You can’t eat soy and don’t like eggplant, that limits a lot of options. How about something bean or lentil based? Could do tacos or Mexican with beans, or a pasta dish. Lentils with rice, bread, salad…

Red cabbage risotto
Greens (arugula, baby kale, etc.) salad with walnuts, dried/fresh fruits, Balsamic.
Roasted veggies (maybe zucchini, asparagus, broccolini)
Olives, pickles, good cheese tray
Simple dessert - maybe dark chocolate cake, or a good sorbet).
Wine.
Lively conversation.
Laughter.
Suppression of childhood grievances.
Hugs.

This is a favorite with my kids. Part of our regular dinner rotation, and you can make it ahead.

https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/09/pizza-beans-cookbook-preview/

I often do Italian sausage and something green like spinach salad or some kind of Caesar salad (I like this one:

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023846-brussels-sprouts-caesar-salad?ds_c=71700000052595478&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg87Pgp7S_QIVdsqUCR39twO6EAAYASAAEgKu9fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds )


or Ina Garten's Roasted Broccoli

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-roasted-broccoli-recipe-1946423

on the side.


If they're vegan, or you want something that's a little more grown up than pizza beans but easy to make ahead, this is also delicious:

https://smittenkitchen.com/2020/09/tangy-braised-chickpeas/

If you don't want easy, you just want make ahead, the vegan moussaka here is delicious too!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SES0l8AqqFE

chickpea curry with basmati rice

Chili and cornbread is really easy and chili is better when made in advance.

I like mushroom tacos but you could make other filling too and let people mix and match.

Corn and coconut soup with chili crisp is amazing and so easy... serve with a big salad (or crudites if your kids prefer) and crusty bread. Tortellini soup has been another big hit in my family.

You could do breakfast for dinner with a French toast casserole and fruit.

Washington post tandoori cauliflower recipe was really good and easy! You can make the marinade in advance. I have also made it with a whole cauliflower, which is how their Green Curry Cauliflower Roast works. Either way, you can serve it with rice. With the tandoori one, I might also make a chickpea or lentil dish in advance--it would reheat well. Maybe a nice green channa saag? If you did the green curry, perhaps make jasmine rice the day before and then do a pineapple fried rice with egg while the cauliflower is cooking.

Anonymous wrote:Make Lebanese Moussaka and rice, buy some naan bread and maybe another Lebanese side dish. https://deliciouslymediterranean.com/lebanese-moussaka-maghmour/

I love moussaka... and that green rice looks good.

Make Lebanese Moussaka and rice, buy some naan bread and maybe another Lebanese side dish. https://deliciouslymediterranean.com/lebanese-moussaka-maghmour/

This is the recipe I use:
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/tasty-lentil-tacos/

Lentil tacos would be very easy. It's essentially made the same way as tacos but with lentils. I am not a vegetarian and I'm always suspicious when I'm told "but it tastes like meat!" but these genuinely have the same taste and texture as ground beef.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could do something like fajitas where everyone just picks their own fillings. I’ve done a “carne asada” eggplant that is great.

NP but I'd like to see the carne asada eggplant recipe! I keep trying to get my kids to eat more plant-based meals and to date they have not been big eggplant fans.

So I don’t think I’ve ever seen a recipe, but basically I got big eggplants, sliced them in to steaks, salted them and let them sit out for like 30 mins-1 hr to get some liquid out. You need a lot of salt to do that so make sure you rinse them/pat them dry after. Then I marinated them in a carne asada-style marinade (spices, balsamic vinegar, olive oil) for another couple hours, then grilled them like a steak and sliced them for fajitas.

I tend to experiment a lot, and never keep track of what I’m doing. Sorry it’s not more detailed/clear!

Anonymous wrote:You could do something like fajitas where everyone just picks their own fillings. I’ve done a “carne asada” eggplant that is great.

NP but I'd like to see the carne asada eggplant recipe! I keep trying to get my kids to eat more plant-based meals and to date they have not been big eggplant fans.

You could do something like fajitas where everyone just picks their own fillings. I’ve done a “carne asada” eggplant that is great.

Anonymous wrote:Do they like Indian food? You can make easy simple dishes like spinach paneer, chickpeas, dal, rice, raita and store-bought naan.

I think they like most foods. They live in the Midwest and probably don’t have access to a ton of different things but we are in nyc and have a lot available. I thought since they are here for a week and eating out all the other meals that I would cook for this one. I don’t often cook Indian but I can and that’s a good idea, it can definitely be prepped ahead. And our sitter is Indian and makes wonderful roti so maybe I’ll ask her to help!

Enchiladas or another “Mexican” dish could work too. And I will investigate my Ottolenghi cookbook. I’m really sort of “over” wintry dishes but there could be some good things there. Maybe spring veggies like asparagus.

Do they like Indian food? You can make easy simple dishes like spinach paneer, chickpeas, dal, rice, raita and store-bought naan.