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Slightly hopeful ideas request for multi-household holiday in September

10 replies

fussyeaters2021 · 05/04/2021 10:44

Fingers crossed we can go away! If we can it's going to need some planning, very grateful for any ideas. If at home wouldn't be a problem, but it's a normal holiday cottage kitchen with a microwave + single oven, small freezer etc.

7 adults:

  • 2x nut allergy (epipen level, so can't pick anything out and probably can't make separate food with nuts in using same utensils as no dishwasher)
  • 1x gluten free (intolerance, with horrible side-effects, so mandatory, not a 'preference')
  • 2x 80+ elderly, plain eaters (one of whom, due to IBS-type issues will only eat meat+potatoes+plain veg e.g. carrots, the other of whom hates tomatoes so won't eat, e.g. pizza)
  • 1x mega meat-eater who eats huge portions (6'5" rugby type)
  • 1x perfectly chilled person with no requirements (not me!) Grin

Lunches will be easy - variations on sandwiches etc. But we need six-seven dinners. Can't afford to eat out every night, even if places were open. Not holidayed together for c.20 years so no usual suspects to fall back on.

So far I'm thinking to bring a massive, plain shepherd's pie, ditto a chicken pot pie (with mash topping). We will probably have fish & chips / some plain takeaway another night. That leaves four meals and I'd like to have a veggie option on some of the nights as three of us eat mostly veggie / vegan food, so three meat/fish based meals is a compromise for the four meat eaters.

I'm thinking there must be mezze / sharing type mix and match meals that would work, but I'm drawing a blank. We're all competent cooks, and there will be plenty of help, I'm trying to think of things that will let us have a holiday too, whilst giving everyone a nice meal. Pondering some kind of mac n cheese with veggie side dishes, with a GF option for the GF person.

Any suggestions gratefully received!

OP posts:
Superstardjs · 05/04/2021 11:35

Not wishing to be negative, but you are doomed..! That sounds bloody awful to cater for. I've come up with roast dinner and soup. Is rice IBS friendly?

moochingtothepub · 05/04/2021 11:42

I would stick to simple dinners eg a couple of roast in the tray chickens, tray of pork chops etc then cook jacket potatoes, wedges, etc then serve choices of salad, simple veg, coleslaw etc. A shepherds pie is a great call as it can meet all those requirements (gf stock cubes). Have no nuts to solve that.

My mother is tricky like your older adults but I can placate her with plain chicken and potato wedges if I'm doing fajitas, tex mex etc. Is this an option? At least mum eats salad.

Fivemoreminutes1 · 05/04/2021 13:32

A variety of sausages, caramelised onion gravy, cheesy mash with spring onions (a bit of hard cheese like cheddar is ok for IBS and the green parts of spring onions are OK) and peas.

Low fodmap vegetarian risotto www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/low-fodmap_butternut_15263 I omit the yeast extract and find it really doesn’t need it.

fussyeaters2021 · 05/04/2021 14:49

Tray bakes and wedges a great idea, thank you! Like the risotto as well.

@Superstardjs It is a total nightmare. We are all related, so I cook Christmas dinner + the surrounding meals for six of us every year and - I kid you not - it takes me four months to make sure I've planned every day's meals correctly so no one is left out / we have enough of something for everyone, with no trips to the hospital / bathroom for allergies. Total nightmare, but at least Christmas is a bit easier because it's a) at home, and b) very roast dinner + picky bits heavy, so you can make leftovers last a long time / have a bit of repetition.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 05/04/2021 14:51

Why can't you book somewhere where there is a group of cottages and each household has their own kitchen?

AtleastitsnotMonday · 05/04/2021 17:06

Do you have a bbq?

Karwomannghia · 05/04/2021 17:11

Skewers with various things on the bbq or griddle with bread salad and dips could be fairly easy.
A big gammon/ cooked ham with sides- cooked with apricots for a jus- didn’t see there were any veggies but veggie haggis for them?

AtleastitsnotMonday · 05/04/2021 17:24

Maybe a sort of buffet with a choice of quiche or fritata for those gf?
Lots of salads, potato salad, cous cous with roasted veg and chickpeas, tomato, basil, mozzarella and red onion, green salad, etc.

Maybe roast a piece of gammon could be served warm for an evening meal, add an optional sauce or pineapple, sweetcorn and chilli salsa for those a bit more adventurous with either simple veg or salads and a big tray of roasties, wedges or chips.
Great for leftovers for sandwiches etc.

Would pasta be an option or too foreign?! (It’s ok, I totally understand, I wonder if we are related?,!)
If so easy enough to cook a load of pasta, a separate portion of gf, then offer a meat based sauce (bolognaise, bacon and mushroom, chorizo with tomatoes and peppers) and a veggie one (garlic mushroom and broccoli, leek and blue cheese, cherry tomato chilli and herb). If the sauces would be too much for simple eaters maybe offer cream cheese and smoked salmon instead.

Imtoooldforallthis · 07/04/2021 15:45

Quiche is dead easy, just get a good gluten free ready rolled pastry, pre cook, fill with chopped onion lots of grated cheese. Mix 6 eggs with dried herbs and 200ml milk cook for 30 mins. Serve with salad and chips. Quoen sausages served as hotdogs in part baked rolls with wedges and corn on the cob. Cassoulet, tins of mixed beans with loads of veg g served with bakery bread. English breakfast for tea. Haggis with mash and neeps and carrots, you can get good vegetarian haggis.

MirandaMarple · 08/04/2021 09:00

Ask each person what their favourite meal is, and see if you can come up with a couple of dishes which incorporate things they all like?

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