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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

The Salad Bowl

105 replies

ThinkGlow · 20/08/2019 16:43

DH and I have been invited to a BBQ by acquaintance-type friends next month. We're not close to them but hope to be, they're lovely. But we're quite different finance and upbringing wise (relevant). I'm Aldi, they're Harrods.

As I always would do, I've offered to bring wine/chocs and what I'd call a posh salad (feta/cous cous/pine nuts naice enough?!) and they said that'd be great.

Then I realised I couldn't possibly use the plastic 30p Wilkos mixing bowl that I usually use to house a salad. I'm pretty sure I'd spontaneous combust with shame offering my homemade salad in a plastic, battered and well used, bowl. So I've bought a posh one.

But what's the take-back etiquette?! I have zero knowledge of how to use a teaspoon correctly never mind what the correct/non-offensive way of taking back my salad bowl would be. But I do want to take it home. I spent too much on it to donate it to them

Do I take it back with whatever is left in it? Or sort of empty the contents for them?! How can this not be done awkwardly?!

Help.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
DeadBod · 20/08/2019 19:11

@Mitebiteatnite that's a lovely bowl. I'd love to own nice kitchenware like that but storage always poses a problem.

I find that the hosts always return my containers or cake tins when they next see me.

Feckinlego · 20/08/2019 19:12

As a fellow aldi shopper I would be afraid the hosts would see right through me if I brought the salad in a naice bowl, so I personally would buy really naice Tupperware Blush.

Show us the bowl.

BBBear · 20/08/2019 19:18

Show us the bowl!

Greenglassteacup · 20/08/2019 19:18

I want to see the bowl too

RightYesButNo · 20/08/2019 19:19

There are 10 million UNIQUE users on this site per month. So I’m confident at least 6,000+ other Mumsnetters own the same bowl. SHOW US YER NAICE BOWL, OP! Grin

BlueSkiesLies · 20/08/2019 19:21

If there is any left when you want to go just ask if they have something you can decant the rest of the salad into

ImNotHappyaboutitPauline · 20/08/2019 19:24

See I wouldn't bring it in a Tupperware container as some have suggested because if they've invited loads and everyone is bringing something then it's probably expected that you bring your dish ready to serve. Realistically most people (posh or not!) probably don't have tonnes of nice serving bowls. You'd be mortified to be the pleb whose Tupperware container of salad is sitting for all to see, surrounded by they fancy bowls the rest of the guests knew to bring! I think I'd probably rather take the risk of not getting my bowl back Blush.

Original poster
ThinkGlow · 20/08/2019 19:28

Right I'm just taking pictures...hold on...

OP posts:
MamaOfBothTeams · 20/08/2019 19:33

Why am I waiting patiently to see a picture of a bowl BlushGrin

Larlarleighlee · 20/08/2019 19:36

I am over invested in this posh bowl need to see it now so placemarking to do so Grin

Purpleartichoke · 20/08/2019 19:38

Go get a non-battered 30p mixing bowl. Use that.

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 20/08/2019 19:38

I’m also waiting to see a picture of a bowl. I have a liking for nice tableware. Most of mine is from charity shops. Got some lovely pieces. Some quite ‘posh’ ones too.

I’d rather people bright their food to me ready to serve and then take it home again at the end of the night.

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 20/08/2019 19:39

As in their bowls home again at the end of the night. Not the food!

Original poster
ThinkGlow · 20/08/2019 19:39

Okay so here we have:

  1. The quite-used but perfectly serviceable (lidded) Tupperware
  2. The naice bowl
  3. The used, slightly melted and unsightly but bargain plastic mixing bowl

All on my sofa. DH thinks I've lost the plot and I shouldn't be allowed any new friends.

The Salad Bowl
OP posts:
Roussette · 20/08/2019 19:41

I have lots of nice bowls, big ones for this sort of thing, love a bowl me.

I would always take it in the bowl it's to be served in. I have people round lots and as everyone is arriving the last thing you want to do, is hunt around to find a suitable bowl to decant someone's salad into!

But...
I always grab it when I go home, offering the contents if anyone's around to answer. If not, I just take it, it's my bowl after all !

Roussette · 20/08/2019 19:42

Your new bowl is very pretty!

Smidge001 · 20/08/2019 19:42

Nice bowl! But I don't think your tupperware is big enough. Do you have a larger size? (or a second one).

Original poster
ThinkGlow · 20/08/2019 19:43

I await the mass of disappointment - the bowl can't possibly live up to thread expectations!

OP posts:
AguerosAngel · 20/08/2019 19:43

That’s a lovely bowl OP!

Definitely take your salad in the Tupperware though!

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 20/08/2019 19:44

That bowl is a lovely colour and will set off the feta salad very nicely.

SueBrouqet · 20/08/2019 19:45

I just get so pissed I don't care about the bowl (although I obsess about who's eating my salad - I eat it if no one else is). And then text in the morning in a very casual way.

Or get my Dp to.

sweeneytoddsrazor · 20/08/2019 19:46

See if I took it in that nice bowl (or the other bowl) then I know that a) I would be wrestling the bastard clingfilm over them and b) the bastard clingfilm would undoubtedly come off covering either me or car or both in salad. Tupperware is safe. Although I might invest in some of the fancier tupperware type stuff.

SueBrouqet · 20/08/2019 19:46

I'd use the mixing bowl on the right.

It's never occurred to me that anyone would care about the bowl. The contents on the other hand....

CheckingOutTheQuantocks · 20/08/2019 19:47

Save the naice bowl for when it's your turn to host them.

FadedRed · 20/08/2019 19:51

That’s a really lovely bowl, Op! Well jealous Envy