Christmas Eve meal

[littlemousebigcheese]

Please help. DHs family are staying with us over Christmas, arriving Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is obviously sorted but I've agreed to make dinner Christmas eve and have no idea what to make. His father won't eat onions, mushrooms, peppers or fish. His sister wont eat red meat, his niece won't eat anything that isn't a chicken nugget. I've got no clue! Take away would be ideal but we live in the arse end of nowhere and none will be open. I've suggested jacket potatoes and a 'toppings bar' but that's been shut down, no one will eat a lasagne which is my other go to for big groups!
I was thinking buffet with nice nibbles but we're doing that Christmas Day and Boxing Day so that's out too!
Any ideas?!

We have slow cooked pulled pork brioche rolls with stuffing and apple sauce in Xmas eve. The pork cooks for 6 hours so just does its thing in the overnight when we're busy with other Xmas Eve things.

Otherwise I'd go with a jacket potato bar like you suggest - not sure why they shut that down!

Soup & nice bread, or toad in the hole.

Didn't you read the OP??

Take away would be ideal but we live in the arse end of nowhere and none will be open.

Dish one - fish fingers
Dish two - chicken nuggets
Dish three - Chips
Dish four - baked beans
Tomato sauce, mayo, salt, pepper, knife fork. 😊

Sounds lovely, but doubt the op's neice will eat it, given she isn't eating much more than chicken nuggets. I think maybe do her something else op. I don't know how old she is.

Chicken nuggets for the fusspots, whatever you’d normally have for the rest of you.

People this fussy should sort their own dinners, IMO.

Could you do tortilla wraps op with a range of fillings, and salad. Everyone can put in what they want and make their own fajitas. The adults could have pulled chicken, your neice could put crispy chicken strips in hers?

So poor OP has to cook two separate meals on Christmas Eve to accommodate nugget niece. Then cook Christmas dinner the next day..

What’s the niece eating on Christmas Day?

Gammon (which needs to be cooked anyway for cold cuts over the festive period), served with macaroni cheese and some green veg. Chicken nuggets in the air fryer for the one who only eats chicken nuggets.

Is it not DHs role to feed HIS fussy family?

1.whoever shut you down can do it.

1. If your not that annoyed then Everyone make a dish?

We always have fish pie on Christmas Eve, but if that doesn't work for your fussy lot then my go to fussy people options are burgers/hot dogs, where everybody assembles their own (you could do a couple of chicken burgers) or pizza where everybody adds their own toppings to the basic cheese and tomato base.

Fantastic ideas, thank you all so much!
My children are young (4 and 7) but not very fussy which is helpful! I think I might do pizzas as a few have suggested and put out a few salads too.
FIL shot down jacket potatoes as he expects a 'real' meal. He's very difficult to be honest! Husband is cooking Christmas dinner and we are having turkey and all the trimmings so I wanted to avoid using too many pots and pans or Christmas Eve will be spent washing up!

SIL wouldn't eat macaroni cheese sadly and fajitas have been vetoed by them all as they don't like the mess?! Taking a few deep breaths over here..!

I'm low carbs at the moment. But I bloody love a jacket potato I do!

Sausage & mash and gravy, peas and greens? Veggie sausages for the veggies and chicken nuggets for the fussy kid. Some aunt Bessie's Yorkshires too?

You FIL sounds like mine. Real PITA.
I avoid inviting him other than BBQ if I can.

I'd put it back to them what do they want or giving your out in the sticks can they bring dinner with them.

You have two young children to manage , along with two more days of hosting and cooking. I wouldn’t be doing anything that makes more work for you. They should be offering to bring that dinner at least, they could make something, or collect a take away and reheat. Your FIL sounds rude and entitled. What are you getting from this arrangement exactly?

Believe me, as a mother of two now in their late 20s and 30s, these years flash by. Enjoy the magic with your DC while you can. You want your memories, and theirs to be of the joy of it all, not of cooking, cleaning and pandering to a selfish man/and or others. Life really is shot enough.

If you decide on pizza get them to order/pick up at a supermarket on the way to you, no idea why they don’t suggest it themselves.

Think I'd be telling them to fuck right off about now tbh

I'd be tempted to throw a load of pizzas in the oven and do a few different salads.

Tell FIL to bring his own ‘real’ meal to pop in the microwave

Soup and sandwiches
Chicken nuggets for the child.
Considering your cooking your arse off the next day
Make Xmas eve easy for you.any complaints tell them you know where the kitchen is.

It's always exhausting having them over to be honest. They think the children are too loud, the house is too cold, the cats lick themselves which they can't stand (?!) they tut and roll their eyes if I so much as suggest they make themselves a cup of tea and mutter about being guests not slaves but I just suck it up as they only stay a few days. MIL is bearable but acts like I'm trying to poison them all if I offer anything other than a pork chop or dry chicken breast.

My husband does a lot of buffering and smoothing things over but they really get under my skin! Nothing is good enough, nothing is right. Our spare room has a treadmill in it and they act affronted that we don't keep it like a shrine for the few times a year they visit. This year we're putting SIL, BIL and niece in DHs office and they have made comments about how we should be giving up our room - sorry but no! My youngest still climbs into bed at night and my daughter is autistic and has adhd so would struggle massively if we weren't in there

Honestly I love my family and their annoying quirks. I don’t ask. I do ham in the slow cooker with rolls. Chicken nuggets and wraps with a cheese board and nibbles on Xmas eve. Anyone who doesn’t eat it is not on me.

The people with dietary requirements should offer up their own ideas. They probably only eat 4 meals at home so they need to name one of them!

We are having marmalade glazed ham ,macaroni cheese and green salad.
People can have all of it or pick and choose what they want.