What food/drink should I take to my sisters?

lilac_lady

If you're staying for a few days, I'd take plenty of bacon and eggs for breakfast and say that you're treating the stay like a holiday and on holiday you like a cooked breakfast so you hope she won't mind if you've bought the ingredients.

I'd also take a tin of biscuits or a large cake. Taking your own coffee and wine makes sense too.

Have a nice time.

Lotus-eater

Anything you have that is perishable, all your fruit/milk/what's in fridge, take with you, that's just common sense.

Wine, beer, anything you will drink is a good idea as it is expensive. Breakfast cereal, certainly.

What my inlaws do when they are here, is one night buy us a takeaway, that's a nice touch and one night say they'd like to cook for us and they want to go out by themselves and go shopping for an hour or two. So they buy the ingredients for dinner and they cook it.
When they arrive, they come with a big box of stuff (ie mostly food) for us and it's a type of present.

Just some ideas for you.

SUESMITH_2

when my sister and her family come to stay with us she always brings wine, crisps, chips and dips. usually a cooked chicken, cake usually homemade (and her cakes are delish) and anything else she thinks looks nice. she always insists on paying for some of the shopping when we go to the supermarket

this came from years ago when we were ultra poor! now we're not but it is a lovely treat to see what she's brought, and I'm never offended, only grateful

Surfbabe

Why don't you just ask her if there is anything she would like you to bring to help towards meals? Also agree with treating them to theme park and a meal out and any little treats like a bottle or two of wine and some gourmet crisps for the evening.

When ever we go anywhere we always ask if there is anything we can bring to contribute.

Have a lovely time

lostinrates

Kiddy snacks, and cereal....a lot of us who live without kids do not keep cereal in. also, a way to offer to contribute might be to ask of you can cook a meal for you all to say thanks for her hospitality and then nip to buy the stuff for that, and whats left can be incorporated into other meals. she might turn you down...I'd turn down anyone apart from my sister I think.

make_me_wise

I think you sound like a lovely and very considerate sister. However I do agree with your OH. All I would take is your favourite brand of coffee. Then when you are there buy things for the picnic, cover entrance fees and treat your sister to a takeaway. Same outcome financially but wont make your sister feel awkward. You will be thought of by her as someone responsible and who is not a financial burden when they visit, and not as someone who feels she cannot manage

Pee

It really depends on what she is like. I have a friend who doesn't have much money and when we stay with him, I take him shopping. He is a really good cook and has set ideas about what we should eat, but this fits in fine, I pay for it, he cooks it. When you know someone well you know how they will take it.

With other friends I always provide the drink, we do drink a good bit when on holiday, and pay for a takeaway or meal.

When we have friends to stay, I do like buying things I think they will like, but really I think taking cereal and some usual food for a child is a great idea.

January20

victory I wish you were my sister! You are so thoughtful! I hope you have a really good time!

Chakani

We have a friend that we stay with as a family a couple of times a year - I always take a bunch of flowers, wine (her favourite type, not mine), and a big homemade cake, and when we're there, I will cook at least half the time, and go and buy the ingredients, including making a nice pudding etc. That way we all get a break from cooking for a couple of days, we all get nicer food than normal (you won't catch me making fiddly desserts on a Wednesday night at home!) and it doesn't cost anyone more than it normally would.

If she lives in a lovely place and gets lots of freeloading visitors, however much she enjoys their company, it must get wearing.

belfastgirl23

TBH I'd be inclined to slip her some cash on the quiet and say that you know having visitors costs, you're having a lovely holiday and can afford it, and this way you'll feel able to come back again. And not particularly talk to your husband about it if he has different views. that's if you can afford it yourself of course. But also bringing whatever food in the fridge needs used is a good way around it, if she's careful she'll understand that you don't want it going to waste.