Friends promised a BBQ and delivered an Iceland beige buffet!

Exactly this. How inflexible and rude to have that attitude when people have invited you into their home.

That's unbelievable, isn't it? So rude.

This happens to me recently.
Was invited to an afternoon with the kids and adults. I brought £30 worth of booze (just mentioning it as I didn't go empty handed) and was served olives and feta from m&s, crisps in various flavors by the host, and bread and cake my husband brought (we came separately, he also didn't want to come empty handed).
I had severe indigestion the whole night even though I barely ate.

You jumped the shark with that comment, OP - 7/10 for effort, though 😂

Many years ago (about 30 years in fact) we invited 4 o4 5 friends around for a Saturday night BBQ and drinks. It was a stinking hot day here in Sydney (around 40 degrees) so we were planning on eating around 8pm (dusk). An unforecast thunderstorm rolled in - no worries, we'll just wait for it to pass. It didn't pass - no worries I'll just cook on the stove and in the oven. A huge bolt of lightning and thunder clap and out went the power. It was absolutely pissing down outside so what to do, the local restaurants were close to closing and the only takeaway open late was KFC. So KFC by candlelight it was. I was so upset, but our friends gave me a hug, told me to cheer up and they got on with enjoying themselves.

Oh no! Not UPFs! Yawn.

I try not to eat UPFs day to day, but I’m not opposed to a beige buffet every once in a while.

Slagging off Iceland food as unhealthy but BBQ food is not great for you either. So you got some quiche and mini sausages instead of cremated sausages. I can’t believe how rude some people are. If someone invites me over for food, i’m grateful for whatever they serve. I’ve been to plenty of friends houses (especially over festive season) where they’ve served an iceland style spread. Can’t imagine coming away annoyed that they cooked something different to what was planned and starting a post online complaining about it. Entitled much? Have a serious word with yourself.

Canadian here. 👋
It's a put-down and turning up one's nose at frozen appies and finger-foods, for example. Things that are typically deep-fried and frozen.

I'm in Vancouver, CAN. I buy their rotisserie chicken, tempura prawn taco kit, chicken pie and quinoa salad regularly.

Don't invite OP. Not everyone is ungrateful.

You would tell somebody who was hosting you as a guest, in their home, that you weren't going to eat the food they had purchased and served for you and that you don't consider that they had made an effort? Would you?

Costco wraps are to die for. Quiche and cheesecake to go with. My DD is in charge of her work buffets, Christmas/Easter etc, they always vote for Costco.

You said it...

I’m not a fan of frozen party food either, especially Iceland’s. YANBU to be disappointed after looking forward to bbq’d meats and salads on your way there!

Because people disagree with you?

If you are friends with someone, you give them the benefit of the doubt and enjoy their friendship even if the food isn’t to your taste.

As a pp said, for all you know, they may have had a private reason why the food you expected wasn’t forthcoming. They could have received bad news or had family issues they can’t discuss. Friendship means assuming the best of people doesn’t it?

Even if the beige Iceland food is something they like, and you don’t, it’s still really bad manners to make such a fuss. Hosting costs a lot of money nowadays. Their friendship should be worth a lot more than what they serve. And one unhealthy meal isn’t going to kill you if you eat well the rest of the time.

This situation has happened to us. Hate Iceland food ( get indigestion) so we just didn't eat any of it. Kids fed well before we left home. Just had drinks there and made excuses we still weren't hungry due to eating late breakfast. Then departed earlier than the norm, listening to the oh there is so much food left type comments. Stopped on way home at pub and got supper. Great day out! I still think of them eating it all up for days on end. Grim.

@montysmaw
Thanks! I can rest easy at night knowing that I don't come online and make mean-spirited comments about my friends that were just trying their best for me 👌

Oh dear. We’ve invited people over next weekend for a bbq but if it rains it’ll be beige food, mainly from Costco. But then my friends aren’t nasty bitches so won’t care.

With the exception of allergies, I will gratefully eat anything that someone else has been kind enough to prepare for me.

I also like their ethos as a company.

Me too.

If you’re so aggrieved by their pitiful standards, why not invite them over for a BBQ and show them how it should be done.

wtaf, this has to be a wind up, ’the far east’?! Where the hell even is that ? Newcastle?

and ‘slender’ ? Who are you, Enid blyton? Margo Leadbetter?

Could you not have eaten instead what you brought? Like your contribution? What did you bring?

Yes, because BBQ food is famously pure and unprocessed. Nothing says clean eating quite like sausages, hot dogs, factory-made burgers, plastic cheese, bottled sauces and white rolls. Practically straight from the soil.

Ahah nawww mumsnetters having to eat Iceland food?? You’re not better than finders crispy pancake. I genuinely promise you’re not.