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Made Up Food Rules

183 replies

LittleMissEnraged · 11/11/2026 23:28

I don’t mean religious rules or cultural norms. I’m thinking about quirky individual rules you abide by that other people might not understand.
I am not a vegetarian, but I can’t bear meat on a pizza. Any vegetable - even pineapple!
My other strict rule is that you may have a condiment or butter on a sandwich but never both.

OP posts:
AngelinaFibres · 12/11/2026 22:57

Foods that should be savoury but taste sweet in a savoury meal. Or foods that should be sweet that taste savoury. Sweetcorn for example. Its a vegetable but its sweet and makes me heave. Can't stand the stuff. Same with caramel that's salted. Caramel should be sweet but ,in your mouth, salted caramel isn't. Foul stuff

likelysuspect · 12/11/2026 22:56

LydiaTheTattooedLardarse · 12/11/2026 22:44

My boss used to genuinely believe this and quote it when he saw me eating a lot of bananas. He would say, in all seriousness, it can KILL you.

I looked it up and told him that, in theory, he was right… the only caveat being that I’d have to eat 18,000 bananas in 31 seconds.

My dad was told this by his kidney specialist. This is back in teh 80s. I dont think he has since eaten a banana.

LydiaTheTattooedLardarse · 12/11/2026 22:55

HughManity · 12/11/2026 22:21

If eating, say, a roast, each forkful should contain at least two or three elements of that meal. Not one individual item per forkful.
Sacrilege!

🤮🤮🤮

AngelinaFibres · 12/11/2026 22:53

Walker1178 · 12/11/2026 16:00

Fries must be eaten with salt, proper chips with vinegar. Never both together

Good god this is true and Ive never realised it. If I have chip shop chips they absolutely have to have salt and vinegar but McDonald's fries only have salt. Its never occurred to me before that I dont even think about vinegar with skinny fries but chips without it would be impossible.

LydiaTheTattooedLardarse · 12/11/2026 22:49

likelysuspect · 12/11/2026 20:58

Does anyone remember the thread where a poster (not sure if it was the OP) talked about having an omelette or an egg with.... wait for it.... sliced tomato. Or it might have been A slice of tomato

Many of us on the thread were deeply upset, horrified, baffled. I think one of us, and it could well have been me, felt 'disturbed' by the presence of this random item that was incongruent with the hot item

I cant remember what the thread was about now and I may have some details wrong but it definitely involved a disturbing tomato element.

This is everything that is wrong with Mumsnet in a single post.

Needapadlockonmyfridge · 12/11/2026 22:48

(Worryingly) I agree with a lot of these.

No baked bean juice or ketchup near egg..

No tomato in omelette.

Baked beans can only go on toast if there is a good layer of butter as a barrier (for which the toast has to have cooled down).

I dont agree about the no butter with jam thing. Toast needs butter. Lots of.

No parsley or coriander anywhere.

The best crisp sandwich is crappy white bread, butter, snv crisps and marmite.

I have always saved the best bits til last but absolutely see the sense in eating them first. I may have to change a lifetime habit!

LydiaTheTattooedLardarse · 12/11/2026 22:44

likelysuspect · 12/11/2026 19:52

Too much potassium.

My boss used to genuinely believe this and quote it when he saw me eating a lot of bananas. He would say, in all seriousness, it can KILL you.

I looked it up and told him that, in theory, he was right… the only caveat being that I’d have to eat 18,000 bananas in 31 seconds.

GintyMcGinty · 12/11/2026 22:36

gonoodleoodle · 12/11/2026 19:02

Baked bean juice may never ever touch eggs or bread.

Oooo I agree.

GintyMcGinty · 12/11/2026 22:35

any kind of sauce ruins a bacon or sausage roll

Missey85 · 12/11/2026 22:30

OneMoreProfiterole · 12/11/2026 20:35

What kind of maniac has sweetcorn on a roast?

And beans DO go with eggs. When that yolk breaks and mixes in with the bb juice… mmmmmm

It's me 🤣 I have corn on the cob with roast chicken ❤️

petitpasta · 12/11/2026 22:28

Also, mugs must not have dark colour glaze inside. Outside is fine but inside they must be pale coloured.

I have no idea why but it is the law.

petitpasta · 12/11/2026 22:27

White toast has to be buttered straight from the toaster so the butter melts. Wholemeal toast must go in a toast rack to cool down completely and must be buttered when cold.

