Ideas for a family meal to be veggie and dairy free

[pleasethanks]

We are having some family, with small children, round for a casual dinner, near bonfire night.

I had thought about doing a big pot of ma cheese, but I have found out that one of the children is dairy free, so that rules that out.

I want something comforting. I want the main dish to be veggie, but don't mind if it can be supplemented with meat. A couple of the guests don't consider a meal a meal unless it has meat in it!

Has anyone any suggestions?

thanks

Baked potatoes with various bowls of different fillings, so everyone can have what they like. Plus some salad?

Big pot of homemade lentil or tomato soup

Veggie hotdogs with onions that are fried in grainy mustard and balsamic vinegar

Meaty hotdogs for the carnivores

Chipolatas for the littlies

Big fat parkn cake and big fat plum or apple cake for pud.

If you are going to have vegie hotdogs, please get the the tivall frozen ones as all the other ones I have tried are nasty, especially the quorn ones.

Could do big baked mushrooms in baps, if you wanted to avoid veggie hotdogs. I used to like the Sainsbo's frozen ones, but they've stopped doing them.

How about a big pot of mild vegetarian chilli with rice and/or tortillas and/or jacket potatoes with all the toppings laid out - salad, extra chillies, cheese, sour cream etc.?

Most people find that filling and warming although I have split the pot before and chucked in some form of meat eg hunks of chorizo or minced beef early in the cooking process.

I used to like the sainsburys hotdogs too remus but the tivall are a good substitute.

I'll try them, thanks.

Veggie chilli a good idea too - LOVE a good veggie chili. :)