Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 15:13     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:For the other parent people keep saying it's just "one meal" because we can all see it's not a great meal, but per OP this is how she and her family eat at most meals. Nary a protein, vegetable, nor fruit. Why does OP eat like that? Is OP unaware that most people don't eat like that?


I don't think you can say that "most people" eat any particular way. If you've ever been to a hotel that caters to a large international clientele, you will see how many different things they put out for breakfast. I must have gained 5 pounds at the Mandarin Oriental in KL, eating from the Chinese, Indian, Malaysian, German, French, and American sections of the spread!
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 15:10     Subject: Pasta for dinner
This thread is the gift that keeps on giving.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 15:08     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I am Indian and we often serve rice or roti/paratha with a potato/root vegetable dish. I’ve had many questions about this.


But do you just serve your guests a potato or bowl of rice for lunch? One or the other, definitely not both, and just butter for sauce.


This is such a good example. Giving your guest a potato is super weird. Serving up a loaded baked potato (butter, cheese, bacon, sour cream, chives, maybe some broccoli) would actually be a meal. Buttered noodles = not a meal. Pasta with some kind of sauce = meal.


Jesus Christ lady, holy heart attack on a spud! Give me the buttered noodles any day over the monstrosity you serve your guests: butter AND cheese AND bacon AND chives AND broccoli.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:55     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As an Italian, I don't believe in serving buttered pasta - unless the kid is very ill. We hosted a playdate at our our house recently where we made homemade ravioli (squash/ricotta) and I served a big plate of sliced veggies, pickled veggies, fresh mozerella, etc, and just some fresh fruit for dessert. Pasta for lunch is very typical and does not need anything more than that. American children get a lot of protein - and anyone adding chicken to pasta - should go straight to jail.


As an AMERICAN, I don't give a crap what your heritage is. Honestly, people don't want to people to judge people on their race, gender, etc etc etc UNLESS your family came from Italy, then you feel that you have every right to comment on people's eating or feel superior to other's cooking.


Actually OP thinks that because she's an Italian her buttered noodles are not to be questioned. She offered the information, nobody asked.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:55     Subject: Re:Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:I think it's weird that you specifically invited the mom and kid over for lunch if you were basically just going to serve a bowl of noodles with no fiber. In my culture that'd be like specifically inviting people over to eat a bowl of rice with butter in it, or a bowl of rice with nori.
Like, why bother? Why not just say you had a great time, goodbye?

Alternatively, you could have invited them to have a snack and drink.


Your culture doesn’t count here
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:54     Subject: Pasta for dinner
There are so many miserable people on this forum. Truly miserable and ungrateful a holes.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:53     Subject: Re:Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:I think it's weird that you specifically invited the mom and kid over for lunch if you were basically just going to serve a bowl of noodles with no fiber. In my culture that'd be like specifically inviting people over to eat a bowl of rice with butter in it, or a bowl of rice with nori.
Like, why bother? Why not just say you had a great time, goodbye?

Alternatively, you could have invited them to have a snack and drink.


Or a heads up would have been nice because OP clearly hasn't had groceries delivered in a month or gone to the store. Just say you've barely got anything to eat but might be able to scrounge something up to set the expectation and give them an out.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:53     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:As an Italian, I don't believe in serving buttered pasta - unless the kid is very ill. We hosted a playdate at our our house recently where we made homemade ravioli (squash/ricotta) and I served a big plate of sliced veggies, pickled veggies, fresh mozerella, etc, and just some fresh fruit for dessert. Pasta for lunch is very typical and does not need anything more than that. American children get a lot of protein - and anyone adding chicken to pasta - should go straight to jail.


As an AMERICAN, I don't give a crap what your heritage is. Honestly, people don't want to people to judge people on their race, gender, etc etc etc UNLESS your family came from Italy, then you feel that you have every right to comment on people's eating or feel superior to other's cooking.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:52     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As an Italian, I don't believe in serving buttered pasta - unless the kid is very ill. We hosted a playdate at our our house recently where we made homemade ravioli (squash/ricotta) and I served a big plate of sliced veggies, pickled veggies, fresh mozerella, etc, and just some fresh fruit for dessert. Pasta for lunch is very typical and does not need anything more than that. American children get a lot of protein - and anyone adding chicken to pasta - should go straight to jail.


I don't believe in people who don't believe in things that exist.

As a non-Italian, idgaf what you served at a *planned* lunch. You had ample time to put that together. OP's was spur of the moment, so nothing fancy should have been expected. Should we give up on spontaneity just because we can't make impressive meals?


Even if we had no friends over for lunch I still offer my kids carrots, tomatoes, snap peas, fruits, cheese, etc. Does OP not have those things on hand or what?


