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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is this really enough food? Fed up of DH’s tightness

262 replies

ChristmasfoodQ · 17/12/2025 19:55

To give some background, I live with DH and our DD. We have two sons who are at Uni and will be returning to ours ahead of the weekend for Christmas.

For the first night they are back, we thought it would be good to have party food so DH went out to get this earlier. We are both busy the next two days so this was the only opportunity - we also live very rurally so can’t just pop down the round for a shop.

He has come back with the following:

-2 lots of ‘3 for 2’ party food so 6 in total - things like breaded prawns and spring rolls. Not massive portions at all
-Two share bags of crisps
-Olives and a small pack of antipasto (salami etc)

Now, both DS’ are 6 foot plus rugby playing young men. They eat us out of house and home at the best of times. DD is really slender but has a healthy appetite too.

I don’t know what DH was thinking - I’d clearly said to buy double that amount of party food. Having discussed with him, it comes down to money which is ridiculous. He earns six figures which is complimented by my own salary and we have ample disposable income.

He maintains its sufficient food for the 5 of us. AIBU to disagree?

OP posts:
converseandjeans · 17/12/2025 19:58

You probably need something to add to that - maybe a couple of pizzas or a cheeseboard with some nice bread.

randomchap · 17/12/2025 19:59

Is he always like this, or is he stressed about money or his job?

BuffaloCauliflower · 17/12/2025 20:00

No it’s not enough food. I’d get several more of the party food, breads and dips and probably double the olives and antipasto depending on their size. I’d always rather have too much than not enough. Is he generally concerned about money?

BestZebbie · 17/12/2025 20:00

Did he think he was buying supplementary food and there would be some other 'main course'?
Otherwise way too little, you will each get one pack of party things but the crisps and olives etc will just vanish between six people.

Fridgemanageress · 17/12/2025 20:01

i don’t know. Maybe he is going to do some rice salad, pasta salad lentil salad to compliment it all

Hufflemuff · 17/12/2025 20:02

Was that all they had and he couldn't be arsed to stop anywhere else?

SquigglePigs · 17/12/2025 20:02

It's a good start but you need at least a couple of pizzas and garlic bread to bulk it out.

Or a couple of baguettes, cheese, ham etc.

Katemax82 · 17/12/2025 20:03

This reminds me of my late FIL who bought a KFC for both PIL and my stepson and I. He got 6 peices and 4 fries! (Admittedly he had asked for a bargain bucket which back then was 6 peices and 4 fries, he meant a mega bucket which was 10 peices)

rainbowstardrops · 17/12/2025 20:03

You definitely need double that. Maybe some bread, roasted baby potatoes, rice dishes etc too?

ColinOfficeTrolley · 17/12/2025 20:03

Who the flip wants lentil salad at Christmas?

DappledThings · 17/12/2025 20:03

Doesn't seem that bad. 1.5 sharing things each plus cold meats and crisps. It's not overflowing but it's not noticeably mean either I don't think.

SeaToSki · 17/12/2025 20:03

Sounds like a nice starter..needs a main course with a nice pudding too..speaking as a mother of 4 dc about that age…they can eat the legs off the table and then come back for a snack an hour later!

madamegazelle1 · 17/12/2025 20:03

Nowhere near enough food and not a treat for everyone being back together!

ChristmasFaery · 17/12/2025 20:04

That wouldn’t be near enough food for one of my DC never mind 3 plus us. Is he expecting everyone to have 2 prawns, two spring rolls and 2 sausage rolls each? Tell him he needs to organise more food.

VikaOlson · 17/12/2025 20:04

Sounds like nibbles to have with a main.

soupyspoon · 17/12/2025 20:05

Is this to feed people the whole evening, so picky bits all night, grazing?

It wont be enough if so, but presumably you have bread and pasta or rice in the house with veg perhaps, mix up a big pot of flavoured rice/pasta with veg in it, perhaps nuts and seeds, perhaps mix tuna and olives in it, so its a hearty big bowl and supplements the little bits

Then cheeses, we have a virtal cheese board in the fridge at all times to be honest, we have tons of tins of beans and lentils so could make up a big veggie chilli or just bean stew type thing and that can be put on teh side.

But I suppose the whole point was not cooking so scrap that

No bread in the freezer?

He'll just have to go back out if you havent got anything.

FestiveBauble · 17/12/2025 20:05

That’s no where near enough - especially if you’re including hollow legged sports players!

Does he have secret debt you don’t know about? Is he normally this miserly with food? Surely on such a good household income spending on nice food in adequate amounts shouldn’t be pushing him to the edge!

Perhaps serve him last and see what’s left by the time everyone else has had their fill, that might get the point home.

CandidRaven · 17/12/2025 20:06

My 12 year old DD could eat that on her own 😂 send him back for more stuff

FurForksSake · 17/12/2025 20:06

Yeah, it’s not going to go far enough. But the party food is overpriced and getting smaller and smaller.

id add two large pizzas and a couple of salad. And a dessert!

Original poster
ChristmasfoodQ · 17/12/2025 20:07

Hufflemuff · 17/12/2025 20:02

Was that all they had and he couldn't be arsed to stop anywhere else?

He was in M&S and in his words they had plenty but he didn’t think it was good value.

We don’t usually buy this sort of UPF apart from treats, I try to cook from scratch as much as possible and he knows this was our only chance to get the shop done this week. So I’ll have to supplement with some healthier stuff and put up with the moaning.

Given where we live it’s not easy to get an online delivery either.

OP posts:
203percent · 17/12/2025 20:07

Did he accidentally leave a couple of pizzas in the car?

ChristmasHug · 17/12/2025 20:07

Xmas eve for 5 we are having that plus cheese and biscuits and bread plus dessert. No one is a big eater though and we are going out for lunch. If your lads are that's probably only enough for them.

Saying it is about money is bizarre though, he could have bought some additional cheaper bits.

Are you sure there isn't debt you don't know about or his job is at risk?

jocktamsonsbairn · 17/12/2025 20:08

Could you get him to make a bolognaise or something in the slow cooker if you can’t get back out to the shops? Grab pizza or garlic bread out the freezer? Def mean! My DS would need more than a fifth of that!! Sounds like a starter or part of a buffet!

dontmalbeconme · 17/12/2025 20:08

I think it is enough actually. 6 bags/boxes of hot nibbles means the equivalent of one whole pack each, plus a spare pack, plus crisps, olives, salami etc. Looking in my freezer a pack is 18 piece Indian selection , 14 mozzerella sticks, 12 tempura prawns etc, so you've got more than a dozen hot nibbles each plus all the extras, which is a fair amount.That said, I'd probably have bought more, thinking any extras could just go in the freezer. And fillerlike baguette or garlic bread would be good to have on hand too.

vanillalattes · 17/12/2025 20:08

Nowhere near enough. DH and I would easily get through that on our own!