AIBU - Egg or beans on toast + veg is sometimes okay for dinner

[Eltonjohnssyrup]

I'm having an argument with DH. We are really skint at the moment and a couple of times recently I have given the children (and me) beans & sausages from a tin on toast or scrambled egg on toast with a side of green beans or brocolli. They have fruit and yogurt to follow. This is normally at the end of the week before payday. And the children like it.

He's really against this and says it's not a proper dinner and doesn't like me doing it. He won't eat it himself and always makes himself something different, which is fine as he does a very physical job, but for me and the children I think it's okay occasionally. AIBU?

Beans on toast on its own I wouldn't think was a proper dinner really (though it's OK if they've had a school dinner).

But beans or egg on toast with a side of veg, followed by fruit and yoghurt is absolutely fine! All the food groups there, and a hot meal.

I'd tell DH to cook dinner if he doesn't like it.

That's our usual sunday dinner in my house. We tend to have a roast at lunchtime and then beans/egg/spaghetti/cheese on toast or a sandwich.

Eggs are wonderfood

My bargain for eggs is 2 quid for 15 freerange mixed size in Sains - you have to watch its not 12 tiddlers but hunt a few boxes and you find some good mediums and even larger sometimes - its cheaper as they don't have to sort them

There is nothing wrong with a light tea for kids - they really do not need as much as an adult. I would do a slow cooker stew for hubby with potaotes in it then you just need to add the gree veg for him - this can then be frozen in portions for Friday teas. Pearl barley and lentils can bulk this for him and adds protein so not as much meat needed for him. Pork is cheapest meat at the mo

We do this but without the veg! I think beans on their own are a portion of veg, my kids wouldn’t eat more than that. Of course, like anything, you wouldn’t eat it every night of the week but we usually have one night like that- usually eggs, potato waffles, mushrooms and beans ... nowt wrong with that!

Beans on toast is fine, we often have poached eggs on toast as q quick evening meal if were both busy.
My is the added broccoli on the side! Beans and toast with Veg??

If there are alternatives there (you say he cooks himself something different?) then you're not really struggling are you?

It's a perfectly fine tea though.

I’d be interested in what it is he is eating?

For me it depends what else is eaten in the day/week. If our girl has school dinners all week, she absolutely does not need a big meal every night. But if she has had a packed lunch, beans on toast isn’t a great evening meal. It’s all about the 80/20 rule.

Definitely BU for adding adding broccoli 😂

I found a thing online a few weeks ago that shows you how to make boiled eggs in the microwave.

Egg in a cup and toast is the food of gods. Just had it for breakfast at work. Absolutely delicious!

Beans on toast with grated cheese is fine. Lovely in fact. I would hold the broccoli though 🤢

YANBU. I don't like Beany Weenies myself (snouts and eyelids) but beans on toast or egg on toast are regular meals here...without the veg too. By adding veg and yoghurt and fruit you are providing a well balanced meal, although I can see that someone who's digging roads all day might crave a big plate of meat and potatoes instead.

Obviously the bean juice must not touch the green vegetables.

It's perfectly acceptable as I say that as someone who is a qualified social worker.

Phew! Well, that's a relief. At least you know you won't have social services knocking at your door, op!

My son has evening job and has 15 minutes between school and work once a week. He has a tin of ravioli for tea/dinner that night. He'll survive too!

Sausages from a tin are minging, but complaining about scrambled eggs on toast with broccoli sounds like orthorexia. That's a well balanced meal and it's also cheap. If he doesn't want to eat it, that's perfectly fine. He's a grown man and he can choose something else if he likes.

I'm a tad at you putting veg with it (but fair play, it's healthy, it's just not something I've ever considered), but it's fine as a meal sometimes (though I get he might want more with a physical job)

Of course it's fine. It's not like children even eat the nutritionally perfect homemade food half the time is it?!

Well it's bad because it's a lot of sugar OP and processed meat is really not good for anyone but on here, a lot of people will say it's fine

100g of baked beans has 5g of sugar, or less than the sugar in one jaffa cake. Plus the beans have protein and fibre.

www.dentalhealth.org/blog/blogdetails/170

Of course it's OK - only on Mumsnet are people obsessed with 'proper, hot dinners' - millions of people live on quick, easy meals whether because they are cheaper, they prefer that sort of food or they just can't be arsed to cook.

Pfft. Mine often have this with no side veg. Just beans or beans and cheese on toast!

Sounds filling and healthy to me. I fancy egg on toast now!

YY re sugar. That's not a high sugar meal. Salt would be the better scaremongering option for those of you wishing to clutch at pearls. Even then, you can get lower salt beans.

Could his problem be with the fact he has to cook his own though? Our working patterns mean that Mr Foo does most of the cooking. 4 working days of the week he and our girl have dinner without me and my dinner is kept warm til I get home. This can lead to a disconnect as some days I come home starving to “we had beans on toast, Do you want a toastie or something?” Other days I’m not that hungry but come home to meat and 3 veg which it seems rude not to eat.

If I was of a mind to, I would be annoyed about that and might choose to deal with it by pretending beans on toast is “not good for the children” cook me a proper meal FFS But I appreciate how difficult it can be to come home from work every night and cook dinner. I understand that sometimes he just can’t be arsed cooking, and at least it doesn’t end up with her eating something reconstituted, in breadcrumbs with oven chips. That and whenever he asks “what do you want for dinner” by text at 4.30pm I’m no help.

Nothing wrong with that meal. I would be more judgemental if someone were serving up pizza day after day than beans/egg on toast.

Well if we're worrying about the salt content, which I wouldn't be, there's quite a lot of salt in bread too.

Fish finger sandwiches with tomato ketchup.

Baked potato with beans.

Eggy bread. Lashings of.

Pancakes.

All constitute a tea if lunch has been substantial and toast was given as a snack when back from school.

Salt has been demonised unfairly, the current fear is all based on very old research and ideas. If you have high blood pressure, heart problems, kidney issues or are a baby, yes you need to careful with your salt intake. But otherwise, there is no evidence to suggest salt is going to harm you.