Hosting a BBQ to gather friends with kids over for dinner or a celebration is a great way to catch up on the weekend. Dining at a friend’s home is often a popular way to meet up, as the kids can go off and play with each other in the playroom or outside and the adults can congregate around the BBQ or kitchen with a drink in hand. While it sounds easy, sometimes hosting a dinner at home can be havoc when kids are involved, but still, through the chaos, they can also be a lot of fun.

But what is the food etiquette for hosting a gathering at your home? One member for the Simple Savers Facebook group posted a question whether it was rude to ask guests to Bring Your Own (BYO) meat when attending a friend’s Birthday Party. Shouldn’t the host supply everything if they are the ones hosting the family and friends for dinner? And isn’t it a little unfair if one family brings better cuts of meat, but it gets ‘stolen’ by other guests who brought lower cuts of meat?

“Wondering what people’s opinion is on this. Is it rude to invite people to “B.Y.O. Meat” BBQs? As we have always supplied the meat for our guests at our BBQs. We have been asked to go to a birthday BBQ and got told you will have to bring your own meat. As we have experience in that past that people eat others better cuts of meat instead of their own poorer cuts of meat.”

The question got hit with a flurry of comments from members with differing opinions. Some admitted it was a non-issue and it was the polite thing to do to help with the catering. While others admitted it was weird.

The first comment agreed with the original post,

“It’s like inviting people over for dinner with a byo meal. Sorry but I think it’s very rude.”

While the following comment disagreed.

“I don’t think that it’s rude at all. I grew up in a large extended family and this was the norm whenever we had get togethers with everyone. We also brought a salad or dessert to share”

Of course, some of the comments started to get snarky, with one member suggesting the poster shouldn’t be offended about taking their own meat, and if it concerned them so much, they shouldn’t go.

The poster explained she wasn’t offended, just had never come across this request before when attending a Birthday party.

The comment that got a few likes asked why a Birthday party was being held if the host couldn’t afford to provide the food for the party?

“Why host a party if you can’t afford to feed your guests just saying?”

It seems there is a love hate relationship with the BYO Meat style gatherings!

So we’d like to know what you think? Is asking guests to BYO meat to a gathering rude or standard practice? What do you prefer when hosting guests over for dinner? We’d love to know your thoughts.