I hate the food on holiday

[pandarific]

Gutted. We’re at a villa in Greece with PIL, I’m pregnant. This villa (organised by PIL) comes with a ‘chef’, who you give money at the start of the week and they cook breakfast lunch and dinner.

It’s run by an English lady, who manages the chef - all we got asked was ‘are there any vegetarians?’ and one person has said they don’t like fish - ‘oh okay, good you said as we have fish three times this week.’

My problem is... The food is cooked fine, but it’s very, very plain and the same thing over and over. I can’t have a bloody drink, I LOVE food anyway so was really, really looking forward to nice food on holiday. Varied, interesting, with nice desserts, stuff I wouldnt have at home - holiday food, iyswim? I could honestly cry.

For lunch yesterday it was spinach and feta pie, plain tomato onion olive pepper and cucumber salad, a loaf of bread and a slab of feta. Fine - bit dull, but fine.

For dinner yesterday it was plain cooked chicken (no sauce of any kind) cooked potatoes and the same salad. A loaf of bread, a slab of feta cheese. An odd orange cake for after which was strangely wet inside and not very nice. ...again a bit dull, but fine.

For breakfast, it’s been eggs, a loaf of bread, Greek yoghurt, jam, cut up fruit. Oh or cornflakes. (Three large packets of cereal, all bloody cornflakes. WTF?)

For lunch today, it was the chicken from yesterday, the spinach pie from yesterday, a slab of feta, a loaf of bread, and salad.

We have just had dinner. I had a word with myself beforehand as I’m beginning to get severely grumpy and struggling to hide my rage, and everyone else, DH included, seems to be delighted with it. I was thinking I shouldn’t pre-judge it, I’m sure she’ll do something different, etc etc. Can you guess where I’m going with this?

Plain grilled chicken or plain grilled pork (), no sauce of any kind, the same salad, a slab of feta, a loaf of bread, the spinach pie again. Nothing for after.

I am fucking gutted. I KNOW I am putting too much importance on this, but I can’t have anything to drink, I’m pretty bloody food focused anyway and now I’m pregnant I’m dying for nice, interesting food to relieve some of the massive fucking boredom of being pregnant, and I was SO looking forward to this. Idk if I was stupid to expect something better, I’ve never been on a holiday like this before, wasn’t . No shops open at the min as it’s a public holiday - I have privately moaned to DH and he’s said we can go to the supermarket .

If I see that fucking salad again I may scream. Please Mumsnet, I know IABU - hand me a grip someone?

How much extra is a chef? Honesty I’d be expecting a range of lovely food, and different every meal. I don’t know what to suggest, asking/suggesting something different I guess.

Oh and I know IABU by the way. Having a private ridiculous whinge here to give my head a wobble.

Oh well if ILs paid, you can't say anything. Looks like chef is used to preparing plain and simple for his perceived ideas of British preferences - which seems to be working for most of the group anyway.

It's nice to have a bit of variety anyway so yes go for a meal out.

In Greece but no gyros, souvlaki, moussaka etc?

I would totally be the same as you OP. Buy lots of delicious bits in the supermarket and ask DH if you can slope off for a couple of restaurant lunches or dinners just you.

But Greek food is so so delicious! All of the areas and islands have different things to try. Sympathy, OP, even if it is #firstworldproblem!

I don't think you are being ridiculous at all OP. Food is a huge part of a holiday and I would be gutted if I couldn't go out and enjoy the local food and restaurants. When DP and I go on holiday we eat out every night, your scenario sounds rubbish for a holiday.

On a Greek island I would expect to eat mainly fish and salad. Saying that you didn’t like fish probably more than halved the normal menu

I’d be gutted to be in Greece but eating monotonous dull food. Is the chef approachable? It’s either a case of talking to the chef or going out to find something else.

Sounds to me like PIL only like British type food, none of that foreign muck here and gave instructions for the plain ingredients! Run by an English lady too. Hmmmm.

Nothing you can do OP, but I do wonder why you and your husband don't just go out for dinner to the local taverna a few times during your stay.

TBH I would go crackers sharing a house with in laws for Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. GET OUT of there at least once.

And definitely go out just the two of you.

Possibly as it’s a larger villa then chef is used to people who are so ecstatic that someone else is cooking doesn’t matter what it is.

