Xmas Day buffet - is this ok (dietary and non meat eaters)?

[Iliketulips]

Only five of us.

A - pescatarian and pre-diabetes
B&C - pescatarian, one doesn't like cheese
D - Flexible, but would hope for something meat included and won't want cheese or last option below
E - Diabetic, very high cholesterol

Granary rolls
Smoked salmon
2-3 cheeses
Two dips with carrot, pepper, cucumber sticks
Crisps
Mixed salted nuts
Sausage rolls for D
Olive and antipasti selection - everyone except D would love

I'll have mince pies for DH and a chocolate log for B&C which will totally tick their boxes. 100% sure A and E won't want anything even if suitable.

I don't want loads of meat or carbohydrates left that DH and myself won't get through (I'm A).

Does above sound ok in circumstances or have I missed something?

Is this for Christmas dinner, or as an evening thing after a proper meal earlier in the day?

I am guessing this is an evening snack rather than the main

i would be tempted to have prawns as well as salmon
and perhaps nice sausages or sliced meat rather than sausage rolls ( unless nice homemade ones ) - you can give left overs to D to take home

id add some mini tomatoes along with the other veg and perhaps some grapes

and o would have something like a white baguette to go with the granary rolls

Could you have some really nice cooked meat and pickles instead of sausage rolls? If there is any left over you can send it back with D .
I would also add a green salad and a tomato salad.

Salad. You forgot salad.

Also, basmati rice is fine for diabetics for some odd reason.

How about some mini vegetable samosas or spicy prawns on skewers?

I really wouldn't be worried about things like pre diabetes and high cholesterol on Christmas day its one day. Eat what you want it's Christmas

Veg quiche little mini ones
Mixed Green salad
Home-made potato salad

Is this instead of a traditional Christmas lunch or is something while hosting drinks/in the evening?

I would consider doing some cold salmon maybe instead of the smoked salmon. Some salads like rice.

I'd probably add a vegetarian quiche too and crackers and jam for the cheeses.

I think you need a substantial vegetarian dish to be the start of your table. A vegetable tart, quiche or pie would go down well.

A good couple of winter salads would do well, roasted vegetables, leaves and chickpeas and a dressing / crumbled cheese on the side for people to add as they want.

i also would allow those with dietary restrictions around diabetes and cholesterol to make their own decisions. Plenty of whole food and vegetarian options and the ability to “build your own” will assist.

Sounds a bit grim and very plain - not a special or luxurious menu. Sorry.

What about a whole salmon, steamed (or poached in a fish kettle - if you don't have one you can rent them) then some nice green vegetables such as asparagus or tender stem broccoli, and little steamed potatoes, with the option of butter, or vinaigrette, or chopped parsley or dill for a dressing. I don't like carrots myself, but some thin sliced steamed carrots would also go well, and look good.

Celeriac is great with salmon - makes a nice salad actually, if you grate or spiralise it.

A cheese plate & some wholemeal bread

For meat eaters, what about roasted duck breast with an orange sauce. You can calculate enough breasts for the meat eaters, and cook them slowly, then slice. Luxurious, appropriately Christmassy (we always had duck on Christmas Eve)

And for vegetarians, filo pastry spinach pie or a roll - mix spinach (I use frozen, thawed & drained) with chopped cooked onion, diced cooked tomatoes, and sliced olives (you can buy jars of sliced olives), allow the liquid to drain, then prepare your filo pastry (puff would do as well) then spread the spinach mixture, roll up the filo pastry, glaze then into a hot oven. I put little bits of diced feta in this, unless I'm feeding vegans. You can make this with an oil spray, and I think that's OK for cholesterol.

@Iliketulips

Olive and antipasti selection - everyone except D would love
Surely only E would eat that , fish only eaters won't eat antipasti because that is meat based as well ?

Antipasti

Antipasti is the plural form of antipasto, which literally means "before the meal" in Italian. It refers to a variety of appetizers or small plates served at the start of a meal, often including cured meats, cheeses, olives, and vegetables. This tradition is meant to stimulate the appetite and create an enjoyable dining experience.

How is antipasti meat-based? You can put together a plate of antipasti without cured meat ...

Turkey.
Don't care that they don't eat it. It's Christmas.

Give them a tick list of things and see what they'd like.

In my post is the online description of Antipasti it states cured meats !

Sorry, I wasn't clear - it's for tea/supper.

I think we're having salmon for Xmas lunch.

Thank you for your comments think, I'll have a good think. The antipasti selection I've seen, is vegetarian - olives, cheese, stuffed peppers, crispy nibbles. I forgot about meat antipasti, which funnily enough D doesn't like.

"often including" It's perfectly possible to have no meat - I've eaten it that way in Italy frequently.

Sticking to the buffet style you seem to be going for:

A prawn or crayfish cocktail to accompany the smoked salmon would be nice.

Or a smoked mackerel pate to go on the bread.

A chicken liver pate or similar could be nice for D and would keep for a few days afterwards.

Devilled eggs tick everyone's boxes I think too.

If you timed it right then some warm things like quiche, tempura prawns etc. might be a nice addition.

it depends what you are aiming for. if you just want something with no prep other than opening packets and maybe slicing some veg this fits the bill.

personally I would not do salmon for lunch and supper - prawns would be better

though I would be inclined to do tapas instead - easy to do something for everyone and it's a bit more interesting

I feel your meat eating DH is being short changed here, especially as he’s having fish for lunch. I love a pork pie on Christmas Day, try to avoid them the rest of the year . Our bakers makes the most amazing pork pies, some butchers do too, far tastier than the plastic supermarket ones