Menu ideas for this meal

[TickledOnion]

I’m taking dinner to my parents for 5 of us (including 2 kids) to eat in the garden. It’s about half an hours drive away. I can borrow a hot/cold box but I can’t go in their house so everything has to be ready to eat or require minimal prep when we get there.

The only dietary requirements are religious ones so no pork/ham/bacon and no shellfish. Kids eat most things except chilli/spicy stuff. They will eat strong flavours as long as I leave the chilli out.

Ideally I’d like to make 3 courses.

Any ideas please?

How about a salade niçoise for the main course, made with fresh tuna steaks? Only suggesting as it's my new favourite thing since I made it for the first time a couple of months ago!
First course could be simple veg antipasti, maybe grilled aubergines, courgettes and peppers with good pesto and nice bread, and a plum crumble for pudding (seasonal!)?

Do you know you can cook meat on your car engine?

Do your parents have a bbq?

A cold soup, gazpacho or courgette and coriander.

Chicken and veg kebabs, you can marinade the chicken in yoghurt and spices, or in white wine and garlic. BBQ if you parents have one, otherwise cook at home or wrap in 2 layers of foil and place somewhere secure in the car engine - can be eaten hot or cold.

Iman biadi, salad with cherry tomatoes and melon balls. Pasta - just pour boiling water over and leave for 10 - 12 mins.

Cheesecake or cupcakes with a bit of cream for pudding.

Italian:
Tomato and mozarella salad
Pasta pesto with grilled chicken or breadcrumbed
Tiramisu or jelly with fruit for the children or some cake

Middle Eastern/North African
Stuffed vine leaves, hummus, aubergine dip, pita or any flat bread

Couscous salad with roasted veg on the side and marinated chicken

Baklava or basboosa and a flask of tea/coffee

Option 3
Pea and mint soup (in a thermos flask?) Or smoked salmon and rocket salad
White wine, parmesan and mushroom risotto
Orange almond cake or chocolate olive oil cake (nigellas) or sorbet and fresh fruit

If you’ve got the time, this salmon en croute is amazing and can be made a couple of days before and kept refrigerated www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/salmon-en-croute
Otherwise make this tart realfood.tesco.com/recipes/charred-courgette-and-salmon-tart.html or this quiche www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/roasted-tomato-basil-parmesan-quiche

Cold Pea soup or Gazpacho as a starter.
Ceviche and a mixed Couscous/Mediterranean roasted vegetable salad for a main course.
Tarte Tatin, cooked just before you leave (so it is still warm when serving) for dessert, served with cream.

Thank you, these all sound delicious though I think I’ll skip cooking in the car engine!