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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not be able to feed 3 extra adults unexpectedly for lunch?

565 replies

ImFree2doasiwant · 01/04/2021 14:17

I'm single, with 2 small children. I do a weekly meal plan and shop once a week.

If 3 extra adults dropped in for lunch, I'd either be able to feed them but have to go shopping again, or not have enough food in to feed them at all.

Its not like I can't afford to, I just buy the food that we, as a family, will eat. I have a small freezer. I could probably manage dinner better.

Am I that unusual?

OP posts:
lazylinguist · 03/04/2021 16:17

Indeed. For some people though, the only acceptable 'simple' food is gourmet dishes artfully thrown together with a few highly expensive ingredients. Grin

ArcheryAnnie · 03/04/2021 16:21

I usually decide what to cook on the basis of what needs eating up from the food we already have, or - if I've been to the supermarket - what I can make with whatever had a yellow sticker on it!

readingismycardio · 03/04/2021 16:42

My anxiety says no 😂

SchrodingersImmigrant · 03/04/2021 17:30

@TatianaBis

Student food is what you eat when you’re broke, lazy and writing an essay. It fine for what it is. I don’t want to eat it now, nor would I serve it to anyone.
It's also food you eat when you unexpectedly turn up at lunch time😁
SchrodingersImmigrant · 03/04/2021 17:31

That said, I've just realised I have never eaten tuna pasta as a hot dish. Only as a salad😳

RampantIvy · 03/04/2021 17:46

@TatianaBis

Student food is what you eat when you’re broke, lazy and writing an essay. It fine for what it is. I don’t want to eat it now, nor would I serve it to anyone.
Are you always this rude? Hmm

DD is a student. She is currently in the kitchen making us a curry and onion bhajis for tea (all from scratch). She bakes cakes for her friends' birthday and is an excellent cook. She is currently going through a Korean food phase.

TatianaBis · 03/04/2021 18:07

Eh? I’ve been a student! I certainly didn’t waste study/party time cooking things from scratch.

Etulosba · 03/04/2021 18:24

I did.

Ready meals either didn't exist or were too expensive. I can't remember now.

singlemum43 · 03/04/2021 18:37

Same here I meal plan and try to stick to a budget, entertaining is a luxury I had a few friends over this afternoon (group of six) in the garden extra sandwiches, crisps cake it all adds up! Don’t feel bad about it op ☺️

RampantIvy · 03/04/2021 18:45

Eh? I’ve been a student! I certainly didn’t waste study/party time cooking things from scratch

DD has been studying all day. It is the Easter holidays, and she wants to cook. Cooking is enjoyable for her, and as they couldn't go out partying during lockdown her downtime was spent cooking nice meals with one of her house share friends.

BackforGood · 03/04/2021 18:46

Same here RampantIvy
My dd is currently in our kitchen cooking us a curry from scratch too Smile

Eh? I’ve been a student! I certainly didn’t waste study/party time cooking things from scratch

eh ?
All my dc did a lot of cooking at University.
As well as partying. Don't have to be mutually exclusive.

RampantIvy · 03/04/2021 18:50

DD cooked a lot before lockdown as well. She just likes good food. She gets it from me, even though I did give her tuna pasta bake once or twice when she was growing up Grin

SmellsLikeWineIGuess · 03/04/2021 20:01

@MyInsidesLoveFrench

SmellsLikeWineIGuess no that's not what I mean at all.

Many years ago I started to learn recipes for restaurant meals I love. Most I know off by heart now as they are relatively simple, but some I'll refer to the recipe on my phone at points.

The most simple example is carbonara. I spent literally years trying to find a recipe that actually tasted like the ones I'd eaten in decent Italians. It's not just pasta, bacon, eggs, cream and cheese thrown together, there's loads of little extras and done in a particular order to make it taste amazing.

Yes, yes, that’s all very amazing, but entirely missing the point.

If all your so very impressive ‘learning of recipes’ (wow Grin), you have somehow lost the ability to rustle something easy and delicious up, e.g. for unexpected guests, from whatever ingredients are to hand.

You seem a tad clueless in the kitchen, unless being hand-held through a recipe, or something you’ve cooked so many times you’ve learnt it by heart.

