Lunch for 4 adults and 3 kids - ideas please!!

[JoyceBarnaby]

Next Saturday, we have DH's best mate, wife and 2 kids (4 and 6) coming for lunch with us and DS (2). I don't know anything about what their kids eat, unfortunately.

Anyway, please can I have some ideas for what we can all eat? The usual requests apply - as easy but impressive as possible!!

Think I'd start by asking the other Mum about the sort of things her dc especially like/don't like.

Not suggesting that you should cook entirely to their tastes, but far better, imo, to serve something that is well received.

Something that involves picking - baked potatoes, salad, quiche etc OR homemade soup, bread, cheese etc OR wraps with a selection of fillings, salad etc. Nice cake for pud that can be served with cream, custard or icecream - and icecream and bashed maltesers for the children plus fruit.

It depends if you see the lunch as a main meal or not.

Either do something very family pleasing like a lovely big lasagne, with some homemade garlic bread and a really good salad. Or you could do a whole kind of schmorgazboard (sp?) of lovely things to pick at; good ham, salami, sliced chorizo, great cheeses, pickles, olives, those little paparadew peppers, pate, smoked salmon, good bread & crackers and a good mixed salad or two (one green and maybe a coleslaw), or some raw veg and a good homemade sourcream and chive dip (raw mushrooms, carrots, peppers, raw cauliflower are all lovely in a dip made with half may, half sour cream, a tiny bit of crushed garlic, chopped chives and some salt and pepper), hummus, taramasalata etc. Then everyone can pick, chat, everyone will find something they like.

I would say a roast dinner or something like pasta for mains. Maybe cake and ice cream or fruit trifle for after.

I would go with jacket potatoes with ham, cheese, tuna, salad, beans, coleslaw, olives etc. There's got to be something for everyone in that lot and whatever's left you can have the next day. Have a crusty loaf on hand in case one of the children won't eat potato maybe? And a cheesecake and some fruit for pud?

Roast chicken, salad, crusty bread.
Chocolate cheesecake for pudding.

If it was lunch time on a saturday i would do crusty baguette sandwiches for the adults and a plate of little triangle oes for the kids (to help themselves) and a big bowl of homemade wedges. Then i would have a home made jam and cream sponge for pud and poss some scones, sort of an afternoon tea affair.

Or go with a PP and do baked pots with a variety of fillings.

Thanks all. I know get in contact the other mum, but for various reasons, I just don't want to!! [selfish emoticon]

I'm thinking either lasagne (so DH can show off his homemade garlic bread, which is totally yum) or the baguettes/sandwiches and wedges.

Thanks again!!

Well, I just asked to DH to contact his mate to check whether they all like lasagne.

His response was that he didn't know (!) but that 'anything like that served with chips is fine for us'. DH said his mate just assumes lasagne only comes with chips.

I think I'll do the lasagne, some salad and DH's garlic bread and just offer some oven chips for the kids once they are here. Or maybe I could get away with wedges. We'll see...

I'd do Toad. I have never met a child that doesn't like it. Onion gravy, baked beans, veg.

It looks good too when it comes out of the oven all puffed up