Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:45     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Husband and I are both Italian. His parents “are off the boat”. My grandparents were too and my parents were born in this country.

We have always had pasta for lunch or dinner.

I was with my kids (girl age 6 and boy 4) and a friend and her kids at a park. I invited them back to our house for lunch.

I made pasta-penne with butter for the kids and vodka sauce for myself and my friend.

She looked at it and said “is this lunch? A bowl of pasta?”

I said yes this is what we usually have. She looked at me oddly and didn’t say anything else and ate.

But what a weird response.


What is weird is serving a lunch with no protein and no vegetables (and probably no whole grains). And, it was rude for her to point it out


What's this almond mom obsession with protein? You can go several meals without chicken/fish/eggs/red meat. Fresh plant food is much more important in the diet anyway.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:43     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:I’m surprised by the Italian people saying this is a normal meal for them. A friend of mine who is a visiting diplomat from Italy has remarked multiple times how she was shocked how much pasta Americans eat at meals. She claimed that in Italy, the pasta is usually just 1/4 to 1/3 of the plate, with most of the rest being veggies and then small protein. Also, they obviously eat fresh pasta not the processed junk most of us eat. She looks amazing so I assumed what she said was true.

I do think pasta and sauce or butter/noodles is a bit strange as a meal, but I also think it’s strange to come here to ask about it (I guess that’s what anon forums are for though so I need to get over that). I usually serve a side of steamed broccoli and/or soup (literally always have this in fridge).


Haha no way! Every Italian I know eats th same boxed “processed junk” we do. They are specific about brands but no working Italian is rolling pasta every night in their kitchen a they go for convenience just like we do.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:40     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:It’s weird to not offer a salad or vegetable or fruit.


This and your friend it rude.

The only appropriate response is “thank you for lunch” and maybe add “this looks great”. If she needs fruit or a salad get it at home.

But typically - yes - we eat starch, maybe some meat, and a small fruit (or vegetable) - like sandwich and an apple.

My Asian friends have rice with every meal and they usually put vegetables and maybe some meat in that - so same thing as us really. Same for my Latino friends - rice some veggies, and usually heavy (imo) on the meat.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:36     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Back home lunch is usually served around 2 pm and is the main meal of the day with soup and second course or a carb / vegetable / protein, so if she’s from similar culture, that could explain her surprise and comment.

It may have been just surprise on her part and learning that “Italians” eat plain pasta for lunch type of discovery, rather than being rude on purpose. Though she did end up being rude.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:34     Subject: Pasta for dinner
I’m surprised by the Italian people saying this is a normal meal for them. A friend of mine who is a visiting diplomat from Italy has remarked multiple times how she was shocked how much pasta Americans eat at meals. She claimed that in Italy, the pasta is usually just 1/4 to 1/3 of the plate, with most of the rest being veggies and then small protein. Also, they obviously eat fresh pasta not the processed junk most of us eat. She looks amazing so I assumed what she said was true.

I do think pasta and sauce or butter/noodles is a bit strange as a meal, but I also think it’s strange to come here to ask about it (I guess that’s what anon forums are for though so I need to get over that). I usually serve a side of steamed broccoli and/or soup (literally always have this in fridge).
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:29     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:It’s weird to not offer a salad or vegetable or fruit.


You’re weird you judgemental twat
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:14     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Husband and I are both Italian. His parents “are off the boat”. My grandparents were too and my parents were born in this country.

We have always had pasta for lunch or dinner.

I was with my kids (girl age 6 and boy 4) and a friend and her kids at a park. I invited them back to our house for lunch.

I made pasta-penne with butter for the kids and vodka sauce for myself and my friend.

She looked at it and said “is this lunch? A bowl of pasta?”

I said yes this is what we usually have. She looked at me oddly and didn’t say anything else and ate.

But what a weird response.


Did the mom or the kid say that? Either way I would not consider plain buttered noodles an appropriate lunch for a kid. Why wouldn't you throw some tomato sauce and cheese on there at least? I'm not afraid of carbs and I serve pasta all the time but not just plain buttered pasta.


