Do you do ‘girl dinner’?

[bumchic]

I mean just having snacky things instead of dinner if you find yourself not having partner/kids to feed.

I do it whenever possible - if it’s only me (and it doesn’t happen that much) I will have something like a few cornichons, slice of ham, chunk of cheese, few cherry tomatoes and a handful of nuts. All eaten standing up at the fridge/counter. No washing up. No prep time. Love it.

Was talking to a friend recently and she said if she ever has to only feed herself she will still do a proper dinner and sit down at the table to eat it. Can’t think of anything worse myself.

Maybe I’m just fed up of constantly feeding everyone.

Anyway today DH and DC have been out at an all day thing and have eaten on the way home and I’ve just had half a tub of olives, few slices of salami and a stack of Pringles and couldn’t be happier.

No, just because I'd eat half a cheese board

I let M and S do the cooking when I'm alone though, and do eat on the sofa watching something

When v tired I do like eggs or beans on toast though, and when zombified, porridge.

I’m single and live on my own so I try to stay away from girl dinner or else I would get rickets! I’m not a good cook but I make sure to have an actual tea in the evening.

I try to pre make my WFH lunches but if I haven’t then I quite often end up having a girl lunch, which is just grazing from the cupboards/fridge over about 3 hours.

Your last sentence is key to this - lots of people don't love cooking and a lot of mums/ wives are over doing something they don't love day in day out. So not doing that and enjoying a random selection of bits, dips etc is the treat or event.
I live by myself so it's not a break from the norm for me, but I definitely have 'girl dinner' days with some erratic meals of whatever takes my fancy from the fridge.

It's up there with picky tea

Yes, usually cheese and crackers, toast, toasties. Sometimes dig out something like popcorn chicken from the freezer and eat them with ketchup

I’ve been home alone tonight and have had a cheese toastie for dinner

Bet you are thirsty after all the salt.

Absolutely the same, I will graze rather than a big meal or just heat sth up. Xx

Such a ridiculous phrase isn’t it

Kiiiind of know what you mean. Adult DS has boomeranged back home, while DH is semi retired, and likes us to get out in the afternoons. When we get home I would love to just have a cheese scone or something, but because of the Men I feel it ought to be a proper meal. DS can cook pretty well, so I could easily delegate, and often do, but it's not really about the cooking so much as the thinking and the mess. And sometimes just being bothered to eat a proper balanced dinner when all I really want is something to stop me feeling hungry so I can flop in front of the telly.

‘Toddler dinner’ might catch on. Sometimes I eat toddler dinner when I’m solo (Rice Krispies, followed by a satsuma), other times I eat ‘Sophisticated Middle-Aged Foodie dinner’.

It's a tiktok thing, or Instagram. theres boy dinner too.

It just means what you eat when youre alone.

It can be as elaborate or simplistic as you like, but is usually an eclectic mix of foods on a plate. Sometimes it's just ramen or a fish finger sandwich though. I like an antipasti style one , with grapes and strawberries. Everything in bite size pieces so I can eat slowly while watching a show I've been looking forward to.

Mozzarella, rocket dressed in pesto, plum tomatoes, artichokes, salami, strawberries and grapes.

I couldn't snack from the fridge. I wouldnt know when to stop🤣

I do though, have a variety of batch cooked individial meals in my freezer. So if anyone in my family is home alone, they are encouraged to chuck one in the microwave.

I’m a recent empty nester, haven’t eaten a meal since the beginning of September, I’ve lost 10lb. So happy.

'Girl dinner'? 🤮 Wouldn't use that sexist phrase myself. Can your partner not feed himself?

Alone I tend to have a hot breakfast, big lunch around noon and that’s it for the day. Works for me.

I cook for myself on the very rare occasions that I’m alone, There are so many things I never eat because I have a family of fussies, and it’s a genuine pleasure to cook something beautiful for someone who appreciates it.

I’d eat in front of the tv though, watching whatever I want.

Fair play to her. She has continued to cook healthy and nutritious food that she likes for herself. She considers herself worthy of that and is happy to spend time and money on it.

Did you consider it “exhausting” for her when she was doing this for both her and your Dad, or is it only exhausting when it’s just for one?

But if The Men want 'a proper meal' then they can cook it themselves.

These threads always go the same way, women who are cooking to suit the perceived preferences of men who often don't reciprocate in terms of thought, effort and compromise with preferences.

'I'd just have soup but DH expects A Proper Meal with MEAT, potatoes and vegetables that he doesn't really want but eats because he thinks I will moan if he doesn't eat them'.

Have the soup, scones, picky bits or whatever you want, even if DH is there. Your preferences are not something to hide from him or only have when he's away.

The world doesn't stop turning and your DH will realise that the cooking fairy doesn't exist and if he wants a meal he needs to put in his share of effort.

In the main - and this is of course a stereotype but all stereotypes have some basis in reality - what I notice is that couples compromise on food

Men left to their own devices eat more stodgy and unhealthy food

Women eat more lightly and healthily left to their own devices

Couples eat something in between

It's not just women who compromise

I also don't actually think meat, veg, potatoes meals are particularly hard to cook anyway? I suppose it depends on how fancy you make them

Agree, not particularly hard and far from exhausting

I cook proper meals in the evening for DH and the DC obviously but if it was just me i wouldn't bother. I actually like picky bits (sorry for using that term!) more than I like a "proper" dinner. Also I'm trying to lose weight so something small often suits me better. Also it's a huge load of effort and mess....I'd rather have a clean kitchen and get to bed early if I'm home alone.

Genuine question. Why is any type of dinner gendered?!

Girl dinner? What?

I eat whatever I want to every day because I’m an adult. 🤷‍♀️ We share the cooking and if we want different things, we make more than one meal.

I think eating in male patterns is part of why lots of us gain weight.
When I first moved in with a bloke (back in the 80s so even more stereotypical sexist expectations prevalent) I was suddenly having to provide proper and substantial meals at regular times.
I ate the same and put on a lot of weight.
Before this I had always been a grazer.