Accomodating special diets on Thanksgiving

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meat/sugar/grains guy can just suck it and eat the mashed potatoes and sprouts, carrots and green beans on Thanksgiving. The Noom person can portion control with what’s there. And this is coming from someone who has to avoid wheat. I shut up and figure something out and on Thanksgiving, I accept the upset stomach and…side effects.

Pretty much this, OP!

I would be sure to have some roasted delicious veggie, and at least one other vegetable dish, which is pretty standard TG stuff. Making sure they don't have meat (bacon or w/e). Probably I'd already be making those things. Between that and the Noom person doing portion control and so on, you should be good.

If you wanted to be extra nice, I agree you could add one simple "side" dish that had a decent amount of non-animal protein. I think the perfect dish that would also work as a pretty traditional TG side would be succotash or some other bean dish. Beans are definitely a native North American thing.

So you can pretty much just... add succotash to your menu, and be good.

Some recipes have bacon/pork, so just sub another fat or search for vegetarian succotash. You can use lima or sub edamame or cranberry or other native beans in this, and take out the spicy peppers if they don't like spicy:

https://cookieandkate.com/succotash-recipe/

[Anonymous]

OP here..just checking back in for the feedback. DH has pointed out that our senior family members who do actually have specific medical related eating restrictions have never wanted TG dinner to change for them. He thinks does not think I should worry about it at all. I am looking for a hearty salad with nuts that would be a complete meal if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be thankful you don’t have food sensitivities/ allergies. It’s really difficult when people insist they want too cook for you, but won’t take input. I’d rather bring food than risk it, and so often a host is offended by that. It’s difficult all around.

My suggestion? Ask them for a few recipes to pick from. It’s meeting them partway and they need to be specific, bit vague.

Specific not vague. Typo

Ask them for a recipe. It’s way easier than this stewing/guessing game.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a veggie frittata would fit the bill.

There is not a chance in hell I'm making a veggie fritatta in addition to all the other dishes I'm making on Thanksgiving.

I'll buy one and stick it in the microwave.

[Anonymous]

Please never invite me.

[Anonymous]

We have one family member who has a lot of food dislikes -- nothing medical, just a matter of preference.

We used to accommodate him by making versions of everything without the specific ingredients he doesn't eat.

Now we only make one accommodation -- a small dish of stuffing without mushrooms. Otherwise, he simply doesn't eat the things that contain any of the many things he won't eat.

In your case, OP, I would make your usual menu and add two dishes that are simply prepared and meet the meat/sugar/grains guy's needs.

One can easily be steamed green beans -- no butter or anything. Just steamed.

The other can be heartier and with protein -- maybe a spinach salad with cheese and nuts -- that you PURCHASE READY MADE. I'm sure you can find something suitable at Whole Foods or Wegman's.

Get enough for everyone and then be sure set aside some extra in the fridge just for him, in case your family is like mine and the idiot teenage kids eat all the mushroom-free stuffing before BIL gets a chance to get some.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please never invite me.

No one is inviting you. OP already has 20 + guests and you sound like you also expect a custom meal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please never invite me.

No one is inviting you. OP already has 20 + guests and you sound like you also expect a custom meal.

I’m pretty sure normal meals annoy her as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please never invite me.

NP. Stay home. If you can’t make a meal out of turkey and numerous sides—including vegetable sides—because you are either too precious or lack even a small degree of self-control, we’ll all be happier if you keep your dramatic, entitled self to yourself.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't accommodate any of it, they're adults who can learn to deal or bring their food. And I say that as someone who hates general Thanksgiving food and grazes on the charcuterie plate and orders delivery of something I like later when home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please never invite me.

NP. Stay home. If you can’t make a meal out of turkey and numerous sides—including vegetable sides—because you are either too precious or lack even a small degree of self-control, we’ll all be happier if you keep your dramatic, entitled self to yourself.

Ahhhh. So here we have the random accusations and assumptions. I guess we were due as no ones asked about a vegan dessert lately.


I don’t have any special dietary needs and often host myself, and change up the menu as needed or as I feel inspired to. A set meal, even for a holiday is boring AF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How far do you go to acomodate diets of people that are not battling specific conditions or even obese. I want to be welcoming/accomodating but we have the same menu every year and every one else just kind of eats it and goes back to whatever they consider healthy the next day. WHen they visited the last time everything revovled around their food needs. The husband and wife are on very different diets too. They do not eat the same meals at home. Add 1 steamed plain veggie dish and call it a day? Or be a better person and call them to ask how best to accomodate them? They are traveling so I can not ask them to bring anything.

Will they eat quinoa? This looks good.

https://www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com/gluten-free-walnut-and-kale-quinoa-stuffing/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please never invite me.

No one is inviting you. OP already has 20 + guests and you sound like you also expect a custom meal.

I’m pretty sure normal meals annoy her as well.

Based on what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please never invite me.

No one is inviting you. OP already has 20 + guests and you sound like you also expect a custom meal.

I’m pretty sure normal meals annoy her as well.

Based on what?

The massive moaning posts, the way the guests are described, the set in stone menu.

[Anonymous]

We have a family member who cannot eat dairy and another who cannot eat wheat. Dairy has been the hardest to avoid on Thanksgiving. Milk in the gravy, milk, cream and butter in the potatoes, butter in the turkey, butter in the sweet potatoes, butter in the stuffing, butter on the green beans, random yogurt in the broccoli (who eats yogurt on broccoli? my uncle does this almost every year and someone's always shouting "nooooo!" as he takes it upon himself to top all the steamed broccoli with yogurt, not just his serving. Traditions.). Last time the turkey cook remembered not to rub or baste with butter only to have MIL drizzle gravy over the entire platter of sliced turkey. AND I made a vegan pumpkin pie and had to nearly dive across the dessert table to stop her from topping it with canned whipped cream ("I thought it would look so pretty that way and hide the crack in the middle.")