To ask what you think of this xmas dinner

[Shereturnsforonemore]

Ok here goes
microwave pulled pork
frozen Brussels
frozen roast potatoes
frozen yorkshire pudding
ah bisto

Christmas pudding ( ready made) with tin custard.

drinks were a selection of beer vodka rose wine cider and soft drinks and fruit shoots

What would your reaction be ?

yanbu sounds nice
yabu yuk

@Needmorelego ive seen aunt bessies adverts for Yorkshire puddings but they are really tiny so i always make my own. Never used them. but no, havent seen an advert for roast potatoes by aunt bessies. With supermarket, since ive lived out of parents house ive only ever shopped at Lidl or Aldi so maybe they don't do them there as its quite basic stuff at those supermarkets.

This. I’d feel insulted someone would serve me a shit meal especially on Christmas Day.

Op it sounds like you and your family had a great Christmas so I’m not sure why you’re opening yourself up to the criticism/snobbery that characterises AIBU tbh.

I’d happily eat it.
I’m not highly invested in one meal of the year, or any individual aspect of Christmas Day, so that Im hugely disappointed by any of it. Fortunately for me, I like the people I spend the day with and don’t judge them on their culinary skills, spend per head on dinner, drinks or presents, but just have a good time being with them.

If you asked me what we were fed last year, I honestly couldn’t tell you. We will have had a nice meal. Each year that happens. Sometimes it’s been a fantastic and expensive feee range Turkey costing over £100 and other years it’s been a frozen chicken costing around £5. Honestly, we’ve enjoyed both just as much.

Inreally think people get over-invested in all kinds of aspects of Christmas, which is why there are all these threads of disappointment. Why does the meal need to a super duper luxurious amazing feast? Is it because the rest of the year, meals are so so paltry that this really matters? I don’t get it.

Well I’m a veggie who hates sprouts, so no good for me! I had a frozen veggie roast instead 😁 Only thing that otherwise really wouldn’t work for me is the gravy, I can’t stand bisto : gravy granule gravy. Doesn’t have to be a ‘proper’ gravy (ie made with a roux) but does need to be home made to taste good to me. I accept that that’s just me and my family though.

You should check out the freezer section in both, they do a huge range of luxury Christmas food. Both sell frozen roast potatoes made with goose fat.

Truthfully ? I would be very disappointed, as a traditional Christmas dinner is one of my favourite meals - both the actual food and the time sitting together with family and it being a 'special occasion'.

^This. I wouldn't actually complain, as that would be rude. And I'm not sayimg ut would taste bad - for literally any of the 364 other dinners of the year I'd happily tuck into pulled pork (I make it quite often myself) and whatever veg came with it. Just not for Christmas dinner!

I would have been disappointed to have had that served up but all families are different.

@Shereturnsforonemore it's good that you're learning how to cook. Why don't you set yourself a challenge to learn how to cook Easter lunch. It is essentially a roast dinner like Christmas Dinner.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/easy-easter-recipes/amp

Honestly, if I was sat around the table with 8 close family members, food cooked for.me, a few drinks and a party food buffet later on, I wouldn't hugely care what it was. I bet you all had a great day. Food sounds ok to be fair.

Oh and this ‘Id feel insulted someone served me this’ - doe goodness sake, get over yourself. What is it about you that means a perfectly nice meal is an insult to you? Why do you need someone to have shaved for hours or bankrupted themselves for one meal? If don’t get it.
How can your self esteem depend on the meal someone feeds you on Christmas Day? Get a grip.

If someone cooked it for me I'd be grateful and I'd enjoy it. It sounds absolutely fine to me!

Sounds grim to me but if everyone eating it was happy then who cares?!

It’s really not difficult to make a nice roast dinner - just takes a little prep and some forethought about timings. But I appreciate not everyone enjoys cooking so if you want to take shortcuts and no one minds then just do what suits you.

I really think people get over-invested in all kinds of aspects of Christmas, which is why there are all these threads of disappointment. Why does the meal need to a super duper luxurious amazing feast? Is it because the rest of the year, meals are so so paltry that this really matters? I don’t get it.

