To give visiting child hotdogs for tea?

[EssieTregowan]

With baked beans, so that counts as healthy, right?

Just an idle ponder really as I know this particular 4yo's mum doesn't mind at all. But when ds2 starts widening his friendship group are the other mums going to judge if the fare on offer is quick stuff like pasta pesto, or nuggets, or plastic sausages?

Tuesdays are really the only day we can have his friends round, but it's also the day the shopping comes and it doesn't come until 4.30 so dinner is very often the quickest option .

Would you judge? Or would it not even cross your mind?

I'd also be judgy. We've not eaten them before at home, but I do tend to cook everything myself. For fussier children visiting I usually do pizza with all the trimmings. I'd rather they were given jam on toast than the hotdogs which are incredibly processed.

I'd only mind because my three year old hates them. She likes real sausages in hotdogs, but gagged at a party when she was given a frankfurter.

If I ate dinner at somebody's house as a kid I politely ate whatever was given to me- but then I wasn't a fussy eater at all- only disliked olives and cauliflower. (and I wouldn't have eaten hummus either!!)

Sadly can't have the herta frankfurters now, they have lactose in them :(

I can't think of any child I know who would eat cucumber...hummus maybe but not cucumber! Serve hotdogs, I'd be happy if my kids came home fed.

NavyandWhite - no, I switched to vegan 2 years ago and they were already enamoured of meat and cheese (as is their dad). We cook a lot of vegan meals and DH adds meat/cheese as wanted, but he and they will quite often go through the day not eating any animal products and not really noticing.

I am hopeful that DS1 will one day eschew meat but DS2 has already openly stated his belief that only the bad animals get killed and cutted up so in his mind meat-eating is justice for naughty animals. He likes justice so

I will add my voice to the pps with older children.
Just you wait - it's easy to control the diet of primary children, and I do raise an eyebrow at the smugness of mums who honestly believe their children would turn their nose up at processed food.
Some serious control issues going on on this thread - I wonder if the parents making such judgements have an exemplary diet themselves, or never have a glass of wine, which would do you as much harm as one hotdog sausage.
We must all live very privileged and carefree lives if we have nothing more to get worked up about than a playdate tea.

I think its so sad (as in sad-face and sad-daft) that people would judge another parent who has gone out of their way to provide a fun evening for their kids just because they dared to serve something that didn't come up to 'standard'.

There could be a number of reasons why the parent can't do anything more than a hotdog and beans. I'd always ask the kid first and if they didn't like it I'd offer something else but if the kid said yes and enjoyed it I simply can't fathom what there is to be judged on.

I'm wondering now if I should attach a menu choice along with the next play date invite (not that there are many - I dont get home until 6pm and I imagine hotdogs and beans would be my first choice as something quick and easy and filling)

Yes that is fine, its just one meal, it won't hurt them, your not running a restaurant.

I wouldn't mind. I'd just be thankful that you had looked after and fed my child. I'm not really getting the pearl clutching over a one off hotdog on a play date. So what if it's not what you would normally offer?

My 4yo won't eat a hotdog but would eat a normal sausage in a roll. I wouldn't be bothered if she was offered a hotdog at a friends house, but I know she wouldn't want it.

Haven't read the full thread but why is pesto pasta considered as unhealthy as a hotdog? DD has pesto pasta with tomato stirred through, bit of cheese on top. I don't think it's that unhealthy at all!

I read yesterday that some infant schools near me have hotdogs, chips, jacket potato with spaghetti hoops and baked bean lasagne on their weekly menu, shipped in by a large catering company. I wouldn't class that as healthy eating and DD will he having a packed lunch if she ends up at any of those schools.

I usually check whether the child will eat what I'm planning if they haven't been before. We do pizza with add-your-own-toppings and salad or spaghetti and meatballs with tomato sauce or sausage and mash for visiting kids. All quick and easy and most kids eat them.

how on earth is a jam sandwich any better than a hotdog? Sugar is the work of the devil you know.......

Give them hotdogs OP, it looks like it's a good way to sift through the parents to find out who's nice and normal for future meetups.

I am chortling at the hot dog hate!
The meat that goes into hot dogs isn't any worse than the meat that goes into sausages or nuggets, with the cheaper ones having more connective tissue and the more expensive having more (poor quality) muscle meat.
As pp said: good quality hot dogs usually have a higher proportion of meat than British style sausages!

