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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Beans on toast for dinner

164 replies

BigPyjamas · 09/10/2021 06:55

Last night my DH was out with friends, came home and got huffy as I gave the kids beans on toast for dinner. 'That's not very nutritious' he moans. (He himself chose to have fried chicken for dinner)

In my defence: I work full time, had spent the day doing serious amounts of household crap during my free moments (was WFH) and my youngest actually asked for beans on toast.

YANBU - beans on toast is a perfectly decent Friday night meal.

YABU - you slovenly mother, where were the veggies and organic quinoa

OP posts:
KurtWilde · 09/10/2021 11:06

Well, clearly the winning formula is to go out for a relaxing evening with friends and leave the parent on duty with strict instructions to whip up a healthy organic feast.

Damn, why did I never think of that 😂

Original poster
BigPyjamas · 09/10/2021 11:14

@Alondra the quinoa was indeed a joke.

I'm French. My mother would have made us crepes. But, time was tight, shopping was late, work was pressing and so they had beans on toast.

OP posts:
itsallgoingpearshaped · 09/10/2021 11:16

Please please please report back on all the delicious, healthy meals he makes for them next week from scratch.

Original poster
BigPyjamas · 09/10/2021 11:18

@Autumnleaves4

He's just moaning. The beans were never for him. He was sorting out his own food as he was out and coming back late.

He came back late, and started whinging about what I fed the kids. Quite frankly he's lucky that I'm not filling for divorce.

I had planned to make us smoked salmon and asparagus tagliatelle but as he was out I skipped that and ate figs and 2 biscuits instead.

OP posts:
MilduraS · 09/10/2021 11:28

Some of the suggestions on here are bizarre. Pasta with olive oil and bacon as healthy alternative to beans on toast Confused Beans on toast are high in fibre and protein, low in fat. I don't see what's wrong with it.

merrymouse · 09/10/2021 11:31

I expect you have a freezer with basic items like chicken, pork and fish that can be defrosted and quickly prepared.

As you are criticising other people's food choices, I think you have to take into account how chicken, pork and fish are processed, and the relative cost before you criticise the humble baked bean.

Also, how long things take to defrost.

merrymouse · 09/10/2021 11:32

Pasta with olive oil and bacon as healthy alternative to beans on toast

Yes - very odd!

HarrisMcCoo · 09/10/2021 11:59

Been totally thrown with the whole pork schnitzel thing upthread🤔

Baked beans are fine.

womaninatightspot · 09/10/2021 12:11

I love beans on toast but not everyone eats them in our house. One night a week we have stuff on toast cheese/ beans/ ham. Pepper and carrot sticks with a pot of hummous and I reckon that's a decent meal.

Whatiswrongwithmyknee · 09/10/2021 12:17

I expect you have a freezer with basic items like chicken, pork and fish that can be defrosted and quickly prepared.

I don't know whether it's more hilarious to assume that everyone has a freezer full of these items or to compare the time it takes to defrost these and make a meal with how long it takes to make beans on toast!!

OP there is nothing wrong with the odd beans on toast meal and I'd steer a long way away from anyone who tries to shame you for serving that.

SylvanasWindrunner · 09/10/2021 12:21

Regular meal here! Perfect for nursery days as it's quick and not exotic. When she's tired, she just wants something familiar - and fast!

avamiah · 09/10/2021 12:27

@womaninatightspot

I love beans on toast but not everyone eats them in our house. One night a week we have stuff on toast cheese/ beans/ ham. Pepper and carrot sticks with a pot of hummous and I reckon that's a decent meal.
That’s what we have but I put chopped tomatoes on the cheese and after it’s grilled a little bit of ketchup. There is always plenty of fruit about so I don’t need to put it on a plate.lol

Who doesn’t love beans or cheese or eggs or anything on toast?

LadyOfLittleLeisure · 09/10/2021 12:27

He was out with friends and had the audacity to complain about the nutritional value of the food you prepared for the kids? Shock YADNBU!

piscis · 09/10/2021 12:29

I wouldn't considered that dinner. But having said that, I would give my DD that (or something similarly quick to prepare) on a very busy day, as an exception.

TirednWorried · 09/10/2021 12:35

Not as the main meal of the day, ok if they've had a proper meal at lunchtime

burritofan · 09/10/2021 12:43

I don't know whether it's more hilarious to assume that everyone has a freezer full of these items or to compare the time it takes to defrost these and make a meal with how long it takes to make beans on toast!!
Not to mention cooling time; nothing worse than hangry DC while you flap about shoving food in the fridge and desperately fan it.

sashh · 09/10/2021 12:47

@Alondra

YABU.

Only because there is a medium term in between beans on toast (canned beans have one the highest sodium in all canned food) and being a slovenly mother for not feeding them quinoa (who does that ffs). You can make a chicken/pork schnitzels with a side of tomato, cucumber and olive oil that will take you 15 minutes to prepare.

There is plenty of nutricious foods quickly to prepare in between quinoa and a can of baked beans. Your AIBU seem to be on both extremes.

But beans on toast is 5 mins if that.

Open tin, put beans in a jug in the microwave, set for 3 mins.

Put toast in toaster and switch on

Grate some cheese.

When the toaster pops butter the toast, put on a plate, pour over beans and add cheese.

arethereanyleftatall · 09/10/2021 12:52

I've only read the first two pages and im surprised no one has yet said 'how fucking dare he?' Seriously, why would you put up with this shit? So, so glad I'm single.

5thnonblonde · 09/10/2021 12:55

@sashh I put bread in the toaster Grin

beigebrownblue · 09/10/2021 13:03

It's a fab meal. Especially with wholewheat toast.

Ellarain · 09/10/2021 13:04

It's absolutely fine to have beans on toast for dinner. My DD13 sometimes doesn't want dinner and will just have soup or toast instead. She is perfectly healthy.

Houseofvelour · 09/10/2021 13:04

YANBU
My kids also had beans on toast for dinner last night (DH made dinner)

honeylulu · 09/10/2021 13:05

@arethereanyleftatall I will say it. How fucking dare he? If my husband came home after a night out with friends and filling his face with fried chicken and criticised what I'd served the children for (a perfectly acceptable) dinner after a long day at work he would be told in no uncertain terms that he should have stayed home and cooked them something to suit his high standards. Moreover, if he criticised me again in that vein all meal planning and cooking would be wholly his role from now on.

arethereanyleftatall · 09/10/2021 13:07

Precisely @honeylulu
Well said!