Is my husband right to be embarrassed when I serve soup for lunch to guests

[MusicLass]

This is a bit of a long-running joke in our house, but underpinned by genuine feelings…

i like making soups from scratch (E.g vegetable, lentil, minestrone) and try to make them tasty, nutritious and filling. For some visitors I make soups for lunch or dinner, for the same reasons above, plus I can make them in advance and just reheat giving me more time to be attentive to guests. I also either bake or buy nice bread and butter to go with the soup. Something for pudding would be offered too.

DH gets embarrassed when I serve soup to guests, saying it’s not proper food and it’s not being hospitable. He would expect a pasta or rice dish round someone’s house, or meat.

He happily eats soup when it’s just us as a family.

AIBU to serve soup to guests? Or is he right? Generally he is more sensitive about social etiquette than me. He’s also from a Mediterranean culture, which could be a factor here.

Thanks for reading and helping us to settle this!

The soup and bread would suit us just fine and you did say pudding too. My go to is minestone with garlic bread, and if a bit more is needed I do a bag of gnocchi either just dropped in the soup or toasted in a pan with cheese sprinkled on.

I'd love soup and fresh bread for lunch. Bit of cheese. Smashing.

I think some of you must have Abigail's Party type 'dinner parties' (and 'couples' lunches', whatever they are), with people judging and point-scoring.
I've happily eaten soup for dinner and lunch at friends' houses loads of times. I wouldn't dream of thinking it wasn't enough or wasn't 'conventional' or anything like that. Especially as it's usually IME given with nice bread/cheese/salad and a pudding.
But I think more to the point, what do your friends think? If they keep coming back, presumably they don't have any objections?

I’d be genuinely delighted with a good home made minestrone for lunch. But not for dinner or for Sunday lunch.

Everyone is different but personally I wouldn’t come again if you invited me for lunch and just gave me soup. That feels like a starter to me. I would be expecting something a little more substantial. I agree with your husband.

Hello,
I'm from a Mediterranean culture and I believe in our country we are always over cooking when we invite friends at home. My dad was always saying to my mom that he preferred to have leftover food that leaving the guest still hungry. I have seen the difference when I'm invited to my English friend and I love the difference between the culture. I think we like overwhelming our self cooking for friends from starter to desserts. I'm sure your soup are made with love and you've got a point saying you can cook in advance. Maybe you could both mix your food culture and he can suggests and help you to integrate other things.

I love soup. What time would you like me to come? 😉

I'm of Mediterranean background too and I serve hearty soup for lunch with fresh bread and butter, all three things homemade, with cream cheese or hummus and salad on the side. Fresh fruit to follow, sometimes with a batch of scones as a second choice. Dinner tends to be heavier, maybe chicken or a good tagine.

Nice lunch, prob wouldn’t serve for dinner

For lunch I'd say it's perfect with a nice loaf and butter. For dinner, I probably wouldn't serve to guests unless they were close friends or family and would be happy to help themselves to more - even then, I probably wouldn't serve it out of choice. Exceptions being something a little different like a ramen bowl, the Mexican pasta shell soup with mayo (can't remember the name) or a pimped up stew with herby dumplings etc.

Soup is the perfect lunch, with bread for those who want it. Soup and a sandwich is two lunches.

Your husband is right. Soup is a starter unless it is more like a meaty beef stew than a soup. YABU.

I love soup esp minestrone but remember watching a cookery programme where the cook said it wasn't really acceptable to serve to people. Couldn't understand why.

It might be culture different. personally I won't serve soup for lunch or dinner as soup is considered a side dish for my culture. Soup is like for poor people meal, unless it is herbal soup for health for side dish etc. Hope you wont be offended.

tell him to cook for his friends if he not happy with it! he shouldnt embarrassing you but offer to do it himself.

Soup is a drink

Fine for a starter but not a main for me

Did you actually read the original question? Did you even read the title to the question? The person clearly asked about lunch - in fact, dinner was not even mentioned. Your contribution to this topic is worthless.

I love soup. I think it's fine, especially for lunch.

I'd refuse to cook next time though, your husband can do it.

Oh, whoops…

For some visitors I make soups for lunch or dinner

From OP. Top of the page, right there, in easily readable words.

Homemade soup with lovely bread is wonderful
Glad you've accepted now OP that it's a weekday lunch or Saturday but not a Sunday lunch or evening meal when it should be a more substantial meal . If think lovely starters but what's the rest of my dinner if you served that up for an evening meal for guests. As a family we'd eat it but only if we'd had eg a full cooked English breakfast or substantial lunch that day

I bet your homemade soups are lush tho 🥰

I absolutely love it when we go round my parents and they serve home cooked soup and tiger bread!! It’s usually veg potatoes and meat so filling wise no different to a roast!! Can’t see the fuss

For an informal lunch, I'd be really happy with a homemade soup and nice bread. It's not something I'd usually eat for dinner, but would if the accompaniments were substantial enough. Ultimately though, your husband has a nerve complaining about what you make and offer. Why doesn't he just cook, rather than complaining?

Oh come on, soup is nothing, NOTHING like a roast!

Oh come on! … it kinda depends what’s in it!!

I would serve soup and bread as a meal, but probably add some salad, dips and cheese afterwards, followed by a chocolate and coffee. That said, my soup tends to be very substantial and ribsticking.

@Michelle1964 literally reads…..

‘i like making soups from scratch (E.g vegetable, lentil, minestrone) and try to make them tasty, nutritious and filling. For some visitors I make soups for lunch or dinner, for the same reasons above’