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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:
TatianaBis · 04/04/2021 11:48

Rather contradicted by the zeal to tell us about marinading lamb and tarte tatin. (From scratch natch).

Mammyloveswine · 04/04/2021 11:52

I totally could! Today definitely as we are having a bit of an Easter feast!

But I usually have a block of feta in and always have cherry tomatoes and herbs etc so I'd do that tik tok pasta dish that's doing the rounds.

If I had notice the night before I always have mince/chicken/fish in the freezer so would defrost that and knock something up.

Failing that I always keep lentils in and frozen veg so could knock up a tasty soup for lunch.

Mammyloveswine · 04/04/2021 11:56

Bloody hell @Sweetpea1532 a bowl of popcorn for your dinner?!

Imagine being offered to stay and being presented with popcorn!

RampantIvy · 04/04/2021 11:56

@TatianaBis

Rather contradicted by the zeal to tell us about marinading lamb and tarte tatin. (From scratch natch).
No, I am making that. DD made yesterday's curry.

What is the tik tok pasta dish @Mammyloveswine?

TheOneWithTheBigNose · 04/04/2021 11:57

@TatianaBis

Rather contradicted by the zeal to tell us about marinading lamb and tarte tatin. (From scratch natch).
I ate absolute shit as a student, mainly Tesco 8p version of supernoodles as I was skint and couldn’t cook. But anyone who thinks marinated lamb or tarte tatin is ‘snobby’ has a weird view of food, IMO.
TatianaBis · 04/04/2021 12:09

No, I am making that.

Indeed.

TatianaBis · 04/04/2021 12:11

But anyone who thinks marinated lamb or tarte tatin is ‘snobby’ has a weird view of food, IMO.

Snobbery being the attitude not the food itself.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 04/04/2021 12:25

Spaghetti with ketchup 😁
Here. Have nightmares.

jessstan2 · 04/04/2021 12:59

@TatianaBis

But anyone who thinks marinated lamb or tarte tatin is ‘snobby’ has a weird view of food, IMO.

Snobbery being the attitude not the food itself.

I used to make both fairly often (don't now as I am on my own); nobody ever thought I had a snobbish attitude. They just enjoyed it as did I.
TatianaBis · 04/04/2021 13:31

Cool. But beside the point.

gottenhaitch · 04/04/2021 13:38

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

Gotta laugh at people who would "baulk" at something like a carton of passata as though not eating it somehow means you're a proper functioning adult . Food is food. It's entirely possible to enjoy tarte tatin and lamb AND tuna pasta bake.

MyDcAreMarvel · 04/04/2021 13:51

@Mammyloveswine you can cook mince from frozen.

TatianaBis · 04/04/2021 14:01

It's entirely possible just not to like tinned tuna and tinned tomatoes.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 04/04/2021 14:10

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

gottenhaitch · 04/04/2021 14:15

It's entirely possible just not to like tinned tuna and tinned tomatoes without sneering at people who do eat them.*

Fixed that for you.

YellowPurple · 04/04/2021 14:20

Im a prepper so a little different
When Coronavirus hit last year, we already had over 100 toilet rolls. 20 dettol wipes, 30 antibacterial hand soaps....

I always bought in bulk (before corona)

But there is no right or wrong

Sweetpea1532 · 04/04/2021 15:40

I forgot to mention that sometimes I DO get a bit adventurous and sprinkle our popcorn with yummy cinnamon from Sri Lanka for its health benefits.

Please don't criticise what we choose to eat...my mum taught me that it is rude to make negative comments about what people are eating just because it's not to your taste. They are enjoying it and you are ruining it for them.
Don't knock it til you've tried it!

We have other forms of entertainment. We just don't find food as a form of entertainment...we go for trail hikes, beach walks, garden, talk with friends, enjoy our neighbours, speak on the phone to relatives, do crossword puzzles, watch films, read tons of books, etc. So don't worry about us...we have plenty of life-fulfilling things going on.

The op was about feeding 3 people who've unexpectedly dropped by at meal time...I hope they like popcorn because if its popcorn night that's what they'll be served in a giant bowl...they can even have some kerry gold butter for it if they so choose.Easter Grin
Oh, and we even have truffle salt if they'd prefer that.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 04/04/2021 16:02

I can absolutely imagine having giant tub of popcorn for dinner, but later dinner with a movie thing.

lazylinguist · 04/04/2021 18:26

It's entirely possible just not to like tinned tuna and tinned tomatoes.

Absolutely, just as it's entirely possible to dislike any food. But not liking the taste of a perfectly normal ingredient like tinned tomatoes (which are no doubt used in plenty of perfectly decent restaurants) is not the same as sneeringly calling them student food that people would only eat if they were skint.

We just don't find food as a form of entertainment.

I don't think many people do tbh. They just enjoy good food because it tastes nice. Having a meal out with friends is more like entertainment, but it's the company that's the entertainment. The food is pleasurable (hopefully!) and enjoyable, but I wouldn't describe it as entertainment unless it's being flamboyantly cooked in front of you!

TatianaBis · 04/04/2021 18:39

Ftlog - I wasn’t sneering - I stated a fact: it’s something I ate as student and not something I’d eat now or serve guests. Expression of personal preference not a personal criticism.

Mammyloveswine · 04/04/2021 22:42

@RampantIvy Pyrex dish (or similar roasting dish).

Cherry tomatoes, block of feta cheese in the middle, drizzle of olive oil, add herbs/chilli/garlic bit of salt and pepper..in the oven on 180 for around 30 mins..mix together with a spoonful of pasta water and then stir in cooked pasta of your choice!

I add mixed Mediterranean veg too and fry off some pancetta to sprinkle on top! It's lovely!

RampantIvy · 04/04/2021 22:53

Thank you @Mammyloveswine. Sounds like the sort of thing my student daughter would make Grin
And the sort of thing I would make as well.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 04/04/2021 23:03

I've seen loads of them. Always wondered, have you tried it with lower fat salad cheese @Mammyloveswine ?

Ohforfreshair · 05/04/2021 01:04

I do not think you are being unreasonable at all because that is what I do for main meals every week. I write a menu for seven days and buy it all on a Saturday except for fresh veg that I buy every other day, but I always have tins of beans, spaghetti, soup or things like pilchards in the cupboard.

Lalanbaba · 05/04/2021 01:34

I could as far as they will not be expecting a banquet.
Always have eggs and potatoes so I can make a Spanish tortilla.
Cheese, ham, olives, anchovies, roasted peppers and almonds, add a salad and bread and you have a decent spread.
Also I always have a couple of pizzas for lazy days.
If I get a couple of hours notice I could make something like spaghetti with prawns (from the freezer) with some garlic bread and salad

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