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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to make a roast when my daughter asked me not to?

507 replies

TURTLE74 · 30/08/2026 23:19

Adult daughter 22 is not a fan of roast dinners. She asked me if I could not do a roast dinner today and make something else which I agreed to. However I had a chicken in freezer that needed using up today but I did make a pasta bake which is something she likes as an alternative. I like to make a family dinner on a Sunday for us all. Daughter was disappointed about the roast but I explained to her I had to use chicken up but I did make something she liked as alternative. She said to me you told me you wouldn’t make a roast and she looked upset. She didn’t go hungry though as she had Cottage Pie after saying there’s nothing to eat. AIBU to of made the roast even though there was pasta dish as alternative or was she being unreasonable here as I feel bad about it.

OP posts:
godmum56 · 31/08/2026 11:01

F63C · 31/08/2026 10:58

<side eyes chicken dated 17 June 2025 in my freezer>

I buy turkey crowns in the after christmas sale and freeze it. Sometimes we eat it around easter, sometimes it stays there until the following christmas

BunnyLake · 31/08/2026 11:00

TURTLE74 · 30/08/2026 23:23

Because of the date

What was the date?

I think your dd was being quite the drama llama. Is she normally like this about fairly inane stuff? Or does she have food issues?

ScotiaLass · 31/08/2026 11:00

F63C · 31/08/2026 10:58

<side eyes chicken dated 17 June 2025 in my freezer>

As long as it has been consistently kept below - 18 degrees celcius since before its use by date it will be perfectly safe to eat. After a year you can expect the texture and taste may start to deteriorate, but as long as it's kept properly frozen it would be safe to eat for decades.

Susiehopefull · 31/08/2026 10:59

What a load of nonsense.
If a 22 year old wants something specific she can make it herself unless of course she was your guest for the meal, and lives elsewhere.

F63C · 31/08/2026 10:59

I grew up in a house where we had a choice. We could eat what Mum or Dad cooked or go without.

No-one ever questioned anything about the food.

Moonstonesareunlucky6 · 31/08/2026 10:59

NearlyNewNonny · 31/08/2026 10:52

This is insane. Why bother freezing it then?

Why is it insane? Don’t most people try and use things up that are in the freezer before they get too old and before buying lots of new stuff? I think up to three months is ideal but not much longer.

Pinkchickenwine · 31/08/2026 10:59

Nocommentisacomment · 31/08/2026 10:45

I assume you never have people over for food. It would require generosity, thoughtfulness, and actually caring about someone other than yourself. Enjoy your lonely dinner.
Some of us may be stupid enough to care about people, but clearly you’re far too superior for that.

And as you’re throwing around insults and digs, my children have been brought up to be respectful of people cooking for them! Yours may struggle and find it an issue, at their lonely dinner table no one wants to share because they don’t want to be dictated to what they can eat!

F63C · 31/08/2026 10:58

Vulturesoverhead · 30/08/2026 23:56

<side eyes chicken dated 17 June in my freezer>

<side eyes chicken dated 17 June 2025 in my freezer>

ScotiaLass · 31/08/2026 10:55

TURTLE74 · 30/08/2026 23:27

Cottage pie was from last night. I don’t like using chicken past it’s sell by date. She didn’t fancy the pasta bake.

Do you know that sell by and use by dates for fresh chicken are based on storage in a fridge and if you freeze them before those dates you can ignore those dates? A whole frozen chicken will last for up to a year in a freezer and smaller pieces like breast, wings leg will last up to nine months. If you're going to eat it by the sell by date regardless then you may as well keep it in the fridge. I think your daughter is old enough that if she wants something specific for dinner she could take over the cooking, but YABU to tell her you would not do a roast, but did one anyway.

Pinkchickenwine · 31/08/2026 10:53

Nocommentisacomment · 31/08/2026 10:45

I assume you never have people over for food. It would require generosity, thoughtfulness, and actually caring about someone other than yourself. Enjoy your lonely dinner.
Some of us may be stupid enough to care about people, but clearly you’re far too superior for that.

please explain why making a separate meal for bratty DD was not good enough? Was she offended by others eating a roast? Dud it cause her stress and anxiety because they had roast chicken? I mean come on! Poor little poppet doesn’t want a separate dinner for her? She wants all the family to bend to her requirements! She’s lucky she wasn’t told no, it’s roast today because I want to use the chicken!

