When I was growing up, it seemed like there was a big chasm between what you'd serve for a family dinner, and what you'd serve to guests. You might serve company food to the family, but you'd never serve family food to guests.

On the list of guest-prohibited family foods were spaghetti, meatloaf, pot roast, any kind of casserole, soup, stews...

On the list of company foods were roasted things -- chicken, turkey, roast beef, ham. Lasagna or baked ziti would be okay, but not just noodles and sauce. Company always got a salad, and there was always dessert.

The first time I went to dinner at someone's house and they served spaghetti, I was shocked. Some time later, I realized that my version of what to serve guests was probably skewed by the fact that my folks seldom had guests (or were guests in anyone's home) except for holidays.

But even so, I'd be more likely to serve lasagna than spaghetti to guests. And I doubt that I'd serve meatloaf or pot roast. For no good reason.

Are there foods that you and your family enjoy, that you probably wouldn't serve if you were having guests? I'm not talking about things that you would think guests might not like (liver and onions comes to mind) but things that are too...mundane?...for guests?