To think bangers and mash implies veg too?

[Crowsaregreat]

My kids love sausage and mash. I always do it with at least one type of veg, preferably two. Peas, carrots, broccoli sort of thing.

We stayed with PIL a while ago and MIL did sausage and mash that was exactly that - sausage, mash, gravy. Then recently my DM did the same.

It won't do DC any harm but I thought it was odd. I don't think I'd ever give DC just meat + potato for dinner unless it was a desperate situation. AIBU to think it's weird to have a dinner with no veg?

@Gwenhwyfar I am so confused by your posts! Have you never been to a cafe and had a jacket potato?? The salad goes on the side, this is very standard

@PattyPan

I don’t usually have breakfast but when I do I sometimes have toast with peanut butter and sliced banana, it’s a great combo and proves you can have toast and fruit

If that’s your thing. I absolutely detest bananas unless they’re in their natural form. Warm mushy bananas. Yuck.

I always have veg or some side dish: baked beans, carrots, cabbage, broccoli, peas etc.

I crave veg if I haven't had it for a while.

Potatoes, mash and shredded cabbage and carrots with mushroom and onion gravy. Has to be Lincolnshire or Cumberland sausages too

Scrambled or poached egg on toast is a great meal. Not a vegetable in sight

It's a lot better with some cherry tomatoes and asparagus/tender stem broccoli on the side though, and it doesn't take any longer. And some salmon or cheese for extra protein. Then it makes it a balanced and more filling meal that means I'm less likely to be scoffing crisps a couple of hours later.

@PurpleDaisies they are no more mushy than normal, just sliced into rounds and placed on top of the peanut butter. By the time I’ve pb’d it it’s usually not very warm either!

I always add veg. It seems strange to have meat, potato but no vegetables

Yanbu not really a meal with just potatoes which don't really count as veg. I always do greens with bangers and mash.

Tomatoes on toast is toast with fruit. Also peanut butter and apple is absolutely lush.

It's a lot better with some cherry tomatoes and asparagus/tender stem broccoli on the side though, and it doesn't take any longer.

In your opinion. For me, it’s much better without anything else on the side, except brown sauce of course.

" I don’t think just cheese and pasta is a proper meal"

But you do know that it is for millions of people. You've seen it in restaurants for example?

"I have had side dishes of veg with pasta at other people’s houses or out too."

I've never seen side dishes of veg to go with pasta in a restaurant. The pasta and the sauce is usually a complete meal.

"I’m pretty sure I’ve had lasagne with a side dish of broccoli at a restaurant."

Yes, I have too, but I was talking about a pasta and sauce type meal.

But you do know that it is for millions of people. You've seen it in restaurants for example?

I have seen cacio e Pepe but that’s more of a cheesy sauce. I can’t think of a restaurant that would just serve like spaghetti and grated cheese and nothing else? But also pasta is traditionally a course that would be followed by a course with meat and vegetables.

@PattyPan

But you do know that it is for millions of people. You've seen it in restaurants for example?

I have seen cacio e Pepe but that’s more of a cheesy sauce. I can’t think of a restaurant that would just serve like spaghetti and grated cheese and nothing else? But also pasta is traditionally a course that would be followed by a course with meat and vegetables.

Have you never heard of macaroni cheese?

They sound like my DHs grandparents. They never seem to serve green veg with anything. Its always just meat and potatoes, one time we were given half a chicken to share 😅
Every dinner here, unless we're having a takeaway, is served with veg. Sausage and mash in my house would include cabbage, broccoli, carrots and onion gravy.

"But also pasta is traditionally a course that would be followed by a course with meat and vegetables."

Yes, in Italy, not in Italian restaurants elsewhere.

Spaghetti aglio e olio is one of my favourite things. Unless you count garlic, not a veg in sight,

@warmfluffytowels obviously, but that’s not just pasta and cheese is it? It’s a sauce with cheese in it. And I would serve it with vegetables on the side! It’s also relatively common to put something like spinach or kale in it now.

"Have you never heard of macaroni cheese?"

Exactly.
And I specified pasta with cheese sauce, not just with grated cheese on top.

The name doesn't imply veg, but I'd be disappointed if I didn't get some anyway! I think every meal should have some veg with it though.

I would either serve sausages, mash, veg and gravy or sausages, mash and beans. Onions obligatory. I would usually ask DH which he fancied, veg or beans. Personally I like beans, he would usually say veg and gravy.

My macaroni cheese has broccoli trees in it.

[quote PattyPan]@warmfluffytowels obviously, but that’s not just pasta and cheese is it? It’s a sauce with cheese in it. And I would serve it with vegetables on the side! It’s also relatively common to put something like spinach or kale in it now.[/quote]
You might find some with spinach or kale, but it's not the normal macaroni cheese. And again, I've never seen veg on a side with pasta in a restaurant.

I can't see how that's even nice as the food won't go together.

[quote PattyPan]@warmfluffytowels obviously, but that’s not just pasta and cheese is it? It’s a sauce with cheese in it. And I would serve it with vegetables on the side! It’s also relatively common to put something like spinach or kale in it now.[/quote]
But it's still essentially pasta and cheese, lol. The fact that the sauce has milk and flour in it doesn't detract from that

It's an example of a very popular main-meal dish that isn't served with vegetables. Alongside many other things - burgers and fries, steak and chips, fish and chips, meat or seafood pizzas, seafood pasta dishes...

I can think of loads of main meals that don't come with veg as standard.

@Gwenhwyfar chains don’t but I have seen independent Italian restaurants set their menus out like that in places around the U.K.

@PurpleDaisies I love that dish too but I would have it with a side salad otherwise it’s a bit dull as a meal

Was it Joe Wicks that started this 'broccoli trees' thing?