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.

He sounds really funny.

But unless he’s a middle aged woman I doubt he’ll need to worry about hearing it or saying it very often.

It irritates me. I’m with him 100%.

I’ve always said ‘snacky bits’ but picky bits kinda works as a ‘say what you see’ description. It doesn’t revolt me like other people. I don’t know what the big deal is tbh. 🤷🏻‍♀️

He’s a good lad, OP. Picky bits are scalps flakes, bogies, scabs and anything else a fingernail can remove from a human body 🤢

I’m completely unsurprised that those dirty bastards at M&S have decided to run with this. They are the home of ‘Santa’s Yumnuts’, ‘putting the D in bread’, the infamous Valentine’s ‘love sausage’ and the ‘tickle my pickle’ bar.

The meal formally known as picky bits?

Picky bits as a term gives me revolting mental images. But what on earth is a weekend of birthday moments?

Urgh. I also hate the term dippy egg; it’s not dippy egg — it’s egg and soldiers…

Where does that fall in the MN hirarchy of hated things in comparison to grazing tables, which might look nice, but will lead to complaints about who's touched the food, food that's touched other types of food, how it's no good for anyone with dietary requirements and how it will quickly descend into a dog's breakfast once people start taking things from the table?

The hatred of picky bits feels a bit like MN bandwagon jumping to me. One person said they hated it and now it's the done thing. All the cool kids hate picky bits 🤣 It also seems a bit class-ist. No one in my northern town would refer to a cold collection or meze if they're eating cocktail sausages and coleslaw!

I'm nearly 49 and grew up with the term picky tea. I never once thought of scabs, or bits of food blocking a drain.

And crows from up your nose. That's why I hate it. Marks and Spencer actively promote it.

Hard Agree. It's just a way for people.to think they're better than other people. It's so fucking boring and cringe. Also, why in the ever loving fuck would you be describing ear wax or dandruff as a 'picky bit' to anyone?

Fabulous 😂

Conversely, why would you be describe food at ‘bits’ to ‘pick’ at?

It’s a horrid phrase. I would says picnic-style or buffet-style tea. Picky bits sounds like picking scabs or toenails…it’s grotty.

If it isn't bad enough that M&S had a window display using the term, Sainsbury's now have a huge banner outside their store with it on too.

The phrase makes me feel sick,I can't even say it or write it. There is an even worse version (for me) P Tea.

I’m in my fifties and I’ve never heard anyone use this phrase in real life. Only on mumsnet.

My son has a LD and he described it as a 'choosing tea', so that's what we've always called it - 20+ years later and it's endured far more than some marketing crap!

In all my decades I'd never heard the term 'picky bits' ever in my life.

A few mixed items of food already in the fridge would have been called 'leftovers'

Food bought especially for a snack/meal of many choices would have been called a buffet.

When I was growing up in Sheffield, ‘nesh’ meant cowardly or to be frightened of something.

Picky bits is a vile phrase (along with holibobs, dippy egg and pinky for little finger.) I’ve always called it ‘bread and cheese and things’.

Hate the phrase . But could be worse as my friend calls it bits and pieces . I call it choose whatever you want , I am not cooking .

I grew up with the phrases picky bits or a picky tea.

It either meant a random selection of food using up all the left overs or a budget buffet for a birthday or other celebration.

I find it quite amusing that a phrase I associate with being on a low income is now being paraded about by M&S and Sainsburys as some kind of luxury meal.

But he's okay with the term birthday moments? That's giving me the ick too.

Not Markies, not Marksies, not Markses.
It’s either Marks and Spencers, Marks and Sparks or M and S.

It is never picky bits or picky tea.

DD is 23 and says “picky bits” but I’m not sure if it’s just because she thinks it’s funny, we have a lot of vocabulary under that umbrella. We did not have the equivalent when I was growing up, my mum cooked proper meals from scratch dontcha know. I don’t remember having cold food or salad ever. She didn’t work or do much other housework or domestic duties though 😆