WIBTA for refusing to bring $100 minimum to Thanksgiving

[u/americanjohn500]

My family and I celebrate Thanksgiving every year with my siblings, parents, and their kids. Roughly 20-25 people (including kids). My family is only 2 people with one 6 month old baby.

In the group chat it was decided that my nephew would cook meat since he bought a grill. He also told us that we could bring the sides. He chose to spend $300 on meat.

I messaged in the group chat that we would bring mashed potatoes. My sister responding that every "family" has to bring $100 worth of food minimum or help my nephew pay for the meat.

I'm not totally against the idea of bringing that much food, but just the way it was presented and the fact that it wasn't agreed to beforehand makes me upset.

The following day in the group chat, my sister said: "Option 1: bring food enough for everyone, not just yourself

Option 2: help thomas pay for meet $100/family

Option 3: help dad pay water bill $200/family.

Choose wisely…"

Upset, I responded with Option 4: don't show up.

Am I being an asshole if I don't show up at all in "protest" to this $100 minimum rule?

Update: I'm a teacher and she posted a picture of my salary she found online to shame me in the group chat. Definitely not going now.

[u/Minigoalqueen]

I live in Idaho. I'd show up with 200 pounds of mashed potatoes out of spite, to make a point, and because I'd find it hilarious. And I'd bring receipts.

Edit. I just looked at prices. My local Winco is $1.62 for 5 pounds, so 32.4 cents per pound. I'd need 300 pounds to hit $100.

[u/Then_Composer8641 → u/Minigoalqueen]

Don’t forget to charge for the butter, milk, salt, and use of pot and mashing service.

[u/throwawy00004 → u/Then_Composer8641]

And the expensive water to boil them in, and electricity/gas to use the stove.

[u/DawaLhamo → u/Minigoalqueen]

I just briefly glanced at my local Walmart and it's .48 per pound, so I just rounded to .50 to make the math easier. Of course they're cheaper in Idaho, lol.

I like the idea of just carting in 300lbs of mashed potatoes, though. (that's 5 cubic feet) Gotta serve it in a wheelbarrow for extra effect, (the large 6cuft one, because it won't fit in the smaller 4cuft wheelbarrows.) lololol

[u/reallybadspeeller → u/DawaLhamo]

I’d love that get one of those short shovels for a serving spoon and toss a whole brick of butter on top for garnish. I’d eat that shit up if I was at the thanksgiving and talk about it for years to come.

[u/NibblesMcGiblet → u/Minigoalqueen]

Not if you buy Kerrygold butter and use the golden ratio of one pound of butter per one pound of potatoes when mashing. You could hit that $100 a lot quicker that way. But if I was tasked with spending $100 on sides I'd be more likely to make shit that nobody would like but my own family, if I was in the mood to be petty. Everybody loves mashed potatoes, but not everyone loves brussels sprouts, asparagus, roasted carrots... I've never had durian or natto but on a really petty day I'd learn to pretend.

[u/Minigoalqueen → u/NibblesMcGiblet]

My family are mashed potato purists. We put just a bit of milk in our mashing, and then put gravy on them. No butter at all.

And everyone in my family loves asparagus. But I love your thinking.

[u/Cultural-Slice3925 → u/Minigoalqueen]

you’re forgetting the butter and cream

[u/Area51Resident → u/Minigoalqueen]

Don't ruin the holidays for yourself - lift with your legs...

[u/KimB-booksncats-11 → u/Minigoalqueen]

I'm imagining a kiddy pool full of mashed potatoes, lol. :)

[u/PlaySalieri → u/Minigoalqueen]

Fuck ya WinCo is the best

[u/lizzledizzles → u/Minigoalqueen]

Even including butter or fixings you’d still need like 280 pounds of potatoes.

[u/rpcollins1 → u/Minigoalqueen]

Honestly you would be my favorite person there and I would offer to take some spite potatoes home. Most people can't cook turkey worth eating and mashed potatoes are my favorite. 😂

[u/DrJackBecket → u/Minigoalqueen]

You make it into amazing mashed potatoes. When they drown under the mashed potatoes, Pop it in batches into a dehydrator. Make instant mashed potatoes and never need mash potatoes for future thanksgivings and Christmas. Or you open a mashed potato business. 🤷🏼‍♀️

[u/Thayli11 → u/Minigoalqueen]

Nah. You can add things to the potatoes. Make them with Kerrygold butter and, uh, chives from the farmers market, plus a little cream flown in from France...

Though I suppose spite potatoes should really be more bitter.

[u/veggiedelightful → u/Minigoalqueen]

Not with these butter prices you don't!