Opinions on this BBQ lunch for adults and young children

[Owlsintowels]

Invited for a bbq lunch today. One of the inviting couple popped out to get the saus and burgers this morning so ample opportunity to buy other bits

BBQ for adults and 2 and 6 yr olds consisted of

One plain beef burger in a bun

One plain sausage in a bun

Option of ketchup or no ketchup

Some crisps to nibble

No salad. Not a cherry tomato in sight. No limp shredded iceberg. No cucumber or carrot batons. No pickles, mustard, mayo, fried onions
Nothing else

We met at 10am, went to park, kids had ice creams and shared chips as a snack since bbq was going to be 2pm. We joked about unhealthy snacks, kids living the dream eating just this food. I had no idea lunch wouldn't be a bit healthier

When I asked if there was any fruit I got given about 10 grapes per child

The hosts are very comfortably off, money is not the issue

I'm just dumbfounded this was their planned meal

We offered to bring something, w were told no thanks

We host them here just as much and would make potato salad plus salads, cucumber etc. My DC2 won't eat any veg so we'd also have houmous for his veg content plus piles of berries for nibbles. And crisps

Really interested in how many people think this is an OK lunch for such young kids

For context we had to leave our house early, and we got back home after at 6.30pm, so not much opportunity for us to get healthy food into our kids either end of the day, this meal was the bulk of the days nutrition.

We brought car fruit, and I'm aware noone will get scurvy or die

They really are generous people in every other way! Always get a round in, presents for kids, always offer to bring stuff when visiting me, have babysat many times... We do likewise with them.

@Owlsintowels Yes!! More the merrier I say! We often have ‘randoms’ Come along, because X was going over X’s home, and could they bring them and their children along. I love it. I don’t even mind the mess. I just like having fun, and seeing the children have fun!!

I wouldn’t worry too much about having a non healthy day once in a while.

It just sounds like a shit BBQ. Who serves one sausage and one burger? That’s fuck all effort.

I'm now worried this is identifying and she might have started reading MN, and I really don't want to upset friend, so I'm asking for this to be pulled

Thanks for opinions

Beetroot.

Can’t have a bbq without beetroot.

I am completely coming at it from a healthy food for kids point of view

I was with you until you said this OP. BBQs are meant to be fun - I wouldn't worry about the healthiness of it. They shouldn't be this boring though.

I’m more surprised you had chips as a snack because bbq was at 2.

Pretty crap BBQ but ywbvu to worry that this would have a nutritional impact on your dc, it's one day! The car fruit should negate any ill effects 😁

For those barbie experts how do you do fish on it? Any time I tried fresh fish on one of those fish shaped rack thingies it still fell apart. Also do you need to marinate the prawns first?

Yes @UrsulaPandress - we had the M&S Beetroot and goats cheese salad with our last one.

YABU a bit about it being so unhealthy, but YANBU that it is bad hosting. We have friends over for dinners and bbq's often and it's often reciprocated, and everyone always makes sure they have plenty to offer.

I use those foil trays with holes in them freudian

It does sound quite boring - I like salads, sauces, condiments etc with barbecues - but it’s better than food being wasted.

I’m missing the point of this thread as I’m simply starving now. But YANBU - salad and cheese slices (real
Cheese) are a must. And I always take a berry pavlova if invited to a BBQ and Greek salad

Surely the day was about people seeing and spending time with friends they care about. Not the quantity or nutritional value of the food kindly provided. YABU, a bit ungrateful and should stop being obsessed with fruit.

@redspider1 Kids had breakfast at 7.00 and no lunch due until 2pm if bbq ran to time, which many don't

Kids were running around for hours, not unreasonable to share a portion of chips at 11.30 as an early lunch starter? There wasn't much else on offer at the burger van in the park and we didn't want to waste time travelling out and back. I figured unhealthyish snack early, top up with proper food later. Maybe that was my mistake, casting the bbq as the healthy meal of the day

Happy to admit the day won't harm my kids and maybe I need to unclench a little

Older DC had bad constipation when young and days like this really got me worked up as they'd set him back in terms of build up. All fine now but maybe I have some residual echoes of that. Not a problem with DC2 thankfully

IMO it's odd that they didn't say "yes, bring some potato salad!" or something when you offered. All the bbqs I go to are done communally, so this never happens!

Agreed goodwinter, though they were prob just being thoughtful since they know we had a long drive

OP you would hate to live in NZ where they are so relaxed and casual, being invited for a bbq lunch would consist of a "sausage sizzle" this would consist of barbecued sausages laid out diagonally on a single slice of white bread and folded over to create a hotdog. A squirt of American mustard or ketchup and you're done. If your host is feeling generous, he/she would make their own dip using nestle reduced cream which is similar to sour cream mixed in a bowl with a packet of onion soup mix.

Alcohol - you would bring yourself in your own chilly bin (cool bag)

My point is.. It was just lunch. Yes a bit disappointing but I don't get why you are moaning about nutrition for the sake of one day!

It’s a shit variety but the unhealthiness of it wouldn’t bother me for one meal. Your kids won’t implode if they don’t eat carrot batons at every meal, though obviously burgers and sausages for every meal would be a terrible diet.

It wouldn’t bother me from a healthiness perspective, but it is a bit odd to have no salad, sauces, onions, corn on the cob etc from a purely cosmetic perspective. I’ve never hosted, nor attended a BBQ that didn’t have at least a bowl of coleslaw on the side. YANBU.

it would be 100% fine if they simply added:

• condiments (.e.g mustard + mayo)
• salad in a large bowl.

so easy to do and would transform it oddly enough.

also another one not sure that much fruit is good. but then im totally against smoothies etc. i believe in 10 or so years, there will be a new stance on fruit (not on vegetables/salad). it'a pretty much frankenfruit now anyway, bred to be supersweet. not convinced it's good for you at all.

YABU, and need to unclench.
Nobody is harmed by going without veg for a day. What they gave you is fine.

However, you said we've had plenty of film nights together pre-kids where I've put cherry toms and a cucumber in the basket alongside my crisps and chocs as a movie nibble and I've been relentlessly mocked for it., so clearly you know that your diet and absolute need for veg is probably less common than people who are happy with the traditional, basic BBQ of meat in bread. You know that his couple are more with the majority of the population, than with your diet, from all the years you've known each other.

btw, a whole punnet of fruit is somewhat unusual.
'car fruit' is something I think you might have made up.

I’d love that bbq right now

Sounds like they’re shitty hosts. Don’t return there for a meal again!

I think you’re worrying too much about the lack of fruit/veg for one day. Your DC had lots yesterday and will again tomorrow so not much today won’t hurt them. And actually asking for fruit is a bit odd. So YABU on that score.

HOWEVER, if I was hosting friends for a BBQ, there would be bowls of potato salad and coleslaw, plus cheese, fried onions and a variety of sauces and relishes to choose from! So YANBU about the lack of accompaniments to the traditional bread/meat combo!