Travelled to friend's house for dinner, just strawberries for desert - AIBU to think it's low effort?

[Carefreebie]

On the weekend my partner and I travelled to a friend's house for dinner. The journey was over an hour by train.

The main course was sausages with nice sides (potato salad, tomato salad, another salad). That was nice.

But desert was just strawberries with some pouring cream.

We had a nice time, but AIBU to feel that the desert was very low effort and unexciting, and should have been more exciting than strawberries given the journey?

When my friend came to mine, I did a 3-course meal, feeling I should make a big effort because of her long journey.

BBQs are different. I don't really like them because I don't want to eat sausages and burgers, but I know in advance the food will be basic so I make sure I eat before and after.

If I was invited for dinner then served half a BBQ (no mention of bread) then I'd be very disappointed and would need to cook when I got home.

I just really don't like sausages and don't think of them as a meal at all. Same with burgers.

I eat a huge variety of food, and none of it is what I call freezer food. If you like chicken nuggets etc then you do you, but it's not really the kind of thing to serve up when you've invited people for dinner!

I wouldn't do pasta either, but suggested it as a better alternative because there are lots of really good quick pasta recipes.

I do like strawberries though!

@Geiyotue I eat a huge variety of food, and none of it is what I call freezer food. If you like chicken nuggets etc then you do you, but it's not really the kind of thing to serve up when you've invited people for dinner!

What does freezer food and chicken nuggets have to do with anything? It was sausages, 3 different types of salad and fresh fruit. Literally the opposite of freezer food.

Well, good job you're not invited here.

Years ago, I went to a friend's house for dinner, and they served up pasta with an utterly rank sauce.

I ate it, thanked them and didn't bitch about it behind their backs, due to not being a complete twat.

My attitude is you should be grateful for everything that you are offered. The thought of running to Mumsnet to complain about some strawberries being too basic is extraordinary to me. Be grateful for what you are given, be doubly grateful that someone likes you enough to prepare food for you and wants your company.

Made by the table with a wheelie trolley and portable gas burner?

If they are Cheddar strawberries YABU as this is peak strawberry season and they are the food of the Gods.

What did you contribute to the meal other than your presence? That's the real question here...

I stand by my comment.
We do not learn etiquette from ourselves, do we.

This is so weird. So glad I don’t have friends like you.

Nope. Not personally obsessed - way past all that shit. Anthropologically trained though and I do find nuances and how we interpret them fascinating.

I’m fairly confident your ‘anthropological training’ didn’t teach you that cheesecake isn’t classy and the super posh only serve fish pies when hosting.

Im just tired of hearing ppl blame women for the failings of others. Always the mothers.

I can't see what is wrong with poached pears either.

I must say it's the first time I've ever heard of anyone thinking they are some sort of hero for actually - gasp! - travelling to someone's house and thinking they need to be rewarded with an "appropriate" meal 😂

There really are some prize dicks on this thread.

Well, don't you sound unsufferable! Who cares whether or not you like sausages, freezer food or whatever. Do you really think you are such an important personage that all on MN need to hear about your dietary choices?

I live in a country where barbeques are a big part of summer life - and the majority of people enjoy them - yes, even the sausages. However, most people here are not priggish bores, so you wouldn't get on with them at all. 😎

I rarely meet anyone as self absorbed in real life. But this is MN, spiritual home of the weird and wonderful. 😂

Best response on this thread. 😃

I think the big question which, unless it's said on later pages, is Were the offending fruits Instagram-worthy? Was each one lovingly placed with care and attention to titillate the tastebuds of the throng of breathless followers?

I do think it's low effort when someone makes effort to visit you from far.

All I can hear in my head now is We Three Kings of Orient Are, thanks!

As for a one hour journey, I travel almost that long to get to Sainsbury's and if I wanted to venture to IKEA I think I'd take a tent and a couple of sherpas!

I served strawberries as dessert to guests last week and now I'm worried.
But they were (breathy voice) Marks and Spencer strawberries...
I'm pretty sure none of my guests travelled more than 25 minutes, so I might have got away with it

The struggle is real

Some mothers do have 'em. I rather like strawberries and cream.

I do too. I also like cheesecake, poached pears, sausages and pretty much everything else, though.

In addition, I not only know the difference between 'desert' and 'dessert' but also when it should be 'pudding'. Either way I'll eat it and not moan, because I'm not a graceless twat.

Who is your friend? I'll be their friend if they are going to feed me strawberries and cream 😋.

Maybe do them a favour, and cut off the friendship

This cannot be real. Who the hell do you think you are!!