picky eater young adult side dishes - ideas needed

[Anonymous]

First -- all 6 young adults (older HS- recent graduates of college) coming to my Thanksgiving meal are some combination of vegan-vegetarian-allergic-gluten free-dairy free-selective eaters and NO ONE has asked me to cater to them in any way, least of all the parents -- however for various reasons, asking the guests to just bring their own food isn't possible or isn't what I want to do.

I WANT to be hospitable and have some foods everyone is happy to eat. But, I can put a lot of effort and energy into making some dish that none of them will eat because they are picky in addition to their dietary issues.

SO this is what I am dealing with.

#1) no red meat - no dairy
#2) vegetarian-allergic to legumes and tree nuts-LOVES cheese and milk- picky, plain food
#3) vegan-gluten free-dairy free-low fat LIVES ON AIR
#4) vegan-gluten free-limited dairy
#5) no restrictions but eats plain food
#6) no restrictions, loves meat and turkey and stuffing. (Will eat with the grownups!!)

Adults have no restrictions.

In the past as kids they all ate a lot of mac and cheese but now only two of them can/will eat it, and they are the ones who will eat regular Thanksgiving food as long as it isn't too fancy.

I'm thinking for the ones who apparently live on air, I'll have a substantial vegetable platter with basic stuff like carrots, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and 1 hummus dip (for those not allergic) plus 1 ranch type dip (for those allergic to legumes)?

Then maybe some corn tortilla chips plus guacamole? Very plain food.

They can take what they like or make a salad from that? Maybe an extra bowl of nuts or pepitas?

Some gluten free, plain rice crackers, plus a plate of sliced cheeses? What will the vegans put on the crackers though?

The problem I am running into is everything I would do for the vegans seems to involve legumes or nuts, which aren't good for the vegetarian with allergies! And the cheesy things for the vegetarian don't help me with the vegans! And anything that works for both -- like beet hummus -- is too weird for the picky ones which includes both the vegetarians and the vegans....

So... is there anything obvious I am missing? Please only answer if you enjoy these kinds of menu permutations. I get it, I don't have to cater to everyone. I just want to!

[Anonymous]

1,5, and 6 can make do with a typical Thanksgiving meal. I would make a big salad + several other vegie dishes. Hummous should work with your GF crackers. Perhaps a glouton free/vegan cheese mac and cheese. I do not have high hopes it will be terrifc but you will have tried.

[Anonymous]

One nice thing with nuts legumes, one nice cheesy thing. Spend your efforts on making more things, rather than one thing that all the groups will like kind of.

[Anonymous]

Here’s what I would do:

Roasted beets carrots and winter squash.
This is so incredibly easy, delicious and beautiful. The colors are vibrant and it looks as good as it tastes. You toss everything with salt, pepper and olive oil and put in the oven. The beets are usually the first to go as I can never make enough, and I have always gotten compliments on this dish.

Simple green beans (vegan)

Vegan Mashed potatoes OR roasted sweet potato wedges.

Simple green salad with dressing on the side.

[Anonymous]

I would make a regular stuffing recipe, but make it dairy free (use earth balance instead of butter), don’t add any meat and cook outside of the turkey. That way the regular eaters plus 1, 2, 5 and 6 can eat it. I would make regular mashed potatoes plus either vegan mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes. I would include a simple green bean dish or roasted brussels sprouts - that would be naturally gluten free and vegan. Maybe buy some gluten free rolls, and then the vegan/gluten free people could have potatoes, veggies, rolls, cranberry sauce.

[Anonymous]

A vegan doesn't eat dairy. They are vegetarian.

Make some grilled tofu for the veggies and vegans.

Simple salad (cheese on the side), rolls/cornbread, cranberry sauce (homemade - easy and vegan), mac and cheese - either vegan or vegetarian or both, baked potato (so its vegan) and a vegetable or two plain or sauce on the side.

[Anonymous]

Op you’re overthinking this. For a holiday like Thanksgiving just serve your best traditional menu. Let them figure out if they can handle it with their “restrictions.”

[Anonymous]

I would do

Plain steamed green beans, carrots or corn
Tortilla corn chips, salsa and guacamole
Grilled vegetable skewers and rice
GF basic pasta salad (no pesto), with or without cheese
Caesar salad, use gluten free croutons

[Anonymous]

Big platter of roasted veggies? Make in advance and reheat

[Anonymous]

Ugh. I would make them each bring a dish they know they will eat. And then I would make a couple of vegan, nut free, legume free sides.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op you’re overthinking this. For a holiday like Thanksgiving just serve your best traditional menu. Let them figure out if they can handle it with their “restrictions.”

Most people hosting consider their guests or no one is going to eat anything.

OP has a lot of good suggestions.

Lets combine them all.

Simple salad with cheese on the side. (Veggie and vegan)

Roasted veggies and tofu or veggie/tofu skewers (that way you do it all at once) (veggie and vegan)

Homemade cranberry sauce (veggie and vegan)

Rice and/or mash or baked potato (rice does go better with roasted veggies) but you could also roast potatoes too

Turkey

vegan stuffing cooked outside the turkey (use vegetable broth)

mac and cheese if you really want to

rolls

[Anonymous]

Stuffed mushrooms with gluten free crumbs, celery, balance spread, nutritional yeast (dairy free cheese flavor), chopped carrots.

Quinoa salad with chopped veggies and olive oil vinaigrette.

Roasted cauliflower & potatoes.

[Anonymous]

What time are you serving dinner? I’d just assume the kids will eat rolls and veggies and then eat whatever tofu they want when they get home. If you want them to have something on their plates… sweet potato fries?

[Anonymous]

Isn't corn gluten-free and vegan? And fits in a Thanksgiving theme. Or some sort of white & wild rice pilaf.
But I agree with other posters, simple green beans with oil & salt would work for just about anyone.

Two salad ideas, and they look sort of festive too:
1) Baby kale, diced red apple, radish, craisins. Normally would also have pecan pieces and feta crumbles but you could serve those on the side. Dressing is a simple 2 parts olive oil to 1 part cider vinegar and about a teaspoon of honey that you add before serving. You could swap the honey for some garlic & herbs to make it more like a regular vinaigrette dressing though and it would taste fine. Have made twice for groups and it was all eaten.
2) If anyone remembers the Magic Pan restaurants, this is an approximation of one of their salads. Romaine lettuce, sliced white mushrooms, sliced cucumber, 1 small can drained mandarin orange segments- maybe 2 cans if you need to make a really big salad. Dressing is olive oil, cider vinegar, tarragon, salt, pepper- maybe some thyme as well? The dressing can be flexible but the main flavor is supposed to be tarragon so I never put garlic in.

[Anonymous]

Turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetarian stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce. Works for some, not all.

Mac and cheese as a main for the veggies. Nothing weird or fancy.

Tons of roasted veggies: maple sweet potatoes, lemony carrots, balsamic brussels, pretty purple cauliflower, and throw in some cubed tofu roasted with whatever sauce you want.

Simple salad: cheese or nuts on side only. Bread.