To firmly believe this is a perectly acceptable meal?

[skincarejunkie]

In fact, I know I'm not. I'm just irritated. Today, at around 1pm, we sat down together for a lovely Sunday lunch; beef, mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, three vegetables and gravy. All homemade. The children had raisins afterwards. My mother has "raised an eyebrow", shall we say, about DS's (4&6) having beans on wholemeal toast for dinner. They aren't starving. It's a good meal and they like it. Why must I insist the poor sods eat another huge meal before bed because it's Sunday? AIBU to think she could perhaps bog right off?

Sounds fine to me.

Beans on toast is a perfect Sunday tea.

We usually have crumpets, so goodness knows what your MIL would think to that.

We never have a big dinner after Sunday lunch. It's usually cheese and crackers or toast. Sometimes we have nothing at all if we're all still full up.

Sounds perfectly acceptable to me. We rarely eat 3 meals on a Sunday as we have a late breakfast/early lunch then a big meal later.

We are looking forward to a supper of toast, cheese & fruit eaten in front of the tv tonight. Had big roast lunch with all the trimmings and pudding, why would you need another big meal?

I might chuck 'em a couple of Twixes. Damn them eternally to nutritional, "hotmeal" hell!

Some older people don't believe that there is 'real' protein in beans, or in tinned foods. It's hard to remember that when the first vegetarian restaurants opened in Britain they were regarded as REALLY out there and weird, and it was only about 50 years ago.

PS of course your meal is fine...

On weekends or school holidays, apart from breakfast, I do one main meal for my dc. Then they have sonething like sandwiches, something on toast, cheese and crackers, pitta and dips etc. It's perfectly fine.

Yanbu. I really want a cheesey bean toasty right now - best of both worlds!

When I was little my dad was away a lot and mum would do easy dinners of something on toast. We used to get upset when dad came home as wed have to sit through proper dinner. Even today egg on toast is my fave dinner.

Did she suggest what they should have eaten?

After a big roast, your meal is perfect. I would have served sandwiches and a bit of fruit as I don't like baked beans but no need to serve much. Even for adults.

She's a salad lover? Then your problem is just terminology rather than nutrition.

'Yes, Mum, the children are having a light salad of haricot beans in a jus of tomatoes, with huge rectangular wholemeal croutons.'

Vegetarian restaurants are older than that - they were quite popular in Edwardian times - at any rate in London and Dublin.
I definitely remember roast Sunday lunch and sandwiches and tinned fruit or a slice of cake for Sunday tea. However, one of my favourite meals is wholemeal toast and baked beans with grated cheese on top! Much nicer than sandwiches!

My guilty secret when there is nobody else at home is baked beans on toast. Perfect comfort food.

I've just polished off some beans on toast (with a fried egg on top) for my supper and I couldn't be happier

Here Sunday tea doesn't even contain anything heated. Fresh bread (today we have grand pain rustics from Waitrose), real butter, jam or marmite. If need for veg then watercress or celery are the only permitable veg but seeing as Sunday lunch has a minimum of 4 veg normally not that bother.
Followed by a homemade cake. Today's is Victoria sponge.
The only exception to this rule is crumpets which off course have to be heated.

Oh Lancelottie , I misread you as terminal. I'm choking with laughter! At my terminal problem!

Nowt wrong woith beans on toast.
It was a staple tea in our house growing up, not good beans either, no frills beans from Kwik Save...

What would your mother have served? After a big roast at lunch time we only ever have something light in the evening!!!!

She's weird.

If we are having a roast we usually have a later breakfast at about 10:30 ish and then eat at 3/4pm. No further meals (our roasts are massive, about 1300 cals a pop).

Is she suggesting two big meals in a day?!

We had home made tomato soup for lunch with cheesy garlic flatbread and dinner was a big meal - I wouldn't cook mountains for both, that's crackers!

My dd had beans on toast for lunch and then we had pork , veg, mash for dinner. I don't see the problem!