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AIBU?

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Original poster

The Cauliflower Cheese Conundrum

390 replies

Speckly · 27/10/2025 22:09

Earlier a friend I was out with asked me what we were having for dinner tonight. When I replied “Cauliflower cheese and crusty bread”, she said “With what?” When I told her that was our dinner she looked horrified and told me cauliflower cheese is a side dish. As kids we often had cauliflower cheese for our dinner (I’m early 50s) but I’m interested to know, is that weird? Husband and I usually have this as a main about once a month (not vegetarian btw). When I asked DH his views on the subject tonight, he said he enjoys it but that his family never really had it when he was young so he couldn’t comment. If it’s relevant at all, we live in Kent. So is it ok to eat cauliflower cheese as a main or should it only ever be served as a side dish?

YABU - Cauliflower cheese is a side dish. You need to jazz it up with some other stuff!

YANBU - Cauliflower cheese is a decent main course - ignore the haters.

OP posts:
FrodoBiggins · 27/10/2025 22:20

mamagogo1 · 27/10/2025 22:17

I like it with a roast, it contains little protein so I don’t think it’s a meal in its own right

Cheese and milk both have protein in. Although I think it's probably slightly undermined by the high fat per gram content tbf.

soupyspoon · 27/10/2025 22:21

BeeCucumber · 27/10/2025 22:16

It can be both. Main meal with crusty bread or as a side with a roast. I usually make mine with cauliflower and leeks - with a pound of mousetrap cheddar in the sauce and the same amount of grated cheddar on the top.

Doesnt sound as if you have enough cheese in it to me?

FrodoBiggins · 27/10/2025 22:22

However you eat it, make sure when you cook it you sing Billy Ocean 'Carribean Queen (Love on the Run)' but change the lyrics to "Cauliflower Cheese".
Really helps the flavour ime

aperollingintotheweekend · 27/10/2025 22:22

It can be if you’re not fussed on eating much protein. I’d definitely have to add some kind of meat to it if it was a regular dinner, but on occasion I’d scarf it for dinner just fine. Dairy has some protein yes but more fat so it’s not particularly high in protein

Timeforabitofpeace · 27/10/2025 22:23

It’s totally normal as a main. I think it’s a bit ott as a side dish, especially alongside a different sauce -gravy.

Timeforabitofpeace · 27/10/2025 22:24

And there’s plenty of protein in cheese sauce.( 11-16g per moderate portion ). For that matter, as a nation we eat rather a lot of protein.

soupyspoon · 27/10/2025 22:24

mamagogo1 · 27/10/2025 22:17

I like it with a roast, it contains little protein so I don’t think it’s a meal in its own right

It doesnt contain 'little protein' at all, a main meal size portion will have around 20 grams of protein in it. The optimum amount to consume in one go. That doesnt include the bread.

How much protein did you think it had?

StewkeyBlue · 27/10/2025 22:25

It was a main dish when I was growing up, but I think we had potatoes with it. And maybe a rasher of crispy bacon.

I have never cooked it as part of a roast.

soupyspoon · 27/10/2025 22:26

aperollingintotheweekend · 27/10/2025 22:22

It can be if you’re not fussed on eating much protein. I’d definitely have to add some kind of meat to it if it was a regular dinner, but on occasion I’d scarf it for dinner just fine. Dairy has some protein yes but more fat so it’s not particularly high in protein

Jesus, enough with the protein thing already.

How much protein do you think is the optimum amount in a meal?
How much protein do you think is in it?
The fat content doesnt minimise the protein in it
Not every meal has to have exactly the same amount of carbs, protein or fats as all the other meals in the day.

MagicLoop · 27/10/2025 22:27

I've only ever had it as a side dish, but I absolutely love it and would happily eat nothing but a big plate of it on its own (if I hadn't become dairy intolerant Angry)

familyissues12345 · 27/10/2025 22:27

We had it as a side with sausage, mash, peas and gravy tonight - disclaimer, said CC was consumed before gravy hit my plate. I can’t be doing with mixing! Envy

Im also happy to have it as a main meal - Love cauliflower cheese!

WrigglyDonCat · 27/10/2025 22:28

Extremely unreasonable as either a main or side as cauliflower is basically just something scraped out of the devil's arse crack.

Adding cheese, one of greatest human discoveries of all time, to cauliflower is almost enough to make me become a supporter of capital punishment.

Ihad2Strokes · 27/10/2025 22:29

Im on the fence.

i eat it a LOT in the winter, but with lots of different veg in it.

I AM vegetarian & live alone thought.

Though Ex & I would have it for dinner (with lots of different veg) & my best friend has it/makes it for dinner too.

but just cauli & for 'others' probably not.

StripyHorse · 27/10/2025 22:30

I grew up with it as a meal too.

There is one pub we sometimes go to for lunch, and DD1 and I often order cauliflower cheese (admittedly on the sides) and just have a few chips with it.

Driftingawaynow · 27/10/2025 22:30

A main. With some Stilton in

LazyLaurel · 27/10/2025 22:31

It was a main growing up and still a main now. We have it with loads of seeds/breadcrumbs toasted on top. Was so confused when I learnt that people had it as a side!

Timeforatincture · 27/10/2025 22:31

Well as the Oracle Ronnie Barker said as Fletcher in Porridge " You can't escape on a Thursday! Good tea innit? Cauliflower cheese". So there you are. Good tea innit.

MrsMitford3 · 27/10/2025 22:32

Had it tonight as a side with slow cooked pork and mash.

I just don't feel like is a main for grown ups 😂although I do love it

DeirdreDragon · 27/10/2025 22:33

Cauli cheese and chips, dinner of champions

DrCoconut · 27/10/2025 22:33

Cauliflower cheese on toast - food of the Gods.

FridayNightFever · 27/10/2025 22:33

I'm also from Kent and grew up having Cauli cheese as a main meal. I practically lived on the stuff. I was hugely shocked when I found out people had it with a roast - it just didn't remotely seem to fit. I'm now a convert to this (and LOVE it when the cheese sauce mixes with the gravy!) and, oddly, never have it by itself anymore!

AgentPidge · 27/10/2025 22:34

I would normally have it as a side, but leftovers definitely as a main, with some sort of green veg - either a salad or broccoli cooked in with the cauliflower. A bit of nutritional yeast on top too. Yum!

JillyJoy · 27/10/2025 22:34

Before reading this thread I would have assumed it to be a mid-week thrift meal if it was without meat.

ItsTheSeasonOfTheStick · 27/10/2025 22:35

Not much protein, nor is it very healthy. High calorie for low reward, albeit delicious.

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 27/10/2025 22:35

We always had it as a main when I was a kid. I hated it and always left it/whinged about it. Now I absolutely love it and am very sad thinking about how many cauliflower cheeses I insulted because I knew no better.