We've just got in from being away for half term, and DM has brought us a food parcel...

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

What would you put in a food parcel for 2 adults and 2 teens to tide them over til tomorrow? DM has always had a disordered relationship with food, but this is one of her "best" efforts! I appreciate the gesture - which she insisted upon - and I have enough experience of her "meals" * to have got milk, bread, ham and a few bits in on the way home. To which we can add her food parcel of:

1 bottle wine
6 pack individual Mr Kipling type apple pies
2 bags of marshmallows
1 box Christmas chocolate biscuits

Apparently we'll all be very tired (we are, very early get up for flight) and need the sugar. She genuinely thinks that this is the basis for a good, light evening meal. (And yes, she's type 2 diabetic!).

You don't sound sneery to me, just a bit bemused. It's not a 'tide you over' parcel in the slightest is it? It's just some random foodstuffs that you can shove in a cupboard whilst you go about the actual job of finding proper good for your family.

You don't have to be endlessly grateful for every small thing someone else insists on doing for you...

I’d love that!

Both my mum and MiL are feeders though, and love to cook and bake so I know I’m spoilt.

Aww, I think that’s nice what she sent. I’d appreciate that!

The op said she appreciated the gesture and had indeed done some more practical shopping.

Anyway... yeah, OP, while these items will no doubt be consumed at some point they're definitely not dinner and breakfast! Bread, milk, eggs and/or cheese and some salad and fruit would have been a bit more useful for the purpose I'd have thought.

She sounds like a great Mum!

As long as you always work on the basis that her "food parcel" is an 'add on', and remember that she isn't confident in her dietary choices, I reckon my household would demolish this with a wry smile.

I might be a bit miffed if I'd asked her to drop off a pint of milk and bread, though.

If this is new behaviour (though it sounds predictable for your MiL), it might be worth exploring further how she might be feeling.

Maybe she was reading the same Mumsnet thread that I was about the joys of dehydrated marshmallows!

OP,
That was a really thoughtful idea from your mum. I think in this instance it's really best to think of the sentiment, and not the actual reality of what she has given as its not really that useful.

It would be a shame for a lovely sentiment to not be appreciated because the delivery of that thought fell a little short.

I would love that, how thoughtful of her! It’s a bit mean to post making fun of her online.

You’ve just come home from I assume a lovely holiday, your mum leaves you food, albeit a strange grouping and you immediately post on mumsnet a nasty , sneary thread.

I think you are not a kind person. Why not just laugh at your mum’s quirkiness and remember she loves you?

That's really nice of her. Its a treat parcel not a meal.

You can always get a takeaway for dinner or you do what everyone else does. And go to the local shop

Hahah the marshmallows seem a very odd choice!
I would have gone for pizza, some salad bits and maybe popped in something easy for pudding as a treat! I do love that she has prioritised wine 😂

I think your both on different pages. Dm has bought you a welcome home treat and you think it's some kind of strange meal she's providing

She's being nice, OP. She didn't have to do this.

I'm not sneery, and I'm sorry if I sound like it. I'm just a bit bemused. I did Sat I was grateful.

She messaged me to say that she would pop over with food for us to have a meal tonight and for packed lunches tomorrow, so we didn't have to go out again. I told her not to worry about the packed lunch stuff, the dc can have school dinners tomorrow. She replied that she'd bring evening meal stuff.

I thought you were going to say celery sticks or something.

Do you not have a freezer? I would have stocked up on essentials before I went away. But then I’ve never had a kind relative leaving me a food parcel. Do you actually need a food parcel, anyway? Airports all have food shops to grab a few things on landing. If you can afford a hol you can afford to feed yourselves. Mum is just bringing a few treats.

Exactly!
Surprised you were the first to mention this, viques.
OP is definitely not on the same wavelength as her DM.

Have you looked in your fridge and freezer? Maybe there is something in there for the meal, this is just some extras.

A fresh loaf, eggs, bacon, Greek yoghurt, orange juice and some fruit? If I were popping useful breakfast items into my sister's fridge after a holiday, that is what I would hope to find.

What no prosecco, truffles and a baked ham and a whole potted crab! Where's the hand embroidered napkins and personal artisanal soaps?

I completely agree! I’d have ensured I had made arrangements for dinner if I knew I’d been travelling all day after an early start, so the goody bag from Mother would be a nice treat.
Nip to the chippy if you’re hungry!!!

@IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads Apparently we'll all be very tired (we are, very early get up for flight) and need the sugar. She genuinely thinks that this is the basis for a good, light evening meal. (And yes, she's type 2 diabetic!).

You know she doesn’t have a clue, so you bought the essentials so no harm done.

Are you worried about your mum or angry that she didn’t bring you milk?

If she's diabetic she's probably eating it vicariously by giving it to you. When you said she had an 'eating disorder' I though it was going to be a fruit or vegetable each or something.

Treats do not a disorder make.

My kind of meal!

Bless her! MIL always used to bring us a pint of milk, even though none of us drink it.