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.

The difference is, they're not refusing to serve healthy food because they think you need educating about the joys of frozen pizza.

It also sounds like they don't have the skills to cook the food you like, whereas your objections are based on nothing but your own morals.

Not sure i'm from.bolton its famous in Bolton, "ye olde pastie shoppe ," its called
Carrs pastiesalso a bolton company also sells boxes of frozen baked pasties, which imo although very nice are a close second to " ye olde pastie shoppe " pasties 🤣

unconditional83 · Today 11:57
MerryChristmasToYou · Today 11:51

What is UHP? Just order a chippy tea.
Iceland food isn't crap BTW.

Is this a joke?!!”

Report on a radio 4 programme - maybe the food programme? - couple of years ago pointed out that good quality fish and chips fried in vegetable oil is the healthiest, most nutritious of takeaways.

Again, Iceland stocks all manner of healthy ingredients. Take a look, OP. You may surprise yourself/save a bit in the weekly shop.

Yeah, Im not sure I believe this either, probably a wind up to get in the papers, no one is this much of an arsehole about what their nearest and dearest eat

No such thing as a 'healthy food', just a good balanced diet, or not.

"Soup and salad go well together."

Can't think of two dishes that compliment one another less. Soup and fucking salad?!

OP - make two big pies, one chicken and ham, one steak. A big jug of gravy, a pile of roasties or homemade fat chips, a tray of veg and a tray of sausages.

You are being deliberately obstructive. Loads of good ideas on this thread which are a good compromise. I think this is a windup.

UHP is ultra high performance tyres in my work world 😂. I think they meant UPF - ultra processed foods.

An Iceland / M&S buffet is the easiest thing to eat on laps.

I feel Paella may be a stretch…

No. What is UHP? What's wrong with a chippy tea? Have you ever been to Iceland?

They might not taste better but they won't be full of chemicals which are detrimental to health. The op shouldn't have to compromise her principals by buying junk food she won't eat herself, there is a compromise here.

Upf is engineered to be as patatable as possible regardless of the quality (in fact cheaper the better from the companys point of view) so if course it taste 'good'.

Crochetablanket · Today 11:55

@x2boys you must be from Lancashire ( the peas!) or Cornwall ? I’d love a local pasties shop I could buy frozen ‘ good quality ones’ from - are they online too?”

You need Philips Bakery, Hayle, Cornwall. Bake your own pasties by post 😃

Not Philips, Philps. Autocorrect 🙄

UPF isn't such a concern in the UK and Europe, our food regulations are so robust you won't see any of the crap you get in American foods. Even our unhealthy UPFs have lower sodium and sugar levels than their equivalent from the 90s.

Obviously an expert on healthy eating then.

Make some fucking sandwiches. You can have whole meal sourdough. They can have warburtons white toastie loaf.

Put out a bowl of crisps. And some salad for you.

Honestly, orthorexia is a thing. Being so uptight about UHP and banging on about principles in relation to buying something from Iceland is not a sign of good mental health. Even if the person doing it feels smug about their superiority.

Never claimed to be an expert on healthy eating. What is UHP in the world of food please?

Don't drag Warburton's toastie. Thick cut is excellent sandwich bread and I won't hear a word against it.

Do a big Lancashire hotpot, with crusty bread, followed by a couple of plate fruit pies (homemade) and cream.

Not one pot but I'd do homemade pizzas and everyone can add their own toppings. With garlic bread and salad for sides.

Not you @Amberlady , the OP.
I could only think of University Hospital Plymouth.

Iceland is great BTW. I went there when the shelves in Tesco were empty in the pandemic and have been shopping them since. Smallish store with a good selection of frozen food, fresh food and groceries.

Beef stew and dumplings? It's traditional, you can hide a bit of veg in it but the veg mostly disappears into the sauce so you won't frighten the veg adverse. Serve with extra fresh veg for those who will eat them. There are loads of great stew recipes on the BBC good food website.

AH found it on the Google - Ultra High Processed, every day is a school day.

It's Ultra High Processed food

OP you also have some very odd ideas. How can a one-pot meal be 'lap food' but a pasty, specifically designed to make meat, potatoes and veg portable for lunch, isn't?You sound as equally obsessed and fussy with food in the opposite way to your guests, which has the possibility of leading to eating disorders in your own children later on. IMO just relax a bit, buy the best quality you can find of the type of food your guests like and add in some of the type you like to the buffet, and gently encourage ALL of the children including yours to try EVERYTHING.

And OP might find her kids go and eat fucking shitloads of it when they can since she's made it so forbidden 🤣