Is your family is snobby when it comes to homemade dishes

I'm with the homemade gang. The joy of my life is a church hall fayre with a homemade rock cake on offer

Can I have the recipe for that please? It sounds delicious.

If you think that a shop bought Christmas pudding is better than a home made one you're doing it wrong! I used to make a really old Christmas pudding recipe that made 2, so I needed to do it every 2 years, the spare was kept wrapped in the fridge and was amazing the next year.

I don’t think it’s snobby either - I cook most things from scratch (I don’t ever buy ready meals for example, I just don’t really like them) but I’m happy to buy “nice” sourdough bread, dips, etc. Try to not buy too much UPF though every now and then we buy a vegan meat substitute like burgers as a bit of a treat. I’d love it if someone gave me a loaf of their own bread or some homemade jam or cake!

But I would also be delighted with shop bought chocs or chutney etc - I’m able to cook so much because I’m a SAHM who home educates so I have the time (and I enjoy it), I fully understand it’s a privilege and not everyone has time (or inclination).

When shopping I often read the ingredients and put it back on the shelf when I conclude I can make it relatively easily with ingredients in the cupboard, all of which I recognise. I make “ordinary” bread but buy sourdough, I make cakes but buy frozen chocolate eclairs, make shortcrust but buy chilled puff pastry, make ice cream but buy yogurt, make fish cakes but buy fish fingers. I don’t agree that it’s snobby to fail to see any appeal in bought cakes!

Well ready meals taste horrible so they are right

Isn’t it also about feeling valued and perhaps loved? Tonight I’ll be making dd2 and dp spag Bol from scratch. Both say it’s better than shop bought and I get pleasure from making it.

Also the effect of highly processed food long term may not be felt for many years. I have always tried really hard to cook good proper food despite having a very limited budget many years ago . My DH has a large family who all IMO eat very little actual food as opposed to convenient meals and the contrast between him and his family is becoming more stark as we age. The interesting thing is they all seem to spend far more on their diet than we do! I think of food as medicine

Homemade food is nicer, I don't always cook scratch working full time with two teens who never stop eating but I would prefer to cook from scratch when I can. My 18yr daughter is actually going to stay with my parents tonight and already given my Mum her food requests 😂. She says she's looking forward to my Grandma's cooking and is hoping that there will be some breakfast cooked for her too unlike here where dinner always over runs.

I don’t think it’s snobby, they are foodies and enjoy cooking. I also prefer home made cakes etc and never buy a birthday cake from a shop. However, I love to cook so I don’t see it as a chore.

Ah, now I realise my PILs thought I was a food snob. That kind of makes sense now. MIL in particular just wasn't into food, and couldn't understand going to all that trouble and mess to make something people were only going to eat.
Nothing wrong with ready made stuff when you're short on time, energy or skill. Or even if it's just what you fancy. But it doesn't compare to dishes you make for yourself, which you can adapt precisely to your own taste.

If that’s their thing then why not. I don’t think think it’s snobby. However, it is healthier as no additives or preservatives, in a lot of cases probably tastes better e.g. homemade cake from even a mediocre baker is going to be nicer than a Tesco one and where it doesn’t taste better because I really doubt they do croissants as well a good bakery, it’ll still be saving them a lot of money. In the case of the veggie wellington I also think it’s really nice they’re going to as much effort for the veggie as the meat eaters. As long as they’re not rude if you serve a premade dip or whatever then I really don’t see the issue.

Mine and DH’s family are both like this tbh, maybe that’s why we work!
To be fair it’s not snobbery, we all just think homemade puddings taste better, do you not?! I wouldn’t eat a store cake unless I was in a situation where it was rude to decline, just because I don’t like the taste and to me it’s not worth the calories!

In my opinion there is a place for a veggie wellington from M&S, but at Christmas I enjoy making a bit more effort and spending a bit more time in the kitchen. I don’t think that makes me a snob.

I agree. Shop bought cakes are too sweet and cheap ingredients.
I actually do buy shop bought cakes for occassions as I am a crap baker. But will give everyone a slice to mark the occassion then chuck the rest.
As a pre packaged food buyer I still know I am buying an inferior product to a fresh made from scratch home cooked one.

Im with your inlaws on this one, homemade food is generally nicer and far healthier for you. I think it often depends what your parents did growing up, my mum made everything from scratch and now myself and my siblings do the same. I wouldn’t judge someone for using premade as it’s obviously quicker and lots of people are time poor but 90% of the time I would make homemade and if there were two options at someone’s house I would pick the homemade one

Also how on earth does choosing a recipe, cooking it and then serving it to guests become a sign of insecurity? Surely it’s the exact opposite?

Convenience foods have their place, but part of having guests is showing I value their presence by making the food. I pick up something quick and easy for myself all the time, but I just wouldn’t do that if I am hosting or bringing a contribution to a gathering.

Some people are into food and have the time and inclination to make everything from scratch. I do admire this as fresh cooked food is healthier and more nutritious.
I am not one for making everything from scratch due to time and also not being great or enjoying cooking as a hobby.
But I wouldn't think anything of people that do and I think once you get in the habbit of doing it all from scratch it becomes a lifestyle.
If they have the time, money and skills to do this then good for them and I would be very happy to eat at their house even if they didn't want to come to mine for a premade lasagne and shop bought cake!!

Yes I think foodie not snobby, as they don’t look down on people eating packaged/premade foods, they just have a clear preference for homemade and think even the small improvement in food quality is worth the effort.

It’s also worth noting that “good” frozen/jarred food is pretty new, and even then the taste is often inferior.

I do work full time and have three children. I also tend to cook from scratch. Cooking for my family is my love language (boak!).

Well I'd psychoanalyse the pair of you and think your opinion about your in laws comes from a place of your own insecurity. Of not making home made food and feeling like you may be judged.

I prefer home made food, I don't like ultra processed stuff. I wouldn't eat a Tesco cake out of choice. Like maybe to be polite I would. But it wouldn't be as nice.

Snobby? Very odd word to use. They just sound like people who are interested in food and enjoy cooking, and you aren’t and don’t. Both are fine.

Funny

You gotta get it from a deli, I'm pretty much a non cook and this is what I do and it passes muster. Often a free dish too..

I’ve actually come across the reverse of this - one ex-colleague who looked down on another for preferring to make an apple pie rather than buy one!

I would not eat cake from Tesco unless it was a social occasion where it’s extremely rude not to. It’s not being snobby, it’s just not wanting to eat a load of preservatives and too sweet icing.

I’m with your in laws here. It’s not snobbery it’s just appreciating decent food.