Invited freinds over for dinner...?

Question

This is sort of a two parter question. My husband and I have invited a couple over for dinner friday night. They have two little girls, ages 2 and 3 I think. Our son is 5.

First question. Is it ok to ask the kids if they would like to eat before the grown ups so they can play after (while we eat and visit after) ? I don't want to sound like we are leaving them out in any way.

Second question. Both my friend and I are almost 6 months pregnant. My husband wants to make cajun steak tips (very spicey) is this ok to serve? If not what are some foods that would be alright? ( If the cajun is ok for us to eat, I would still like to know what food ARE NOT good for pregnant woman to eat)

Thanks in advance.

No, I never ate anything spicey when I was pregnant with my son 5 years ago. I'm not crazy about spicey things til my husband made this dish. It's awesome. :P

Answer 1

I've never been pregnant before but I don't think that any foods are prohibited besides alcohal(but I'm sure you know that) ....as for the cajun thing I'd say go for it as long as you are sure that nobody attending this dinner has acid reflux or heart burn after eating such foods.....As for the kids I'm almost positive that they would actually prefer to eat before you so that they can eat something more kid friendly (grilled cheese, pb and j) rather than be faced with something they have never seen before...I know when I was their age I didn't really want to eat something I'd never had before...and also, this will allow for the adults to have good conversation without having the interruptions of the children...just make sure that you have something for the kids to do such as a movie.

Answer 2

From personal experience as a child I remember my mother always allowing us to eat with them. Although it was not a the same table. The adults want to have a conversation, and this is perfectly ok. I never felt slighted at the least. Now I have my nephew and nieces eat at a different table. We usually set up a card table just for them. To make the experience a little more fun you could decorate the table in a child theme table cloth or put cute napkins on the table. This is also a better decision when young child are involved because you do not have to check on them much during your dinner. It is always a little frustrating have to leave the table during a meal.

Now for the second question. There is no harm in eating spicy food or even very spicy food during pregnancy. It is ok. So eat up. Although it does not harm the baby, it could give you a few things such as heartburn or indigestion, but that is anyone who chooses spicy food. A few items of food to watch out for are very soft cheeses, unpasteurized cheeses and raw-milk cheese. Though rare, they may contain a bacteria called lysteria that has been associated with miscarriage or pre-term labor. You can basically just about eat anything you want, just watch out for those cheeses.

Answer 3

You can have what you want, and the kids can eat what they want. As you probably know, as kindly as you treat the kids and as politely as you put the food in front of them, they may still just reject it COMPLETELY.

Do the course thing, cheese, meat, and some nice crackers to start... then a pasta course which of course the kids will LOVE, and then if you want to serve the steak tips over veg or something, by all means. As I said the kids will let you know if they don't like it! I would suggest that you tone down the spice a little, at least for them, but they won't eat anything that they can't tolerate.

I can't stress enough that you have the kids and adults at one table, however. This is how I learned my etiquette and manners. Kids need to learn how to approach and eat different types of food, how else will they learn? I'm not Mr. Manners by any stretch of the imagination, but at least I was taught how to bring grace and civility to the table, when I'm with mixed company.

Answer 4

This is not uncommon. And don't worry about what others bring. Just look at it as you got a free meal and you are simply contributing any way you can. That's a better thing to say then the slouches who brought nothing. When I have a little get together someone usually calls to ask what they can bring. Sometimes I'll say 'Can you bring dessert?' (If there is a small gathering). Otherwise, I just tell people that if they like a certain booze, to bring it.

Answer 5

I only have an answer for the first part of your question...
Yes kids would love to have extra time to play while you are eating... maybe as you are about to have dessert invite them back in.
I would suggest you cook something ever little kid loves to eat like grilled cheese sandwichs or spagetti. Then have a group activity such as a coloring contest or big floor puzzle to do while you are eating.... Maybe even a new childrens movie .

Answer 6

Yes it's fine to feed the kid's first.They would be happier with this arrangement.

Perhaps you could make a spicy dish and a non spicy dish so guests can choose or have some of each.I don't think there is any food you shouldn't eat

Answer 7

You may want to ask the friend if she is okay with spicy, personally I loved spicy food when I was pregnant...but some women get horrible heartburn...or worse=)
As far as having the kids eat first I think that would be fine, I usually have our kids eat with us or at a separate kids table right next to the adult table... but my kids are a little different then most kids. Just realize that the kids may not even want to eat, they may be too excited, so it may be best to have finger foods for them that they can grab and eat quickly instead of having to sit.

Answer 8

i think u should give the kids chicken nuggets and chips or pizza n chips

foods that are good to eat are
chicken
red meats in moderation
mixed nuts
pasta
rice
potatos
lots of veggies
salad
butter is spose to be good about 1 table spoon a day
cranberry juice
tomatos

bad foods
soft serve ice cream
alcohol
yogart
full cream milk
cream
sour cream

entree: soup
for you guyz maybe a bit of grilled chicken with a garlic butter sauce and a big salad n some wedges

desset choc mousse i would say mmm yummy

Answer 9

First of all, feeding the children first is fine. It allows the parents to immediately meet all their needs, then they can play.

Second, spicy food is not a good idea for pregnant women. Some have a lot of trouble with indigestion.

Answer 10

I think its okay to feed the children first and get them out of the way, it gives you more time for adult time and conversation. As for the meal plan, spicey is okay but also serve a non spicey dish, some pregnant women have heart burn after eating spicey foods.