My kid loves buttered pasta. That's why. I'm not even OP.


Ok but do you serve that as the only item with the meal? No fruits or veggies on the side?


Meals can consist of one thing. Pasta being a prime example. I also don't feel a need to add vegetables and bacon to my bowl of cereal in the morning.


Pasta with some type of sauce is a meal. Plain noodles is not a meal. And for a growing child I would not just serve cereal there would be some fruit on the side too.


And milk. I would serve cereal either with milk on top, or if the kid is picky like I was, with a glass of milk on the side.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:13     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'd toss some chicken in there. You're just feeding your kids carbs as a meal.


Everyone can manage one meal without protein. Ain't gonna either away and die.


I guess one of my goals when I am planning a meal for guests is to not kill them, it's not the thing in the forefront of my mind. I also would like them to have a meal that they enjoy.

I think that pasta with vodka sauce is fine. It's got some veggies and protein from the dairy, albeit not a huge amount. But fine for a meal. But I would probably have asked if my guests kids wanted vodka sauce, not assumed they were as picky as your kid, and thrown a fruit or veggie on the plate.

Having said that, any faux pas in not offering sauce the the child is tiny compared to commenting like the guest did. That was way out of line.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:09     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Probably one of those no carb can’t eat pizza families. Avoid
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:07     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Husband and I are both Italian. His parents “are off the boat”. My grandparents were too and my parents were born in this country.

We have always had pasta for lunch or dinner.

I was with my kids (girl age 6 and boy 4) and a friend and her kids at a park. I invited them back to our house for lunch.

I made pasta-penne with butter for the kids and vodka sauce for myself and my friend.

She looked at it and said “is this lunch? A bowl of pasta?”

I said yes this is what we usually have. She looked at me oddly and didn’t say anything else and ate.

But what a weird response.


Did the mom or the kid say that? Either way I would not consider plain buttered noodles an appropriate lunch for a kid. Why wouldn't you throw some tomato sauce and cheese on there at least? I'm not afraid of carbs and I serve pasta all the time but not just plain buttered pasta.


My kid loves buttered pasta. That's why. I'm not even OP.


Ok but do you serve that as the only item with the meal? No fruits or veggies on the side?


Meals can consist of one thing. Pasta being a prime example. I also don't feel a need to add vegetables and bacon to my bowl of cereal in the morning.


Pasta with some type of sauce is a meal. Plain noodles is not a meal. And for a growing child I would not just serve cereal there would be some fruit on the side too.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:05     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Yeah it's weird to say something, but that is also a weird meal. I would at the least have offered some grapes or carrots, lol.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 18:05     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I think it sounds delicious and sounds like your friend was envious- she probably serves up goldfish, Dino nuggets, and fruit snacks for lunch at home.


and is proud of herself because muh protein!


Some of you guys are really projecting.i serve pasta all the time and never serve the type of processed crap you describe and I still think serving only buttered noodles as a meal is strange. But again I wouldn’t say anything if someone served that to me.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 17:56     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Just buttered noodles yells "extremely picky kid" to me.
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 17:54     Subject: Pasta for dinner
Anonymous wrote:Husband and I are both Italian. His parents “are off the boat”. My grandparents were too and my parents were born in this country.

We have always had pasta for lunch or dinner.

I was with my kids (girl age 6 and boy 4) and a friend and her kids at a park. I invited them back to our house for lunch.

I made pasta-penne with butter for the kids and vodka sauce for myself and my friend.

She looked at it and said “is this lunch? A bowl of pasta?”

I said yes this is what we usually have. She looked at me oddly and didn’t say anything else and ate.

But what a weird response.


What is weird is serving a lunch with no protein and no vegetables (and probably no whole grains). And, it was rude for her to point it out
Anonymous
Post 03/24/2026 17:52     Subject: Pasta for dinner
The same people who eat just a vegetable salad as a meal (which is fine) complain about just pasta as a meal.