To expect kids to eat bbq food?

[whynowe]

DH has invited his uni mates for a bbq at our house tonight. it was planned a few weeks ago.
However yesterday a few have asked if their wives and DC can come too. Of course we said yes.

We had plenty of food for everyone. Beef burgers/ chicken burgers/ chicken drums/ sausages & halloumi on the bbq + quite a few salads/ potato salad/ fries/ pasta salads etc

So I assumed the 3 DC (aged 5-12) would eat the same food as us

two wives( mothers of the children) got all emotional on me as I didn’t have anything “acceptable” for their children to eat. “Oh they can’t eat any of this!! “
They said next time I should ask before having children over .. but they will forgive me because I’m not a mum yet (I’m 32 weeks pregnant with our first)

Anyway the 2 wives left early and will HAVE to stop at McDonald’s on the way home as the children are starving. We had burgers too not McDonald’s ones though 😂

I said to DH I don’t want to ever see them again. He agrees they were rude to me and kept using “you’re still young, we will forgive you on this occasion”
I’m a little younger than any of them in this group.
AIBU to have expected the kids to eat same as the rest or should I have asked in advance? I thought there was plenty of choice between meats/ cheeses/ veg/ breads/ potatoes/ pasta etc 😅 not sure what else I could’ve done.

they self invited the kids to a barbecue them moaned because the food was barbecue?

Sounds great and very child friendly - never see them again x

How did you manage to not laugh in their faces?

I have a very fussy eater - although sounds like she would have loved your BBQ food - however she knows from years of stern looks and pre and post dinner party chats with me that her job as a guest is to be appreciative of the hosts' efforts (even if you don't like what's offered), smile politely and make the best of the situation.

Those mothers are not doing their kids any favours by not teaching them basic manners and social etiquette.

I was an incredibly fussy eater as a child and still fussy (but not as bad as I was) as an adult.
But a BBQ is the one type of 'dinner party' I can pretty much always find something to eat - even if it is just bread rolls and salad.
@Lwren I have had fish fingers cooked on a BBQ - they were very nice 🤣 (but I do really really love fish fingers). I've had potato waffles and Smiley Faces done on a BBQ too. I'm a BBQ rebel.

They were ridiculous to indulge their kids in their fussiness and blame you for it.

A 12 year old can't eat barbecue food, really?

And if they had particular reasons or knew this about their kids it was their responsibility to bring something else, not yours.

Thank you for your opinions everyone &
Sorry for my slow reply. We still have a few people over but I keep having to come indoors to cool down as it's sooo hot out there still

I don't know what the actual problem was either. We've been on days out with them and their DC before and I never got the impression they are fussy children. Maybe they were just not hungry and the mums decided to blame me 😂

There's a group of 8 couples. I was the last one to join them. Never had any issues with anyone we all get along ok. One of the "problematic wives" from tonight has always had an issue with my age though. She never fails to mention it 🤦🏻‍♀️ no idea why

I'm 9 years younger than all of them but I wouldn't say I'm immature 😂 she acts as if she could be my nan.
I'm 29 so I've never understood the issue. But tonight was a different level 😅

Stupid idiots. They were invited to a bbq and got bbq food...which most kids enjoy! Who the f expects fish fingers at a bbq? And why t f go to macdonalds when you've literally served burgers?

That is really rude. I have an autistic DC who has loads of issues around food. I don't expect hosts to accommodate them. I either cobble something together from what I can find, take something with me, or let them at the desserts if there are any and plan a better day tomorrow.

It sounds like you had plenty of options that loads of kids would enjoy, so they are extra nuts.

Wtf are they so stupid that they dont know the type of food there normally is at a bbq. So they went to mcdonalds to buy burgers and chicken nuggets 🤔 can you forgive them for being so thick?

I don’t know a single child in that age bracket who wouldn’t have been able to find something they liked from that fantastic choice - and some of DC’s friends are quite fussy. It’s definitely not you OP, your BBQ sounds delicious for adults & kids!

They were rude and you were a good host for catering so well. I’ve never (other than medical food allergies) done separate meals for children. They eat the same as everyone else and I expect them to eat what has been prepared. Too many children being fussy about food

A barbecue invitation is always gladly welcomed here as I know my very fussy 3 year old will eat most of the food offered - even if it is just sausage, burgers, chicken & fries.

They sound like knobs, OP - try to not feel bad about it

My daughter was very fussy about food between about 2-5 years old, but even she would have had a bit of salad/bread and I always took some snacks she would eat with me to that sort of thing rather than expecting a host to jump through hoops for my child.

Ignore them they are being bloody ridiculous! My 6 month old and two older ones eat all of that no problem

Very rude. Even picky kids would eat bread and butter and I imagine allergies would be catered for by parents

They knew it was a Bbq and that they have fussy eaters, they should have brought food for them.

If their kids are fussy eaters they should bring food with them. Yanbu to expect kids to eat BBQ.

What’s not the best about meat, chicken, salads, cheese, pasta, potatoes? Sounds like a nutritionally diverse spread, and barbecued so nothing deep-fried.

Let me get this straight - they invited themselves to your BBQ and then wanted fish fingers or pizza and have now left early to go to MacDonalds ?

The world has gone mad.

You're better off without them

AHAHAHA omg if the closest thing to standard BBQ food a kid will eat is fish fingers or a pizza... you bring it your bloody self!

Why on EARTH would anyone expect you to do a BBQ and then think 'ah, yes, I'll just get out the fish fingers and the pizza'.

Fucking nobheads, AND after they invited themselves and their children in the first place!

I would have thought them rude if they had brought their own food for their DC’s when perfectly good food was being offered - other than medical food allergies .

If they went to a pub restaurant, the kids offering would almost certainly have been:

Pasta
Sausages
Burger
Chicken Burger

You literally served kids food. I don't even understand the people on here saying that their children wouldn't have eaten any of that either....??? Why not?

I have 3DC - two teens and a young primary.

They’d have been all starry eyed at you for that spread, they bloody love BBQ.

Have I been mothering wrong for 15 years?!