Find what they like and make a lot of it for them to enjoy. Or ask them to bring what they like, or a combination of both. Surely they know they're picky and can be made to understand how challenging it is to feed them.

Anonymous wrote:I’m not talking about allergies or restrictions. I’m talking straight-up adult picky eaters.

My parents are visiting soon, and my local brother and his husband are coming over as well for a few meals.

Dad and my brother are picky: meat and potatoes, no fish, no “funny shaped pasta.” Feeding them for multiple meals is challenging, especially Dad who is an overnight guest. I’ve dealt with this for years.

I’m starting to think screw it, I’ll make what I make and if they don’t like it they can help themselves to PB&J or order their own takeout…

I think your plan is fine. The "funny shaped pasta" has me chuckling, and curious as well. What does your dad consider "funny shaped"?

Oh and I would not do anything fancy for breakfast and lunch. Toast or cold cereal or bagels or yogurt for breakfast. Cold cut sandwiches or canned soup for lunches. Premade stuff like chips, baby carrots, string cheese, yogurt, fruit or jello cups for snacks. Especially if that is what they are used to eating.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't. Picky adult eaters have 3 options:

- eat what I make/order/serve
- pick around what I eat/order/serve
- bring or make their own food, and clean up after themselves.

OP here. I think I’m ready to go into this mode.

And to another PP’s point, yes it really is a lot for a week of cooking for two houseguests (all meals and snacks) and at least 4 “bigger dinners” with the other visitors. My nuclear family alone is 5 people, so even the volume for 9 people is challenging, plus on top of that I do at least one meal where my local cousin and her family of 5 comes over as well. So even grilling is quite a volume game.

I can’t even ask DCUM for advice because the typical “baked ziti” and “chicken shawarma” will not work for my Dad especially.

My feeling is that if I care about them enough to have them over, I want them to have a good time. I would order pizza for the cousin meal. Other meals could be rotisserie chicken and mashed potatoes and a vegetable, hot dogs and baked beans and cucumber slices and ranch, make your own sandwich, spaghetti and meatballs, store-bought pulled pork on buns, that sort of thing. I also think it's ok to stock the freezer with microwave dinners or frozen pizza or the precooked cheeseburgers they have at Costco or uncrustables or whatever, and if they don't like the other options they can heat something up.

I do try to accommodate adult picky eaters, BUT: I very rarely host guests, and that's what makes it bearable for me. I already have to deal with an anaphylactic nut allergy, lactose intolerance, prediabetes, and high blood pressure, in my nuclear family and for daily meals.

You are perfectly entitled to drawing a line wherever you want it, OP, as long as it's spelled out clearly before people buy plane tickets or whatnot. Then they're at liberty to decline the visit.

I don't cater to picky adults. They can decide if they eat or not. My SIL is picky as hell.

AFRID is an eating disorder, a mental illness, not a neurological condition. Cultural factors do contribute but do not entirely explain it. It needs treatment and someone with disordered eating that severe should take care of their own food needs or, if a child, have their parents do so. Not everyone should accommodate it.

My mom is a picky eater and I don’t accommodate all her preferences, but will respect some such as not liking cheese. She has tried a lot of food I’ve made that she thought she wouldn’t like, and ended up loving it.

I don’t host a lot of other people for more than a night or two, so it’s not usually an issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not talking about allergies or restrictions. I’m talking straight-up adult picky eaters.

My parents are visiting soon, and my local brother and his husband are coming over as well for a few meals.

Dad and my brother are picky: meat and potatoes, no fish, no “funny shaped pasta.” Feeding them for multiple meals is challenging, especially Dad who is an overnight guest. I’ve dealt with this for years.

I’m starting to think screw it, I’ll make what I make and if they don’t like it they can help themselves to PB&J or order their own takeout…

Completely cater to anyone. Get a premarinated meat and either baked potato or a bag of frozen mash potatoes for them. Easy and done.

And no garlic in those mashed potatoes! You don't want flavor to sneak up on someone.

Anonymous wrote:How many meals will your dad or brother prepare? I have a feeling the answer is zero.

Are you a woman and cooking all the meals?

Do you usually invite guests to your house and make them cook?

How many meals will your dad or brother prepare? I have a feeling the answer is zero.

Are you a woman and cooking all the meals?

I don’t really lol. If I know there’s something specific they don’t like (ie fish) I won’t make it, but I’m not changing an entire menu or buying specific stuff for picky ass princesses.
As adults we are free to make our own decisions, sometimes that is eating the food your host graciously makes for you and sometimes that is going to get your own food because you can’t be f***ed. Either way, don’t complain to me 😂

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't. Picky adult eaters have 3 options:

- eat what I make/order/serve
- pick around what I eat/order/serve
- bring or make their own food, and clean up after themselves.

OP here. I think I’m ready to go into this mode.

And to another PP’s point, yes it really is a lot for a week of cooking for two houseguests (all meals and snacks) and at least 4 “bigger dinners” with the other visitors. My nuclear family alone is 5 people, so even the volume for 9 people is challenging, plus on top of that I do at least one meal where my local cousin and her family of 5 comes over as well. So even grilling is quite a volume game.

I can’t even ask DCUM for advice because the typical “baked ziti” and “chicken shawarma” will not work for my Dad especially.

For the large gatherings, could you just do pizza or Peruvian chicken and a selection of sides? Do your dad and brother like the same things? If yes, it would be easier to deal with, but if they are picky about different things, forget it!

Anonymous wrote:I’m not talking about allergies or restrictions. I’m talking straight-up adult picky eaters.

My parents are visiting soon, and my local brother and his husband are coming over as well for a few meals.

Dad and my brother are picky: meat and potatoes, no fish, no “funny shaped pasta.” Feeding them for multiple meals is challenging, especially Dad who is an overnight guest. I’ve dealt with this for years.

I’m starting to think screw it, I’ll make what I make and if they don’t like it they can help themselves to PB&J or order their own takeout…

Completely cater to anyone. Get a premarinated meat and either baked potato or a bag of frozen mash potatoes for them. Easy and done.

Just make basic food. I wouldn’t worry about snacks. Roast chicken, roasted potatoes, and green beans. Meat loaf, orzo (or mashed potatoes if orzo is considered funny shaped pasta), and spinach. Basic spaghetti with meat sauce, steamed broccoli, and garlic bread. Burgers and fries. Fried chicken, Mac and cheese, and tossed salad.

This isn’t hard.

I was going to say I'm not very tolerant, but this seems pretty easy to accommodate so I guess I'd stick to rotating proteins/carbs/vegetables for the visit.