Mumsnet users share who they'd invite for dinner after lockdown with Barilla

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Lockdown measures are still firmly in place and getting together with friends and family can feel like a distant memory, and it’s easy to daydream about what we’ll do once our daily lives begin to resemble our old version of normality again, including inviting friends or family over. With that in mind, Barilla would like to hear about how you’ve hosted and socialised during lockdown and who you’re most looking forward to welcoming into your home for a big bowl of pasta once this is over.

Have you missed hosting family and friends? Watch Barilla’s cookalong from last week and create a virtually () perfect Italian night with Gennaro Contaldo.

Here’s what Barilla has to say: “Italians love nothing more than getting friends and family around to share good food and good times. Barilla is the biggest family pasta-maker in Italy, so we’re proud to be right at the heart of those moments. Lots of people have been eating our authentic pasta on lockdown, all around the world. But we know the key ingredient is the other people around the table. So we’ve been looking for ways to help people play host – even if that means, for now, doing so at a distance.”

How are you hosting or taking part in social events during lockdown? Perhaps you’ve been hosting quizzes with friends, taking part in virtual cook alongs or group Zoom calls? Are you eager to host a dinner party with friends once this is over, or to simply have your sister over for drinks once the kids have gone to bed?

All who post below will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £200 voucher towards a weekly food shop (from a supermarket of your choice) provided by Barilla.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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Dominic Cummings, in order to poison him.

My mum my brothers and sister to spend time with my newborn .

Missing my partner, they are self-isolating/shielding.
Would be amazing to share a meal together again

Our 2 best friends who are both prison guards with a young baby mums maternity had ended in April. We moved house and were due to have them over for dinner on 27th March then bam lockdown had happened. We always find everyone we make plans something pops up. Or is it my cooking?

Family!! Have missed two big milestone holidays and birthday celebrations with both sides of the family. Plus there’d be other people to look after DC!

I really want to invite my sister in law and her family over, our kids are similar ages and it would be nice to have some grown up conversation whilst the kids played.

That's a tough question! My mother in law and her husband would be fantastic. She hasn't seen the kids for months. If the weather was fine, we'd sit outside and have a long, lazy meal with wine.

But really, I'd want my best mate and her family. I'd cook up a storm, we'd have music, games, wine and cocktails, and maybe a fire in the pit and sit out until the early hours getting silly and drunk and hugging lots!

Definitely my daughter. I'd cook her a roast dinner. While we've been apart we've been talking about food lots - describing what we're each having for dinner and sharing photos of things we've cooked.

How are you hosting or taking part in social events during lockdown?

Yes, for the past 4 Friday and Saturday

Perhaps you’ve been hosting quizzes with friends, taking part in virtual cook alongs or group Zoom calls?

A family zoom game of the chase !

Are you eager to host a dinner party with friends once this is over, or to simply have your sister over for drinks once the kids have gone to bed?

Yes I am so looking forward to seeing my 2 brothers, sister on laws and nieces and nephews if we are able before the summer ends.
To get the BBQ out and have the family around would be so lovely.

I'm looking forward to getting together with my sister and her family. We normally see them every week or so and are all really missing each other. A big Italian family feast once we can see each other is definitely on the cards :)

We were going to do this in London but obviously it got cancelled. We are a small family anyway so my 3dds and granddaughter, who I just want to kiss and cuddle to bits. Ds and his best friend. A cold buffet and some drinks. The perfect gathering.

Definitely my Mum & Dad as they are over 80 so shielding. I only see them for a chat through their window once a week when I drop off their shopping. I love pasta but my Mum isn’t a fan unfortunately so we would have to cook an alternative Italian dish!

It'll be my almost 19 year old son as not been able to see him for 2 weeks longer than lockdown as he had to go stay with his dad, to help him as he's on the at risk list, and he also needed to help his grandparents who live near, ie shop for them and sort out their gardens, etc., as they're not too well. My daughter had her 11th birthday with just me, end of April, and missed it last year as my mum died on her birthday as I had to go up north for a few days. So, I'm going to give her and my son a birthday celebration meal and enjoy spending time with him before he goes off to uni.

Michel roux to cook me something I've not had to make myself and my family to eat it.

My brother and 3 week old TWINS !! cannot wait of a cuddle

My two good mum friends. We used to meet at least once a week but haven't seen them since 20.03 when I locked down for shielding. We need to sit down and break bread. (Followed by some pasta?)

I can’t wait to have Aziraphale 😇 and Crowley 😈 round for dinner. We will dine on sushi, crepes, and cake, and will raise a toast to “The World!” Coffee will be served accompanied by biscuits covered in pink icing.

In a fantasy land, my mother.

My parents no doubt about it. They haven't seen their grandkids in months

So looking forward to spending time with my family

My lovely friend, who is fab, and has been completely alone during lockdown, while I've had a houseful. I would send my houseful out to the pub and then cook her a Friday night supper and have a really good catch-up about everything.

I can’t wait to see my friends again - I’ve been so lonely working from home, and as I moved house just as lockdown kicked in, I still have no broadband so can’t attend the zoom meetings they are having. A good girlie night in for the 8 of us would be amazing!

We have been using Whatsapp video calls to keep in touch with family, but after this we will be having a lovely family dinner with my parents, siblings and some new additions born during lockdown!

How are you hosting or taking part in social events during lockdown?

Zoom bingo with work colleagues, using Portal to hold a quiz with my parents.

Perhaps you’ve been hosting quizzes with friends, taking part in virtual cook alongs or group Zoom calls?

Zoom , portal, Facetime - as much as I can with friends and relatives, I've been shielding with my DS2 and any human contact has kept me motivated and sane.

Are you eager to host a dinner party with friends once this is over, or to simply have your sister over for drinks once the kids have gone to bed?

With my cooking the latter with a takeaway.

My family, so my mum, mil, my sisters and their husbands and children. I absolutely cannot wait to see my nephew as he's only months and feel like I've missed so much of his life already with the lockdown meaning we haven't seen him for 3 months. Video chat isn't quite the same. My other sister might have given birth to my other nephew by the time lockdown finishes too.