To take the kids to IKEA for lunch/dinner

[Eastie77Returns]

Are the lunch options at IKEA viewed as unhealthy? We don't have a fully functioning kitchen at the moment (renovation work) so if I want to give the kids a hot meal we have to order takeaway or eat out. We live 10mins from IKEA and the kids love the food so I've taken them a few times now (maybe once or twice a week over the last 3 weeks).

In a group chat one of my friends suggested it was really unhealthy and her kids only go there as a treat once every few months as "it's basically McDonalds with a Swedish flag"?!. They occasionally have meatballs or the Salmon with chips, don't ever have the desserts as the cakes seem quite heavy and drink water or one of the Pip Smoothies.

I thought this was all okay but am now second guessing myself!

I might take the kids on a trip to IKEA just for that!

Not RTFT but my friend sent me this;

deals for places in the 6 weeks - Ikea are doing 2 kids meals for £5 - Mines 30 mins away so not any good to me 🥺

Oh do take them! Honestly I've met people like that. They've always got to say something when they are not in your shoes!

When my DF had our home refitted years ago we had egg and chips in the Tesco cafe a couple of times a week! It was glorious!

I can't believe nobody has asked you this yet- why??! Was it for work or personal pleasure?

@Eastie77Returns I assume you’re near me- Edmonton Ikea? I am deeply unimpressed they’re closing it, Lakeside is such a faff to get to with the traffic.
Im curious to know why your friend thinks mash, peas and meatballs (which are effectively round sausages) is a terrible meal to feed children? We always time an ikea trip around a mealtime so we can eat there, plus we buy the frozen meatballs to eat at home.

It's fine. Just don't let go of their hands otherwise you'll never find them again.

I've been stuck in the bedroom mirror area for two days now and everytime I ask for help I find I am speaking to myself.

@SBAM yes such a pity it's closing. I assume it will turn into some ridiculous version of (un)affordable housing or similar. There is one in Greenwich which might be closer than Lakeside? I've never been but SatNav tells me it's a 30 min drive.

Take them to lunch then stick them in the free creche. What's not to like?

Yes as said, they are offering cheap meals
I do work there
It's not too unhealthy
It's not really junk food
(I eat it myself)

Only if I can come to I love ikea meat balls and I did as a child. Sounds like you need better friends tbh.

There's nothing wrong with IKEA food - there's vegetables, fruit, low processed stuff coffee with enough caffeine to send me bouncing off the walls of the market hall going 'ooh! Look at that!' at every candleholder and cheap teatowel

Ignore.

If anyone wants a recipe for IKEA style meatballs I have a copycat one from the Internet. No Ikeas near me, so never actually tried their food, but the meatball recipe is really good!

I'll post it tomorrow if anyone wants it (unless someone beats me to it😄)

I will also say I found the recipe when I was looking for healthy meal/recipe options, so OP, your friend can just shut up accusing you of feeding your children junk!

Work, @HaveringWavering A project for Ikea food services. As fond as I am of the occasional Ikea meatball, I can't imagine anyone would spend a month in Ikea for pleasure! 😂

I would just cut this person out of your life to be honest. Stop basing your worth on other peoples judgements.

The salmon is nice, also healthy, can't see what the problem is.
Hopefully the critical friend is offering to cook you dinner herself if she's that bothered what your children are eating!

Love it. IKEA is the Mac Donald's of the middle classes 🤣🤣🤣🤣 nothing wrong with it, and the kids need to be fed, your friend is a twat. Maybe aske her what she'd like to cook for your poor, overprocessed eating children......

Shit they’re closing Edmonton?! That’s my closest and I had no idea. Damn damn damn.

Your friend is a nob!

You must also buy a big bag of those mini dime bars also a big bag of tea lights, they're compulsory wether you need them or not! on the way out.

Sadly yes. Last trading day is August 31st apparently. The next closest might be Greenwich or Lakeside as PP mentioned depending on your location. Both are a bit of a mission for me to get to so I’m quietly devastated. Hopefully my kitchen will be done before end of August😅

There's an Ikea in Wembley, if you are near the Edmonton one, then that's possibly nearer and quicker to get to than Greenwich or Lakeside.

Yeah I know that one, thanks. Technically it’s only 5 more minutes drive from home than Edmonton. That direction on the N Circular for me always seems to have much worse traffic than the other direction towards Edmonton though. I’m sad, had many a pleasant afternoon there on maternity leave, breastfeeding DS in the big wing chairs in the coffee shop and wheeling him round the marketplace fast asleep. He took some of his first steps in the children’s section!

Does your friend cook everything at home lovingly from scratch? IKEA meals aren't hugely different nutritionally to what a huge amount of the population eat at home anyway especially in a busy midweek situation! Anyway I'm off to see what offers ours has on. We have a kitchen but any excuse not to cook now we are 2/3 through the summer hold 😆

*hols

The last time I ate at Nando's with 2 dc it cost about £50. We can all eat at ikea for under a tenner

Really? A whole chicken at Nandos feeds 4. It cost us £16 for fish and chips and drinks for 2.

Does your family just sit picking at a chicken together in a restaurant though? With no sides and a glass of tap water each?