Why is it 'over-invested' to look forward to and enjoy a special feast on a special occasion? Unless you can't afford it, why wouldn't you want to pull out all the stops and have a bit of luxury on the one (most widely celebrated if you're in the UK) festival? I don't get it! I don't remotely believe you think it's because people's other meals are paltry for the rest of the year!

I don't like pork but the rest sounds fine to me, especially given the circumstance. We had turkey this year and cooked frozen roast potatoes and veggies just like you. They taste the bloody same on my unsophisticated palate anyway As if I'm arsing around chopping and peeling carrots and potatos whilst the rest of the family are in the other room having fun and unwrapping presents!

@Greeneyegirl yeah Lidl/Aldi sell frozen roasties too. They are hardly a new concept. Been around for donkeys years 🤣
Infact they probably are as much a 'basic' item as frozen chips or frozen pizza.

This.

YABU for not putting context in the OP. If the people coming knew what the food would be etc then no issue, I don't understand frozen sprouts though, you literally just stick them in boiling water, you can even buy them peeled.

I wouldn't be worried about frozen potatoes, when I used to have to cook for 10-15 we used frozen pots, parsnips, pigs and stuffing. Tastes fine with decent gravy and no one cared. Pulled pork is odd as you could literally have just cooked chicken, chicken breaststroke don't actually requiring any cooking knowledge! But if you agreed it then no issue.

I mean asking on here you're never going to get great answers, obviously it's not a great meal if you're hosting Xmas dinner but your family were happy so all good.

Sounds fine to me, as long as it was nicely prepared and served.

@Greeneyegirl these Aldi ones look quite fancy.
I mean I wouldn't know if they taste nice because I don't like roast potatoes 🤣

How do you nicely prepare microwave meat and frozen roast potatoes?!

@MotherOfPuffling

I'm interested in how you make your proper home made vegetarian gravy ??

I don’t know why that one day takes on such significance for some people that there is so much scope for disappointment.

If you’re going to a hotel to enjoy an expensive meal, you can expect something good you’ve paid for. People of all walks of life, tastes and culinary expertise open their homes, show hospitality and prepare a Christmas lunch. They won’t all be culinary masterpieces or your favourite meal of choice. Why people have such high and inflexible expectations I just don’t know….it sets the,selves up for disappointment but more importantly puts the hosts under daft pressure to meet some kind of idealised and unrealistic idea of a perfect Christmas lunch. Why have this expectation and not look forward to a special time with people being together, where actually the precise nature of the gifts and meals are not actually that important?

I agree, I don’t think people eat food that is paltry the rest of the time. Most don’t anyway. That makes it even more odd to me. In the past when people were much more hard up, the Christmas meal really was a big treat and something g very different to usual. These days, most people eat well on a daily basis and the meats etc and treats if Christmas are available all year round….so there’s less need and surely expectation of something unusual or really special. But seemingly for some people it isn’t about the company, but the food is very very important and standards expected very very high.

Most people aren’t amazing cooks. Lots might not like what you do that much. There are many ways to skin a cat, and in honesty, who goes home to do an ‘appraisal’ of what their host offered them, apart from warm company and happy times snd being fed and watered plenty?

Those who would hate the meal offered and sneer at it. (Even not outwardly but here) will then no doubt feel terrible pressure themselves when it’s their turn to host. Where’s the need for it?

You are not at all unreasonable to prepare an easy meal that you all enjoyed. If I am invited for dinner and there is a great atmosphere with people who care about each other and want to enjoy each other's company I would be quite happy with toast.

"Christmas dinner" has become as commercialised as gift giving and tree decor. Do what you want. Be grateful for the company and friends you are eating with and enjoy yourself. If you don't like the food you can always make yourself a sandwich when you get home.

If someone made me that i would be grateful. I'm always delighted when someone cooks for me, as i am usially cooking. If someone else paid for it and prepared it for me, i'd be happy.