soooooo what do you do?

Sara516 · March 30, 2011, 4:27pm

Let’s say you come home after work only to be served a meal that’s not so great…it’s either slightly off or it’s just inedible?

In either case, do you–criticize/sulk? eat it quietly without complaint? throw it away? Go out and get something/make something yourself? Wait a few days and then mention how bad it came out?

And if this happens, say, a few times, either 2-3 times in a row or once in a while…whaddya do?

yourfriend · March 30, 2011, 5:10pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

i m So Blessed in that regard... my husband never ever complains about the food..... not even a single complain so far. he will eat whatever I cook and also eat the leftovers first before touching the fresh meal. we hate to waste food.

khawateen · March 30, 2011, 5:14pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

If it happens quite a few times in a row... I would be pretty irritated... If i k ow the person otherwise puts in The effort to make edible food then i wouldnt make a fuss about it... Probably make a light snack myself. My mil always manages to get hair in the food she makes....it irks me beyond sanity especially when i was in school the whold day and dinner was e only meal i was having.... How hard is it to make hairless food?

This reminds me of something my mom told me about her early married days... My dad said to her once...i dont care what u do the whole day, but i work hard... I only have one meal a day...i expect it to be warm, good tasting and should look presentable and be on time. this wasnt cuz mom couldnt cook or was slacking in that area...i think it was kust one of his "im telling u in advance" things.

Made sense to me.... Even though my husband hasnt said any such thing to me... I try to follow my mom's example.... Husband ssure does appreciate it.

Sara516 · March 30, 2011, 5:38pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

I totally agree with this, if one person is at home, then that's how it should be

BUT we all have off days don't we? sometimes mistakes happen with cooking, i just wonder how other people react to it.

ehl-e-chamman · March 30, 2011, 7:41pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

I'm just plain grateful and make it clear that I am .... esp after a long day.
If food is inedible, the person who made it also realizes ... in which case we simply put together something else quickly. I would never ever berate, because as you said mistakes do happen and whoever was cooking did spend the time and energy (out of love) to put together a meal. That alone is worth the appreciation.
perhaps i'm an odd desi but I don't hold anyone (not parents, not husband) responsible for feeding me! ... as an adult, the responsibility to keep myself fed and hydrated lies solely with me.

Gemini_the_Great · March 30, 2011, 8:39pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

like ehle- chamman said, I am grateful if someone makes food for me, be it my mom or husband (no one else does it for me) and I appreciate it soooo much that sometimes they think I am trying to make them feel better if the food isn't cooked well.. which is never teh case.. I just tell myself, imagine if I had to come home and make a meal myself.. most of the time i just skip dinner if it's not available!

Rest if it really is inedible, or experiement went wrong, we just order a pizza or pick up something from nearby Subway (thats all we have in our lil town)!!!

When I used to stay at home in Pakistan and my husband was at work, I used to make sure that I had food ready for him before he came home.. since I was soo new to kitchen, i had couple of horrible experiments, in those cases we woudl fry frozen kabab, get the roti from tandoor and eat that with chutney... I loved those days!!! :-)

Decent_6Chora · March 30, 2011, 9:01pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

If its a bit off, I don't mind and if its inedible, I just do something quickly for myself. I dont even mind nan + chai as dinner. If its some experiment went wrong, we just order Pizza...

I have never complained to my mother or wife for the meal they have provided. Whoever has a problem with texture or taste of the meal should think about people who eat one time a day or sometimes not even 1 time a day due to poverty.

yourfriend · March 30, 2011, 9:06pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

me too.
i dont like idea if someone is staying home is responsible to 'serve me ontime or feed me according to my taste'. kiyon kya mayray haath tootay howay hain? just be grateful that you have plenty of food and you can quickly make something else for yourself.

redvelvet · March 31, 2011, 12:27am

Re: soooooo what do you do?

When in doubt................Kaaaatchup. It masks the taste of anything and makes it more edible.

white_light · March 31, 2011, 12:48am

Re: soooooo what do you do?

^lol or hot sauce!

khawateen · March 31, 2011, 6:47am

Re: soooooo what do you do?

Ofcourse we r all human.... to think another can not make a mistake is lame.... Trust me mom has made some pretty crazy stuff and loves to experiment... Dad is ok with that...omlette zindabad :d

My reply was mostly for what u were talking about....if the food is just aleays bad... I think get the wife a cookbook?

I think u react strongly if u ureself KNOW how to cook .... And if the other side is just plain lazy in that regard.... I know an aunty that is a major bookworm... Her idea of cooking a meal is taking a apck of meat out the fridge, throeing it in a pressure cooker with shab spices and letting it defrost cook or whatever the hell she calls it.... It tastes like feet! And her poor husband eats it.... He has tried to help her out....eeven prepares ginger garlic paste in advance as well as frying onions in advance in bulk so she doesnt have to do it.... But it makes no diff....food is just not imp to her. Now this kinda person would irk me.... Oh and uncle knows how to cook so its double bad cuz he knows what diff dishes r meant to taste like :d (not feet).

diamond321 · March 31, 2011, 7:35am

Re: soooooo what do you do?