Cathf you are spot on!

FWIW I gave my babies pureed home made baby food (Annabel Karmel of course), BLW and all of the rest but would always be relaxed in this situation.

If what your child is being fed on a play date (one processed meal) offends you so much then go ahead and keep your child at home wrapped up in that nice bubble. I envy your straightforward lives where this is such a concern.

OP go ahead and feed the hotdogs and don't bother yourself about what anyone else thinks.

If you're doing me the favour of taking my child off my hands for a few hours you can feed them what you like

Sausage and mash is quick and easy? Au contraire......

10 mins to peel and cut potatoes and remove green bits/eyes
5 mins to stop blood flow to cut finger
10 - 15 mins for potatoes to cook
5 mins to mash, 5 more mins as its lumpy af
15 -20 mins to grill sausages (obv can be done while stemming blood flow/cleaning cooker hob of overboiled starchy water because you forgot it was on because you were washing clothing in between/sorting out uniform for next day/generally cleaning)
20 mins to wash everything up and tidy kitchen

Meatballs and Tomato Sauce
15 mins to make organic mince into balls
15 mins to make sauce from scratch
30 mins to oven cook
20 mins to wash everything up and tidy kitchen

Hot dogs
Pan, tin open, hot dogs in, cook for 5 mins, slice buns, serve, wash one pan, give plates dog to lick clean

Gosh I can't imagine why someone would choose to serve hot dogs.......

I'd assume that hot dog meant sausage in a bread roll and I'd be envious (sitting here wondering whether to have hot dog or jam sarnie). I've never had a 'plastic sausage' type one (very deprived childhood!) so I couldn't comment on the taste but it wouldn't bother me if that's what you'd fed my offspring. I'd consider hot dogs, fish fingers chips & beans (one of my fave meals), sausage and mash, pizza, beans on toast etc. all perfectly good meals. I'd raise my eyebrows at hummus, trout or olives but each to their own. It's one less meal for me to do - result!

Yes they are full of shit but my kids would love you forever. Especiially if they came with square cheese, onions, gherkins and all the ketchup under the sun. You would be a legend.

My general rule is I would ask the parent if it's ok for the child to eat at our place (some kids have intolerances and it may not be safe for them to do so. Also dietary. My 2 have vegan, veggie, Muslim and Hindu friends) Then I would say ''I am thinking of serving x or y'. If the recipient is that sniffy they will suggest something else or make an excuse why they can't be fed at your place.

I wouldn't mind fast food such as fish fingers, beans on toast, cheese on toast, ham sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, baked potatoes, pasta pesto or pizza at all - but hotdogs really are yuck. I wouldn't say anything about it but I would definitely be thinking it. My dcs love hotdogs but they are a very rare "treat" (using the word lightly) and I would never give them to a visiting friend. They are dog food compared to pasta pesto or baked potatoes which are equally easy to make.

I'd just be thankful that my kid has actually been invited anywhere 😂

I'm a brownie leader who lets the kids barbecue bockwurst hot dogs and burgers at camp because they are quick to cook and hard to mess up. Never, in all the years we have been barbecuing hotdogs, has any parent complained about them.
Mind you, I've never had a complaint about the tiny pancakes swimming in a vat of syrup that the girls cook themselves either, which is odd because we do have some very precious parents.
OP: enjoy your hot dogs

I cook everything from scratch and basics. Loadsa veg, arty farty stuff like quinoa, bulgar wheat, giant cous cous etc you get the picture. I love a cheap and nasty hotdog in bun, oodles of fried sweet onions and lashing of sauce. As do the rest of the family. Wouldn't bother me or DH if you served my kids a few and no way would I judge.

I don't mind what my kids eat at other people's houses. MIL feeds mine shitty hotdogs on purpose because she knows I won't cook them.

I have thought certain foods seemed a bit odd when my kids have told me what they have eaten for tea but I'd never say anything. Pizza, hotdog or jacket potato with beans or tuna seem most popular.
DS1's best friend is eternally grateful to me for introducing him to lasagne, he made me a birthday card with a lasagne on it

My playdate standard is fish fingers and chips - our regular visitors know this is what they'll get and they CLAMOUR for it! Shake all items into a dish and cook for 20-25 min. Serve. Simples