Friends promised a BBQ and delivered an Iceland beige buffet!

[Bbqdisaster]

As above really, myself, DH and 3 DC went to our friends’ house yesterday on the promise of some drinks in the garden and a BBQ.

They said they were having issues with their BBQ so would do an ‘indoor BBQ’. This consisted of beige food from Iceland!!

AIBU to find this a woeful alternative?

But are farm shop Charlie Bingham-esque meals acceptable?

It'll seem pretty mean to her friend if the thread is picked up on and features in the media. Her name change won't stop it being identifiable

Well I am sure they will have had a lovely time drinking it when you had gone.

I think it is. From reading the OPs updates, there is a clear attempt to wind people up.

You really thought you did something there😂
Comparing tripe and chicken hearts to a bit of frozen food cooked in an oven?

You're insane. Cope harder.

You could repackage a value meal, stick it in a farm shop and suddenly it would be palatable.

You are coming across as a judgemental snob! The little brags… Charlie Bingham ready meals… more expensive than all the food wine…

I don’t care about food, it’s about the company. I get it that most people would care about the food though. The idea of serving cheap buffet food is anathema to my husband who has a bit of a reputation as a host extraordinaire.

We have friends that invite us for dinner and serve food that’s barely edible. It’s become a bit of a private joke and my colleagues get excited if I tell them we’re seeing these friends at their house because they love to hear what food we were served. 😬

It's very amusing though.
I had a posh mac and cheese for tea today instead of the Iceland basic one I usually buy.
I'm all bloated up now 🙁

At least if they see this you won't need to worry about being invited again OP

How very dare they .

But surely they are your friends so you went to see them. Food situation is incidental but I wouldn’t be moaning about it!

Definitely a wind up.

Than why go? That's awful to your friends.

Do you think it might have been a cost thing? That they suddenly realised how much they'd need. BBQs can run expensive, decent cuts of meat, sausages, burgers etc then the array of salads to go alongside it all. I've definitely had close friends confide in me before that they changed their mind about a BBQ and did similar party foods, made shredded chicken for burgers instead as it was much more affordable and easier to ensure there was plenty for everyone.

I actually prefer coop's own branded bolognese pasta to m&s. I also prefer cheaper sausages to the branded ones :) hope you feel better soon x

Erm... it's obvious their plans went wrong and instead of cancel they did "something" instead.

I hate processed food more than most people but surely the company was worth more than the food?

And did you bring annything? no? mmm

Perhaps they served 'beige food'because they didn't like you. And they hoped you would decline. That honestly wouldn't surprise me. Actually..I think thats definitely it!

I’ve read this Iceland/farm foods beige buffet horror so many times on here …eat it, don’t eat it, tell her don’t tell her.. it’s done to death

You can be a host extraordinaire but not have basic decency and good manners.

If this s actually serious…
Did you have a good time? Are you really friends? Who cares about the food?

I highly doubt it. One, possibly both of them are in jobs paying six figures.

What food and drink did you take along? Did they refuse to cook the fillet steak & king prawns you kindly provided?
At least they might have opened your champagne contribution?
Id be glad if any food someone else provided.. and washed up!

I would take a lovely Iceland buffet over a barbecue any day. I love a buffet and avoid barbecues where possible, they take ages to heat up and to actually cook the meat and it never seems to be properly done, I think of barbecues as both inconvenient and unhygienic, plus I don't like eating outside so I dread being invited to one!

I have a 26 year old car yet shop all organic at Waitrose, our nearest neighbour shops at Iceland but drives an Aston Martin.

There’s no right and wrong, everyone’s priorities and choices are different.

Perhaps unsurprisingly we don’t socialise together.