Anonymous wrote:I don't know... I love eating other people's food. A simple bowl of pasta warmly served to me, in good company, is just as good as any. It doesn't have to be a dietician's dream bowl of food.

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Anonymous wrote:For real though. Those of y’all who have a problem with what OP served, what would you have offered at an impromptu, post-playdate lunch? If it were me I’d probably have pulled out sandwich fixings (and sure, I always have fruit around so I’d probably offer that too). Maybe a bag of chips. I certainly wouldn’t be whipping up an elaborate meal, and I’d rather have homemade pasta alla vodka than a boring sandwich!

Do people really just not ever host if they haven’t pre planned a full course meal with optimal balance of lean protein, whole grains, fruits and fresh veg? That’s sad to me. I love that my friends are easy and casual and would happily come over for a DIY sandwich if a playdate ran into lunchtime and we wanted to keep the fun going.

OP never said any of it was from scratch. More likely than not it was jarred. Otherwise what would she have done? Tasked the friend with watching the kids while she cooked alone? That would be weird too. If I can’t pull together sandwiches, and a salad, we always have cheese, crackers, hummus, vegetables, meats, pita and fresh fruit on hand so it would be like a charcuterie board spread. If they were still hungry I have a freezer full of food to offer.

I don't think this is objectively superior to a bowl of pasta.

It is objectively better, but not subjectively, of course.

No, it is not better in either sense.

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Anonymous wrote:For real though. Those of y’all who have a problem with what OP served, what would you have offered at an impromptu, post-playdate lunch? If it were me I’d probably have pulled out sandwich fixings (and sure, I always have fruit around so I’d probably offer that too). Maybe a bag of chips. I certainly wouldn’t be whipping up an elaborate meal, and I’d rather have homemade pasta alla vodka than a boring sandwich!

Do people really just not ever host if they haven’t pre planned a full course meal with optimal balance of lean protein, whole grains, fruits and fresh veg? That’s sad to me. I love that my friends are easy and casual and would happily come over for a DIY sandwich if a playdate ran into lunchtime and we wanted to keep the fun going.

OP never said any of it was from scratch. More likely than not it was jarred. Otherwise what would she have done? Tasked the friend with watching the kids while she cooked alone? That would be weird too. If I can’t pull together sandwiches, and a salad, we always have cheese, crackers, hummus, vegetables, meats, pita and fresh fruit on hand so it would be like a charcuterie board spread. If they were still hungry I have a freezer full of food to offer.

I don't think this is objectively superior to a bowl of pasta.

It is objectively better, but not subjectively, of course.

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, the guest didn't have to say anything, but if she were to say something, this is about the only things someone could say. It's not like someone could say..."Oh wow! A bowl of pasta!". Even a "thank you" would be tough to muster sincerely.

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Anonymous wrote:I am the PP, and I think sandwiches would be equally fine, probably with the same sides (e.g. cucumbers and cutie oranges)

Or grilled cheese, or quick quesadillas, or chick fil a dupe nuggets or veggies and hummus, or frozen pizza.

Okay, so I'm judging your nuggets and frozen pizza a lot harder than a bowl of pasta. This just goes to show that what people think is "better" is completely subjective.

OP, please finagle an impromptu lunch invite to your guest's house next time, and see what she serves you. Feel free to raise your eyebrows expressively and give her a long, appraising look before you silently tuck into whatever the F she dishes out.

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Anonymous wrote:OP, next time you should consider serving spiced and lightly fried tuna. With some Code Red Mountain Dew, since water doesn't really quench the thirst.

Or chicken salad!

Or 1 sprig of asparagus

Perhaps a pear, wedge of Gouda, and tiny snifter of Frangelico for dessert?

I was on team "never say something about the food unless it's complimentary". But I have now switched sides. Saying something about the pasta was rude, but if you serve my 6 year old Frangelico, we will have words.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For real though. Those of y’all who have a problem with what OP served, what would you have offered at an impromptu, post-playdate lunch? If it were me I’d probably have pulled out sandwich fixings (and sure, I always have fruit around so I’d probably offer that too). Maybe a bag of chips. I certainly wouldn’t be whipping up an elaborate meal, and I’d rather have homemade pasta alla vodka than a boring sandwich!

Do people really just not ever host if they haven’t pre planned a full course meal with optimal balance of lean protein, whole grains, fruits and fresh veg? That’s sad to me. I love that my friends are easy and casual and would happily come over for a DIY sandwich if a playdate ran into lunchtime and we wanted to keep the fun going.

OP never said any of it was from scratch. More likely than not it was jarred. Otherwise what would she have done? Tasked the friend with watching the kids while she cooked alone? That would be weird too. If I can’t pull together sandwiches, and a salad, we always have cheese, crackers, hummus, vegetables, meats, pita and fresh fruit on hand so it would be like a charcuterie board spread. If they were still hungry I have a freezer full of food to offer.

I don't think this is objectively superior to a bowl of pasta.

Anonymous wrote:I am the PP, and I think sandwiches would be equally fine, probably with the same sides (e.g. cucumbers and cutie oranges)

Or grilled cheese, or quick quesadillas, or chick fil a dupe nuggets or veggies and hummus, or frozen pizza.

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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.

She is not rude. She was just surprised.

No, she was rude.

OP was rude for serving that slop. The guest was merely surprised.

And since the guest was not a rude person, she actually ate the slop. I would have made excuses and left.

A normal person would decline to eat what they don't want and also not make negative comments. It's quite the flex to eat it not to be "rude," but then be rude anyway. Strange WASP rules. You must "eat what you are served" but it's ok to be passive aggressive.

Anonymous wrote:

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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.

How could she have declined to eat? It was the only thing available to eat.
She is not rude. She was just surprised.

No, she was rude.

OP was rude for serving that slop. The guest was merely surprised.

And since the guest was not a rude person, she actually ate the slop. I would have made excuses and left.

A normal person would decline to eat what they don't want and also not make negative comments. It's quite the flex to eat it not to be "rude," but then be rude anyway. Strange WASP rules. You must "eat what you are served" but it's ok to be passive aggressive.

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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.

Sometimes the company is more important than the food.

No, when you are invited to lunch or dinner to someone’s home it is always about company. If you accept the invitation, you eat what you are served (allergies aside), yes, even if it is not your favorite and you say thank you. This is how you adult.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For real though. Those of y’all who have a problem with what OP served, what would you have offered at an impromptu, post-playdate lunch? If it were me I’d probably have pulled out sandwich fixings (and sure, I always have fruit around so I’d probably offer that too). Maybe a bag of chips. I certainly wouldn’t be whipping up an elaborate meal, and I’d rather have homemade pasta alla vodka than a boring sandwich!

Do people really just not ever host if they haven’t pre planned a full course meal with optimal balance of lean protein, whole grains, fruits and fresh veg? That’s sad to me. I love that my friends are easy and casual and would happily come over for a DIY sandwich if a playdate ran into lunchtime and we wanted to keep the fun going.

OP never said any of it was from scratch. More likely than not it was jarred. Otherwise what would she have done? Tasked the friend with watching the kids while she cooked alone? That would be weird too. If I can’t pull together sandwiches, and a salad, we always have cheese, crackers, hummus, vegetables, meats, pita and fresh fruit on hand so it would be like a charcuterie board spread. If they were still hungry I have a freezer full of food to offer.