‘Just the meat for me please’ Sunday Lunch issue ’

Who cares about versatile when it's one person scoffing the lot.

Yes indeed! Polar explorers - before Vitamin C was invented - knew that fresh meat would prevent scurvy and tried to catch and eat as much seal meat (and other polar animals such as penguins in the Antarctic) as possible because they were away from fruit/vegetable sources of Vitamin C for so long. Attempts to take bottled lemon juice failed to be effective because the treating of the juice 'killed' its Vitamin C content.

I was thinking this. As a guest you mentally note how much there is and take an appropriate fair share. If he’s still hungry he can eat again at home. Seems like a non issue.

This.

Absolutely this.

The gluten free person would have more sense and manners then to demand twice as much gluten free food as everyone else. The BF is being provided for. Even a toddler knows that if you don’t want to eat all your vegetables there is a chance you might still feel hungry at the end of the meal. He can get himself a KFC on the way back.

Those who value their family don't demand their family makes a whole chicken just for them.

Eh? I would have said exactly the same if the OP was male, or if the OP said it was her husband doing all the shopping and cooking. This is about good manners and being flexible because you love your family, not about gender roles. I'm sure that OP wants her DN's fiance to feel welcome. She should accommodate him (as she is) for her DN's sake.

Some disagree, and I'd suggest that those posters aren't built to fit into a family structure, and that's OK. For those of us who value our family, getting some extra meat for someone who's marrying in is not a big deal.

I have to watch BIL like a HAWK otherwise he'll pick the bones clean between finishing lunch and leaving. I don't actually mind him eating as much as he likes, I just hate that once the meal is finished and I'm sort of getting it ready to move into the "left over" pile, I'll come back 2 hours later to discover it's gone. also he picks the bits I save for myself so now those bits i hide as soon as possible!

Although it's clearly a family trait, his son stayed with us for a few weeks a couple of years ago. Big meal. I'd offer seconds or thirds, no problem - everyone has big appetites. then I'd put any leftovers in the fridge for the next day or for the kids lunch or something. I'd come down the next morning and the fridge would be bare... he'd have eaten the lot at midnight! hahaha. I learnt to tell him what he could and could not eat on his midnight fridge raids and bless him, he was really good about it once I made the lines clear "Pete - this leftover mash potato is for me to use for a shepherds pie tomorrow. Dont' eat it. But the leftover chicken is fair game!" !

He can come to mine, I've inherited my mam's habit of preparing enough food to feed a small army no matter how many people come over. If I had 11 coming I'd be doing way more than 2 chickens and a gammon so he'd have loads to choose from 🥴

(This isn't a dig by the way OP, my inability to cook anything less than the whole farm every time I have people over is a vice not a virtue)

Weirdly I think what would annoy me is that he's not contacted you himself. If I'd had a message from a guest directly about something like this being apologetic about it I'd be far more amenable to cooking him his own chicken or whatever. It's the using your sister as a go-between that's annoying me, not the request for meat 🙃

Yes, this sums it up.

Usually if you have some sort of dietary requirement and were being fed by people you didn't know well, the polite thing to do would be to just accept you'd have a portion of what you could eat - if you were worried about being hungry have a larger breakfast and/or eat again when you go home. Not expect your host to spend a fortune on you. It's one meal/a few hours visit. He's not going to starve if he just has the same amount of meat as everyone else and minimal trimmings.

Gym bunny or not, I can't see how that much meat can be good for anyone! For the sake of not coming across like a complete twat to prospective family members in law you think you'd manage to choke down a few carrots. What a boring life if you can't vary your completely optional diet slightly for one meal!

Carnivore is a thing at the moment, I've done it in the past but if going to someone's home for lunch would bring my own meat products (ready cooked in foil to be stuck in oven to keep warm) so not to inconvenience anyone.

Really? How interesting! I did actually know someone who got scurvy once but to be fair he probably wasn't eating very good quality meat either. In any case, my 4 year old must not find out, because frankly the threat of scurvy is the only thing making him eat his broccoli. Apparently broccoli 'vaccinations you' because it stops you getting scurvy. I haven't told him all the fruit he eats is actually doing the same job.

Chicken thighs are much cheaper, more nutritious and tastier than a whole higher welfare chicken

@Mondaytuesdayhappydays i also love sexy veg. I get very excited over it these days. I’ve got the marks Christmas food catalog on my desk and have been looking at it all day. (I don’t eat meat so won’t be piling my plate with it, just a home made mushroom wellington and 76 tonnes of sexy veg)

A tray of chicken thighs will likely cost as much as another whole chicken, which is tastier, more versatile etc.

Not if he's eating shedloads of fresh meat - that's anti-scorbutic.

I agree. This nonsense may not be driven by him at all. The likelihood is that he’s a decent guy who will just turn up and grateful for what he’s given. If he was being very strict diet wise, he would be unlikely to accept the invitation as he would be weighing/tracking his food.

My children have tried this 'because they need the protein'

They have been told very clearly that complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals are all equally important and will be gracing their plates.

I get high protein diet - but when you are meeting someone for the first time, especially if you are not closely related it's not the time to start making costly demands on your host.

SIS needs to keep her beak out - she's not cooking, not paying and doesn't get to dictate to you in your own home.

As for 'he can bring a chicken' - no he can't. This is one meal. He can adjust his macros at his other meals to hit his protein target.

I do exactly that - whack some frozen veg in a saucepan for 10 minutes!

I think honey on veg is REALLY weird!

Actually, you know, I've never tried turkey stock or soup, thinking about it. My mum always said it was too strong and she only made it for Christmas to feed everyone, so I actually have no idea whether I like it or not!

Or eat a bunch of meat before you get there!

I just find this so anti social. If you're bothered and don't want to eat carbs, then decline the invite, don't make special demands for you dinner so it suits you. It's rude.

If you were having a dinner party and mentioned you were serving oysters for starters, fish and veg for main and some pudding, and your guest said he was on the shellfish diet and would just pile up his plate with the oysters… would you be meant to provide him with a heap of oysters!? Surely not. Isn’t this the same thing.

I'd provide extra and then use it as leftovers if if didn't all get eaten. I wouldn't mind as an occasional thing.

Jeez the whole chicken update is giving me vibes of old fashioned cartoons where Tom or Wile E Coyote or whoever would sit at a table with a whole creature on a plate in front of them before tying a tablecloth as a bib round their neck