Family style dinner

[TheChronicalTales]

Hi, we have some family members staying with us next week and looking for family style dinner recommendations. Ie multiple different components in different bowls in the middle of the table where everyone can help themselves as we have a couple of fussy/picky eaters so they can just put what they want on their plates.

So far I have fajitas, taco nights with refried beans, rice and nachos, roast dinner with the trimmings. I like the fajita and taco ideas as everyone can build themselves. Any other suggestions?

What about a couple of different pizzas, plain cheese, a veg and a meat and sides.
A big dish of pasta with a choice of sides, i.e. either a simple tomato or cheese sauce with choice of sausage, chicken, veg, salad.
A mild curry with popadoms, naan, rice, chopped chilies for anyone to add their own spice.

@treehousethunderstorm great ideas thanks!

Jacket potatoes with various toppings and salads?

I don’t know if this is too much like hard work / too childish / too unsophisticated but in the days before COVID, every so often we’d have a load of friends and their children over : we’d do a buffet style meal with all kinds of stuff on one table - wedges, Spanish omelette, salads, pizzas, sausage rolls, samosas, crisps, dips, nice breads, crackers and cheese, hummus etc. It was very low maintenance and really lovely as catered to so many different tastes / dietary requirements. Party type food!

marinated chicken thighs or pulled pork, pittas, bean salad, salad bits, grated cheese, sweetcorn, dips. Maybe chips.

Chinese. Include sweet and sour for younger ones and maybe some plain chicken. Prawn crackers.

Build your own burgers. So have the burgers on a plate (beef, chicken and veggie/halloumi), burger buns, sauces, cheese slices, salad, bacon?

Curry, rice, naan etc.

Gammon, chunky chips, plate of fried eggs, mushroom, rice, pineapple.
Tapas dishes with some nice bread and a big Spanish omelette to fill people up.

Sausages, veggie sausages if needed, mash, onions, hot dog roll, baked beans.

Lasagne
Roast chicken
Bangers and cash!
Burgers

Chicken wings, wedges, coleslaw and corn on the cob.

How about a selection of skewers with different meats, veg, marinades etc.
Chicken and pineapple
Beef, onion, peppers
Haloumi, courgette, cherry tomato
Chicken and chorizo
There’s loads of options
Then you could serve with flatbreads, corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad etc