Why would you let an entitled 22 year old tell you what to eat?

NearlyNewNonny · 31/08/2026 10:52

TURTLE74 · 30/08/2026 23:27

Cottage pie was from last night. I don’t like using chicken past it’s sell by date. She didn’t fancy the pasta bake.

This is insane. Why bother freezing it then?

PissTakePeg · 31/08/2026 10:51

I voted YABU because you agreed you wouldn't make a roast. Even if the chicken did need to be used, there are a lot more things you could have done with it than a roast dinner.

Pinkchickenwine · 31/08/2026 10:50

Nocommentisacomment · 31/08/2026 10:45

I assume you never have people over for food. It would require generosity, thoughtfulness, and actually caring about someone other than yourself. Enjoy your lonely dinner.
Some of us may be stupid enough to care about people, but clearly you’re far too superior for that.

I entertain endlessly, but only for decent people who don’t dictate to me what I cook and eat!

I mean if they’re coeliac and I choose to make a non gluten free meal for others and gluten free for them, I don’t expect them to tell me what I eat! if i eat a calorie laden desert and offer a low cal fruit option if they’re watching calories, I don’t expect them to ban me from eating my chocolate mousse!

I don’t expect you get invited many places, because you dictate not what you want to eat, but what everyone should eat as well! Are you always that bossy?

Snowstorm25 · 31/08/2026 10:46

This is bonkers.

Your dd is clearly old enough to make her own dinner and shouldn’t be ungrateful BUT you did say you wouldn’t make a roast. If that was me and I got to the table and realised there was a full roast and something different for me I’d probably be a bit upset too - but more because I’d feel guilty that you’d made two full meals, highlighted the fact that I’m a massive brat, and I’d then have to sit and eat something different feeling like shite. If you said you were still going to make a roast but would put something different in the oven for her, or she could make herself something else, would she have been ok with that? I’d say it’s the fact you said you wouldn’t - it looks like you lied about that (you must have always intended to do the roast anyway as you somehow defrosted it in time) and have made her feel guilty in a very visible way. We don’t know the conversation though - if she was a complete brat when asking you then she should feel guilty!

i don’t think either of you have covered yourselves in glory here tbh. Can’t help think though that if you’re making such a big deal out of one dinner, and clearly don’t understand the concept of freezing food or making something other than a roast with a chicken, I’m not surprised if your daughter isn’t the most mature 22 year old.

Nocommentisacomment · 31/08/2026 10:45

Pinkchickenwine · 31/08/2026 10:39

An agreement was broken🤣🤣🤣❤️

The bratty DD didn’t get a roast, she got pasta bake, which she still wasn’t happy with.

When people start dictating to me what I eat in my own home, hell will freeze over!

Fuck me, what next? Don’t do any washing today mum, don’t vacuum today!

I assume you never have people over for food. It would require generosity, thoughtfulness, and actually caring about someone other than yourself. Enjoy your lonely dinner.
Some of us may be stupid enough to care about people, but clearly you’re far too superior for that.

Kittyninja267 · 31/08/2026 10:43

Pinkchickenwine · 31/08/2026 10:39

An agreement was broken🤣🤣🤣❤️

The bratty DD didn’t get a roast, she got pasta bake, which she still wasn’t happy with.

When people start dictating to me what I eat in my own home, hell will freeze over!

Fuck me, what next? Don’t do any washing today mum, don’t vacuum today!

That's a complete overstretch.
Has nobody ever asked you what you like to eat?
I'm so thankful I have grown up in a family that alternated meals so we all got something we liked and none of us are brats or entitled.

Loulou4022 · 31/08/2026 10:43

Frozen or chilled chicken aside as that’s not really relevant (though confusing and interesting in spade loads) if the OP is making a roast she’s making a roast and shouldn’t be dictated to by others! I’m at mums 3 nights for tea and I eat what she’s making or I sort myself! I certainly don’t throw a strop and expect her to make me something else!!

