Offended by friend’s comments about party food

[LinsMum22]

We hosted my friend, her husband and three kids yesterday afternoon. Our sons are in the same football team and we said we’d put some food on at ours after and watch the Liverpool match who they both support. My friend agreed to party style food being the best option as everyone could pick at it as and when.

Amongst other things, there was - Indian selection, tempura prawns, sausage rolls, mini pizza’s, mini sausages, chips, breaded chicken. So a good mix all from Iceland where we’ve had positive comments on the food before.

I could tell my friends’ youngest looked unimpressed when they tried one of the items, and pulled a face to my friend. She made no
attempt to get them to try another item and basically said ‘I know’. I noticed five minutes later she had barely ate anything herself either.

15/20 minutes later, the youngest moaned again and this time my friend said ‘don’t worry, we will stop at McDonald’s on the way back as I’m hungry too.’

I text her after they left to say sorry if they didn’t enjoy the food. She replied to say they didn’t realise it would be that sort of food and that they’d have got something else before coming round if they realised!!

AIBU to find this really snobby and ungrateful? The fact she then took the kids to get a McDonald’s makes no sense!!

I hope you don't plan to have much to do with her in the future OP? She sounds like an ill mannered twat. I'd have sent back the thumbs up emoji and not bothered with her again.

the majority of food is better than mc donalds, i only eat mc d now when the app has the cheap offers on it

This

I think they might have been expecting sandwiches, crudités, hummus, sausage rolls and cake? I’m not picky but I don’t like the sort of thing you cooked personally and my kids don’t really like it either. I suspect the mum might just have realised her kids wouldn’t eat it.

Snobby? No - because she will 'stop by McDonald's' later on. Rest assured on that one. Ungrateful - yes, and also poor manners, her and her children. You should not have apologised. This is what happens when people apologise to elicit a reaction, not because they want to apologise.

And all the posters insisting there must be fruit- as if there would be an outbreak of scurvy if fruit was missed out at one meal.

I feel so bad and angry for you. You did a really nice thing, and your friend and her brats were extremely rude. At first I thought they must be used to eating less processed food at home since they frowned upon your food, but the fact that they thought McDonald's is okay, but not the food you provided tells me that these people are just super rude and ungrateful. I don't particularly enjoy party kind of food, but I'd never dream of saying anything to someone who's kindly put a spread on for me. There's always something that is good to eat, so you eat it and thank the host for their generosity.

She's rude. Don't invite her again. I'd think it were my dsis but her dc can't play football.

But they'll eat processed shite from Mcds?

For whatever reason sometimes food isn't to our liking, I'm sure you'e had food that wasn't your reference before. But it's just bad manners to make a fuss about perfectly normal food. Ignore her. She is just making herself look silly.

They were rude, no question. No one should feel obliged or forced to eat something they dislike, but there's also no need to comment. Iceland frozen stuff varies IMO, so if I disliked one thing I'd try another if I were hungry, and encourage my child to do the same. Or she could have asked you if the child could have a piece of fruit, a sandwich, or something. Assuming no major dietary restrictions, I'd think there could have been enough to tide them over, and then they could have stopped wherever they wanted on the way home without having to discuss it in front of their hosts.

That wasn’t why I suggested it - just that it’s easy finger food that lots of kids (and adults!) enjoy. And to counter the stodge, because just reading the OP made me feel slightly constipated 🤣.

It was pretty rude. I would have made it less obvious but I wouldn’t have wanted Iceland food either, sorry.

Agree. They were being so rude. It would have really upset me in your place.

Incredibly rude. Did the Dad tuck in?

who on earth still serves cheese and pineapple in 2025? Even my grand-mother has long moved on😂

I don't even shop in Iceland (more for convenience than anything else) but how rude to look down at food when you are a guest. You smile and are polite about it, surely that's a minimum.

I'd never expect fruit as party food.... but everyone is different

Yep and actually, a lot of fruit is high in sugar ( which we know obviously!)

Yeah, him and one of the kids filled their boots!

Sounds great to me, not sure what her version of party food is tbh

How is Iceland party food any worse than MacDonald’s?! If someone was bothered about nutrition and calories, you don’t go to McD’s as the alternative.

You can’t beat cheese-and-pineapple on a stick!

McDonalds is not bad food these days! Read the nutritional information if you will. It's not all diet food but FFS!

I don’t think the issue was nutrition or calories, she was fully on board with the party food suggestion.

The issue (although she’s not told me this) is clearly that it was from Iceland!

Wow, they were rude!

She told you everything you need to know about her - ungrateful, difficult or impossible to please, critical and looking to tear others down.

I am though intrigued about the nature of her objection. If she'd whispered to the fussy boy who was grousing, 'Don't worry, we'll stop for sushi and seaweed salad on the way home," at least I'd understand what her issue was. But she turned her nose up at sausage rolls and chips to have... McDonalds??

Rude and strange.

Also.. your party spread sounded perfect for an afternoon of watching football on the telly!