My Mother-in-Law Demanded Special Foods at My Kids’ Birthday Party and I Flipped Out on Her

Last weekend, I had a birthday party for my 4 and 5-year-old kids. They have a birthday 2 weeks apart from each other, and it’s easier to just have one party because it’s just grandparents, uncles, aunts, and a ton of cousins.

I ordered some pizzas and made nachos, the cheese was that big gigantic can of cheese from the grocery store. That is honestly not even cheese at all. I also ordered cupcakes with buttercream frosting in colors that the kids wanted from the grocery store. We had sodas Hawaiian punch and water available to drink. This is what the kids wanted.

My MIL says she has food allergies, but it seems as if it’s only when it’s convenient for her. As in, I have seen her eat the same junk I was serving at the state fair or eating Costco pizza.

I told my husband to let his mom know what we were serving so that she could either eat before or bring something to eat, or I could grab her a salad or something at the pizza place. He did call her and tell her, and she said what we had was fine.

The party is happening, I announce that we have pizza or nachos to eat. MIL asks what ingredients are in the nacho cheese. I tell her I don’t know, it’s the big can of cheese. She then asks me to dig the can out of the full trash, so I can tell her what is actually in it. I refuse. I told her if she wanted to dig through the trash, she could. She just pouted and didn’t eat anything.

Then we didn’t have the soda she liked. So I offered her a bottle of water, which again was not the kind she liked. The chips were not the pita chips she likes, so they were a no-go too.

It came time for cake, and after singing, she wanted to know where the cupcakes came from. Then proceeded to claim that we should have gotten the ones from Whole Foods, as they didn’t have as many preservatives in them.

I was annoyed at this point and told her that if she wanted to have a party for the kids and serve certain foods and drinks, she was welcome too and pay for it herself. Until then, I would be getting what the kids asked for. She got up and left and said, that I should offer food all guests could eat!

She is now demanding an apology. My husband is saying I was rude to his mom and I should apologize. I refused because this party was for the kids and I bought kids food that they wanted and that I could afford. She was also warned ahead of time on what I was serving.

• “Not the kind of bottled WATER she likes? Give me a break! That’s not food allergies, that’s just being super high-maintenance and annoying.” profmoxie / Reddit
• “It was a party for small children. She needs to get over herself.” wee_idjit / Reddit
• “Your MIL is being an entitled woman and your husband is being a lazy man. It was his job to make sure his mom was aware of the menu and to let you know if she wanted something else. It is his mother, he can cater to her preferences.” Forward_Squirrel8879 / Reddit

• “Do NOT give in. She was rude and demanding the entire party.” KronkLaSworda / Reddit
• “Your MIL was called and told what you were serving and said it was fine. She had her chance to ask for something different or bring her own food. She didn’t and chose instead to make a fuss about an entirely solvable issue — if it was ever actually an issue at all — she may have been doing exactly what she wanted to do: complain.” jwjnthrowawaykfeiofj / Reddit
• “It sounds to me like there’s no way you would have been able to please her. But honestly, the fact that your husband doesn’t have your back on this is concerning, and it seems like you guys need to have a talk about this because as a couple he should have your back on the menu for your children’s birthday.” hannahkelli / Reddit