Her kid probably eats those for snacks. They aren't meant to be accompanied by pasta, unless they are actually in the pasta or a side salad. Serving a bunch of raw snap peas and carrots alongside pasta would be rather strange.


Oh I'm sure they are totally eating salad and vegetables as snacks but never at lunch.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:50     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As an Italian, I don't believe in serving buttered pasta - unless the kid is very ill. We hosted a playdate at our our house recently where we made homemade ravioli (squash/ricotta) and I served a big plate of sliced veggies, pickled veggies, fresh mozerella, etc, and just some fresh fruit for dessert. Pasta for lunch is very typical and does not need anything more than that. American children get a lot of protein - and anyone adding chicken to pasta - should go straight to jail.


I don't believe in people who don't believe in things that exist.

As a non-Italian, idgaf what you served at a *planned* lunch. You had ample time to put that together. OP's was spur of the moment, so nothing fancy should have been expected. Should we give up on spontaneity just because we can't make impressive meals?


Even if we had no friends over for lunch I still offer my kids carrots, tomatoes, snap peas, fruits, cheese, etc. Does OP not have those things on hand or what?


Her kid probably eats those for snacks. They aren't meant to be accompanied by pasta, unless they are actually in the pasta or a side salad. Serving a bunch of raw snap peas and carrots alongside pasta would be rather strange.


Not nearly as strange as just giving everyone a bowl of pasta with zero vegetables or fiber.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:46     Subject: Re:Pasta for dinner
I think it's weird that you specifically invited the mom and kid over for lunch if you were basically just going to serve a bowl of noodles with no fiber. In my culture that'd be like specifically inviting people over to eat a bowl of rice with butter in it, or a bowl of rice with nori.
Like, why bother? Why not just say you had a great time, goodbye?

Alternatively, you could have invited them to have a snack and drink.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:43     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As an Italian, I don't believe in serving buttered pasta - unless the kid is very ill. We hosted a playdate at our our house recently where we made homemade ravioli (squash/ricotta) and I served a big plate of sliced veggies, pickled veggies, fresh mozerella, etc, and just some fresh fruit for dessert. Pasta for lunch is very typical and does not need anything more than that. American children get a lot of protein - and anyone adding chicken to pasta - should go straight to jail.


I don't believe in people who don't believe in things that exist.

As a non-Italian, idgaf what you served at a *planned* lunch. You had ample time to put that together. OP's was spur of the moment, so nothing fancy should have been expected. Should we give up on spontaneity just because we can't make impressive meals?


Even if we had no friends over for lunch I still offer my kids carrots, tomatoes, snap peas, fruits, cheese, etc. Does OP not have those things on hand or what?


Her kid probably eats those for snacks. They aren't meant to be accompanied by pasta, unless they are actually in the pasta or a side salad. Serving a bunch of raw snap peas and carrots alongside pasta would be rather strange.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:39     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:As an Italian, I don't believe in serving buttered pasta - unless the kid is very ill. We hosted a playdate at our our house recently where we made homemade ravioli (squash/ricotta) and I served a big plate of sliced veggies, pickled veggies, fresh mozerella, etc, and just some fresh fruit for dessert. Pasta for lunch is very typical and does not need anything more than that. American children get a lot of protein - and anyone adding chicken to pasta - should go straight to jail.


We stir fry the chicken, then add in tomato sauce, then pour it over pasta. I eat this at least twice a week. It's great, you should try it!
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:36     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Last time my kid and I got an impromptu lunch invitation after a kid activity, the friend popped a frozen pizza in the oven and pulled out some chips and salsa while it baked. And it was GREAT - one less meal I have to plan and execute, and extra time catching up with my friend. Do I normally eat frozen pizza for lunch, no, but never in a million years would it have occurred to me to question why she wasn't also washing and chopping veg for a salad or slicing up an apple.
Anonymous
Post 03/25/2026 14:36     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:As an Italian, I don't believe in serving buttered pasta - unless the kid is very ill. We hosted a playdate at our our house recently where we made homemade ravioli (squash/ricotta) and I served a big plate of sliced veggies, pickled veggies, fresh mozerella, etc, and just some fresh fruit for dessert. Pasta for lunch is very typical and does not need anything more than that. American children get a lot of protein - and anyone adding chicken to pasta - should go straight to jail.


This is perfect. What you served is ideal, but for quick stop in lunch what OP served is good, probably better than what almost anyone here would serve.


You sound like someone who can't cook whatsoever. What could be less effort than buttered noodles? A sleeve of crackers maybe? Pretty much anything else would be better. You must be OP.