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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Family friends around for dinner Saturday night- can i do a roast?

164 replies

hmmmwhattoeat · 04/03/2026 21:55

I will start with the fact i love a good roast, and i know logically you can have one any time,BUT it seems odd to eat one on a Saturday night for some reason.

Apart from the fact i like a roast, another benefit it brings is that i can prepare most of it in advance so it still enables me to drop kids to and from their clubs and I know they will also eat it!! Win win

Would you think its a strange choice if you went around for an evening dinner and were served a roast dinner???

Unreasonable- you can not serve a roast for saturday night dinner
Reasonable- stop being silly thats perfectly fine

OP posts:
Parrlorwarrior · 05/03/2026 01:36

TreatyPie · 05/03/2026 00:36

Nope roasts are boring as hell and for Sundays.
Do cottage pie

Oh yes, good old exciting cottage pie!

EleanorMc67 · 05/03/2026 01:39

I'd agree with @mindutopia that you can do some variant of a roast that's lighter & more interesting - maybe a bit more spring-like?!!

I'm a big fan of Diana Henry's recipes. What about this if lamb is ok with everyone? You could do sides as per the photo (buttered minted new potatoes & green beans, maybe with some toasted almonds).

Or tabbouleh is easy to make slightly ahead & you could do roasted cherry tomatoes with it? (Baked for 45 mins with oil, a splash of balsamic, a few chilli flakes & a crushed clone or two of garlic.)

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/roast-lamb-with-pistachio-feta-lemon-stuffing

Delphiniumandlupins · 05/03/2026 01:59

I'm voting for the roast. It's a meal with friends (including OP's children) not a dinner party. Most people saying no don't seem to like a roast meal anytime. A few are suggesting lamb and I know several people who dislike lamb although eat other meats.
Check with your guests if you're unsure, while checking dietary requirements.

PyongyangKipperbang · 05/03/2026 03:31

vincettenoir · 04/03/2026 21:58

I think a roast always goes down well and it would be generally well-received and a good talking point.

I guess one downside is that some of your friends might be having a roast the following day. But that doesn’t seem like a biggie.

two roasts in two days?! Where? Sign me up!

CakeMeHomeIveSeenEnough · 05/03/2026 03:48

Even if someone associates a meal with a specific day of the week, I don't see why it would be a problem to occasionally have it on a different day. If someone is good enough to prepare a nice meal for me, I wouldn't be too choosy about whether it's Saturday or Sunday. If you think they like a roast, that's all that matters.

caringcarer · 05/03/2026 04:01

I often do a roast midweek with Yorkshire puddings too and wine gravy.

SexIsNotNebulous · 05/03/2026 04:02

I would be disappointed, it’s not Saturday dinner with friends food for me. I would be very happy with a bowl of pasta and some nice wine, far more so than a heavy roast.

Foxybyname · 05/03/2026 04:15

It's so odd isn't it?! I mean, I love a good roast, but on a Saturday evening?? It's a firm no from me but I can't really explain why!!

In this situation I would do something like a beef bourguignon - easy to prep in advance and can still have with mini roasts and steamed vegetables.

ApeachAndaGoodBook · 05/03/2026 04:22

A roast is a safe food for me, so I'd enjoy it. Especially with a lot of yorkies, gravy and horseradish.

ApeachAndaGoodBook · 05/03/2026 04:25

Foxybyname · 05/03/2026 04:15

It's so odd isn't it?! I mean, I love a good roast, but on a Saturday evening?? It's a firm no from me but I can't really explain why!!

In this situation I would do something like a beef bourguignon - easy to prep in advance and can still have with mini roasts and steamed vegetables.

Edited

Dh made last beef bourguignon, last night, one of my favorites. Yum!

JMSA · 05/03/2026 04:27

It’s a massive yes from me.

