My feed
Premium

Please
or
to access all these features

For related content, visit our food content hub.

Food/Recipes

What would you make....

15 replies

kefa88 · 06/08/2016 19:26

Help!

I am having my husband's family coming up to stay with us this weekend and I am at a complete loss as to what I would feed them.

Including my family of 5, there will be 10 of us. Here is where it gets tricky...
One is a vegetarian, one is a pescetarian (vegetarian apart from fish), one who is allergic to fish and is gluten free and one who doesn't eat pork or beef. Everyone else is strictly carnivorous Confused
I need evening meal suggestions for Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I'm thinking one of those nights I'll make two different dishes: lamb moussaka and aubergine parmesan with garlic bread and a greek salad. That should fit the requirements of meat eaters and non meat eaters alike.

Perhaps a vegetarian lasagna and regular lasagna or is that too similar to the previous meal? Or a big vat of risotto for all??

I have booked us into a restaurant for Sunday lunch to save one meal worth of hassle but I need some more ideas for the rest of their stay.

Is it wrong to note here that none of these fussy food requirements are from my immediate family? My children eat as they are given! Smile

OP posts:
Report
PurpleDaisies · 06/08/2016 19:31

Is it wrong to note here that none of these fussy food requirements are from my immediate family? My children eat as they are given!

Being vegetarian is not exactly unusual. You may as well treat the others as vegetarian-they've just specified what meats they won't eat. I don't think that's worthy of your fussy label.

I'd probably do a vegetarian chilli with tacos, rice, corn on the cob.

I'd also do an Indian night with paneer curry for the vegetarians, lentil Dahl etc.

Report
KellyBoo800 · 06/08/2016 19:33

If you're having lunch at a restaurant, could you put on a small buffet meal that evening? Cheeses, nibbles, cold meats, crudités etc so everyone can pick what they want! Do enough for leftovers for the next days lunch too?

Report
WhenASuitcaseJustWontDo · 06/08/2016 19:38

Sounds great! Especially the aubergine one.
Risotto is always a classic in our house when we have guests as it's easy to add bits on the side, like chicken for the meat eaters.
Or a load of jacket potatoes with a vat of chilli and veggie chilli.

Report
KitKat1985 · 06/08/2016 19:47

Could you do a BBQ one evening if the weather is nice? Have separate meat (the usual sausages and burgers, and maybe some prawns etc) and veggie BBQ and do some good veggie options (grilled halloumi, bean burgers etc) and serve with buns and maybe also a rice salad for the person who is gluten free?

Report
kefa88 · 06/08/2016 19:50

Sorry, to clarify PurpleDaisies I'm happy to cook for people with specific dietary restrictions, but please, please believe me that the "fussy" label is accurate. Because of their combined dislikes (none of which are dietary requirements) I am unable to include rice, pasta, mushrooms and a whole host of other vegetables on top of their aforementioned dietary requirements. It just gets stressful trying to feed everyone! It wasn't meant to be a rant...

OP posts:
Report
hellokittymania · 06/08/2016 19:58

Vietnamese food has lots of vegetarian dishes. You could do vegetarian fresh spring rolls, pineapple, tomato, shrimp, peppers with rice, mixed mushrooms, many things.

Report
SharingMichelle · 06/08/2016 20:05

Make your own Mexican(ish) goes down well with big family gatherings.
Big veggie dish - nice and spicy
Big meat dish - chicken and green peppers
Minced beef because the children like it
Mild tomato salsa
Spicy mango salsa
Guac
Chopped tomato
Shredded lettuce
Grated cheese
Sour cream
Jar of jalapeños
Big pile of wraps and everyone makes their own fajita sort of thing.

Sounds like a lot of stuff but i find it's easy enough to do. Most of it can be made ahead / contacted out to willing kitchen helpers.

Report
wobblywonderwoman · 06/08/2016 20:11

Gosh that is a hard crew to feed.

I would be thinking salmon, veg and baby potatoes

Roast chicken and roasted veg (maybe halloumi or something for the vegetarian and cook the veg in a different tin)

Honey roast gammon

Report
kefa88 · 06/08/2016 20:22

All excellent suggestions! I have more ideas now, thank you all so much! I especially like the BBQ idea KitKat and the fajita idea sharingmichelle

OP posts:
Report
nennyrainbow · 06/08/2016 20:32

Something like a curry where it's common to have different dishes? One vegetarian, one chicken- based, plus rice, poppadoms or naan bread, mango chutney. You've only got to cook 2 dishes and you could cheat and use one of those Spice tailor sachets that taste like home made.

Report
AtleastitsnotMonday · 06/08/2016 20:37

How about a couple of tagines, one chicken, one veg serve with cous cous (with pomegranate seeds to make it look pretty!)

Report
AtleastitsnotMonday · 06/08/2016 21:06

Or a couple of puff pastry tarts, a caramelised onion and goats cheese one for the veggies and a roasted veg and chorizo one (or any other filling you fancy) for your carnivores. Could just serve with a couple of salads, coleslaw, baby potatoes.

Report
CaptainWarbeck · 07/08/2016 04:33

I was going to say Michelle's idea of Mexican fajitas... you could do spicy chicken to suit the non fish eaters and carnivores and beans & rice or Quorn fajita strips for the veggies. Stack of corn tortillas to suit the gluten free and then lots of picky things to stuff on top. We've resorted to this when we had similar dietary requirements to cater for and it went down well.

Report
ApocalypseSlough · 07/08/2016 07:56

That is a very hard crew to feed. Why isn't your DH doing the lions share of the planning and cooking? And with that number I hope they're taking you out on Sunday.
Agree with the others that picky meals- buffets etc. are the way forward. Can you borrow a raclette machine? Many delis will loan you one when you buy the cheese or they're on Amazon. It's an excellent option for largish fussy groups as you just plate up cheese and meat, boil potatoes and make as many salads or none and let them get on with it.

Report
AtleastitsnotMonday · 07/08/2016 08:50

Sorry my suggestion of puff pastry tarts wouldn't work for gluten free guest, unless you served them as part of a buffet with other dishes. Is the gf veggie?

Report
Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.