Whenever I do not like something in the meal I tell myself that I am able to feel this because a meal has been cooked in my home and a million thanks to Allah for a mother who cooks meal for us if she stops cooking and God forbid for any reason is unable to cook then there would no home cooked meals and hence no problems with it.

Our good and bad feelings about the food is an evidence that someone has made an effort to make us a meal and mistake happens and we should over look those mistakes.

Na Shukri nahi karni chahyeh there are so many people who live on outside food and there are so many people in this world who don't get any food at all.

khawateen · March 31, 2011, 9:08am

Re: soooooo what do you do?

For ppl saying they are just thankful for getting a meal... Would u guys seriously just eat bad food everyday for the rest of ure lives without saying anything? I would go nuts.

Shuldnt one atleast point out if something is off or is just olain wrong? I expect ppl to tell me so i can remember next time and better the dish... Whats the point in serving the same dish with the same mistakes over and over again?

Chicken_Biryani · March 31, 2011, 9:33am

Re: soooooo what do you do?

I know when i get home from work … I want to toot paro on food , I am so hungry and if food is off or not good or cold … Even if its me serving me , I get damn angry at myself !

so no matter how tired i am, I always ensure we have good food for dinner … On days when food is not enough , I dont hesitate to make fresh food , it only takes an hour and if it gives my husband a smile on his face , that is what matters to me the most.

Experiments on new food , I save them for weekends ! and that too when i have already got a dish , to back up , incase my experiment comes in my face
But like Sara said , mistakes do happen , in which case , I have always got fish fillets and vegies in the freezer .. and I prefer to bring the smile back on mine and husbands faces, by immediately serving baked fish , with yummy vegies and roasted herbed potatoes … rather then the food thats gone off !

diamond321 · March 31, 2011, 9:36am

Re: soooooo what do you do?

I don't think any body gets to eat a flawed meal everyday . The frequency of such an incident happening is quite low except when someone is learning to cook (and when someone is learning then pointing out what went wrong is definitely constructive criticism and is made with good intentions). In my opinion even after years of cooking experience a person can make a mistake so it's better to ignore.

Decent_6Chora · March 31, 2011, 1:27pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

Question was not about eating bad meal for the rest of the life. It was about if someone will criticize the meal or get up and make something believe me cook knows if there is something wrong in the food.

For example, whenever the meal has too much salt some day, my wife is like "aaaj Namak ziada ho gaya khaney main" as soon as she takes first bite. If salan becomes too watery, she knows it already as she is like "aaah its too watery na? pani zaida ho gaya aaj" as soon as the put some in her plate. Or If I ma doing BBQ, I am like "aaah aaj thoree KACHEE reh gaee chiken". We just keep on eating OR get up and make something quick if we really cant eat it. Pointing out is required when someone does not know whats wrong.

and finally its very less probable that someone keep on making faulty food every-day for the rest of the life. If someone is in the learning phase, they need appreciation.

khawateen · March 31, 2011, 2:37pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

Read the example i gave.. I know many such couples.

But ya u gave a good way of dealing with it.... Some posters were just saying they are just thankful t be getting fed... Ya everyone should be... But it doesnt mean u just not say anything... From the idea i was getting ....

Sara516 · March 31, 2011, 3:04pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

For those of you who just go ahead and eat something else if something comes out wrong, do you never feel angry or irritated that the food didn't come out right? or the person who cooks, what if the person just isn't willing to accept an alternative and just gets annoyed/quiet?

Gemini_the_Great · March 31, 2011, 3:15pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

I am usually fed by my mother or husband and they are both good cooks.. it's only sometimes if things haven't turned out right. I still eat them and not make a big deal out of it.

I used to make very nice parathas but lately I just can't get them right.. either it's too crunchy, or raw on sides, or burnt, or too thin... something has been going wrong for lets say last six months.. does my husband complain? no he still eats it (except the burnt ones, we try another one) and even though I sometimes get embarassed about it, but he knows I try to make the better paratha and if it doesn't turn out good, it's really not my fault.. I just dunno what happened and where I went wrong.. I thought I had mastered the paratha though :(

redvelvet · March 31, 2011, 3:17pm

Re: soooooo what do you do?

I will admit that I have occasionally felt irritated...especially if it's a dish I usually enjoy and was looking forward to and it just isn't right. Or when I come home...after a long day from work...and i see a salan I don't like at all such as turnips or bhindi, etc. Again, it's pretty rare that I feel that way....and it's more an annoyance than anger....and it's fleeting. I get over it in a few moments and it doesn't ruin my mood for the whole day toward the person nor does it lead to a grudge. I either make myself something to eat or I get something from outside.