Travelled to friend's house for dinner, just strawberries for desert - AIBU to think it's low effort?

Christ, imagine if she'd presented an arctic roll? A choc ice? Cornetto? God forbid, some raspberries.

Did you go to see your friend for a catch-up, or for a free meal? If it was the latter you got what you deserved. How awfully critical you sound.

Maybe they found your company less than unexciting, hence trying to get you to leave with a boring dessert.

Or, you could have enjoyed the main course with your friends and enjoyed the catch-up.

Hostess may of wanted to spend time with her guests rather than cook an elaborate pudding.

If someone served me a sandwich I'd be grateful. But I'm not on the dinner party circuit so probably not your intended audience.

I'd be happy with a kebab from the kebab shop and sitting and chatting!

Real friends would be more than happy with a basic meal and great company!!
Jell I’d be happy with a takeaway just to spend time with my buddies!
This OP is just rude and entitled!

I hope the host knows you well, wants to ditch you and thought a 'low effort' meal would piss you off! Success!

Can't stand those low effort deserts myself. They're not worth getting sand in your shoes.

You could do what I have done,
you get hold of a map and draw concentric circles on centred on your house, at say 5 mile increments. Number each circle. Then, on a separate piece of paper (or ideally a spreadsheet) list what sort of food you would be prepared to travel for at each numbered ring, e.g.
5 miles - Beans on Toast, Viennetta,
10 miles - Chilli con Carne (home-made), Strawberries and cream
15 miles - Roast dinner, Jam Roly-poly.
etc.
Of course this list need expanding extensively but you get the idea.

Note: you can have a separate list of those foods for which no distance would be acceptable. e.g. oysters, hedgehog etc.

You should file a formal complaint with the relevant authorities.

I think you are confusing your friends’ home with a posh restaurant. If you care more about the food, you want the latter. Frankly, anyone who puts dinner in front of me that I haven’t cooked can have a medal.

Strawberries and cream are to die for!
Give me those over any dessert.

The rest of the meal was rather low key but that is great.
The emphasis on a lower cost and simple menu means that the pressure is lower to out performeach other when, really, you just want a healthy meal and great company.

You don't want your friends slaving away in the kitchen.

I suggest that, if you wish to enjoy restaurant food, you should agree to all go out to eat at a restaurant and share a taxi ride home.

Try making a more simple meal for your friends so they won't feel fear of having to spend up or cook superbly to entertain you.

casseroles, soups, BBQs, fresh fruit and or cheese, waffles, choce seft sauce pud, apple crumble, bought tart with cream, ice cream and fresh or canned fruit... isn't the deal about the company. Play cards or Monopoly etc and eat crisps.

You'd be devastated if you came to mine then, because I never eat dessert and you'd get nothing.

It's presumably not Come Dine With Me. 🙄
You were fed, and sausages with lovely sides like potato salads etc sounds great to me. So does strawberries and cream
Next time if you go I hope they give you a piss weak cup of tea and.a custard cream.

Have you seen the price of strawberries recently? Strawberries and cream is practically a luxurious dessert these days 😂

I don’t think you’re being unreasonable. I also make an effort whenever I host, but I do have friends who will invite us over for a meal and serve us our meal on saucer -sized plates. Yes, you read that correct… saucers-sized plates for adults. The meals -although yummy- are also vegetarian, with zero protein. We always leave starved. If I could not go I would, but DH thinks that’s rude 😂

Have you sought counselling for your nice friends preparing you a nice meal and a seasonal, delicious dessert for you?

I once invited a friend and her family over for Sunday lunch. Before this she used to endlessly brag about her dinner parties, and the recipes she’d used. Since I felt under pressure, I made a lot of effort.

Then she invited us back, clearly it was an inconvenience and she made very little effort for the main course, then brought out a biscuit tin and we had a kit kat for dessert.

Her DH looked really embarrassed.

Never invited back

Aw now I've forgotten to watch my late night treat, Upstairs Downstairs.
Mrs Bridges would be mortified.

How judgmental of you.

I live alone and cook every bloody meal. Would be grateful if someone made me toast at this point
I would even settle for a cup of tea I didn't have to make
An entire meal made for me would be undying gratitude

Blimey. The meal sounds lovely. Can't believe how judgemental so many of you are.

A 9 course tasting menu with wines selected for every course,your whole house redecorated for the occasion and your garden newly landscaped including the raised herb beds allowing for fresh organic mint in their welcome mojito

Oh no! I hope the OP isn't your ..ahem... friend 😕

Your menu sounds absolutely lovely for an informal summer gathering! I'm foodie as fuck, but I would have been very happy with sausages, fresh salads and strawberries and cream for a casual dinner with friends.

I like squirty cream in a can I can squirt directly into my mouth. I am not a good dinner party guest.