Settle a long running (light hearteded) family feud for us

[sundaylunchsaga]

So... sunday lunch/ dinner at someone's house, what time would you reasonably expect to eat?

One side of the family (a) thinks 12-1 for lunch or 5 onwards for dinner. There are young children in the family and this makes sense for their meals, but also this are the general times in mind when planning the day.

The other side (b) think any time between 1 and 4 - usually around 3.30, but this changes, as this is the general vibe in restaurants etc.

A thinks b are ruleless heathens, b thinks a is uptight and inflexible.

Oh the poll hasn't worked! I had put who was right a b or neither but for some reason it hasn't saved that way

I’d expect lunch to be about 1pm on a Sunday if not told otherwise. However, I’ll eat a roast dinner at any time of the day if someone else is cooking!

Whenever the hell you like! It’s Sunday!
Ask the people hosting so you don’t eat breakfast/brunch too close to meal time.

I agree with a but I don’t know how to vote ? B is for posh people or those with no children.

We used always have Sunday lunch (basically a roast dinner) at about 3 on a Sunday when the kids were small.

Lunch 1ish. Later would be adults only.

Dinner anything from 6pm with children to 8pm adults only. 5pm is for pre-school children only.

I would understand that people are different and have different expectations of what Sunday lunch or Sunday dinner involves and plan my day accordingly.

So I wouldn't be upset to be eating a main meal at 1 or 3 or 5 or 7 or 9 and would consider anyone who got stressed about this to be a massive baby.

There's no correct way. Every family settles into their own ways.

You need to compromise like adults.

But the main thing is that the invitation should be clear.

I would agree that 1 would be lunch and 5 for dinner (although we eat our dinner much later than 5 usually).
If we invite people round for food on a Sunday it’s never for a roast at lunchtime; we have it at dinner time so they come in the late afternoon for an evening dinner.

Lunch at 3:30 is not small children compatible.

my pils used to be like this and we’d feed the kids at 12 and then go out for the “lunch” which the kids saw as a mid afternoon snack/dinner

Probably B.

On Sunday we have a substantial breakfast so I'd happily not eat until mid to late afternoon.

But each family is different - our Sunday roast was somewhere between 4pm and 5:30 growing up whereas if the meal wasn't on the table by 1pm, my in-laws thought civilisation had collapsed.

With young kids, 2-3 was nap time, so th meal was always after that.

Sunday roast traditionally 1pm. However these days with people typically eating lightly at lunch time, a lot wouldn't fancy a heavy meal so early in the day so it tends to be pushed on to a time when people can do it justice. Neither is wrong. You should alternate. Early one time, late the next.

Lunch at 1 is better for children and surely more normal for everyone. Who wants to eat in the middle of the day, or even worse, 5pm?

I find the idea of Sunday lunch weird, it’s like eating a big dinner at lunchtime, lunches for me are sandwiches, salad, soup, that type of thing, not meat & gravy! So my perspective is probably already skewed, I’d be happy with any time from 4pm onwards

My general view is similar to A. Now DD is a bit older I would widen the window to 12-2.

I am happy to eat whenever as long as I am told. I'm autistic and am prone to migraines if I miss meals/get too hungry so I would plan accordingly if I know it's going to be late. Similarly, would ensure DD had appropriate snacks if lunch is going to be late - she does a good line in hangry we don't watch it.

When planning meals for guests I would work to the most sensitive person - that could be the small child who needs an earlier lunch to facilitate a nap or a friend who has to take medication at particular points relative to food etc. It's just about showing a bit of consideration!

For me personally, ideal time for a roast is about 2-3. That said if I have my kids that doesn’t work because they’re starving by 12.30-1. If I try to make them wait they are miserable and badly-behaved or if they have a snack then they aren’t hungry for lunch.

It also depends on what time I get up TBH, so I think it can really vary.

Lunch 1pm. Or
maybe 1.30.

evening 6pm

I agree with lunch 12.30-1 and dinner around 6pm, especially with young children. In my family we tend to move timings earlier to accommodate young children otherwise it’s just unpleasant for everyone when they get overtired and grumpy!

Doesn't matter as long as you know when food is coming to can prep kids.

We have young children and often have a big meal on Sunday around 3ish. It can go on for a couple of hours so we don’t bother with dinner.

12:30 and 5:30 our daily times and when we go my parents for a roast same time

3 so you don’t have to cook again!

@sundaylunchsaga if you eat at 12-1, it’s likely you’ll need to eat again at 5ish.

If you eat a big meal at 3.30, then you could be done for the day.

Both ways are fine.

I'd go with whoever is hosting, particularly if they have younger children and want to eat earlier.

Invited out to Sunday lunch recently, time given as 12.30 as there were young DC, the lunch arrived about 12.50. We wouldn't eat another large meal at dinner time.

If I do a Sunday roast at home it'll be around 4/5pm if DC are coming but 6/7pm if just DH and myself.

There are times DH and I will go out for a late lunch around 2/3pm, but then we wouldn't tend to have another meal late evening just cheese and crackers or a sandwich.