In fact, I’d be loving life with you as my friend 😄

FloofBunny · 05/03/2026 04:27

Waitingfordoggo · 04/03/2026 22:02

I’d be delighted to arrive at a friend’s on any day of the week to find they had made me a roast. I mean, the Tony Carvery is open all day every day so eating a roast at any time or day is clearly acceptable (I’m sure your roasts are better than the Toby Carvery though!)

Do not impugn my Toby Carvery! You take that back! I LOVE my local one. Its roasts and all the trimmings are fabulous.

FloofBunny · 05/03/2026 04:29

A roast on Sat night is fine, OP! I'd be delighted - although I bet you can't beat my local Toby Carvery.

Bjorkdidit · 05/03/2026 04:35

It's a bit boring for a dinner party. But if, like PPs have suggested, if you do roast chicken Nandos style or middle eastern lamb with appropriate sides, that would be much better.

Monty27 · 05/03/2026 04:55

Theres too much timing in a roast dinner with gravy and veg going on while guarding the oven and trying to socialise. I'd always prefer to do something less intensive when there's guests you'd like to be joining in with.

SpringIsSpringing2026 · 05/03/2026 05:07

ThiagoJones · 04/03/2026 22:15

I agree. It’s just a bit dull and heavy for a dinner party.

Show quote history

Why is everyone going on about 'a dinner party'. Iff rf s not a 1970's sitcom. They're having friends around fir dinner.

@hmmmwhattoeat friends around for dinner. Surely you know whether they'd enjoy it or not?

Personally it would depend on which friends & what time.

SpringIsSpringing2026 · 05/03/2026 05:14

But if you do, do one. Mine's the veggie option with Yorkshire puddings 😍

LordEmsworth · 05/03/2026 05:16

YABVVVVU to need random strangers to give you permission to roast some meat.

Empress13 · 05/03/2026 06:15

I would be grateful for anything if someone else was cooking! Maybe do some fancy veg not just plain boring cabbage, carrots etc. look for some nice different recipes online.

InterestedDad37 · 05/03/2026 06:37

There's never a wrong time for a roast (except perhaps breakfast time) 😋

hattie43 · 05/03/2026 06:39

I love a roast anytime

PumpkinsAndCoconuts · 05/03/2026 06:40

BillieWiper · 04/03/2026 22:13

No I think it's weirder to start cooking at 9am and be eating at 12-1pm. To me it's too hectic for the cook and too heavy a meal that early.

So evening is perfect. You do slow roasted meat if you do want to do prep earlier on in the day. But you can use shop bought stuffing and pig in blankets etc, and do a tray of roast veg and potatoes all together to save on oven space.

In fact I'd cook a chicken on top of the potatoes and veg then have greens or peas and ready made stuffing as sides. And definitely no shame in using bisto!

All of this!

I wouldn’t be disappointed by a roast (not at all). But I’m really not a fussy eater, so there’s that.

raspberrysparkles · 05/03/2026 06:50

We nearly always have a roast on Saturday. More time to enjoy and tidy up before work on Monday. Plus Sunday roast is at 3pm and nothing happens after but on Saturday at 6pm this doesn’t matter. Hmmm hope this makes sense! Daffodil

Pinkissmart · 05/03/2026 06:56

Of course you can. I used to do one mid week all the time

ThiagoJones · 05/03/2026 06:56

SpringIsSpringing2026 · 05/03/2026 05:07

Why is everyone going on about 'a dinner party'. Iff rf s not a 1970's sitcom. They're having friends around fir dinner.

@hmmmwhattoeat friends around for dinner. Surely you know whether they'd enjoy it or not?

Personally it would depend on which friends & what time.

Show quote history

Well I still host dinner parties and I’m pretty sure I don’t live in a 1970’s sitcom 😬. Same thing anyway isn’t it, just different wording? Dinner party/having friends for dinner? It doesn’t change my point anyway. I can change it to ‘it’s a bit dull and heavy for having friends for dinner on a Saturday night’, if that helps.