

*haven't

Personally I don't like to waste food so I would give them away before throwing them out. If I couldn't though I would be fine tossing them and thanking the friend anyway. It's a white lie, no big deal, won't matter a week later.

Pretend they're an incoming phone call.

I agree with R4.

Like r16, don’t like wasting food. Agree with the ‘freezers’ up thread. With such offerings I would cut them into individual mini-bites prior to freezing, sneak the odd treat myself and ply the rest on visitors (when they return).

What makes them gourmet, exactly?

My father used to send me cookies and I’d feel so guilty for not eating them. Then I started to give them a “kiss” and take a moment to appreciate all the love and kindness that was intended by the cookie gift. And once I did this, it was much easier to throw them away.

I give away but never throw away.

I have a friend who sends me Sees Chocolate every year. He knows I do not eat sugar but still the box comes. I give them to someone who likes them and send a thank you note.