What one-pot buffet dish can I make for extremely fussy guests

[unconditional83]

Got family coming over and there are 8 of them. They are all very conservative / unhealthy in what they usually eat, and so I've no idea what to make. It will need to be buffet style / lap food due to lack of space.

Was thinking of making one pot of something hot with salads. But every time I think of something I feel like they won't like it. We eat very healthy and fresh food often spicy and lots of plants. They usually eat really bland and UHP stuff, basically the very worst of "British" food and the reason NHS is on its knees but don't get me started freezer food, virtually no veg, and for special occasions Christmas they have things like Iceland "party food", crisps, pork pies etc.

What can I make that's healthy and tasty which they don't turn their nose up. I don't want to buy the crappy UHP they would choose as I don't ever eat that stuff and nor do my DC, but at the same time I want to make something everyone enjoys.

"I also know you can't filter the OP's posts on the app"

Yes you can. I only use the app and can filter the OPs posts

Homemade Chicken a la king and rice with salad and garlic bread so you can cater for the healthy and unhealthy eaters. Add a platter of chicken nuggets for the die hard beige eaters to have with rice. Everyone will be happy. I put brown mushrooms, red peppers and peas in the a la king. The fussy eaters can pick those out.

This thread reminds me of being at school when a supply teacher taking the cookery class had a nervous breakdown and screamed at us we'd never learn to cook anything but "pleb food" if we didn't shut the hell up and eat a bloody carrot without moaning.

It was a different time, the 90s 😂

Anyway just make hot dogs.

Good to know! I don't think that was possible last time I had the app. I may be getting confused with some other feature, e.g. quoting, though.

What about roast chicken (do a few) and your salads?
Breads if they want to make sandwiches. Butter. Mayonnaise.
Can't go wrong with that.

Pulled pork with sides?

I really wouldn’t advise you to make homemade versions of fast food. That’s really making quite a statement and won’t land well.

My former SIL sounds a bit like you - she had a definite case of orthorexia. She would only eat non processed organic gluten free vegan food and once excelled herself by demanding to be served organic water 😂😂😂.

She would also have done the homemade version of something mainstream however and the whole family would roll their eyes behind her back (and snigger childishly every time she came down with a cold or virus and make the point that her immune system didn’t seem to benefit from the privations she put herself through). Had she just confined herself to eating the way she wanted to eat all would have been fine but the condescension and evangelism got right up everyone’s nose!

I support the Mac'n'Cheese idea. Everybody likes it, and you can so a salad and some garlic bread on the side to glam it up.

OK, following the last few posts, I agree with you @Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g

Read the OPs posts folks. No pork. No cheese.

Bahaha plenty of us eat a nutritious largely UPF / UPH free diet whisky managing not to be condescending snobs about it.

Another vote for don't host people you despise.

Just make some chicken nuggets, it's easy enough to breadcrumb a chicken chunk - you can serve with chips or katsu carry and rice.

Or just make food you like and put out a platter of ready made party food to accommodate their dietary sensitivities.

Also be aware that food smugness can be a form of ableism and is definitely poor manners.

I agree with @Momstermunch .

You won’t be able to please everyone otherwise. And you never know the gf might actually enjoy the salads etc… too!

"I support the Mac'n'Cheese idea. Everybody likes it"

THEY DONT LIKE FUCKING CHEESE 🧀

@Crowgirl you see I suspect making your own chicken nuggets would fall into the category of ‘you think you are above us and want show us off by MAKING the nuggets instead of buying them like everyone else’.

Plus if they are very fussy they won’t touch them because they are going to look and feel and taste different.

@x2boys I went "home" to horwich the other day and couldn't resist a pasty while I was there! Drove into Bolton to get one

@unconditional83 another get out might to go fir the higher end of the things you know they enjoy.

So let’s say M&S or Waitrose chicken nuggets made out chicken fillets and with less UPF
(Note I never buy chicken nuggets so the shops I mentioned might do them …. But I’m sure you get the gist)

I wonder if they know how much you sneer at them. They probably do.

What about Delia's macaroni and beef pie?
It's easier to serve and eat off plates on laps than eg lasagne
You could leave cheese off half of it if they don't like cheese (although I know a few people who will eat cheese cooked on eg pizza or a gratin, but not 'raw' so worth checking)
Serve with garlic bread which sounds like it might be up their street and a chopped salad for anyone who would eat it.

I was going to suggest homemade burgers but possibly too many people to cook burgers for. You could make a couple of meatloafs, then slice and serve in burger rolls with various burger toppings, homemade potato wedges, coleslaw and salad.

Waitrose and Iceland sell exactly the same chicken nuggets.

Iceland just charge 25p less.

a roast chicken with salads, boiled or baked potatoes etc

Fair enough.

Hopefully that might help the OP feel a bit better about them 🤷‍♀️

Homemade fish and chips with peas. It’s basically a few ingredients and you can bake the fish. It’s really easy to do in bulk and not processed at all.

Why? I am honestly not being shitty here but genuinely trying to understand the struggle here. What harm do you think will befall you if you do serve "Iceland crap". Are you worried about your kids eating I as a one off, maybe getting a taste for it? Or is it an ethical objection - you don't want to purchase the food and support Iceland (or a similar chain?) If so, can you not buy nuggets or similar from your usual supermarket (I assume you shop at one?)

I think the answer here is surely to ask them what they would like to eat? With very restricted eaters, they know they are restricted so won't be surprised to be asked, it will probably make them feel better to be fair.....

I also got a bit stuck on "cheeseboard cheese". We eat quite a range of cheese in my family - soft, hard, blue, goats, sheeps, various sorts of each if the occasion arises - but we never serve it in a cheeseboard style context. It's usually in a sandwich or in a salad or part of a cooked dish we are having - something like thatn Them not having cheeseboards doesn't necessarily mean their cheese tastes are restricted.....

It’s one meal - serve what you know they eat. Ie the party-style buffet from Iceland.

As a host, you should prioritise what they’ll eat, not what you think is more healthy. You can put a salad on the side for yourself and pack up the leftovers for them to take home.

Gammon. Slow cooked for sandwiches. Home made wedges. Salad

Wow, your baker offers more services than mine does, @TheSandgroper 😁