If you are a foodie then onsite catering is not for you. Bit like going to an all inclusive

Why does one non-fish eater trump the rest of you? A spinach and feta pie should last that person for several meals, so the chef could cook fish for everybody else.

Go out for lunch and dinner. Or go to the supermarket and buy what you’d like.

If only all problems were so easily solved.

Awwww I can totally understand being disappointed. If I'd spent a long time looking forward to a holiday I'd be gutted if the food wasn't good - that's one of the most important parts of a holiday for me. (Some people HAVE to have a pool or beach to make it feel like a proper holiday I have to have delicious food). Presumably if the food was part of the deal you wouldn't budget for meals out. To be fair that's why I never go all inclusive - I love going to local restaurants (although some countries don't really have a culture of eating out - so wouldn't work there).

I think it sounds delicious frankly.
Greek salad
Fresh bread
Spinach greek pie
cold roast chicken
potatoes
orange cake
greek yogurt
cut up fruit
eggs for breakfast

It's hot in Greece, this is normal fare. Everyone is happy. You sound a drain tbh. Are you ok? Do you not normally eat healthily?

Can you not ask for fish to be put back as a menu option? That would give you a bit of a change.
Greek food can be a bit plain, grilled everything!

What about chatting to the chef, especially if you had a few of your favourite dishes to request.

Next time you are out and about have a look at a few menus, that will give you an idea of what is available/in season locally.

The breakfast sounds good by Greek standards, I stayed somewhere once where the island was famous for its cherry jam, but all we got for breakfast was stale cake with tiny pots of commercial German jam.

Apart from the fact I don’t eat cheese it sounds great.

Sorry you're being a princess

I’d be gutted too! What a shame. But since the PIL paid, you have cash to go out to dinner.

@Alienspaceship not that I’m aware of. 4.5 months pg and finding it somewhat dull.

To the pp who asked did I expect spag bol - no, I promise! But not essentially the same three very plain cooked things recycled - I do eat fish no problem, but at this point I would bet it will be plain cooked fish (no sauce) with salad, a slab of feta, a loaf of bread, and potatoes.

DH and I will (quietly) find a supermarket tomorrow and I’ll stock up on tapenade, houmous, taramasalata, watermelon, ice cream, and all will be well.

I feel so much better being able to get my ridiculous moan out of my system!

I love Greek food and I would like a lot of this, but it is sadly lacking in moussaka and more interesting Greek things.

But I do think your rage and upset is probably pg hormones and to do with the lack of freedom you have as well. I would think it's reasonable for you and DH to go out for a meal or two somewhere nice.

When I was pg I remember food being very important. Once I was in a restaurant and they said there would be a wait for the orders but they'd bring some nice bread. Then the waiter forgot (he was very busy) and I got so, SO angry and upset. I tried not to show it but I repeatedly failed to get his attention and I felt like I was on the verge of screaming "Where's my fucking nice bread, I NEED IT NOW!!!" . I remember that feeling of devastation and that was a 20-minute wait!

OK first world problem whatever but you feel how you feel. Just do what you can to arrange a nice food experience.

What a waste of a chef! They obviously aren't very inspired. We always pick holidays based on the kind of foods we can get as we really enjoy food too. I would be very disappointed with this.

Are you from the uk? Is it possible they think you want the plain food? Especially since the rest of your group are so enthusiastic about it?

I went on a work trip to India and my Indian colleagues kept trying to bring plain sandwiches up to me at lunch time, I had to insist a few times that I wanted to go down to the staff canteen and try what was on offer there (it was amazing!).

Could you start a conversation with the chef, ask them what they love to cook at home and ask them to make it for you all?

You are being a bit unreasonable on a free holiday - but I would also feel the same. I go to Greece each year to a hotel that is magnificent for my DCs but serves up samey buffet food each night, and I get totally sick of it by the end. I take the kids out a couple of times to local restaurants for this reason... is that an option here?
Sympathies.

Get some greek yoghurt, melon and some of those supersweet things that are like honey soaked shredded wheat, mmm.

Are you ok? Do you not normally eat healthily?

lol this is so passive aggressive! She's on holiday she wanted to have some special food, especially yummy food and this food doesn't fit the bill for her (even if it would for you). I love grilled meat, even without a sauce but it has to be seasoned well, this sounds receptive and plain. When we went to Greece we had amazing food - really varied. Definitely not just plain meat and the same salad every night.