your go to dinners for playdates?

I used to ask the parents what they liked eating.

*laughing at

Sorry I was laughing again the raw cat guts typo 🤣

😂

We do:
home made pizza
Bolognaise
Sausages and mash
Fish fingers and chips

And some type of pudding - turns out pudding is key with my kids friends.

It's really not very labour intensive... literally just chuck a whole chicken and some potatoes in oven, boil some veg....takes a little time in the oven but thats it. Although I must admit some parents seemed quite surprised but pleased when they found out what their child had eaten...

I have odd children though and when they were little they hated fish fingers, burgers, sausages and pizza ..all the typical kids foods, so we never really had those meals

@Comedycook "Roast chicken, roast potatoes and a few different veg. Never met a kid who doesn't like it and it's really not much of a faff to put together"
That's certainly more time, faff and washing up than I would choose for a midweek tea for people who only want to refuel and dash off to play!

Roast chicken, roast potatoes and a few different veg. Never met a kid who doesn't like it and it's really not much of a faff to put together.

DS7 Pizza, oven chips, chopped up carrots, cucumber, apple in bowls, all in the middle of the table. Served with choice of smoothie/juice/water and followed by a mini magnum or yogurt. I always kind of feel that unless it's a sleepover they will have the option to eat something at home if they don't like it, and take no offence if they don't really eat it. On play dates they are always too distracted by playing to eat much anyway.

DD who is 10 a few of her friends have had a takeaway curry/roast dinner etc with us as they seem to be getting less picky and more open.

@kjnewk another go to pasta-a blob of cream cheese, chopped ham or cooked chicken and whatever vegetable you have to hand (cooked of course) all stirred up together. You can cook the pasta in a water with a bit of a stock cube if you like.

I thought that as well

Pesto pasta isn't crap

Veg sticks aren't either

Also they are usually halal.

Many years ago a relative of mine picked her granddaughter up from school (normal a couple of days a week) this time with a friend.

So she decided to get the girls to help make a cake.

The girls had a conversation where the guest said that her parents "bought food", the granddaughter replied, "We are poor, we have to buy ingredients".

A big hit, which I only made because DS’ friend is celiac but will do again, was a fake Nandos of baked chicken thighs (bit of lemon and garlic), mash, corn on the cob.

Otherwise we’re very pizza/pasta on playdates. DS is not fussy but he has been at other people’s houses (didn’t like the brand of margarita pizza even though it is the same one we’ve had at home “yes mum I know but I didn’t like it then either, the Morrisons one is nicerrrr”), very embarrassing.

My dc are teens and tweens now, but through many years of having dc for tea I have always done make you own pizzas, spag bol, chicken nuggets and chips or hotdogs.

Try not to worry if dc don't eat well (and offer a pudding or snacks so they aren't hungry). I think some dc just don't eat well away from home.

So I live in a very different area to you OP and my dd is fussy (she will eat veg though). So they'd either get a picky tea, freezer food (quorn nuggets) chips and veg, or some form of cheesy pasta. I'm afraid it was like or lump it round here, as at the time we didn't have the money to be nipping out for pizzas etc.
One thing I was surprised about was the occasional phone call from worried sounding mums, who would want to know what to do because dd would only eat chips from macdonalds. She got offered happy meals a LOT round other peoples, so I always thought it was a win just sitting them down to something I'd cooked.

Mine are actually not too bad, they've always eaten what was given on play dates.

I was actually thinking of my mum who would make a 'vegetable casserole' which was root vegetables boiled in water with an added oxo cube. She'd 100% tell others that other children wouldn't eat her delicious food.

They get what we're all eating, or go hungry. Dessert is fruit. We never pandered, except for allergies/intolerances. If they didn't want X pizza because it wasn't from Y shop, then they had toast. Zero fucks given. Kids still came back, and DC got invited to their house.

DS' best friend still raves about the best lentils and chorizo dish he's ever had at our house! Super quick, super simple, polished off quickly and seconds. His mum (my best friend) was both amused and jealous 🤣

I used to just ask the parent what type of food they liked

@EasyComfortDishes "Pasta pesto or pizza with carrots and cucumber
absolute crap and I resent feeding it to my own kids"

What a very strange definition of "crap"...

Our play date dinners were always breaded chicken breast with carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes.
Once I made lava cakes, left them to cook during pick-up and came home to….chocolate muffins. Lesson learnt: keep it simple.

25 years ago ...
Pasta with chicken hot dogs chopped in it and peas
Pasta with grated cheese and tomato and cucumber sticks
Fish fingers homemade wedges sweet corn
Make their own pizza...ready made bases

Pudding....bought pots of choc mousse or petit filous ( sp )

This thread has reminded me of when I used to go to my friends house and her mum would make pasta ‘wheels’ (garufalo ruote according to google). With broccoli, ham and Parmesan, I think there was some olive oil or butter as well. So simple but I absolutely loved it at that age! I think the unusual pasta shape played a large part in its appeal.

Pasta with pasta sauce served with cheese (grated, served separately) salad (chopped up cucumber, tomato, lettuce, olives if there are any lying around). Maybe some garlic bread if I’m feeling exotic. Strawberries and ice cream or similar for pudding.

Worth a try with the fussy eaters 😂