s/ Thanksgiving tips for hosting, gluten free, vegan and vegetarian guests

[Anonymous]

We host a large crowd.

GF - be mindful that some Turkeys are injected with solutions that contain gluten. High quality organic birds are usually safe but check first. Thicken gravy with cornstarch or arrowroot not flour. Serve two stuffings -one traditional with bread and one with rice/grains. Have a GF dessert. If the people are bring dishes ask the GF people to bring their favorite dessert. Make your own salad dressings or buy the GF ones.

Vegan/Vegetarians- try to make vegetarian dishes vegan so it serves both types. Mashed potatoes made with olive oil and roasted garlic are amazing. Roasted butternut squash, and pumpkin are great. Do not mash them. Grilled and charred sweet potatoes are great. Carmelized onions and green beans or roasted brussel sprouts are great. Have a few desserts that are vegan.

We lay things out buffet style and have a toppings section that we call the fixins. This is where the boomers get their butter and bacon bits. I also put out Gorgonzola cheese, dried cranberries, chives, sour cream, different nuts etc.

I get label each dish so people know if it’s gf, vegan or both.

[Anonymous]

I'm all for labeling (allergens like nuts), but this is crazy. I would think the GF and Vegans need to bring their own side + dessert to dinner. This is a lot to ask of a host to cook so much different food.

I would assume most hosts are cooking traditional family recipes.

[Anonymous]

I have a billion food allergies that basically lead me to eat unwillingly Vegan or end up throwing up or swollen.

The only thing I ask of a host is to tell me honestly when I ask for a recipe of something. The year MIL winked and told me there was no dairy in her carrot casserole so it was healthy, only to find out it was soaked in butter was scary.

I now just bring my own plate of safe foods and eat it at the table with everyone else. Please don't be offended when I do--I want to be in your company but I don't want to get sick or die!

[Anonymous]

My tip is don’t. Don’t bend over backwards. The allergen people can and should bring their own sides.

[Anonymous]

Too. Much. Work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Too. Much. Work.

I think OP intended this for hosts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm all for labeling (allergens like nuts), but this is crazy. I would think the GF and Vegans need to bring their own side + dessert to dinner. This is a lot to ask of a host to cook so much different food.

I would assume most hosts are cooking traditional family recipes.

GF is for celiac. If you give them gluten they will cramp up, throw up and be sick for a few days. I try not to poison any guests.

[Anonymous]

GF Thanksgiving is pretty easy. I would use cornstarch in the gravy instead of white flour. Make whatever stuffing and dessert you want and they just won't eat it. Ask them to bring GF brownies. Leave croutons off the salad. Most salad dressings don't have gluten unless they are soy sauce based.

[Anonymous]

It’s not that hard. Specially the gluten free. There are gluten free stuffing and most common deserts are pumpkin and pecan pies. Gluten free pie crust and gravy are straight forward.

Not making two type of stuffing, deserts, gravy, mac&cheesy, turkey, salad dressing, etc when no one can tell the difference.

[Anonymous]

GF does not equal celiac.
I would never trust myself to cook for a celiac, nor would they trust me to have not cross-contaminated every damn thing in the kitchen. And rightly so.

[Anonymous]

GF is easy and vegan friendly is doable. The two combined are hard for me as I love butter and dairy as a cook. I also wish my vegan SIL would host just once and try to accommodate all our preferences and cook a turkey and mashed potatoes with butter that her parents love in addition to all the things she wants to make. I always accommodate and have a separate entree for everyone that she can eat and sides etc.

[Anonymous]

My child has allergies that basically means we end up eating vegan food with a side of meat. (He’s allergic to milk and eggs.)

Personally, I wouldn’t trust any prepared food at someone’s house because I don’t want to end up in the hospital when a harried host forgets and accidentally sautés the onions in butter. It’s just not worth the stress.

My advice is to cook the dishes that work for you and don’t get upset if people bring their own dishes. And always be honest about the ingredients in a dish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My tip is don’t. Don’t bend over backwards. The allergen people can and should bring their own sides.

I don't understand why people like you would even want to host. I understand not feeling comfortable with cooking for a celiac for fear of cross contamination, but vegetarians or nut allergies are pretty basic...

[Anonymous]

I also label for the known allergens and preferences in the group (contains soy, contains dairy, contains chicken broth…).

I have one friend who when I started cooking for them I would offer to show the packaging or recipe so I could learn if something was hidden that I wasn’t thinking of.

Everyone will have SOMETHING to eat that isn’t just a salad or roasted vegetable. In the more extreme cases I’ll talk to the guest and either make something or they will bring something extra if needed. I tend to cook everything from scratch but will buy packaged if my cooking/kitchen can’t accommodate.

I’m also careful about cross contamination- I would buy a new container or sugar if a friend was allergic to gluten, since my main sugar container could have easily gotten some flour in it from my regular baking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My tip is don’t. Don’t bend over backwards. The allergen people can and should bring their own sides.

I don't understand why people like you would even want to host. I understand not feeling comfortable with cooking for a celiac for fear of cross contamination, but vegetarians or nut allergies are pretty basic...

+1 Don’t host.

When I host I’m not hosting for myself; I’m hosting for my guests. If I don’t want to prepare for my guests, I don’t offer to host.