Home
Log in / Sign Up
    Private Messages   Advanced Search   Rules   New User Guide   FAQ   Advertise   Contact Us  
Forum -> Household Management -> Finances
Isnt it expensive to have guests?
Previous  1  2  3  4



Post new topic   Reply to topic View latest: 24h 48h 72h

nylon




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 3:27 pm
No, prices in the US aren't standard, and vary by store as well. I see people post prices for meat & chicken in New York that are much cheaper than what I pay (more competition!) but my staples are cheaper, and my produce is usually cheaper too (especially in summer because I live near more farm markets).
Back to top

JoyInTheMorning




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 3:33 pm
I should add that the prices I quoted above were for bread flour (which is what I use when bake challah). Unbleached all-purpose flour -- I don't use bleached flour, which is still cheaper, because it is not as good for you -- is a lot cheaper. But my challah doesn't come out as good when I don't use bread flour.
Back to top

tichellady




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 3:33 pm
JoyInTheMorning wrote:
I should add that the prices I quoted above were for bread flour (which is what I use when bake challah). Unbleached all-purpose flour -- I don't use bleached flour, which is still cheaper, because it is not as good for you -- is a lot cheaper. But my challah doesn't come out as good when I don't use bread flour.


Just buy gluten and add it to your dough, much cheaper
Back to top

JoyInTheMorning




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 3:34 pm
nylon wrote:
No, prices in the US aren't standard, and vary by store as well. I see people post prices for meat & chicken in New York that are much cheaper than what I pay (more competition!) but my staples are cheaper, and my produce is usually cheaper too (especially in summer because I live near more farm markets).


Unfortunately, I live in an area where chicken and beef are more, and staples and produce are more! There are a few exceptions; bananas are cheaper.
Back to top

JoyInTheMorning




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 3:42 pm
tichellady wrote:
Just buy gluten and add it to your dough, much cheaper


That's a good idea for those who are really trying to balance a budget. Honestly, the particular issue of the cost of challah is not a big issue for me; I have made my peace with the cost of living here, and I have to make decisions about time vs. cost benefits. (I also don't eat gluten myself, and while being near it or touching it doesn't cause me to react, I don't particularly want to be near essence of gluten.) I do not have an issue with what it costs to entertain guests, and homemade challah is not the largest expense; I was merely very surprised to hear that some women were cooking and baking at such low cost.

It is still interesting, though, that bread flour is much cheaper in the places in Europe where Raisin and crimson amother live. Also, even all-purpose flour in my neck of the woods winds up being $1.10 per kilo, which is more than twice what crimson amother was quoting as the price she usually pays.
Back to top

amother
Aubergine


 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 6:41 pm
SixOfWands wrote:
If you feel that your children will be so affected by one Shabbat at my home that they will never want to eat "real" food, then we'll miss you.

If you feel that the fact that our dining room table is too small to accommodate everyone, so we set up a kids' table, will adversely affect your kids, then we'll miss you.

If you feel that our offering your kids pasta with meat sauce, mini hamburgers, chicken drumsticks, or chicken fingers (and why on earth are they less healthful than larger chicken pieces; they're just easier to handle) means they will never eat "real" food, then we'll miss you.

Oh, who am I kidding. We won't miss you at all.


I will tell you what I tell my children:
"Can you think of a nicer way to say that? Is this the best you can do?" If not, I will help you. How about this:
"I don't think serving chicken fingers is in any way less healthy than what I serve adults, and even if it were, hopefully the once-in-awhile meal will not detract from their usually healthy meals. Also, sometimes we don't have room in the dining room for the kids, so this just works out best for everyone." There, I fixed it for you.
To Joyinthemorning's credit, she seemed to have risen above your gratuitously nasty post. Good job, joyinthemorning.
Back to top

amother
Mistyrose


 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 10:54 pm
I just want to say that this whole post has inspired me and this morning I invited Shabbat guests, something I have not done in a really long time.
Back to top

nylon




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 10:56 pm
Why isn't there a happy middle ground?

If I am having guests I don't know, I serve something that is "kid friendly" but not "kid food." I think this is a good compromise. So I will serve (examples) homemade schnitzel, meatballs, roast chicken, roasted potatoes, a plain vegetable, lay out the salad vegetables separately so they can choose what they have. I always want there to be something the kids will eat but I don't want it to be junky. If they want the other food they are welcome to have that of course; I never liked it as a child when I wanted the grown up food and wasn't allowed it! I serve everything together and children can be comfortable taking what they like. I do have a budget that allows me to serve extra, which helps (I don't often host, which also helps; I can give it that extra when I do).

I have picky kids. Expanding their palates is a long term process. And if there are kids I don't know I will play it safe without serving food I don't think is good quality or healthy.

