To think my friend was really rude?

[Tiamaria86]

We have come for a week away in a caravan with the kids. My friend and her family booked the same week so we will spend some time with them but not all the time.

We arrived and typically its pouring down. She has just knocked on the door to ask if we want to order takeaway with them. I said oh the kids are just eating some bacon rib, potato and cabbage soup I brought with us (they love this, always request it).

She laughed her head off and asked why I've brought food like that with me. I said I've brought a big lasagne, beef stew and a chicken curry that I made as well. We will get fish and chips etc one night and maybe eat out but I thought it was just better to be prepared. She thinks I'm nuts and really made fun of me.

We've just bought a house and money is a bit tight to be honest so I did want to keep costs down and not waste money on crappy food when possible. I feel a bit embarrassed now though like I'm a tight arse!

OP you're a lovely thoughtful person and a great Mum.
Take no notice. She probably went to bed that night secretly feeling she wishes she'd made more of an effort, like you x

It's too expensive to eat out everyday for a week, when we go, we usually cook 4 nights, takeaway 1night and eat out the remaining 2 and same with lunches a mix depending what we are doing.

It’s a matter of preference and I think your kids are very lucky and will treasure the memories later in life. I was brought up like this and did the same with my kids. I can’t remember a single restaurant that we ate in but I do remember the fun nights sitting around the caravan table eating mums lovely home cooked food. There’s also something to be said for eating healthy food and not being broke when you return home

So glad you posted this!!! Was going to ask for the recipe!!! Pure comfort food and sound amazing!!!!

Who are these kids who prefer to eat mum's food in a caravan rather than takeaway/restaurant?!
Not mine, that's for sure

Probably not any more but we weren't missing what we'd never had!

I remember sitting round the picnic table eating whatever food mum had brought. I remember being in my mum and dad's bed with my mum while my dad made breakfast in the awning (asking how many honey nut loops we wanted and then dropping one in the bowl to make it "ting" and listening to us shrieking that it's not enough, then cackling with laughter). I remember fish and chips and ice cream by the sea.

I do not remember any of the restaurants. Not a single one.

My 2 year old loved fresh bread and ham in the garden of the cottage last year. Really enjoyed mummy's pasta. She picked at her food the couple of times we ate out.

Your food sounds amazing! Glad it's all sorted with friend now. We stay in airbnb's abroad especially so we can cook some of our own meals rather than forking out to eat out every meal. You two just do things differently - she probably couldn't believe how organised you were though to have cooked all that and brought it all with you! I'd have been in awe!

@Gooly62

i bet she didn’t! It’s her holiday - she’s entitled to relax and have a break

I genuinely don't see an issue with calling someone nuts, lol.

I tell my 70 year old dad he's nuts for wanting to go running up mountains for hours. I told DH he was nuts yesterday for taking a down jacket with him to walk the dog when it was 16 degrees outside. He tells me I'm nuts for having conversations with the cat.

To me, it's friendly ribbing, not something to be taken as a personal insult.

Why on earth would she wish that? lol.

Some of these responses are bonkers. If OP's friends wanted to bring soup on holiday she would have done

A combination of some delicious home-cooked food (thanks for the recipe, OP!) and a couple of takeaways/restaurants sounds ideal. Not sure why people find the soup specifically so funny .

Who are these kids who prefer to eat mum's food in a caravan rather than takeaway/restaurant?!
Not mine, that's for sure

They are quite little. Small children often like what is familiar, especially when they are oit of routine and staying in a strange place. If the OP's children are used to good home-cooked food, that's great.

@AllProperTeaIsTheft I think it's just the way it was phrased in the OP.

I don't know anyone who would say "oh the kids are just eating some bacon rib, potato and cabbage soup I brought with us" IRL. They'd just say "Oh sorry, I knew they'd be starving so brought something quick for tonight".

How close is the caravan to your actual home that you where able to bring all this food?

It does strike me as weird, we normally find a supermarket and buy stuff so its not always take out etc... but I just can't fathom transporting a big pre-made lasagna, stews, soups, curries etc... all the way on holiday or how you stored and transported it safely.

Cool bags, ice packs, foil trays and strategic packing.

I think it’s rude but this is the issue going on holiday with people. We were on holiday abroad and just wanted to eat out every night our friends wanted to cook in the air BNB but we have teenagers and they have young kids and it wasn’t compatible.

We have a touring caravan and always take stuff with us when we go away and, like you, will just get fish and chips one or two nights. It gets expensive eating out every night with a family, especially when you add in ice creams etc. We take a picnic to the beach/on days out and then buy ice creams in the afternoon.

I wouldn’t be going away with them again if that’s how they are going to be!

I think she is cheeky, and sounds very jealous to me. Some of us enjoy cooking the foods all our family loves, maybe her children suffer takeaway food often, if her snidey comment is anything to go by.

I’ve honestly heard it all now. Children “suffering” takeaways? I don’t think Esther Rantzen is going to be setting up a helpline any time soon…

It seems to me like OP has taken a far more sensible and pragmatic approach here than half of the posters on this thread. Four days ago now, OP confirmed that she’s made things up with her friend, and that it was basically just a combination of OP feeling a bit sensitive and her friend going a bit too far. Four days ago. Yet still people on here are trying to claim that the friend must be seething in jealous agony because OP made a pot of soup and she had to “suffer” takeaway.

Good on you. I always cook up some food to take to our caravan. It keeps it easy for the grandchildren. Your friend sounds rather rude. Unless you had arranged you were all eating together why would she expect it. Our friend often stay at their caravan when we are at ours but we don't eat together all the time. Like you say maybe go out one evening for fish and chips or similar. I would laugh back at her for wasting money.

Yes, just ask at the butchers for bacon ribs, I usually have mine with mashed potato, white cabbage & onion sauce.
Think it's pretty much an Irish dish tbh.

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Do NOT be embarrassed! You do you! She is RUDE. X