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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want cheap, nasty, Iceland type party food

98 replies

DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 05/04/2012 09:28

At my Son's Christening meal?

Yes I probably am being very unreasonable, but Dammit! I am putting a lot of effort into making a nice meal for the family for after DS's christening. Nothing fancy, but decent quality food - Naice Ham, decent beef, salads, posh bread (as opposed to sliced white Wink) etc.

I am already getting a particular brand of beer for one member of the family, another has already mentioned they are quite partial to another brand.

Now, a request has been made for sausage rolls, mini sausages and drumsticks - just the cheapy ones, they won't eat the posh ones.

No one has any 'dietry' requirements, this is all just being fussy. Then someone asked what the kids were going to eat, as most kids aren't like my kids (WTAF? Most kids will eat a ham sandwhich) The only addition I have made for the kids is some Pom Bears (of course) and some fairy cakes.

Am I really being unreasonable?

AAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH

OP posts:
Pandemoniaa · 05/04/2012 12:46

Politely learning to cope with other people's food is actually an essential part of growing up.

I remember the awfulness of some of my former SIL's offerings in the days before she had children - she was an unfortunately "creative" cook who seemed to specialise in finding very peculiar recipes which anyone could have told her would be hit or miss. I remember the Christmas Eve dinner which started with a cold grey soup with (cold) fat globules floating in a sea of undercooked bacon bits. My dcs, then aged 4 and 5 looked at it with quivering bottom lips. But in fairness, they did manage a mouthful and then filled up on bread.

We learnt to feed the dcs before we went to eat at SIL's house. Because despite dreading the idea of what we might be offered, it would have been the height of rudeness to put a special order in.

Dietary requirements and allergies apart, children need to accept that when you eat at other people's houses you might get food that is different from home.

TheNightIsDarkAndFullOfTerrors · 05/04/2012 12:55

Iceland party platters are grim, it has to be said. Especially the crap they roll out at Christmas. We usually visit my parents' house at noon to exchange presents and this awaits us.

All breaded, battered samey-tasting shite. The day-glo orange sweet chilli dip does nothing to elevate it.

lesley33 · 05/04/2012 12:56

Agree pandemoniaa. Kids treated like the OP's SIL DCS will turninto right PITA as adults at social occasions involving food.

Original poster
DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 05/04/2012 12:57

I don't think I made it very clear, the request wasn't on behalf of the children, but of adults (well, one in particular) but it was suggested that at least the kids would eat that. Out of the children coming only one might have a problem, but his mother would bring something else for him.

It is probably my fault, there was a similar situation at our wedding. But I genuinely thought that I had it covered. Oh well, you live, you learn.

OP posts:
Methe · 05/04/2012 12:58

I'm a food snob but it ain't a buffet without sausage rolls and chicken drumsticks!

TheNightIsDarkAndFullOfTerrors · 05/04/2012 12:59

Pande, I quite agree. I am the fussiest bugger ever and DS, who is autistic with food issues as well, is the same. We take food for him and I eat later. I very rarely find enough to eat if the ILs are catering or at a family event but wouldn't dream of making demands!

doctordwt · 05/04/2012 13:00

A breezy 'Oh there'll be plenty of everything and I don't mind at all if you want to bring anything you particularly enjoy' should suffice!

startail · 05/04/2012 13:04

Please just do some nice food and some cheap rubbish.
Those of us with impossible to feed children still need a social life.
So do the older siblings of said impossible DDs

Original poster
DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 05/04/2012 13:04

Excellent reply doctor!

Will store that for future :o

OP posts:
Original poster
DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 05/04/2012 13:06

Oh, and just wanted to add, much as I would love help with it all, I want to provide a nice meal for my family, it is a day out for them after all.

OP posts:
Original poster
DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 05/04/2012 13:07

Has no one realised that the demand wasn't initially for children but for an adult? The children were only brought into it (imo) to back up the demand.

OP posts:
BusinessTrills · 05/04/2012 13:10

Yes, the children was just them drip-feeding "Oh but actually you need to get what I want because...".

Original poster
DedalusDigglesPocketWatch · 05/04/2012 13:12

Exactly!

OP posts:
mumtomoley · 05/04/2012 13:20

Haha I was exactly the same about the food after my DS's christening.. I did NOT want a table of orange food all in breadcrumbs so I scratched cooked everything while everyone looked at me like I was bonkers making extra work for myself (partly true). Especially as out of a group of 12 guests, 2 didn't eat meat, 1 only ate white bread and ham sandwiches, 2 were on a no-carb diet, 2 would eat no vegetation at all - it was basically quite difficult to please everyone when half the guests would only eat one type of thing and the other half would only eat the opposite!

Still, they all liked the cake!

ChaoticAngel · 05/04/2012 13:33

YANBU very rude to start putting in orders for what you want.

TheNightIsDarkAndFullOfTerrors · 05/04/2012 13:33

"2 were on a no-carb diet, 2 would eat no vegetation at all"

Shock

Leave the bread, potatoes and pasta alone in that case and eat the meat, FFS.

Both of you!

Scholes34 · 05/04/2012 13:43

Can't go wrong with a bit of nice meat, salad and bread, with something for veggies. If your guests won't eat it, that will just means lots of yummy leftovers for you.

There's nothing particularly tasty about the party food suggested- it's all just bland and orange and you eat it just for something to do. Total waste of calories.

YA certainly NBU.

muminthecity · 05/04/2012 14:29

YANBU, how rude! We were at a friend's party at the weekend, the buffet consisted of salad, potato salad, coleslaw, posh cheeses with grapes, sliced chicken and gorgeous stuffing, posh breads and nice ham. Twas delicious and as far as I could tell, the children all ate it happily. My DD wouldn't touch the salads or cheese but she was quite happy to fill up on bread, ham and stuffing followed by birthday cake.

Pandemoniaa · 05/04/2012 14:53

It's actually doubly rude to do the passive "will nobody think of the children? trick.

AKMD · 05/04/2012 15:08

I love nasty party food Blush

YANBU, stop being a doormat and tell people they'll have what they're given.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 05/04/2012 15:09

I do think it is rude to start demanding certain foods, unless there is a food allergy, but I also do like sausage rolls/cocktail sausages, and chicken drumsticks. And as others have said, you can get them from somewhere other than iceland (do M&S do a frozen party range?), and in my experience, these are some of the most popular items on a buffet table.

But then I'd also enjoy the crusty bread, salads and nice ham too.

Sassybeast · 05/04/2012 15:36

I think it's incredinby odd that people feel the need to make sure that the food you are serving is suitable - do you have form for providing posh, inedible stuff that everyone is to polite to decline ? Grin

Nowt wrong with a party platter from Iceland - although a draw the line at those frozen lumps of meat that you can put straight in the freezer...

Enjoy the christening Smile

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 05/04/2012 15:36

Do you mean the frozen lumps of meat that you put straight in the oven, Sassy?

Sassybeast · 05/04/2012 15:37

That'll be in the OVEN obviously.....

Sassybeast · 05/04/2012 15:38

Although one could argue that back in the freezer might be best....