With regard to budget I always think it's important that it not look mean or stingy. Better to serve a smaller amount of meat cut up in a dish with sauce and a lot of vegetables than to serve a too small roast. A soup course really helps, as soup is so filling, and you can really make some tasty inexpensive soups and not just chicken--people like vegetable soups as well. If you serve challah and salads/dips, then a soup, this allows smaller main course portions. I don't like to go overboard either, regardless of budget.
Back to top

lucky14




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Mar 26 2017, 11:18 pm
nylon wrote:
Why isn't there a happy middle ground?

If I am having guests I don't know, I serve something that is "kid friendly" but not "kid food." I think this is a good compromise. So I will serve (examples) homemade schnitzel, meatballs, roast chicken, roasted potatoes, a plain vegetable, lay out the salad vegetables separately so they can choose what they have. I always want there to be something the kids will eat but I don't want it to be junky. If they want the other food they are welcome to have that of course; I never liked it as a child when I wanted the grown up food and wasn't allowed it! I serve everything together and children can be comfortable taking what they like. I do have a budget that allows me to serve extra, which helps (I don't often host, which also helps; I can give it that extra when I do).

I have picky kids. Expanding their palates is a long term process. And if there are kids I don't know I will play it safe without serving food I don't think is good quality or healthy.

With regard to budget I always think it's important that it not look mean or stingy. Better to serve a smaller amount of meat cut up in a dish with sauce and a lot of vegetables than to serve a too small roast. A soup course really helps, as soup is so filling, and you can really make some tasty inexpensive soups and not just chicken--people like vegetable soups as well. If you serve challah and salads/dips, then a soup, this allows smaller main course portions. I don't like to go overboard either, regardless of budget.


I think that's great. I think the issue was the kid-only table where the food served is significantly less nutritious then the adult table, like at one home I was at recently where the children were only served hot dogs in puff pastry and some kind of fried rice dish.
Back to top

Iymnok




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 27 2017, 3:18 am
I hate the kids table.
I'd rather give the kids the respect of sitting with adults and having access to normal food and the role modeling of normal table etiquette.
They should be involved, included. On shabbos. Their father should give his children more attention than the guests. (I'm assuming the father is running the meal)

As for the added cost for kids, it's negligible.
Back to top

saw50st8




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 27 2017, 7:34 am
JoyInTheMorning wrote:
The kids' table is one of my pet peeves. It was not something we experienced when we lived in NYC, but is very common in my new community. Kids at kids' tables here get chicken nuggets and cold cuts (barely enough for kids with moderate appetites), lots of junk food and candy, and no vegetables and fruit. Of course if you feed kids that kind of stuff, they will never want to eat real food. Ugh. Not when I host. Everybody gets real food. I always include one dish that is reasonably kid friendly, like meatballs or chicken schnitzel, and I always have cut-up and separate raw fruits and vegetables for kids who who won't eat salads, but otherwise I cook regular, adult food. It is not always super fancy, but it is plentiful, non-processed, and healthy.


I used to do that too, until one of my kids friends had a temper tantrum when he was coming to me because there was never any food he would heat. I have a bunch of close friends with really picky eaters so I now put out plain pasta (along with some cut up veggies and dip) and offer them all adult food too. I would rather my guests be happy and want to come.
Back to top

saw50st8




 
 
    
 

Post Mon, Mar 27 2017, 7:40 am
JoyInTheMorning wrote:


(Incidentally, is the kids' table more of an MO thing than a JPF or Yeshivish thing? My old neighborhood was more mixed, and as I've said, I do not remember the kids' table trend there. And if it is an MO thing, why?)



I think the more right wing you go, the less couples socialize together. So if they get together, they will want the kids around as a buffer.

At least, this is what I've been told by people.
Back to top

amother
Turquoise


 

Post Mon, Mar 27 2017, 1:11 pm
Are you having guests for social reasons or for the mitzvah of inviting a needy/lonely person?

For social reasons, I would hold off if money is tight. It's not a mitzvah.

I have found that needy or lonely people are just fine coming and sitting at our table when we have only the basics. They just want the company and a piece of challah, a bowl of soup, some chicken and a scoop of ices won't really cost you much ---just that you probably wont have any leftovers that week.
Back to top

amother
Coffee


 

Post Mon, Mar 27 2017, 1:23 pm
It's also expensive to have children, and buy a house etc. if it's important to u, u make it work. I skip out on other things, like a cleaning lady so I can have guests because I enjoy the social aspect of it and I feel it really adds to our shabbos.
Back to top
Page 4 of 4 Previous  1  2  3  4 Recent Topics




Post new topic   Reply to topic    Forum -> Household Management -> Finances

Related Topics Replies Last Post
Best oil - just not avocado as too expensive
by amother
9 Today at 5:03 pm View last post
ISO box/bag to put in guests rooms
by amother
3 Tue, Mar 26 2024, 9:18 pm View last post
Would love to host kiruv guests
by amother
4 Sun, Mar 17 2024, 12:56 am View last post
Are the more expensive Kitchen cabinet painters much better?
by amother
3 Sat, Mar 02 2024, 10:26 pm View last post
Guests with allergies
by amother
25 Tue, Feb 20 2024, 11:12 pm View last post