Fizbosshoes · 31/08/2026 10:42

My DD is 20 and very fussy (she did request a roast dinner yday and I obliged)
We do sometimes eat food she doesnt like because we dont want to be restricted to the limited (and somewhat boring) meals she does like.
This doesnt mean I dont take her likes and dislikes into account, in fact when food shopping i probably have more requests from her than anyone else. But that now she is an adult there might be occassions where she doesnt like the meal being cooked and may have to make her own arrangements. Similarly my family like fish and chips, I dont. I would never prevent them having fish and chips, and would just make my own meal!
(And I dont think this is in any way un-loving, or unusual!)

Blanknotebook · 31/08/2026 10:41

She’s 22! She lives with you and you are doing the meal planning and cooking. She should be grateful. There are many young people who are hungry. You even made her an alternative meal. Stop letting her manipulate you. You sound like a wonderful loving mother and it’s not fair for her to treat you like this.

Pinkchickenwine · 31/08/2026 10:39

Kittyninja267 · 31/08/2026 10:33

Most sensible comment here. No idea what is entitled about requesting "not a roast" and how bratty it is to be disappointed and let down when an agreement was broken

An agreement was broken🤣🤣🤣❤️

The bratty DD didn’t get a roast, she got pasta bake, which she still wasn’t happy with.

When people start dictating to me what I eat in my own home, hell will freeze over!

Fuck me, what next? Don’t do any washing today mum, don’t vacuum today!

MargaretThursday · 31/08/2026 10:38

If you agreed to it, then I think you should have let her know that things have changed, just out of courtesy.
I'd do that if I was changing the meal after talking with dh, and he would for me.
So I'd say you weren't wrong for making a roast, but you were wrong for not letting her know that you'd looked at the date and were going to need to use the chicken.

One of my dc loves roast, one is indifferent, and one totally dislikes them. In fact if it's a roast, he'll normally just eat the veg.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 31/08/2026 10:37

diddl · 31/08/2026 10:31

So what did she think was going to be cooked if not a roast?

I think I'm in a minority in not liking pasta bake!

You aren't. I don't like pasta in any form either! But then I don't like cottage pie either and I'm a bit so-so about roasts. However, I am an adult and live alone and cook for myself so I never have to worry about the foods I don't like! (I will eat all of these things if someone else has invited me to dinner and puts them in front of me - I'm not a monster!)

Moonstonesareunlucky6 · 31/08/2026 10:34

Don’t feel guilty Op. Hope this doesn’t sound harsh but your dd is extremely lucky to have a home, food on the table, a mum who cooks for her, and a choice of three dishes. You are not her private chef, She needs to understand that. 💐

Kittyninja267 · 31/08/2026 10:33

Nocommentisacomment · 31/08/2026 10:00

I’m genuinely confused by this. You agreed not to do a roast, and then you did it anyway. And somehow the justification is that it was a frozen chicken that could have stayed in the freezer for another week? That makes absolutely no sense to me.

She’s 22, not 2. I genuinely find it bizarre that everyone seems to think that once someone is an adult, their wishes suddenly shouldn’t matter when it comes to something as basic as food. Obviously she doesn’t get to dictate everything the family does, but if she says she doesn’t want something and you’ve agreed not to make it, then why would you turn around and make it anyway?

I’m from an Eastern family, and in my experience we actually take into account what the adults in the family like to eat. My mum always made what I liked. Not because I was “entitled” or because she was somehow obliged to cater to my every demand, but because she was feeding her family and actually cared whether we enjoyed the food.

That’s what I don’t understand about this whole argument. What is the point of cooking for your family if you completely disregard what they like? It’s not some outrageous demand to want your own family to consider your preferences.
If you wanted a roast that badly, you could have simply said, “We’re having roast, so you’ll have to sort yourself out.” At least then she could have made her own choice.

I honestly don’t understand why people are so determined to turn this into a lesson about entitlement when the actual issue is that you said one thing and then did another, despite knowing she didn’t want it.

Most sensible comment here. No idea what is entitled about requesting "not a roast" and how bratty it is to be disappointed and let down when an agreement was broken

Grumpyoldcat · 31/08/2026 10:33

You know what most people will tell you. Tell her to make her own dinner!