Sweetpea1532 · 04/04/2021 06:57

It would be easy for me to rustle up more food for 3 extra guests for dinner....especially on the night we've chosen to have freshly popped popcorn as our meal....my DH bought the most gigantic bucket of popcorn kernels from costco so we'll be eating it for at least a few years. We tend to eat very simply around ours....being an older married couple we've found that after whatever we have eaten something either McDonald's take away or a giant bowl of popcorn at the end of it when we've finished..we are full, so what does it matter what we've filled up on...the one thing we do require it that the food be organic and non gmo( a huge problem in the US to find non gmo foods ) we just don't put that much importance on food..it is edible, we eat it because its good for us. We also don't consider eating as a form of entertainment ..it's just a requirement to staying alive.GrinEaster Grin
.

RampantIvy · 04/04/2021 07:08

That sounds a tad joyless @Sweetpea1532. I view food as a pleasure not just fuel.

Last night's curry was delicious BTW.

StarlightLady · 04/04/2021 07:57

I have emergency food cupboard and freezer stock for the unexpected.

Pasta, pasta sauce and some frozen veg.

Or, chilli from a mix, tinned kidney beans and rice. Not gourmet cuisine but will fill people up!

speakout · 04/04/2021 08:02

We also don't consider eating as a form of entertainment ..it's just a requirement to staying alive

Rather sad.

I love food, a meal for me is a party on a plate, and something that happens every day! I will always make sure what I eat is nurturing to my spirit as well as my body.
I like lively food, chilli, fresh herbs, lots of spices.
Can turn a boring day into a fun one!

RampantIvy · 04/04/2021 08:05

I'm with you on lively (and lovely) food @speakout.
My middle Eastern spiced lamb has been marinading in spices overnight and is just about to go in the oven for a long slow cook.

speakout · 04/04/2021 08:09

My middle Eastern spiced lamb has been marinading in spices overnight and is just about to go in the oven for a long slow cook.

Yum.

And exactly my point- that little effort perks up the whole day, something to look forward too, a brightening of life!

RampantIvy · 04/04/2021 08:12

Yes, it was very little effort. Tomato and goat's cheese tarte tatin for veggie DD, crushed, roast new potatoes, roasted carrots and broccoli make up the rest of the meal, and maybe a glass or two of Wine

notacooldad · 04/04/2021 08:18

I would be able to rustle up a stir-fry, some fresh soup a decent salad or curry someTheres always bags of frozen mixed veg, spinach chopped onions frozen peas in the freezer and non perishable goods such as grains like rice and pearl barley. I always have tins of tomatoes chick peas peaches. In the cupboard there's polenta, semolina gnocchi , jars of sun dried tomatoes, tofu and other bits and bobs.
I do meal plan but have a decent stock of basics to do something decent and quick.

jessstan2 · 04/04/2021 10:32

@speakout

We also don't consider eating as a form of entertainment ..it's just a requirement to staying alive

Rather sad.

I love food, a meal for me is a party on a plate, and something that happens every day! I will always make sure what I eat is nurturing to my spirit as well as my body.
I like lively food, chilli, fresh herbs, lots of spices.
Can turn a boring day into a fun one!

Eating together also means hospitality. It's lovely for people to have a good meal together, talk and enjoy each other's company. Obviously at times you just grab something and eat it quickly to stave off hunger.

However this thread is about people dropping in unexpectedly and what you do to feed them if necessary. It can be disconcerting if you are put on the spot.

TatianaBis · 04/04/2021 11:12

Gotta laugh at the posters taking ‘student food’, as some kind of criticism of their little dahlings who cook everything from scratch at uni.

TheOneWithTheBigNose · 04/04/2021 11:25

We also don't consider eating as a form of entertainment ..it's just a requirement to staying alive

I love good food. Nice fresh ingredients, different cuisines. DH and I relax over a nice meal in the evening when the kids are in bed. We like to have friends over to eat, and to go out to nice restaurants. We like a big family Sunday lunch (not usually a roast, everyone in the family has a turn at choosing what cuisine we’ll have). Food makes us happy.

RampantIvy · 04/04/2021 11:34

@TatianaBis

Gotta laugh at the posters taking ‘student food’, as some kind of criticism of their little dahlings who cook everything from scratch at uni.
My "little dahling" also eats "student food".

I dislike snobbery