Butter is the only acceptable thing to go on toast. No jam, marmalade, Nutella etc.

Also raw tomatoes are amazing, cooked tomatoes are a complete abomination.

HughManity · 12/11/2026 22:21

If eating, say, a roast, each forkful should contain at least two or three elements of that meal. Not one individual item per forkful.
Sacrilege!

Cookingdoesntgettougher · 12/11/2026 22:15

I love Yorkshire puddings but still crispy so on a side plate and away from the gravy.

Shodan · 12/11/2026 22:14

If eating, say, a roast, each forkful should contain at least two or three elements of that meal. Not one individual item per forkful.

Also, scones : if it's clotted cream, it goes scone, cream, jam. If it's whipped cream, it goes scone, jam, cream. It's all about the density.

And I actually prefer a hot pudding with ice cream (or cream. Or both.) Something about the contrast of temperature just makes everything better.

BCBird · 12/11/2026 22:13

SockQueen · 12/11/2026 15:38

Ice cream with hot puddings is wrong and not to be tolerated.

In total agreement. Hot pudding needs custard.

WinterGold · 12/11/2026 22:09

likelysuspect · 12/11/2026 20:58

Does anyone remember the thread where a poster (not sure if it was the OP) talked about having an omelette or an egg with.... wait for it.... sliced tomato. Or it might have been A slice of tomato

Many of us on the thread were deeply upset, horrified, baffled. I think one of us, and it could well have been me, felt 'disturbed' by the presence of this random item that was incongruent with the hot item

I cant remember what the thread was about now and I may have some details wrong but it definitely involved a disturbing tomato element.

Talking of disturbing tomato elements; I love sliced tomato in a salad or in a sandwich but bizarrely, the thought of and even seeing someone eat one like an apple makes me feel a little bit queasy!

HughManity · 12/11/2026 22:09

Nothing labelled 'reduced fat'. Why take the joy out of food?

sprigatito · 12/11/2026 22:02

Firesidechatter · 12/11/2026 21:28

I do this but they say to do it the opposite way as you eat less,

Not everybody wants to eat less!

feliciabirthgiver · 12/11/2026 22:01

WBAveeno · 12/11/2026 19:32

Ketchup with eggs is wrong.

ham sandwiches have to have mustard and butter and proper ham.

salad with roast chicken is ok….just not with a roast dinner…

Absolutely on ketchup, in fact tomatoes must never be on a plate with eggs….beans with breakfast 🤮

BebbanburgIsMine · 12/11/2026 21:59

sprigatito · 12/11/2026 19:24

I think people who don’t put butter in sandwiches are missing a bit of their soul (unless they’re allergic to dairy, I will grudgingly concede).

Asparagus tastes and smells like wee, so it isn’t allowed in my house.

Mince pies must have an open top with a pastry heart, star or Christmas tree. Fully enclosed pies are terminally out of balance.

Sliced cheese in a sandwich is a completely different foodstuff from grated. It’s gross.

A cooked sausage is partially blackened and crispy on the ends. If there’s pink on it, it’s raw.

I hate butter, milk, cream, yogurt and most dairy produce so the idea of a sandwich made with butter is disgusting to me, I wish shops would provide even a small selection of ready made sandwiches for us butter haters, and they mustn’t have mayo on them either.

I have a long list of food do nots, I’d be here all day if I was to list them all! 😂

HughManity · 12/11/2026 21:52

Salad first. If a plate has the food separately then it is eaten separately.

No gravy on any veg other than mashed potato.

AppleCrumbleBubbleBath · 12/11/2026 21:46

A tuna steak is a lovely part of a hot meal, but tinned tuna must never be served hot. Also, fish and cheese must never be consumed together, or fish and tomato. The idea of a seafood pizza or tuna pasta bake turns my stomach.

NineteenSeventyThree · 12/11/2026 21:42

Pizza must be eaten from the outside in.

Condiments must never be spread over food, only blobbed.

Any savoury food item is improved by the addition of black pepper and mustard.

Apple sauce can be enjoyed with any type of meat but mint sauce is only for lamb.

MrsJigsaw · 12/11/2026 21:37

If i have a few crisps on a plate, they have to be eaten in a specific order - firstly any broken crisps, in smallest to largest order, then whole crisps in smallest to largest order!

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