Musannaf Ibn Abi Shayba 16:267

Abu Bakr narrated to us, he said: 'Abdah bin Sulayman narrated to us, from Abu Mansur, from Ibrahim, who said: They used to like that dates should not be absent from their houses. Ibrahim said: "And I will explain it: When someone would enter upon them and they wanted to honor him, they would detain him and bring him near. If he ate from it, they would honor him, and if he did not eat, it had sufficed for them." Ibrahim said: "And another [reason]: A beggar comes and there is no bread with the people of the house, and it does not suit them to scoop out flour or wheat for him, so they give him a date or two dates and the like. Thus, the people of the house are spared [the embarrassment of having nothing to give], and the beggar is satisfied."