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!).

Too many treats absolutely make disorders.

I’d be annoyed OP

then again, I wouldn’t ask someone with history of disordered eating to do this

what is really weird is that you asked her to do that

The OP has made it clear her DM has form for this type of thing, so nipped to the shop on their way home. She’s just come on here to make fun of her DM.

Yes because I'd be like "what's the point?" Either buy what I need or don't bother!

I mean it's not the best but she obviously did a thoughtful thing I'd crack open the wine and order a takeaway the biscuits can go.in the cupboard for another day.

I occasionally get my dds a loaf and milk if they are away but they normally sort themselves out.

My mum always drops off a loaf and some milk which I’m always grateful for. If I was given your parcel I’d think it was lovely.
She’s very thoughtful, I hope you graciously thanked her.

I think that the food parcel is a lovely, sweet gesture and you are being unkind, inviting others to mock her food choices.

Wow I'd love that if my mum did this. Surely you'd have something in freezer anyway for when you get back?

Sounds lovely, better than a pack of ham

Why are you bitching about your Mum’s disordered eating online? Horrible.

We don't really have anyone to do this for us so before we go away we check we have milk (longlife) and if the datestamps are possible we get some eggs and something like quiche, pizza, chicken, fish, yoghurts to leave in the fridge. We always have rice, pasta, and tinned fish plus jars of veg. so all that's missing really is bread. (No freezer.)

Your mum sounds sweet, OP.

I would love that (especially the wine). It’s really sweet of her to think of you.

🤣🤣

I'm surprised you have nothing in the freezer or cupboard, that is more odd.

This is why I plan to travel away my retirement and not be heartbroken if my DC become ungrateful grabbers when they’re adults. Be honest OP, you would have found fault with whatever she had chosen to put in the hamper.

Aww she sounds so lovely and thoughtful!!

You’re so lucky to have such a caring MIL.

I think the box sounds great apart from no milk.
The milk would be the first thing on my list.

I would love to have a mum that would have this ready for me when I got back from holiday. Our usual routine is to stop at a little tesco and grab milk/bread and then probably a chippy, or on our last holiday to Greece we stopped for a kebab on the way home. I agree - it’s a bizarre choice if she said it’s to make sure you didn’t need to stop for a shop, but id have stopped at the little tesco anyway just to make sure

It’s kind of her. Stop being snobby and ungrateful

Wow. That is such a generous gesture. No one has ever done anything like that for me, and I wouldn't expect them to. What a lovely MIL.

Yanbu and I agree with the pp that we shouldn't have to be grateful for useless "favours" that people insist on doing for us, that don't save us any time or labour. If you had to pop to the shop anyway, you can get your own apple pies and wine. (Unless it's home made apple pie, which is labour intensive).

And yes, eating only desserts for an evening meal is most definitely disordered eating.

My mum would also offer to get me a food parcel but would text me a dozen times in the shop with picture messages "do you prefer this brand of soup or that one?" So it would require so much communication I might as well have done it myself... I do acknowledge that is ungrateful of me though!

:O is she an angel sent from heaven?!

I'm with you OP, that's a ridiculous evening meal. It's not a nice gesture to promise someone a favour and then not do the favour.

My MIL on the other hand would just say "I'm buying food in for you" and we'd get back to a whole kitchen full of several days' worth of practical meals that we all like, plus homemade bakewell tarts and local beers for my dh and other treats. She's fab... I think some people are just more domestically competent than others.

If I were buying someone else a food parcel it'd be practical meals but only specific stuff I myself like, so I guess not that different from your dm in a way!

It Is just some cake and wine calm down! .