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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Inlaws visiting! Need suggestions of food to stock up in the fridge

32 replies

Serendipite · 08/07/2018 02:44

Posting here for traffic.

My MIL and BIL are coming for a visit for two weeks. They will be mostly by themselves during weekdays.

What do I stock up in the fridge to make sure they have food to eat?

Suggestions pls.

They mostly eat low-carb but not strictly low-carb .

OP posts:
Skittlesandbeer · 08/07/2018 03:04

Are they not able to get to the shops themselves? I don’t think you’re obliged to stock anything but basic sandwich fixings for lunch. Surely they’ll be ‘out and about’ while you’re at work? I wouldn’t be setting an expectation that they needn’t lift a finger to feed themselves.

At best I’d cook up something for day 1, while they get their bearings. Then I’d point them to the supermarket.

By all means stock the fruit bowl, cheeses and bread. A few salad ingredients. In winter (where I am), I might do a soup ahead.

ragged · 08/07/2018 04:58

How (what) do they eat at home?
I'd buy stuff that they eat that we ourselves also eat. Not other things.

EmUntitled · 08/07/2018 07:00

Ask them what sort of things they like. "Hey MIL I am putting in an online food shop for next week, is there anything you would particularly like me to get in for you to eat while I'm out?"

If they don't reply assume they have no preference and just buy the atudd you normally would plus maybe extra bread for sandwiches etc.

C4T5 · 08/07/2018 07:12

Ask them! They are the ONLY ones who would know what sort of food they like to eat! Confused

justilou1 · 08/07/2018 07:18

Wine - for you.

annandale · 08/07/2018 07:21

Cold meats and cheese keep well and are flexible. Eggs too mean there's always a meal on offer.

I would put plenty of rolls in the freezer so there's always the makings of a sandwich.

softouch · 08/07/2018 07:27

Breakfast foods....eggs, croissants, yogurts. Lunch - bread, salad, cheeses, quiche.
Fruits, biscuits and a cake to nibble on. I also buy a few of the ready made coffees from the chiller section and they always go down well.
Keep it simple and only enough for the first 2/3 days. If you wish go for luxury brands if you want to make things special for them.
We have lots of visitors and the above works for us.
Enjoy your family time. It's kind of you to be so thoughtful.

toyoungtodie · 08/07/2018 07:43

Can I just say as a MIL, if you are feeling nervous about this visit....so is she. I just hope that you can ask her about her food preferences as if you are unable to ask her a simple question ...then it doesn’t auger too well for the two weeks when you will be on top of one another.
It’s a hugely difficult relationship to negotiate and get right.

By right, I mean at least remain amicable after she has gone.
Remember you inherited her, but she also inherited you. You will all possibly be on your best behaviour and all relationships depend on communication.

Read something about the phsycology of the relationship and examine your issues. Try and give her some ‘ benefit of the doubt’ isn’t it what you want if you make a mistake?
Remember, if you don’t get on with her, it is a problem between you and her. Moaning about her to your husband, equates to someone saying mean things to you about your children. Don’t moan about your Dh to her as she loves him.
If she has MH issues ( that have been diagnosed) and is on medication then you just need to bite your tongue and be patient.
The best and most successful marriages are where the MiL and DiL are at least trying to be empathic and understanding of one another.

It may be that you only wanted to know about food stocking up...in that case I am sorry for all the advice. Just buy breakfast stuff, Muesli, fruit. Lunch stuff, salad, butter, lovely bread,ham tomatoes. I presume you are providing a evening meal. A slow cooker would be good if you are in work as you could make pasta sauce, stews, there are literally thousand of recipes on the web. They are cheap to buy and so useful.
Thank goodness for Aldi as their cod fish cakes and ready prepared Caesar salad are great and cheap.
I don’t want you both to be hugely unhappy, during and after her visit.
Personally, despite liking my DILs I wouldn’t stay for more than three days.. best of luck sweetheart, as you sound worried.
Xxx....you might need a hug after two weeks.

Ricekrispie22 · 08/07/2018 07:47

Eggs, yogurts, milk, ham, Brie, cream cheese, Cheddar, fruit juice, smoked salmon, basic veg (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots), mayonnaise, humous.

BarbaraofSevillle · 08/07/2018 07:49

Er, ask them? They might turn up with a load of food and then you'll struggle to get it all in the fridge if you stock up too.

