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Original poster

What do you call this type of meal?

463 replies

tectonicplates · 09/05/2020 10:34

I had never heard the term "picky tea" before joining MN.

I'm talking about the kind of meal where you have some slices of bread, a selection of vegetables and dips, cheese, and often some leftovers and things so it turns out a bit random. You put all the food in the middle of the table and everyone helps themselves.

What do you call this meal in your family?

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 09/05/2020 11:13

Buffet here (SE) .

Marmite27 · 09/05/2020 11:14

Yorkshire here and is never heard picky tea or even worse picky bits.

We only usually have it on Boxing Day, so then it’s Boxing Day tea. Leftovers I suppose any other day.

Lsquiggles · 09/05/2020 11:14

Snacky dinner Grin

Redwinestillfine · 09/05/2020 11:16

I'm northern and we call it picky tea

Appuskidu · 09/05/2020 11:16

Picky bits!

Rockbird · 09/05/2020 11:16

Picky tea if it's fridge stuff or freezer buffet if it's onion rings, sausage rolls etc.

choli · 09/05/2020 11:20

A cold collation.

Inextremis · 09/05/2020 11:20

Obviouspretzel that's exactly why I hate the term. I call it 'nibbly bits'.

CherryValance · 09/05/2020 11:21

My children call it ‘pick your own’ and get quite excited by it.

Charley50 · 09/05/2020 11:22

A kind of a meze.

boomchikawowwow · 09/05/2020 11:23

Buffet tea

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 09/05/2020 11:26

Picnicky lunch or tea. Because it tends to be the same food we would have on an outdoors picnic. If there are guests it would be a buffet tea.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 09/05/2020 11:26

Iffit. If it's there you can have it... Unless it's beige food, in which case it's freezer tapas

mamaoffourdc · 09/05/2020 11:28

Snacky dinner

woodlandwalker · 09/05/2020 11:29

Cold spread. When the kids were young I called it party food.

FreeButtonBee · 09/05/2020 11:29

It’s bits and bobs in my house.

bluechameleon · 09/05/2020 11:30

We used to call it "bits" but DS1 started calling it "the big plate where we all choose" when he was about 3 and that stuck and has developed into "the big plate". Even though it is usually more than one plate, often bowls, and sometimes doesn't involve a big plate at all.

Binterested · 09/05/2020 11:31

Love ‘Bohemian wraps for tea’. Stealing that.

We call it Bits and Bobs dinner.

Sodamncold · 09/05/2020 11:32

Deli plate

Erictheavocado · 09/05/2020 11:32

Picky bits here.

PrincessHoneysuckle · 09/05/2020 11:32

Buffet

1066vegan · 09/05/2020 11:33

I haven't heard the expression picky tea until really recently (and then only on Mumsnet). Buffet sounds a bit formal; I'd only use that for a wedding or party at a venue. I think we just say lunch or dinner, depending on the time of day.

Concestor · 09/05/2020 11:33

We only do that at Christmas and call it a buffet. I do sometimes do it directly onto plates for the kids and then it's a peasant's platter (a play on ploughman's lunch). I'd never do it as a normal meal for adults outside of Christmas though.

GreenGordon · 09/05/2020 11:33

Picky tea, and I’m in Scotland

delilahbucket · 09/05/2020 11:35

A picky tea. I think it's a northern thing.