Gruel: A Worse Version of Porridge

Gruel is like a worse version of porridge mixed in with some other stuff that you don't want to eat. If somebody invites you around for dinner and they offer you gruel, then run. You can never have enough Mustard. Is that just an Alan Partridge thing? It could be,. yeah, I'm just thinking of the musical Oliver. They sing us because they're like fantasising about food because they're starving orphans.