Labradoodliedoodoo · 08/07/2018 07:51

Salads cheeses crackers

GorgonLondon · 08/07/2018 08:02

Op: they mostly eat low carb
Posters: croissants, bread, quiche, biscuits, cake, crackers
???

EeeSheWasThin · 08/07/2018 08:06

I eat low-ish carb and like to have eggs, cheese, avocado, ham, mushrooms, cream cheese, salad, cold salmon, cream. If the fridge has those I’m fixed for lunch and snacks. Proper butter too.

Very kind of you to think about what they’ll like, hope the stay goes well!

PrimalLass · 08/07/2018 08:07

toyoungtodie

That's a strange set of assumptions after the OP just asked what food to get in.

toyoungtodie · 08/07/2018 08:08

I always ask my Dils if I can bring anything. If they say ‘nothing’ then I bring flowers that are already arranged ( so that they don’t have to find a vase) and wine. Sometimes some nice soap, Scottish Soap company have gorgeous soaps or the White Company Seyshells ) Aldi do copies of Jo Malone.
You really have to ask them as she will be worrying about the visit and as someone said, may come laden with food. Then you may feel irritated.

Wine will keep and if you don’t drink it can be given up for a raffle prize.

toyoungtodie · 08/07/2018 08:30

.PrimaLass you are right maybe, but the OP is asking about what food to buy, that made me think she was anxious about her MILs visit.

You have Guests coming, speak to them and ask them what they like to eat...end of.
There are too many threads on Mumsnet about Dils/MILs conflict that start off trivially. ie the MiL washes up without asking etc, the DiL moans about her DH to his Mother etc, then World War One breaks out.

Anyway, you just commented on my post. Why not give her the benefit of your experience as surely the Idea of the exercise we are involved in, is about helping the original OP, not being critical about the other replies.
I have explained my reasoning.

PrimalLass · 08/07/2018 08:50

Why not give her the benefit of your experience as surely the Idea of the exercise we are involved in

Fill the fridge with low carb food - google it. Don't start worrying about mental health issues unless you know that's already an issue.

There you go.

PrimalLass · 08/07/2018 08:52

Either roast a chicken in advance and take it all of the bone into a tub, or buy a couple from the rotisserie bit.

lljkk · 08/07/2018 09:57

I wouldn't assume you know what kind of low-carb foods they like.
Also, you don't know how much quantity... or if they 'cheat' while on holiday.
I'd be asking them what they want.

softouch · 08/07/2018 10:36

@GorgonLondon
I understand all my suggestions aren't low carb but they are on holiday and OP did say they aren't on a strict Keto diet.
A few treats are always nice.

ourkidmolly · 08/07/2018 10:39

Surely they'll be going out most days?

LockedOutOfMN · 08/07/2018 10:45

Plenty of milk, teabags and / or coffee (whichever they drink). Extra eggs. Nice dinner for the day they arrive, maybe with some leftovers. Show them where the supermarket and your Bags For Life are, and how to use your kitchen appliances (if any aren't straightforward) to prepare their lunches etc. while you're at work.

GorgonLondon · 08/07/2018 13:24

softouch I'm not 'strictly keto' - and I wouldn't touch any of the things on your list, holiday or not.

Given that OP is clearly a bit concerned about making them feel welcome, imagine if you followed your suggestion!

I can just imagine the MIL's thread

I went to stay with relatives who know I eat a low-carb diet. And yet everything they offered me was super-high-carb food - croissants, biscuits, cakes, quiche. When I tried to say politely that I couldn't eat any of that, they said "you're on holiday, give yourself a treat!". I ended up having to go to the corner shop as I was starving. AIBU to think that they didn't really want us to stay with them?

softouch · 08/07/2018 13:49

@GorgonLondon
Or maybe they'd say 'DIL left us low carb foods and some thoughtful treats. I really appreciate her kindness'?

But, hey, your response is precisely the reason why I (and many others I suspect) rarely reply on here.

GorgonLondon · 08/07/2018 14:22

It's not 'thoughtful' to provide food that is almost all unsuitable for someone's stated dietary requirements. Why on earth would you think it was? Why would anyone appreciate being bought food that they don't eat?

It would come across as incredibly passive-aggressive, at worst, or simply thoughtless, as best. It's awful advice.

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