My son's reaction to the phrase "picky bits".

[SquirrelsAreGo]

My son is having a weekend of birthday moments ahead of the day on Tuesday. He is turning 17, and we've been teasing him about how he needs to know the dark side of being an adult (for some context, he is ND, funny, and plays along beautifully, adding his own roasts about how his older brother not adulting properly). He really enjoys word play, and learning British phrases that haven't made it to Oz where we now live.

We were discussing what he wanted for lunch, making suggestions for picnic type foods. At the time I was grasping for the word "picnic" so said "if we were in the UK, some people would describe them as 'picky bits'. He looked me straight in the eye and said " Why? Why would you do that to me? Is this what comes with being an adult?? Gdammit!"

Fascinating that, even without me giving any idea of how I feel about the phrase, his reaction was the same as mine. I sat him down and explained that this is what we meant by having to get used to the adult world, and that I was sorry we had to ramp it up so hard, but we only had until Tuesday to get him educated.

And then I remembered the word picnic and the world tilted back onto its axis.

I don’t like ‘veggies’, particularly when vegetarians refer to themselves as ‘veggies’.

I’m thinking of boycotting both M&S and Waitrose for the use P.B’s (I can’t even bring myself to write it)

@Davros I came on to say this about M&S’s ‘national picky bits’ day on 27th June. It’s disgusting isn’t it? My sister is horrified that it falls on her birthday and wants to leave the country.

Wow I love that.

Loathe picky bits, although tbh I’ve never actually heard it said in real life. I’d just say buffet.

Perfect description.

It isn't gross as in rude. It possibly conjures up images of picking noses or scabs or something, but it isn't actually a rude term, just a bit off putting.

I call it tea, (if sandwiches and scones are involved and it is in the afternoon), or just describe what we are having - "oh I will just put out some cold meat and hummus and things for lunch". Or just "lunch". Nobody calls any other meal by a cutesy nickname. If you invite someone for dinner you just say "come for dinner", not " come for knife and forky bits". So for me it is just unnecessary to have the term at all.

All that said, people are free to use the term and many do so

A family after my own heart - we call it a cold collation too!

That has never sprung to my mind upon hearing that phrase 🤣it will now though.

Marks and Sparks, if you please. 😁

We call it (in an ironic fashion) a cold collation - particularly at Christmas 😁

I hate to break it to you, but the phrase is used in Oz. Not in advertising, but general use by nth generation Aussies who've never set foot in the UK. Australia is a big country 😉

Please tell us more of your hilarious family anecdotes.

My son asked me for “picky bits” for dinner last week. I was quite taken aback as I too hate the phrase and coming out of a big teenager it sounds all wrong wrong wrong

It’s not ‘gross’. It’s just rather twee and naff. It’s the sort of thing that someone who considers M&S prepared food to be the height of luxury would say.

I don’t

yuk

Don't fucking blame us! Its some fuckwit at M&S. Nevermind boycotting them for not providing single sex change rooms, im happy enough to never set foot in one whilst this infantilising bollocks is being foisted on us.
And we say "things on a plate"

😁

I had absolutely no problem with the expression 'picky bits' until I read this post.

Tbf I have only ever heard the phrase on MN. In my longish life, I have only ever heard ‘finger food’ (when dealing with caterers/hospitality venues), ‘picnic food’ when looking in a supermarket or ‘nibbles’ informally. Never heard a single human being say picky bits in real life.

Am beginning to think it’s an MN urban myth because it really does conjure toenail clippings and peeling sunburnt skin to me.

Gosh we all say picky bits here! Northern

We all seem to like saying it too!

Same

Apparently “bit” is a Scottish word for small bite

Also reminds me of a healthy version of “pick n mix”

@WarriorN That may be it for me then - DHs fam are from the midlands so perhaps too far south still. I’ve only ever lived in the SE.

i love the fact that DH complains of feeling a bit ‘nesh’ rather than cold, though, and gather that’s a more northern expression too.

That’s my point, though. You don’t have to have heard it before or have any context! It’s just as revolting first time you encounter it. I’ve only ever encountered it on Mn (not from the UK) and thought it was gross long before it started featuring on ‘expressions I hate’ threads alongside ‘hubster’ and gusset.