or am I just tight fisted? It's not a big deal mind.

[WinkyWinkola]

DH and I regularly gather together with some other friends four or five times a year at each others houses with the kids. I've hosted three times in a row so far. It's v. enjoyable. It's 8 adults and five children.

We're going to one of the other friend's houses next week. i've been asked to bring enough roasting chickens to feed them all. I'm thinking I may as well be hosting the event myself again. I go to a lot of trouble and expense to have all these people round for lunch - we all have a great time. But I feel irked like this friend is taking the p*ss, asking me to provide that much food even if it is a picnic.

I feel I may be being a bit contrary because I would take alcohol and cheese anyway as a gift to the same value as the meat. But I'm annoyed about it. I do enough cooking as it is and I won't buy those preroasted birds because you don't know where they're from, IYSWIM.

I'm mean, aren't I?

I'd have thought that, as it's a picnic, your roast chickens won't be the only protein on the menu so I'd just take two medium sized chickens and a bottle of wine. I would buy the supermarket rotisserie ones too to make it simple - they're about £4 each in Waitrose.

Maybe next week's host is very busy, very stressed, very bad at cooking, or something else. Is there a reason why she might have asked for help on the food front when the rest of you don't ask for help when it's your turn?

On eht other hand, maybe it's not the main meat item. Maybe she's just expecting you to bring enough for everyone to have a slice, in which case on large chicken, pre-sliced, would be fine.

How did she ask you? Face-to-face? On the phone? Or a text message? And what was your reply? I know that it's difficult when asked outright like that to do anything other than agree.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I think I'm right.
It's not a roast dinner, it's a picnic, so you won't need that much chicken for 13 of you. Presumably there'll also be ham, sausages, maybe a bit of fish?
I think it would be a good idea to find out what other people are bringing so you can gauge how much chicken is needed. That way if she says 'oh, about 6' or something equally outrageous you can voice your concerns.

I think Lyra has a point. Maybe they just mean a bit of chicken already cut up to dish out with other stuff.

You could ring and ask, would they prefer a couple of sliced chicken breasts or a few drumsticks.

If they then say "no we want you to bring a whole pile of actual roast chickens" that is an excellent opener for pointing out that you have paid for the last 3 and it's not on. And that you need to decide how it all works for future occasions.

I would definately just take one large one, ready sliced on a platter. After all - they're never going to have the nerve to say - 'Oh I was hoping you'd bring 5 so that I and the rest of my family can live off it for the rest of the week!'

IIRC, M&S has big tubs of chicken legs already roasted. Haven't tried them, but those might be nice for a picnic - also more 'finger food-ish' than faffing about with cutlery. (I always find it difficult to balance a plate on my lap while sitting on the ground on a picnic blanket - so am grateful for anything I can pick up and eat with my hands.)

As far as whose 'turn' it is to host, is this picnic in someone's garden or in a park/some other public space? I'm thinking if it's in a park then perhaps no one is really 'hosting', so the idea of everyone bringing something is more understandable.

Hi ww - what about Nigella's Maple Chicken n Ribs

Perfect for a picnic and you can buy a couple of those silver trays to transport in with the lids that go on top - no carving!

Personally, I probably would be a bit peed off but like the others have said just maybe say something on the day like instead of someone hosting is this the way it is going to be?

FWIW, DH and I have some friends who seem to love coming to our house to be fed as their DD said "we get the best food ever here", it always seems to be our turn more than theirs! When we are invited over to them, you get what is in the house at the time. But we have been friends for a very long time so I know this is the way it is always going to be.