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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Passing pre made food off as your own

174 replies

Natsel84 · 03/12/2020 21:34

Lighthearted

Tonight I "cooked" for the family. I had gone to the supermarket earlier to do the weekly shop and for quickness I picked up a fresh family size lasagne .
Cooked it in the oven but added some extra cheese on top to make it look more " home made "
Served it up just before everyone returned home, after hiding all packaging in the bin and passed it off as my own.

It went down a treat not a mouthful left. Everyone said it was one of the nicest thing I made. Technically I did cook it, in the oven anyway...

Do I feel bad no 🤣

Anyone else passed off pre made food as homemade cooking ?

OP posts:
Natsel84 · 03/12/2020 22:20

@lyralalala

I did this with my MIL and late FIL first time I met them. I "cooked" steak pie that actually came from the local bakers. They have a catering kitchen and make the most amazing ready meals and pies.

I had to fess up the second time I met them because MIL was singing my praises to the wider family and her SIL (DH's Aunt) asked for my recipe as the gravy was amazing. I fessed up to MIL in the kitchen and she told her SIL it was rude to ask for family recipes like that and she never told anyone else what I'd done.

FIL told me when he was dying that he knew. He knew because he used to pass through my village a couple of times a week and had a mini pie for lunch. He never told MIL as he had it alongside the packed lunch she made him Grin

Love a steak pie ! Homemade or bought Grin
OP posts:
SlightDrizzle · 03/12/2020 22:22

@Chanandlerbong01

My partner doesn’t like Nando’s, he tells me regularly he can’t stand it. He works late once a month and I always “make” lemon and herb chicken with spicy rice and coleslaw.... if only he knew next door let’s me put the takeaway wrappers in her bin!

It’s his favourite thing I make 🙄

That’s completely mad. You’re sneaking around concealing takeaway packaging in your neighbour’s bin rather than — what? Making your own lemon chicken, or telling your husband he’s been happily eating Nando’s for years?
Pomegranatemolasses · 03/12/2020 22:23

Crikey how bad was your normal lasagne if a supermarket version is better?

Also why lie? Who the hell would be judging you?

Natsel84 · 03/12/2020 22:23

@Deadringer

Not the point of the thread but i would really like to know which lasagne it is. A shop bought lasagne that tastes as good as homemade is the holy grail for me, its such a feckin faff to make.
Tesco's... in the chilled fridge, dont forget to add extra cheese , I think that's what made it !
OP posts:
User478 · 03/12/2020 22:26

My boss did this for a fancy dinner party, had to come clean when he had served it and it was still slightly frozen in the middle Grin
The Cook lasagne is pretty good...

Youandmealwaysandforever · 03/12/2020 22:29

Who cares if the food tastes great enjoy it Cake

UntamedWisteria · 03/12/2020 22:29

Shop bought lasagne has a nasty gloopy texture.

No-one could ever mistake it for homemade.

Natsel84 · 03/12/2020 22:30

@User478

My boss did this for a fancy dinner party, had to come clean when he had served it and it was still slightly frozen in the middle Grin The Cook lasagne is pretty good...
😂 oops
OP posts:
Pikachubaby · 03/12/2020 22:32

But why lie?

Why the need to pretend?

Why is cooking your job if you don’t want to?

I just don’t get it Grin

Are they snobby about convenience food?

Natsel84 · 03/12/2020 22:33

@Pikachubaby

But why lie?

Why the need to pretend?

Why is cooking your job if you don’t want to?

I just don’t get it Grin

Are they snobby about convenience food?

Not at all chicken nuggets go down a treat, homemade of course 😉
OP posts:
ChloeCC · 03/12/2020 22:34

About ten years ago my neighbour (who I was friendly with) met a man online. She was raving about him and she was celebrating a big birthday - 50, I think. He turned up to a little party with a cake he claimed to have made. He'd been talking about the cake beforehand, how it would capture this woman's (very lively, fun) spirit. It did. It had a little model of her on the top, with a little feather boa and various other bits to represent her personality. It was very obviously shop bought and professionally made. I was really embarrassed for him, even more so when it was sliced and the inside was that plain, boring sponge those sorts of cakes always are. It was weird. My neighbour married him and he seems decent enough but I always think 'that fucking cake though...'. It was like I was the only one who could see it was a lie.

yellowmaoampinball · 03/12/2020 22:35

I haven't but nobody in my house would give a shit if it was home cooked or not so it would be a bit weird and unnecessary for me to lie. And quite honestly I'm happy to own up to being too busy or lazy to do stuff from scratch if I'm bringing a plate of food or feeding guests!

earthyfire · 03/12/2020 22:38

No, my family would know anyway and I wouldn't see the point in fibbing about it.

MissEliza · 03/12/2020 22:38

I do it a lot when my demanding in laws stay for three weeks at a time. They give me enough work to do because they don't lift a finger so I don't feel the least bit guilty.

marmitegirl01 · 03/12/2020 22:39

I love that someone thinks the OPs marriage is in trouble over lasagna 😂😂😂

Crinkle77 · 03/12/2020 22:41

@speakout

I have tried, but my family have a killer instinct for any shop bought food, packet sauces, jars etc. Wouldn't pass the first mouthful. They would eat it, but not worth me lying.
Yep I think I'd deffo be able to fellowship bought. Seriously though I don't understand why people would lie to their families? Why not just say I bought it?
Crinkle77 · 03/12/2020 22:43

Fuck off autocorrect. Tell it was shop bought that should say!

Labobo · 03/12/2020 22:44

I always used ready made pastry and my dad always says I make the best pastry in the family. I don't let on that I am not the domestic goddess he thinks I am.

speakout · 03/12/2020 22:45

Crinkle77-- it's not that I lie, just sometimes I can't be arsed so have tried a jar of pasta suace or curry sauce. I simply serve it- and there is usually a comment. I make amost everything from scratch, and my family are tuned into the flavours of ready made food!

Parker231 · 03/12/2020 22:45

I do it all the time - it’s become a joke with friends as to what I’m going to try and pass off as my own when everyone knows I hate cooking and rarely cook from scratch . Some ready made meals taste amazing so no need for anyone to turn their nose up at it.

longwayoff · 03/12/2020 22:47

No, of course not, whatever for? Are you so short of compliments that you need to take credit for someone else's work? Blimey, that's a shame. Anyway, if you enjoy deceiving your friends and family I recommend COOK, exceptional pre made food. Roast vegetable lasagne especially good.

Ginfordinner · 03/12/2020 22:47

I hate making pastry so I buy ready made, but I never pass off anything I haven't made as home made.

speakout · 03/12/2020 22:47

Crinkle77 - yes I would freely say- yes this is a jar of sauce or whatever, but I wouldn;t serve it up and make an announcement " oh by the way this is jar of madras sauce."- I would just serve it.

FortunesFave · 03/12/2020 22:52

I have done it with packaged cake mix...I don't care! I sometimes want the accolades...and I'm a bad baker.

Natsel84 · 03/12/2020 22:52

@marmitegirl01

I love that someone thinks the OPs marriage is in trouble over lasagna 😂😂😂
Me too Grin

Good job we are not all the same 🤷‍♀️

So far I'm a liar
My marriage is in trouble
I'm obviously shite at cooking
What next 🤷‍♀️

OP posts: