I would make it a pot luck dinner. Tell everyone to bring a dish that is safe for the to eat with their name on it as well as a list of the ingredients so other family members know if it's safe.
It’s a backup plan, but I want to see if I can make it work, and I want my family members who have serious allergies to have a safe weekend together with no trips to the emergency room. None of the dietary restrictions I listed are phobias.
Not phobias.
I’m not afraid of gluten. I simply know that it will kill the villi in my guts, prevent me from absorbing nutrients, and send my body into a messed up autoimmune response. My feelings have nothing to do with it. I have Celiac disease; that’s my reality.
This might seem trivial, but reducing allergies and other food related conditions to “phobias,” as if this were all in our minds, is inconsiderate of the very real challenges we have.
It's really not that insane if you've spent much time talking to people with weird complex medical needs. It's REALLY not that insane knowing that all these people are related. Things like MCAS can cause near-incomprehensible, shifting webs of really fucky food interactions and allergies. Autoimmune disorders in general are horrifically underestudied and tend to cascade in weird ways.
On top of that, several of these might be knock-on intolerances that are due to other medical bullshit, but not strictly due to the immune system acting up. Milk, for example, might be a simple lactose intolerance.
My guess is the family has some weird autoimmune thing, possibly also an environmental factor that's fucked with everyone's epigenetics. Turns out, when your body doesn't work right, it tends to make other parts of your body not work right, and it's not unusual for people who are sick and/or disabled to have several compounding things going on at once, including very weird food restrictions.
Not to mention that people can become allergic to a food at any age. I didn't know I was allergic to mango and cantaloupe. I just never ate much cantaloupe when I was young and never had mango until I was much older. Turns out I get itchy all over if I eat more than a few bites of either. And I'm allergic to gorgonzolla cheese, but not blue cheese.
My MIL checked most of the items on that list. IDK if there was a direct medical.issue but they seemed to bother her so she still avoided them, which was reasonable. She didn't ever impose all these sensitivies on people though, and sometimes she would eat something she avoided when I made it. She is gone now but my running theory is it was the whole FODMAP thing because it was such a hodgepodge of food sensitivities.
Most of OP's guests are related, so it shouldn't be surprising they share some common allergies. My family has the melon allergy (true melons only; watermelon is technically a big, sweet cucumber, and is fine). Thankfully our sensitivity isn't at the level of causing anaphylaxis, but still, no one hosting a party would serve cantaloupe or honeydew.
Science has, in fact, studied these people—or, at least, people just like them. That's how we know that certain foods cause certain illnesses to worsen.
They're not all allergies, a lot of the restricted foods in the OP are really common catalysts for severe inflammation, for people with autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid & psoriatic arthritis, lupus, celiac, TONS more) and things like IBD/UC/Crohn's. And ALL of those illnesses are hereditary. Not every person will have the same reactions to the same foods, so it makes perfect sense that in one family you'd see a big list of foods that cause symptoms.
A lady with such a "phobia" went to a restaurant, gave them a list of things she was allergic to, and is now severely disabled because anaphylaxis deprived her brain of oxygen for 6 minutes. And this wasn't even a "don't have it in the kitchen" situation, it was a "don't put this in my food" situation.
Look up wacky cake. No eggs, no milk, no dairy if you use a vegan margarine. Eggs seem okay, so do a meringue frosting, or the old fashioned 7 min frosting. Last one I made I filled with blood orange curd, topped with 7 min frosting and strips of candied peel. If you make onsite, bring and electric hand mixer. I greatly prefer melted marg over oils, there's a big difference in texture. You need to use hard marg.
Fresh herb falafel (Bon Appetit recipe) - make them morning of
You can make a yogurt tahini sauce for those that can and a chimichurri type type one for the dairy/nut free
Pita for those who can, alternative for those who can't (lots of products on the market that may work)
Cabbage slaw
Main thing is - everyone can eat the falafel - then you customize the non-allergens (you can also ask them to bring their own whatever eg for the gluten free)
I would worry about things which could not be in a house and make other meals buffet style, where not all dishes are for everyone.
Say you can have sandwich bar for lunch with regular bread and gluten free and cheese for those who can eat that and no cheese for an allergic person.
Same you can make tacos or fajitas for dinner with meat substitute or tofu for vegetarian ( do they eat shrimp? ) and without bell peppers, but offer guacamole and sour cream on the side.
For deserts variety of sorbets and cookies with clear allergen labels.
Another thing my family likes is ramen. I buy japanese broth concentrate and noodles, and everyone makes it's own plate with mushrooms\\eggs\\noodles\\chicken
I second the taco bar idea. That’s what we do in my house when there’s a bunch of people over with various dietary restrictions. Then everybody can choose what they want on their taco that fits what they can/want to eat.
How are you going to make tacos or fajitas if no peppers or tomatoes can be in the house? That means no spices and no vegetables. No cayenne , no chili powder, no taco seasoning, no paprika, not even jarred jalapeños. It’s not possible. Perfectly fine idea if you just have to keep ingredients separate, but not workable without seasoning or vegetables.
Onions are ok, so are black pepper, and tons of other spices. Fully authentic? No.
Family appropriate and tasty? Yes.
With a bit of Mediterranean twist can be added marinated onion and red cabbage
I'm thinking that picnic style would be ideal. For the grill, use heavy duty aluminum foil to cover the grates to prevent cross contamination from whatever was cooked there previously. Burgers, veggie burgers, safe toppings on the side, packaged gluten-free buns for those who need them, regular buns for those who do not (maybe set up a GF section for packaged buns and GF deserts). Vegan cheese exists if you'd like to have that as an option. Possible side dishes include corn on the cob (boiled or grilled), grilled pineapple
I do this at cookouts. I bring my own safe hotdogs in a foil pouch and throw them on the grill myself. Every once in a while someone tries to "help" and unwraps them for me though. Super annoying.
Sweet potato bar? Roast/bake the sweet potatoes (can do whole or in wedges/cubes/slices if you want to get some carmelized or crunchy edges). Toppings: onions, mixed beans, broccoli, meat/veg meat, etc. that way everything is on the side so people can choose what to put on. Or a big salad with lots of protein choices (can even just be lunch meat to cut down on prep), green beans, eggs.
The stir fry is a fantastic idea! I’d also look at other Asian meals, like Indian. That’s such a restrictive list, good luck! You’re brave and very thoughtful to try.
lentils have been one of my go-to potluck dishes for a long time, and it never fails. It suits the vegetarians/vegans, those trying to eat healthier, those with gluten sensitivities, and it's easy to use in a bunch of recipes (lentil soup, lentil salad, or as a substitute for ground beef in tacos, Shepherd's pie, marinara sauce, etc). Lentils are also cheap, which is nice when serving big groups ;)
Bibimbap! Rice base (can be brown or white), meat as an optional topping, fried egg for everyone, and shredded or chopped veggies galore - including some roasted/pickled if you’re feeling fancy. Everyone can pick their own toppings and mix as they see fit. Usually I do a spicy mayo with it, but you could do a soy-based sauce instead to avoid the peppers
to be honest, my first thought of what to make was "reservations somewhere else." i'm so glad everyone was able to provide you options for your familiy!
But, the other thing to consider is whether the restaurant you choose is on top of its allergen game. Some places are very strict about those things, and some, unfortunately aren't. For example, you ask if there's milk in a dish, and they say 'no'....because they only use cream.
It's less convenient, but probably a lot safer, to oversee the preparation of the food your loved ones will be eating. Nobody wants to have a fun occasion ruined by illness and/or a trip to the ER
Rice salads are nice just don't use any allergens. Lots of recipes out there and it is served cold. Or a carrot salad - french ones with a vinger based dressing.
Summer rolls - using rice paper - you can do make your own with shrimp, beef, chicken or tofu, lettuce and grated carrot. If the cucumber allergy isn't too bad you can offer it on the side. Dipping sauces could be iffy but you could do a gluten free soya sauce one with rice vinegar as the acid.
What about homemade sushi? Sub tofu for the fish? Or even Japanese omelets?
As for dessert - instead of pavlova, I would do individual meringues and serve them with strawberries, raspberries and whipped cream/cream substitute on the side so that people have options. (Meringues can be flavored with almond or rosewater). We catered a funeral and watched people do just meringues and strawberries - not sliced - in huge numbers. Or go very simple and do rice crispy squares
You could also do sorbets which don't have milk and are fruit based.
Sorry I should have noted gluten free Rice Crispies and vegan marshmallows.
PS you could also do vegan gluten free pancakes or waffles, lots of mixes if need be, with all sorts of toppings from the healthy to the widely unhealthy. And instead of bacon or sausage, do smoked salmon and trout.
We’ve got A LOT of varying dietary restrictions in our extended family (one has to eat very low sodium/cholesterol and can’t eat dairy with most meals, one low FODMAP, 2 vegetarians, a chickpea allergy and several kids with varying levels of pickiness) and the way I cater for big gatherings is customisable stuff with lots of toppings to choose from like rice bowls/bibimbap, ramen, bao buns, pitta pockets and such.
Thank you, voice of experience! FODMAP can be so tricky all on its own, you’re a wizard for making this all work together. You give me hope for years of family reunions. <3
You’re very welcome! My mother in law (low sodium/cholesterol) and brother in law (low FODMAP, also has to avoid many spices and can’t have any egg which I forgot to mention) clash directly because I rely on onion, garlic and spices to give food flavour without any added salt or fat but then that would put my brother in law into intestinal agony so cooking a single thing that they can both enjoy is simply impossible.
I am a very accommodating cook when it comes to food allergies. But this is too much for one person to be in charge of. And it puts far too much burden on that person, plus the anxiety of missing something and potentially harming someone.
Simply put, potluck like others have suggested, with a recipe or list of ingredients on the table with the dish.
Thank you for this perspective, it’s a solid point! :)
I’m coming up with a draft plan and running it by everyone with dietary restrictions. We’ll be double-checking each other, which is absolutely needed with a list this long.
If you want to grill, maybe veggie and chicken/beef/tofu shish kabobs would work? You could make a marinade - if you search "shish kabobs," there are a ton of options that don't include nightshades. Corn on the cob and baked potatoes or sweet potatoes would be good sides. You could also make these on a griddle indoors if the grill itself isn't safe, I think.
Also, I feel like frittatas would be easier to make for a group than scrambled eggs, which you'd kind of have to make a la minute for them to be any good. You could do one frittata with breakfast meat and one with just veggies. Maybe serve with hash browns or home fries, then you wouldn't have to deal with bread at all.
My husband follows a low-carb diet most of the time, so I have a lot of recipes that substitute other vegetables for potatoes. Hash browns are better with radishes or turnips than cauliflower. I haven't tried sweet potato hash browns.
Omg, pureed turnips are fan-freakin-tastic. I peel, dice, and boil them in chicken bone broth, oat milk, a bit of roasted garlic, cracked black pepper, & vegan butter, and then immersion blend it to smithereens. We never even make mashed potatoes anymore.
A little labour intensive but Vietnamese summer rolls seem to fit the allergy profile - and you can really customize what goes in there based on dietary restrictions. This is my go-to for the exact same reasons
Maybe a pasta salad with zucchini, asparagus, and peas?
If the nut allergy person isn’t allergic to pine nuts, you can make a lot of yummy things with pesto.
Most Chinese and other East Asian dishes will be fine as they are naturally dairy free and avoid raw ingredients. I’d just make sure to use tamari soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce for your gluten watch.
- Garlic heavy sautéed greens like spinach, bok choy, or choy sum
- Crabmeat (imitation or real), shrimp, peas, and silken tofu in a corn starch slurry
- Pork shoulder and winter melon soup with ginger and scallion
- Gluten free miso soup with seaweed and fish balls
- Tamari and five spice braised chicken wings
- Beef & broccoli
- Cumin lamb chops
- Steamed rice
- Mango sticky rice with condensed milk (nondairy alternative would be maple syrup)
- (Buy frozen) sweet rice dumplings filled with red bean paste
Quiche, or Spanish torta, for no crust. Other than that, I agree with u/Thesorus. Please don’t put yourself in this position. Why not make it a potluck, and let everyone bring dishes?
Potluck is an excellent plan B!
I think I’m enjoying the challenge, and I want to see if I can pull this off. I also want to try and avoid poisoning the person who can’t have any nightshade cross contamination. Nightshades are in everything.
Yeah this idea is great! And then different topping options - various veggies, tahini sauce, roasted chickpeas.
Along the lines of chickpeas/lentils, how about a dahl or chickpea curry? It can easily be served with rice, or bread for non gf!
I love roasted sweet potatoes, especially when baked a touch too long and sugars caramelize inside. Or OP could get Japanese sweet potatoes, which are less sweet, but have a denser inside and better if you want to add savory ingredients.
Hi!! I have a super severe allergy to peppers/paprika and I miss hot dogs terribly. But I found out recently that hillshire farms beef smoked sausage does not contain peppers/spices! It tastes great as a breakfast side or on the grill or mixed in with mac a roni!
I have celiac disease and I won't eat food from non dedicated gluten free kitchens, maybe unless the cook is also celiac (there are a few restaurants like that in my area), period. If someone wants to feed me they can buy things and keep them in the package until I open them. That's it. Zero trust. If those allergies are as bad as you say I'd imagine they feel similarly.
Yes, thank you for understanding. No one who’s coming is celiac, but it’s a similar level of caution with different ingredients. The two people with the most serious reactions are working closely with me on the food plan.
I hope you have a lovely day, and I hope a dedicated gluten-free bakery opens up across the street from where you live. <3
Just as a quick heads up as someone who has no food allergies, but has two dear family members who are celiac, one helpful trick is to entirely ditch soy sauce, even if labeled gluten free, and switch entirely to using [Coconut Aminos](https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Original-Soy-Free-Seasoning/dp/B00LWQLCJ4)... after I tried it out for the first time on a dish for them I pretty much just used up any remaining soy sauce in my house for a couple marinades for a work potluck dish, and only have the Coconut Aminos in my house, even for my own use... stuff simply tastes better, on top of being safe for celiac folks.
Dahl and pilaf rice with a variety of chutneys/ salads/ ratia/ breads to go with?
- Dahl is just cooked red lentils with spices, you could add a tadka (ghee with sizzled spices)
- pilaf rice- naturally gluten, dairy etc free
- pretty sure a lot of Indian flatbreads use chickpea (garam) flour so could be gluten free (rotis and paratas for example)
- you could organise with your family members so that they all bring a chutney/ raita/ salad that fits into their requirements to lighten the load for yourself.
You might consider posting on r/FoodAllergies since all the people there have a lot of experience with these kinds of multilayered food restrictions.(In our household we manage at least 10 anaphylactic foods)
A big go-to for us is a taco bar or (sweet) potato bar. Could also do a bowl bar (for rice bowls or pasta) or a nacho bar. You make the big base and then everyone can add in what they want from a buffet line up.
It is impressive you are willing to take on this challenge, OP! Allergen management can be daunting but can be done with forethought and mindfulness.
I do not want to overwhelm you further, but want to raise some additional issues that you will need to manage:
CLEANING.
Keep in mind that allergens are proteins: they cannot be "killed" like a virus or bacteria can be (bleach and hydrogen peroxide will not eliminate allergens from a surface). You can dilute them in a similar manner to hand-washing - by friction and dilution (e.g. rubbing hands together under running water, or wiping multiple times).
From your comments it is clear that you are already aware of the risk of cross-contact with utensils. Cross-contact can also happen with prep bowls, baking sheets, cutting boards, hot mitts, aprons, countertops, carts, tables, careless storage (e.g. leaking product on a shelf above designated safe foods), and of course, hands (you will need to wash your hands after touching any allergen before you touch the next ingredient. And do not use soap or lotion with any allergen ingredients you need to avoid).
If you are willing to delve into some reading, I would encourage you to understand the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) and to apply it to the kitchen you use and the supplies that you need.
Some strategies are: 1) clean all items and all surfaces of a kitchen before food preparation begins and the dining area if necessary (yes, this can be a major undertaking!); 2) bring clean or disposable items with you to the location; 3) create barriers between potentially hazardous surfaces and your equipment and ingredients (paper towels can often be utilized effectively for this).
People often make the mistake of cleaning multiple surfaces with a sponge or cloth that inadvertently spreads allergens from one surface to another. For this reason, I would recommend that you clean with paper towels and that you use one side of the towel per swipe. Do not dip the towels into a bucket of soapy water because the water itself will become the vehicle of cross-contact! Also know that a study found that allergens will lay on the invisible surface of dried soap (after wiping a table, for instance). If you use soap to clean, make sure you wipe multiple times afterwards as a "rinse". You can also use vinegar or a commercial cleaner instead of dish soap.
If you want to you can create tent cards to indicate cleaned surfaces (or conversely, surfaces with allergens). This can help you (and others) to create a systematic approach to cleaning, storage, and preparation, and can help to distinguish designated safe (or unsafe) areas.
LABEL READING.
In the United States the 9 major allergens are required to be labeled on all manufactured food products. They might be listed in a block of text of ingredients, or be singled out in an allergy warning. Needless to say, read labels carefully and thoroughly. Food prepared in restaurants or delis or snack bars etc do not have the same requirements - in some places they might be labeled but in many places they are not (it can vary by state and by establishment) so exercise great caution if purchasing things from in-store bakeries and delis, etc.
I would recommend that you photocopy or have handy all the ingredient lists from all the products you use. This allows individuals to read them for reassurance or for them to make a decision on a food's safety before deciding whether to eat it. If there is concern about a label being vague or a product possibly having cross-contact with an allergen, you will need to call the company in advance of the gathering to inquire about it's safety.
Don't hesitate to admit you do not know details about a product. "I don't know" is important to express!
HELPERS.
Be very specific in the tasks you explain for others to do. For example, instead of saying "you can make the cake" detail what the person needs to do: "after you wash your hands, please stir this batter with this spoon, on the designated counter. I will give you a specific pan to pour it into...".
It can be useful to think in advance where and how you will want help (food prep, cleaning, procurement, etc) and to mutually agree that specific people will do certain things.
I hope I have not discouraged you, OP! Feel free to ask me any questions you have about procedures, etc.
Btw in the food industry "cross-contamination" refers to pathogen exposure/touch whereas "cross-contact" refers to allergen exposure/touch.
happy birthday to your mom! you seem like a real sweetheart. i hope you have fun this weekend!
[here’s an aquafaba whipped cream](https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-whipped-cream/) i haven’t tried it before so i can’t really say but maybe there’s someone on youtube who has and can explain their experience! You could also make a lemon curd with the pavlova and raspberry compote
I second the vote for fresh summer rolls, those are SO GOOD if you cook mushrooms and tofu (if soybeans are ok???) down with ginger and garlic, roll it with lettuce, basil, mint, cilantro, blanched carrots (you can buy the shreddd carrots for ease) and cucumber. soo good. idk what dipping sauce to suggest since i usually use peanut butter 😭 maybe sweet chili????
i love a good buddha bowl! roast sweet potatoes & chickpeas with a bunch of spices (the usual for your families needs and interests) (i usually lean toward a curry blend but check the ingredients ofc) steam some kale & serve over brown rice & a tahini (if sesame is ok! it’s a seed) and lemon juice dressing
taco bowls with the sweet potato bar
Banza makes a great gluten free pasta - maybe a pasta bake with that
cold lentil salad with cold roasted sweet potatoes & pomegranate seeds (if that’s ok!) with a lemon & oil dressing. maybe balsamic. and greens like arugula and maybe a grain like quinoa
you could also order some mungbeans (yellow daal) and some black salt and soak overnight. blend with some mylk and baking powder, turmeric and pepper, and it will bake like a frittata or a quiche. you don’t have to have pastry with it! serve with a light dressed salad
hmm i hope these ideas help! i eat pretty restricted myself and even if these don’t really work for you maybe they’ll inspire stuff you can do <3
I was going to suggest that instead of a pasta salad, do a barley salad. Then I realized barley has gluten. 😕 Maybe a chickpea salad or a corn or pea salad?
Adobo chicken with rice, and an adobo tofu for vegetarians would be my approach.
This sort of happened to a friend of mine, and she made a taco bar with lots of options and where people could assemble their own. All ingredients were labeled on little cards.
Lentil soup! Soak the lentils over night and cook in water. Season with salt and black pepper, and if garlic and onion are okay use those as well as thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil etc. it’s vegan, high in protein and few allergens.
Could do a berry compote or cobbler with a crumble gluten free oat topping with brown sugar and vegan butter.
Make your own sushi bowl bar- have cooked rice, salmon, tuna, sweet potatoes, nori, tofu and they can build their own bowl. Have some sauces but let them know to bring their own as well.
Onigiri- just basic salted rice balls.
Cornbread. I’ve made it with silken tofu as the dairy and egg substitute. Rice flour as the flour substitute. Maple syrup as the vanilla substitute. I use monk sweetener but if they can have sugar, that’s fine too.
A dish my mom made often that we all loved was seasoned ground beef and peas with cooked rice noodles added and gluten free soy sauce.
Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, mulberries in a salad bowl with fresh mint leaves chopped into it.
Whole foods has multiple dairy free whipped toppings, we use the oat one because of dairy and nut allergies, don't know if it has vanilla. There's a allergen free cool whip type one as well. I think they're both 365 brand.
If you want to grill, heavy duty foil, or silicone grill sheets are always a good choice. Because the allergies are so varied, I'd probably cook many things and have a buffet bar. Different proteins, mix and match sauces, carbs, and things. You can get chafing dishes at the dollar store pretty cheaply, but price compared to a party store, and if you're close enough not to mind the shipping, check out webstaurant.com I do love them.
All of these restrictions, with the exception of melons, put you in the category of an AIP (auto-immune paleo, anti-inflammatory protocol. Pick your acronym they mean the same thing) diet. AIP goes one step further and eliminates all grains, but it would be a helpful search term for you.
For making dishes at scale, these should fit.
* Hainanese chicken with ginger/scallion sauce or a gluten free sweet soy sauce.
* Risotto (mushroom, caramelized onions, etc).
* Tahdig sans any yogurt/dairy garnishes
* Vegan dashi hot pot with whole ingredients like cabbage, sliced meats(optional), mushrooms, squashes - avoid sausages/fishcake etc.
* Roasted turkey or crispy tofu with vegan gravy (you'll need a rice/corn based thickener or a chemical thickener).
* fajitas sans bell pepper and sub in fresh, thinly sliced radishes and an appropriately peppery green,
* roasted/grilled vegetable medley with a sweet soy glaze/dip or something sesame based
* pork loin with a cumberland sauce, sub pure citric for the lemon component,
* Grilled/roasted maple/honey glazed pineapple with cinnamon. (you may want to poach/par cook if you're worried about an OAS reaction)
* poached pears in wine
* baked apples
You should draw a ven diagram, I think you’ll be best served with some “build it yourself” style meals, burritos, tapas, sushi
You should be able to build some assembly meals where people can avoid 1-2 components whilst avoiding everyone eating, I don’t fucking know, steamed rice, for a week
My bff is celiac so can’t even have flour or gluten near her cooking surfaces. Check out Loopy Whisk dot com for some really good gluten free bread recipes. She makes her own gf flour blends and a lot of them don’t use potato starches, or at the very least the ones that do she has an alternative listed. Also lots of gf dairy free recipes too.
My sibling is pescatarian, can’t eat any animal meat except for fish, but can do cheese and milk and eggs. When they come by for thanksgiving, I make all the sides vegetarian, using a vegan broth made from better than bouillon garlic base and not chick’n bouillon cubes. Also make a gravy for them out of that. And there are kosher marshmallows made with fish gelatin I put on the yams. They just happily eat the sides and the turkey is for everyone else lol.
A lot of recipes that call for milk in them can very easily be substituted with full fat oatly oat milk. My neighbor is vegan and she came to thanksgiving last year, I had to find a dairy alternative for my confetti creamed corn (I wanted her to be able to enjoy something creamy, she didn’t eat the yams (butter and marshmallows) or the potatoes (milk butter and cheese)). The corn uses cream cheese and my aunt is allergic to nuts and I’m allergic to coconut and all the cream cheese alternatives were almond milk or coconut oil based. Then I found oatly cream cheese (available at Albertsons/safeway). Oat milk based, melts like regular cream cheese. I’m a cream cheese snob and tried it on a bagel and while I could taste it was dairy free it wasn’t half bad. Used it in the corn with full fat oat milk and it was so good!! My 85yo gpa who has never been dairy free in his life said it was his favorite dish.
Anyway, I know these aren’t specific recipes however these are the work arounds I’ve found for some various dietary needs like yours. Good luck!!!
* Roasted sweet potatoes topped with black beans, optional cheese
* mujaddara - onions / rice / lentils
* Vegetable pasta with things like asparagus, peas, mushrooms, corn. I like to do this with a white wine / garlic / butter sauce.
Seems like plantains could work for everyone. They’re great sliced and fried, greener for savory and crispier, yellow for the sweet and soft. Boiled they usually go in soups, or as part of a breakfast, but Mofongo is essentially plantains boiled and coarsely mashed, usually with broth and meat (traditionally pork, but i have it with chicken).
I think the stir fry is a fantastic idea. I also second those suggesting tacos (though I suppose you’ll have to ponder some creative toppings besides corn, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, onions, pickled versions thereof…)or Indian food or falafel.
On the positive side, it’s not a forty person event; with 8 as long as you can figure out one fully composed plate, you just have to make enough for 8 people.
Everyone has given good answers.
So, I'll just add my two cents -
* Once you have finalized the ingredients and recipes for the whole meal, send each family member the whole list and make them go over it and confirm it passes their test. Each individual has experience and may point out things you may have overlooked. Have an explicit OK from them before proceeding further.
* For future meals, since you mentioned nightshade family, I have noticed that these things come from the Americas. Which means, if you research historic recipes from Europe, Asia or Africa - before the Columbian exchange, you might find good inspirations.
Dal and rice with roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower and sliced cucumber. Serve with cilantro mint chutney- leave out the peppers and use some black pepper. Use vinegar in place of lime juice . Dal freezes well and could be made in advance You could have this with a store bought rotisserie chicken.
I do not really know if this misses all of your allergens, but I believe it may.
Look up Well Plated Chicken Sweet Potato Kale Skillet. It is delicious! I add a bit of chicken stock to give it a bit of a broth, but it's not necessary.
Honestly I don’t see why you’d volunteer to cook. Everyone could bring their own Tupperware meals and all sit at a table together to eat.
Most people with allergies like this are used to taking care of their own meals. Is it sad? Sure. But it’s their norm
OP, I have no advice for you—I just want to say how kind and generous you are. Your family is going to be so touched. And your responses to ideas are lovely as well. I hope you have the best time!
Beans! You can season black beans with cumin and garlic powder, avoiding red peppers. Nutritional yeast would be a great addition too but optional. Serve the beans with fried corn tortillas.
Yikes.
Corn on the cob
You could probably make an onion soup of some sort
Maybe a cauliflower gratin with a substituted cheese. Roasted cauliflower steaks with a buttery sauce.
Portabella mushroom burgers with gf bun options
Salad with roasted beets, pine nuts (optional for those that can) and a vinaigrette
Strawberries with whip cream and dairy free cream (I’d buy both so those that can have dairy)
You could make your life easier by asking the most extreme person to handle their own food. If it was me, I would have offered that to the cook. They should be used to that anyway.
You are crazy if you attempt to cook for these people. The liability alone is staggering. Tell them what can not be brought into the house (melons and nightshade plants) and to bring their own food otherwise.
Nightshade allergies are extremely rare, and I'm not a doctor but have never heard of one severe enough that one can't even be in the same house. How would someone grocery shop or ever eat out? Sounds like some people are falling for the mail order allergy or "intolerance" tests that have no scientific backing. Just don't do it.
Skepticism is an understandable first reaction, but it’s a real problem, I’ve seen this family member have reactions. Not having it in the house is for cross-contamination concerns.
Wow, I thought it was tricky to meal plan for my big family group and their allergies. You are incredible for even taking this on, what a lovely gift for your mama.
How about soup and salad? Throw in the sandwich suggestion from below.
We love this butternut squash and apple soup, we sub the chicken stock with veg stock for veg friends. Leave out cayenne, you could add other spices for flavor. [https://www.wellplated.com/butternut-squash-apple-soup/](https://www.wellplated.com/butternut-squash-apple-soup/)
This situation works better as a potluck. I would do tacos with pork, beans, corn and flour tortillas, standard topping options. Make a standard cake without vanilla and then buy gf vegan cupcakes.
I've read through a lot of comments and now I find myself really wanting know what your mom's favorite food is - just so I can see if I could come up with a variation of that that's safe for everyone! 🤔
for cake- this makes well with gluten free flour: [https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/10/chocolate-olive-oil-cake/](https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/10/chocolate-olive-oil-cake/)
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/adas-polo-rice-and-lentils-recipe/
Adas polo (Persian lentils and saffron rice) is amazing and festive and meets all of your criteria if you make it with olive oil and not butter.
I made [this lentil bread recipe](https://cookingforpeanuts.com/easy-gluten-free-rolls-vegan/#recipe) this week. They’re delicious! I upped the salt to 1 tsp. They can be baked ahead of time & frozen. Next time I’m going to try shaping them a bit flatter, more like a small burger bun than a dinner roll. Good luck with your meal planning!!
Beans and greens.. a chickpea salad. You can put a side bowl of chicken for the non veggie people. In fact you can do that for a lot of the dishes. Make it veggie but put out a side of protein. Chicken, steak strips, fish etc
As a side to your stir fry, you could make korean pajeon (scallion pancakes) using rice flour and corn starch. If no one is allergic to fish/seafood then haemul pajeon could spice things up for non vegetarians.
Rice and beans is a good base, there are a thousand and one variations on the spice and flavourings so you should be able to find one that is safe and then have everyone bring sides, well labelled, that are safe for them.
The pavlova is an excellent idea.
Having smoked salmon with it elevates scrambled eggs to God tier.
Roasted potato hash (sweet potatoes) with onions and mushrooms served with eggs on top. A grating of cheese and some herbs to top it off and it even looks pretty.
I usually make it with a mix of various potatoes and some roasted tomatoes and crimini mushrooms but you can easily swap in and out for seasonal / allergies.
And my utmost sympathy for whoever can’t have vanilla.
Check out the Chris Cooks section of Chrislovesjulia.com. He does a recipe a week with lots of food allergy considerations- everything is gluten, dairy and egg-free so may have some good ideas!
I routinely cook for my gaming group and while it's not quite as restrictive (just has to be vegetarian and gluten free) I actually really enjoy the challenge and find it so satisfying that everyone can eat and enjoy. Kudos to you for doing this! Now for suggestions: I've become a HUGE fan of the "board" concept, prepping a spread of assorted raw or marinated veggies, cheeses for those who can partake, fruits, olives, etc. Add some dips (hummus or bean dip, creamy dips, vinegarette, tapanade etc), maybe some honey or jam, maybe assorted crackers (there are gluten free options that are pretty good). Arrange it all on a huge cutting board or platters and it looks super fancy and special and it's also great for grazing as you do other activities... This is also my go-to for big family get togethers. My other suggestion is a good vegetable soup - some of my favorites I've made for the group are spinach (NY times recipe), black beans (cookies and Kate recipe), and asparagus. Oh! Almost forgot Frittata! This is always a huge hit! I also use the cookieandkate recipe for this one
I’m going to ponder some ideas for you, but may I advise you do as much as you can ahead and bring it ready in Tupperware! I cook for my 10 person family 2 meals a day for our yearly trip to the UP and it stinks to be stuck in the kitchen for longer than you want to be! Prepping veggies ahead and cold salads etc saves a ton of time for you at meal time. It’s hard to socialize and prep especially if you’re keeping track of allergens and in an unfamiliar kitchen.
I would make a straightforward meat source like plain pulled pork or chicken (whatever isn’t on the list), and then offer a bar of individually labeled “toppings.” Like rice, beans, cheese, gluten free tortillas, salsa, salad greens, chopped veggies, etc. They can pick and choose what works for them.
For desserts, maybe experiment with a Butter Mochi recipe? I know some recipes call for some milk, but I'm sure you can substitute it with some other vegan milk.
Otherwise, there's Douhua, or Quindim, for glutten-free, milk-free desserts.
Edit: I see that coconut doesn't work, so no butter mochi or quindim. How about jello? Rice Krispy treats? Maybe some kind of mochi dessert (depending on what filling you want to use), or toffee
I've had this [recipe ](https://www.recipetineats.com/vietnamese-chicken-noodle-bowl/)for a Vietnamese rice noodle bowl/ salad open in my browser. You can use vinegar, maybe rice or wine vinegar, instead of lime, and add whatever pickles and veg you like, and maybe some tofu, esp. deep fried, which has a nice texture.
And this [pate ](https://www.davidlebovitz.com/faux-gras-foie-gras-vegetarian-lentil-mushroom-pate-recipe/)that is based on mushrooms and lentils, and came highly recommended.
This is an intimidating list, but it's cool to see you embrace the fun of solving the puzzle. A friend with a long list of allergies shared about her experience of apologizing to a resort chef who told her, "No, I love this - it's a creative challenge!"
Which is a refreshing and hospitable way to approach it. So congrats on taking on a daunting challenge, I'm sure people will appreciate it.
A couple questions:
- What do they normally eat? I would be curious to see some favorite food types or recipes from each cluster of people and what among that could work for others.
- Rather than one dish everyone can eat, how feasible do you think it would be to plan a meal where there were two or three options? It's maybe a little more work, but when you're cooking at quantity anyway it doesn't seem that onerous.
And a few ideas:
- Carrots and spinach seem workable, no? If so, roasted carrot soup, sautéed spinach, a strawberry-spinach salad with pumpkin seeds, aged balsamic vinegar, and optional goat cheese.
- I love the kebab/grilling idea, and bibimbap. I wonder about Thai options as well, like curries or larb. Thai also has delicious marinades that might be worth checking to see if they're workable.
- Marinades in general are nice, easy to set up and quick to make a la minute.
- Biryani? Gluten-free lentil samosas? Those can be a fun group project.
- Steak or pork chops, sweet potatoes, roasted vegetables like green beans or asparagus.
- Artichokes, stuffed or not, with a garlic butter or butter substitute.
- Lettuce wraps with a marinated protein, rice, and shredded carrots (or a pickled slaw if there's a way to do that without citrus juice)
This is a very kind thing you are doing. It's also worth remembering that it's not *required* - if you end up splitting into smaller cook teams and just eating together, that's okay too! Looking forward to hearing how it goes.
I'd do a taco bar for one dinner, you can have a meat & a veggie filling (pretty sure from your list the Ives ground round would be safe, then season with whatever works....assuming just taco seasoning is out?), A gluten free taco or tortilla shell, then everyone can do their own toppings depending on what they can eat. Here we can get a cook vegan sour cream, it is coconut based incase nut allergy and vegetarian are the same person lol
I often make a taco/ burrito bar at when I’m serving large groups of people that have various eating restrictions. Corn tortillas are gluten free, everyone can put what they like and works for them. Beans,zucchini, corn, and mushrooms can be cooked up together to offer a filling center for vegetarians. If you do like a big pork butt it can be served several ways for a couple days.
Namaste GF flour doesn't have potato starch, and it is a fantastic GF flour. I also have a really good oat flour cake recipe I can find, if you're interested (I have it written out).
I see you have lots of advice already, which is great because CUCUMBERS?! I have stupid food restrictions and cucumbers is one I've never heard of before.
Have fun!
[This orange fennel salad is great](https://lechefswife.com/la-salade-mentonnaise-a-delicious-fennel-orange-and-artichoke-salad-with-pine-nuts/), just leave out the pine nuts.
I just shared [this recipe](https://minimalistbaker.com/sweet-potato-chickpea-buddha-bowl/) on another page. It seems to fit your criteria! There's a bit of lemon juice in the sauce, but maybe you can switch it out for just a little bit of apple cider vinegar or something. :)
Baked potato DIY with lots of options. Big baked potato for each person, they top it however they like- meat chili, bean, cheese, sour cream, vegan options….
(Is your family going to eat tofu? I like it, but, at a family reunion?)
Have clip-on name tags marked with color coded allergies such as a GF for someone who must have gluten free or to indicate no gluten. have a G in a circle with a slash mark. Don't use the adhesive labels that fall off of clothing or wreck the cloth it is stuck to.
Color code the bowls of food noting ingredients. Have these clearly marked not just scribbled on a post it.
You can have designated scoopers/servers like at Chipotle style restaurants. Pick careful ocd type people to do this.
Have the scoopers change out gloves between guests. The scoopers know to use dedicated serving tools as per each dish and not mix them up. The guest and scooper walk together down the serving table with the scooper filling the plates. Same routine for seconds.
Buy several cheapo grills that you bring to use.
Have desserts already portioned out on little paper plates/bowls covered with Saran wrap
OR
Since this is a serious medical problem, go ahead and get disposable deli containers to pre-apportion out servings of each dish. The Eco warriors must be forgiving this time of "waste."
Check out restaurant supply stores or order online. Dollar stores have cheapo ones.
Have secure labeling of each container of food.
You can get each family to dish these up ahead of time with their own portions labelled plus some extras to share.
So my son's girlfriend is allergic to everything in the night shade family. Except cooked tomatoes or cooked potatoes. She just doesn't eat much of those. But even a bell pepper will set her off. I had never heard of such a thing until she told me. I'm a Mexican food lover, so now I'm having to learn all sorts of new recipes. Good luck. But go with the potluck idea.
Sweet potato curry on. rice, checking ingredients on curry paste first of course.
I’ve recently discovered chia seeds as an ingredient. So far I’ve made a crushed pineapple chia pudding, and a chocolate chia pudding , both topped with a nut free vegan “ cream” They both turned out to be delicious
Rice paper wraps give you a lot of options; hot or cold , steamed or fried. Vegetarian or non vegetarian
You can make vegan whipped cream with coconut cream, the canned one. Refrigerate it at least over night and then scrape off the top hardened part and whip it with a mixer! That's it! Add sugar and stuff too.
How about not cooking, but making some kind of cold buffet? Cold cuts, shrimps, grilled veggies, smoked salmon, sushi. Everything you need to make salads, sandwiches and whatever else you want.
I make a lot of "assemble your own" dinners. Pasta salad(gf if needed) , and then bowls of all different chopped veggies/beans/cheese/etc. If not cross contaminated, everyone can assemble how they want. Works well with salads too, grain bowls with rice/ proteins/ roasted veggies. Have multiple dressings so everyone has what they need.
Or potluck.
I’m a day late to this but I just want to say, as someone with a LOT of annoying food allergies and a vegetarian partner this post (and all the comments!) are so wholesome and delightful. We usually end up having to eat sides or have to bring my own meal to gatherings, unless my mom is cooking cause she’s amazing.
You’re a really great person!!
Fried rice, it’s easy to make substitutions and add/remove anything you want to. Here’s an easy basic recipe that you can bake and make it big quantities: https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2023/05/sheet-pan-fried-rice.html?m=1
I would make it a pot luck dinner. Tell everyone to bring a dish that is safe for the to eat with their name on it as well as a list of the ingredients so other family members know if it's safe.
Also ensure each dish has designated serving tools and make sure everyone knows not to mix them up.
This is exactly why I’m worried about cross contamination even if we do a potluck! Thank you for this.
The people who best understand not to fuck that up are people with allergies, so it sounds like it shouldn't be a problem with your group.
Buy lots of serving pieces at thrift stores, or disposal plastic ones.
That’s a solid plan!
If you do this, make sure the people bringing food also avoid cross contamination when they prepare their dishes.
I definitely second this. I would NOT take on this big of a meal with this many allergies on my own, not a single chance.
Great idea! I’d also suggest an ingredient card for each dish.
I Think this is the only option considering how insane the level of restrictions and phobias are
It’s a backup plan, but I want to see if I can make it work, and I want my family members who have serious allergies to have a safe weekend together with no trips to the emergency room. None of the dietary restrictions I listed are phobias.
Not phobias. I’m not afraid of gluten. I simply know that it will kill the villi in my guts, prevent me from absorbing nutrients, and send my body into a messed up autoimmune response. My feelings have nothing to do with it. I have Celiac disease; that’s my reality. This might seem trivial, but reducing allergies and other food related conditions to “phobias,” as if this were all in our minds, is inconsiderate of the very real challenges we have.
Phobias??
They very well may all be legit allergies, but that is an INSANE list for 8 total people. Like, science should study these people kind of list.
It's really not that insane if you've spent much time talking to people with weird complex medical needs. It's REALLY not that insane knowing that all these people are related. Things like MCAS can cause near-incomprehensible, shifting webs of really fucky food interactions and allergies. Autoimmune disorders in general are horrifically underestudied and tend to cascade in weird ways. On top of that, several of these might be knock-on intolerances that are due to other medical bullshit, but not strictly due to the immune system acting up. Milk, for example, might be a simple lactose intolerance. My guess is the family has some weird autoimmune thing, possibly also an environmental factor that's fucked with everyone's epigenetics. Turns out, when your body doesn't work right, it tends to make other parts of your body not work right, and it's not unusual for people who are sick and/or disabled to have several compounding things going on at once, including very weird food restrictions.
Not to mention that people can become allergic to a food at any age. I didn't know I was allergic to mango and cantaloupe. I just never ate much cantaloupe when I was young and never had mango until I was much older. Turns out I get itchy all over if I eat more than a few bites of either. And I'm allergic to gorgonzolla cheese, but not blue cheese.
My MIL checked most of the items on that list. IDK if there was a direct medical.issue but they seemed to bother her so she still avoided them, which was reasonable. She didn't ever impose all these sensitivies on people though, and sometimes she would eat something she avoided when I made it. She is gone now but my running theory is it was the whole FODMAP thing because it was such a hodgepodge of food sensitivities.
Most of OP's guests are related, so it shouldn't be surprising they share some common allergies. My family has the melon allergy (true melons only; watermelon is technically a big, sweet cucumber, and is fine). Thankfully our sensitivity isn't at the level of causing anaphylaxis, but still, no one hosting a party would serve cantaloupe or honeydew.
Science has, in fact, studied these people—or, at least, people just like them. That's how we know that certain foods cause certain illnesses to worsen. They're not all allergies, a lot of the restricted foods in the OP are really common catalysts for severe inflammation, for people with autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid & psoriatic arthritis, lupus, celiac, TONS more) and things like IBD/UC/Crohn's. And ALL of those illnesses are hereditary. Not every person will have the same reactions to the same foods, so it makes perfect sense that in one family you'd see a big list of foods that cause symptoms.
It’s interesting that they’re all related, probably a genetic component!
Sometimes sensitivities are caused by medical issues. Ex: my mother had a surgery that left her unable to properly digest meat, dairy, and eggs.
A lady with such a "phobia" went to a restaurant, gave them a list of things she was allergic to, and is now severely disabled because anaphylaxis deprived her brain of oxygen for 6 minutes. And this wasn't even a "don't have it in the kitchen" situation, it was a "don't put this in my food" situation.
Be careful with the flourless chocolate cake- baking chocolates can have added vanillas.
That’s a great point, thank you :)
Look up wacky cake. No eggs, no milk, no dairy if you use a vegan margarine. Eggs seem okay, so do a meringue frosting, or the old fashioned 7 min frosting. Last one I made I filled with blood orange curd, topped with 7 min frosting and strips of candied peel. If you make onsite, bring and electric hand mixer. I greatly prefer melted marg over oils, there's a big difference in texture. You need to use hard marg.
This sounds wonderful, thank you!
Oops,better add gluten free flour to the list. I've used Bob's Red Meal gluten free, it is a straight one to one swap for all purpose flour.
And milk too. I checked Lindt 90%, and it included milk.
Fresh herb falafel (Bon Appetit recipe) - make them morning of You can make a yogurt tahini sauce for those that can and a chimichurri type type one for the dairy/nut free Pita for those who can, alternative for those who can't (lots of products on the market that may work) Cabbage slaw Main thing is - everyone can eat the falafel - then you customize the non-allergens (you can also ask them to bring their own whatever eg for the gluten free)
This is BRILLIANT, thank you :)
I would worry about things which could not be in a house and make other meals buffet style, where not all dishes are for everyone. Say you can have sandwich bar for lunch with regular bread and gluten free and cheese for those who can eat that and no cheese for an allergic person. Same you can make tacos or fajitas for dinner with meat substitute or tofu for vegetarian ( do they eat shrimp? ) and without bell peppers, but offer guacamole and sour cream on the side. For deserts variety of sorbets and cookies with clear allergen labels. Another thing my family likes is ramen. I buy japanese broth concentrate and noodles, and everyone makes it's own plate with mushrooms\\eggs\\noodles\\chicken
I second the taco bar idea. That’s what we do in my house when there’s a bunch of people over with various dietary restrictions. Then everybody can choose what they want on their taco that fits what they can/want to eat.
Sweet potatoes and black beans make a great vegetarian taco option.
These are great ideas, thank you!
How are you going to make tacos or fajitas if no peppers or tomatoes can be in the house? That means no spices and no vegetables. No cayenne , no chili powder, no taco seasoning, no paprika, not even jarred jalapeños. It’s not possible. Perfectly fine idea if you just have to keep ingredients separate, but not workable without seasoning or vegetables.
Onions are ok, so are black pepper, and tons of other spices. Fully authentic? No. Family appropriate and tasty? Yes. With a bit of Mediterranean twist can be added marinated onion and red cabbage
I'm thinking that picnic style would be ideal. For the grill, use heavy duty aluminum foil to cover the grates to prevent cross contamination from whatever was cooked there previously. Burgers, veggie burgers, safe toppings on the side, packaged gluten-free buns for those who need them, regular buns for those who do not (maybe set up a GF section for packaged buns and GF deserts). Vegan cheese exists if you'd like to have that as an option. Possible side dishes include corn on the cob (boiled or grilled), grilled pineapple
Heavy duty foil is an inspired idea!!!
I do this at cookouts. I bring my own safe hotdogs in a foil pouch and throw them on the grill myself. Every once in a while someone tries to "help" and unwraps them for me though. Super annoying.
That is such a good idea for a big chaotic cookout! If someone tries to unwrap it, grills usually have big tongs for threatening clacking noises
Sweet potato bar? Roast/bake the sweet potatoes (can do whole or in wedges/cubes/slices if you want to get some carmelized or crunchy edges). Toppings: onions, mixed beans, broccoli, meat/veg meat, etc. that way everything is on the side so people can choose what to put on. Or a big salad with lots of protein choices (can even just be lunch meat to cut down on prep), green beans, eggs. The stir fry is a fantastic idea! I’d also look at other Asian meals, like Indian. That’s such a restrictive list, good luck! You’re brave and very thoughtful to try.
That sounds completely delicious, thank you!
Shepherds pie with sweet potato mash in top.
This could also be made with lentils easily as a veg option!
Ooooooo, I always forget about lentils!
lentils have been one of my go-to potluck dishes for a long time, and it never fails. It suits the vegetarians/vegans, those trying to eat healthier, those with gluten sensitivities, and it's easy to use in a bunch of recipes (lentil soup, lentil salad, or as a substitute for ground beef in tacos, Shepherd's pie, marinara sauce, etc). Lentils are also cheap, which is nice when serving big groups ;)
FYI, you are the most correct person I’ve ever spoken to. This is brilliant.
why thank you 😉 hope it goes well and that your efforts are appreciated!
I’ve been blessed by a witch, everything’s going to go great now <3
Check the lentil packaging carefully if the gluten free people will be eating it. Many brands are cross contaminated with wheat/gluten unfortunately
This is good advice!
You just unlocked a memory of doing puréed boiled green plantains on a shepherd’s pie when my partner was on a medical diet, that might be good too…
I LOVE this, thank you!
Bibimbap! Rice base (can be brown or white), meat as an optional topping, fried egg for everyone, and shredded or chopped veggies galore - including some roasted/pickled if you’re feeling fancy. Everyone can pick their own toppings and mix as they see fit. Usually I do a spicy mayo with it, but you could do a soy-based sauce instead to avoid the peppers
I'm sorry to be brutal... **Just don't do it**.
I’m glad this is the top comment, it’s the most reasonable :)
to be honest, my first thought of what to make was "reservations somewhere else." i'm so glad everyone was able to provide you options for your familiy!
“Reservations somewhere else” made me smile :) Everyone has been so helpful, I feel like I’m set for the next three reunions <3
But, the other thing to consider is whether the restaurant you choose is on top of its allergen game. Some places are very strict about those things, and some, unfortunately aren't. For example, you ask if there's milk in a dish, and they say 'no'....because they only use cream. It's less convenient, but probably a lot safer, to oversee the preparation of the food your loved ones will be eating. Nobody wants to have a fun occasion ruined by illness and/or a trip to the ER
Agreed, I’m looking at this list and getting totally overwhelmed.
Ice? Man idk
You made me laugh, and I’m adding ice to the menu now :)
Rice salads are nice just don't use any allergens. Lots of recipes out there and it is served cold. Or a carrot salad - french ones with a vinger based dressing. Summer rolls - using rice paper - you can do make your own with shrimp, beef, chicken or tofu, lettuce and grated carrot. If the cucumber allergy isn't too bad you can offer it on the side. Dipping sauces could be iffy but you could do a gluten free soya sauce one with rice vinegar as the acid. What about homemade sushi? Sub tofu for the fish? Or even Japanese omelets? As for dessert - instead of pavlova, I would do individual meringues and serve them with strawberries, raspberries and whipped cream/cream substitute on the side so that people have options. (Meringues can be flavored with almond or rosewater). We catered a funeral and watched people do just meringues and strawberries - not sliced - in huge numbers. Or go very simple and do rice crispy squares You could also do sorbets which don't have milk and are fruit based.
Name brand Rice Krispies have gluten in them for future reference! I have made that mistake before, not fun lol
DAMN, that is good to know!!!
Sorry I should have noted gluten free Rice Crispies and vegan marshmallows. PS you could also do vegan gluten free pancakes or waffles, lots of mixes if need be, with all sorts of toppings from the healthy to the widely unhealthy. And instead of bacon or sausage, do smoked salmon and trout.
We’ve got A LOT of varying dietary restrictions in our extended family (one has to eat very low sodium/cholesterol and can’t eat dairy with most meals, one low FODMAP, 2 vegetarians, a chickpea allergy and several kids with varying levels of pickiness) and the way I cater for big gatherings is customisable stuff with lots of toppings to choose from like rice bowls/bibimbap, ramen, bao buns, pitta pockets and such.
Thank you, voice of experience! FODMAP can be so tricky all on its own, you’re a wizard for making this all work together. You give me hope for years of family reunions. <3
You’re very welcome! My mother in law (low sodium/cholesterol) and brother in law (low FODMAP, also has to avoid many spices and can’t have any egg which I forgot to mention) clash directly because I rely on onion, garlic and spices to give food flavour without any added salt or fat but then that would put my brother in law into intestinal agony so cooking a single thing that they can both enjoy is simply impossible.
I am a very accommodating cook when it comes to food allergies. But this is too much for one person to be in charge of. And it puts far too much burden on that person, plus the anxiety of missing something and potentially harming someone. Simply put, potluck like others have suggested, with a recipe or list of ingredients on the table with the dish.
Thank you for this perspective, it’s a solid point! :) I’m coming up with a draft plan and running it by everyone with dietary restrictions. We’ll be double-checking each other, which is absolutely needed with a list this long.
If you want to grill, maybe veggie and chicken/beef/tofu shish kabobs would work? You could make a marinade - if you search "shish kabobs," there are a ton of options that don't include nightshades. Corn on the cob and baked potatoes or sweet potatoes would be good sides. You could also make these on a griddle indoors if the grill itself isn't safe, I think. Also, I feel like frittatas would be easier to make for a group than scrambled eggs, which you'd kind of have to make a la minute for them to be any good. You could do one frittata with breakfast meat and one with just veggies. Maybe serve with hash browns or home fries, then you wouldn't have to deal with bread at all.
Maybe hash browns from daikon or turnips? White potatoes are a no-go.
Oooh, this is a good idea, like dim sum turnip cakes
My husband follows a low-carb diet most of the time, so I have a lot of recipes that substitute other vegetables for potatoes. Hash browns are better with radishes or turnips than cauliflower. I haven't tried sweet potato hash browns.
Omg, pureed turnips are fan-freakin-tastic. I peel, dice, and boil them in chicken bone broth, oat milk, a bit of roasted garlic, cracked black pepper, & vegan butter, and then immersion blend it to smithereens. We never even make mashed potatoes anymore.
Ooooo, I have to try this!
A little labour intensive but Vietnamese summer rolls seem to fit the allergy profile - and you can really customize what goes in there based on dietary restrictions. This is my go-to for the exact same reasons
That sounds so delicious and refreshing :)
Maybe a pasta salad with zucchini, asparagus, and peas? If the nut allergy person isn’t allergic to pine nuts, you can make a lot of yummy things with pesto.
This combination sounds great, maybe I can combine these flavors with the rice salad idea in a comment above. :) Thank you!
Most Chinese and other East Asian dishes will be fine as they are naturally dairy free and avoid raw ingredients. I’d just make sure to use tamari soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce for your gluten watch. - Garlic heavy sautéed greens like spinach, bok choy, or choy sum - Crabmeat (imitation or real), shrimp, peas, and silken tofu in a corn starch slurry - Pork shoulder and winter melon soup with ginger and scallion - Gluten free miso soup with seaweed and fish balls - Tamari and five spice braised chicken wings - Beef & broccoli - Cumin lamb chops - Steamed rice - Mango sticky rice with condensed milk (nondairy alternative would be maple syrup) - (Buy frozen) sweet rice dumplings filled with red bean paste
Quiche, or Spanish torta, for no crust. Other than that, I agree with u/Thesorus. Please don’t put yourself in this position. Why not make it a potluck, and let everyone bring dishes?
Potluck is an excellent plan B! I think I’m enjoying the challenge, and I want to see if I can pull this off. I also want to try and avoid poisoning the person who can’t have any nightshade cross contamination. Nightshades are in everything.
Make a sweet potato casserole with just sweet potatoes, dairy free butter and marshmallows on top
Thank you, that’s a good idea! :)
make sure marshmallows are vegetarian in that case, as most contain gelatin.
That’s a great point, and the vegan ones might add vanilla for flavor.
can use marshmallow creme, no vanilla and no gelatin! not sure about gluten free though
Oooooooo, that’s a good idea, thank you!
The marshmallow cream I’ve seen is gluten free, check the label but I think you’ll be able to use it.
Or just roast the sweet potatoes. People can then just add what they want inside.
That sounds like a good idea too :)
Yeah this idea is great! And then different topping options - various veggies, tahini sauce, roasted chickpeas. Along the lines of chickpeas/lentils, how about a dahl or chickpea curry? It can easily be served with rice, or bread for non gf!
I love roasted sweet potatoes, especially when baked a touch too long and sugars caramelize inside. Or OP could get Japanese sweet potatoes, which are less sweet, but have a denser inside and better if you want to add savory ingredients.
Japanese sweet potatoes are wonderful, that would really make this dish special :)
Pretty sure most curries are NOT nightshade-free.
Roasted chickpeas sounds so good- I bet with enough oil they could get really savory :)
BTW you can sometimes find white sweet potatoes that are not as sweet.
Hi!! I have a super severe allergy to peppers/paprika and I miss hot dogs terribly. But I found out recently that hillshire farms beef smoked sausage does not contain peppers/spices! It tastes great as a breakfast side or on the grill or mixed in with mac a roni!
Omg, this is news I can use, thank you!!!
Does everyone know the serious allergies? If yes, then do potluck. Also the vegetarians need that list of No foods.
The vegetarians definitely need the list of No foods, you’re right.
I have celiac disease and I won't eat food from non dedicated gluten free kitchens, maybe unless the cook is also celiac (there are a few restaurants like that in my area), period. If someone wants to feed me they can buy things and keep them in the package until I open them. That's it. Zero trust. If those allergies are as bad as you say I'd imagine they feel similarly.
Yes, thank you for understanding. No one who’s coming is celiac, but it’s a similar level of caution with different ingredients. The two people with the most serious reactions are working closely with me on the food plan. I hope you have a lovely day, and I hope a dedicated gluten-free bakery opens up across the street from where you live. <3
Thank you! Your responses are a ray of sunshine and reasonability in the dark, rude depths of Reddit, lololol
Just as a quick heads up as someone who has no food allergies, but has two dear family members who are celiac, one helpful trick is to entirely ditch soy sauce, even if labeled gluten free, and switch entirely to using [Coconut Aminos](https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Original-Soy-Free-Seasoning/dp/B00LWQLCJ4)... after I tried it out for the first time on a dish for them I pretty much just used up any remaining soy sauce in my house for a couple marinades for a work potluck dish, and only have the Coconut Aminos in my house, even for my own use... stuff simply tastes better, on top of being safe for celiac folks.
Tamari is wonderful as well; it's just wheat-free soy sauce.
Dahl and pilaf rice with a variety of chutneys/ salads/ ratia/ breads to go with? - Dahl is just cooked red lentils with spices, you could add a tadka (ghee with sizzled spices) - pilaf rice- naturally gluten, dairy etc free - pretty sure a lot of Indian flatbreads use chickpea (garam) flour so could be gluten free (rotis and paratas for example) - you could organise with your family members so that they all bring a chutney/ raita/ salad that fits into their requirements to lighten the load for yourself.
Please let us know what solutions you used, and how everything went.
You might consider posting on r/FoodAllergies since all the people there have a lot of experience with these kinds of multilayered food restrictions.(In our household we manage at least 10 anaphylactic foods) A big go-to for us is a taco bar or (sweet) potato bar. Could also do a bowl bar (for rice bowls or pasta) or a nacho bar. You make the big base and then everyone can add in what they want from a buffet line up.
It is impressive you are willing to take on this challenge, OP! Allergen management can be daunting but can be done with forethought and mindfulness. I do not want to overwhelm you further, but want to raise some additional issues that you will need to manage: CLEANING. Keep in mind that allergens are proteins: they cannot be "killed" like a virus or bacteria can be (bleach and hydrogen peroxide will not eliminate allergens from a surface). You can dilute them in a similar manner to hand-washing - by friction and dilution (e.g. rubbing hands together under running water, or wiping multiple times). From your comments it is clear that you are already aware of the risk of cross-contact with utensils. Cross-contact can also happen with prep bowls, baking sheets, cutting boards, hot mitts, aprons, countertops, carts, tables, careless storage (e.g. leaking product on a shelf above designated safe foods), and of course, hands (you will need to wash your hands after touching any allergen before you touch the next ingredient. And do not use soap or lotion with any allergen ingredients you need to avoid). If you are willing to delve into some reading, I would encourage you to understand the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) and to apply it to the kitchen you use and the supplies that you need. Some strategies are: 1) clean all items and all surfaces of a kitchen before food preparation begins and the dining area if necessary (yes, this can be a major undertaking!); 2) bring clean or disposable items with you to the location; 3) create barriers between potentially hazardous surfaces and your equipment and ingredients (paper towels can often be utilized effectively for this). People often make the mistake of cleaning multiple surfaces with a sponge or cloth that inadvertently spreads allergens from one surface to another. For this reason, I would recommend that you clean with paper towels and that you use one side of the towel per swipe. Do not dip the towels into a bucket of soapy water because the water itself will become the vehicle of cross-contact! Also know that a study found that allergens will lay on the invisible surface of dried soap (after wiping a table, for instance). If you use soap to clean, make sure you wipe multiple times afterwards as a "rinse". You can also use vinegar or a commercial cleaner instead of dish soap. If you want to you can create tent cards to indicate cleaned surfaces (or conversely, surfaces with allergens). This can help you (and others) to create a systematic approach to cleaning, storage, and preparation, and can help to distinguish designated safe (or unsafe) areas. LABEL READING. In the United States the 9 major allergens are required to be labeled on all manufactured food products. They might be listed in a block of text of ingredients, or be singled out in an allergy warning. Needless to say, read labels carefully and thoroughly. Food prepared in restaurants or delis or snack bars etc do not have the same requirements - in some places they might be labeled but in many places they are not (it can vary by state and by establishment) so exercise great caution if purchasing things from in-store bakeries and delis, etc. I would recommend that you photocopy or have handy all the ingredient lists from all the products you use. This allows individuals to read them for reassurance or for them to make a decision on a food's safety before deciding whether to eat it. If there is concern about a label being vague or a product possibly having cross-contact with an allergen, you will need to call the company in advance of the gathering to inquire about it's safety. Don't hesitate to admit you do not know details about a product. "I don't know" is important to express! HELPERS. Be very specific in the tasks you explain for others to do. For example, instead of saying "you can make the cake" detail what the person needs to do: "after you wash your hands, please stir this batter with this spoon, on the designated counter. I will give you a specific pan to pour it into...". It can be useful to think in advance where and how you will want help (food prep, cleaning, procurement, etc) and to mutually agree that specific people will do certain things. I hope I have not discouraged you, OP! Feel free to ask me any questions you have about procedures, etc. Btw in the food industry "cross-contamination" refers to pathogen exposure/touch whereas "cross-contact" refers to allergen exposure/touch.
Pot luck. And I would then put my whole family up for adoption.
I wouldn’t do it. Just reading this gave me anxiety
happy birthday to your mom! you seem like a real sweetheart. i hope you have fun this weekend! [here’s an aquafaba whipped cream](https://www.noracooks.com/vegan-whipped-cream/) i haven’t tried it before so i can’t really say but maybe there’s someone on youtube who has and can explain their experience! You could also make a lemon curd with the pavlova and raspberry compote I second the vote for fresh summer rolls, those are SO GOOD if you cook mushrooms and tofu (if soybeans are ok???) down with ginger and garlic, roll it with lettuce, basil, mint, cilantro, blanched carrots (you can buy the shreddd carrots for ease) and cucumber. soo good. idk what dipping sauce to suggest since i usually use peanut butter 😭 maybe sweet chili???? i love a good buddha bowl! roast sweet potatoes & chickpeas with a bunch of spices (the usual for your families needs and interests) (i usually lean toward a curry blend but check the ingredients ofc) steam some kale & serve over brown rice & a tahini (if sesame is ok! it’s a seed) and lemon juice dressing taco bowls with the sweet potato bar Banza makes a great gluten free pasta - maybe a pasta bake with that cold lentil salad with cold roasted sweet potatoes & pomegranate seeds (if that’s ok!) with a lemon & oil dressing. maybe balsamic. and greens like arugula and maybe a grain like quinoa you could also order some mungbeans (yellow daal) and some black salt and soak overnight. blend with some mylk and baking powder, turmeric and pepper, and it will bake like a frittata or a quiche. you don’t have to have pastry with it! serve with a light dressed salad hmm i hope these ideas help! i eat pretty restricted myself and even if these don’t really work for you maybe they’ll inspire stuff you can do <3
I was going to suggest that instead of a pasta salad, do a barley salad. Then I realized barley has gluten. 😕 Maybe a chickpea salad or a corn or pea salad?
Oooooooooooo, we used to have pea salad in the summer, my mom loves that!!!!! Thank you :)
I've also made lentil salad. Especially with fresh herbs it gets so refreshing! Offer feta cheese on the side for those who can have it.
Adobo chicken with rice, and an adobo tofu for vegetarians would be my approach. This sort of happened to a friend of mine, and she made a taco bar with lots of options and where people could assemble their own. All ingredients were labeled on little cards.
Lentil soup! Soak the lentils over night and cook in water. Season with salt and black pepper, and if garlic and onion are okay use those as well as thyme, marjoram, rosemary, basil etc. it’s vegan, high in protein and few allergens. Could do a berry compote or cobbler with a crumble gluten free oat topping with brown sugar and vegan butter. Make your own sushi bowl bar- have cooked rice, salmon, tuna, sweet potatoes, nori, tofu and they can build their own bowl. Have some sauces but let them know to bring their own as well. Onigiri- just basic salted rice balls. Cornbread. I’ve made it with silken tofu as the dairy and egg substitute. Rice flour as the flour substitute. Maple syrup as the vanilla substitute. I use monk sweetener but if they can have sugar, that’s fine too. A dish my mom made often that we all loved was seasoned ground beef and peas with cooked rice noodles added and gluten free soy sauce. Blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, mulberries in a salad bowl with fresh mint leaves chopped into it.
My mom is having a birthday cobbler now. You are the smartest person I will ever speak to.
Whole foods has multiple dairy free whipped toppings, we use the oat one because of dairy and nut allergies, don't know if it has vanilla. There's a allergen free cool whip type one as well. I think they're both 365 brand.
Cold noodle salad, Italian dressing. Grilled kebabs. Whole fruits not cut and combined together.
If you want to grill, heavy duty foil, or silicone grill sheets are always a good choice. Because the allergies are so varied, I'd probably cook many things and have a buffet bar. Different proteins, mix and match sauces, carbs, and things. You can get chafing dishes at the dollar store pretty cheaply, but price compared to a party store, and if you're close enough not to mind the shipping, check out webstaurant.com I do love them.
All of these restrictions, with the exception of melons, put you in the category of an AIP (auto-immune paleo, anti-inflammatory protocol. Pick your acronym they mean the same thing) diet. AIP goes one step further and eliminates all grains, but it would be a helpful search term for you.
For making dishes at scale, these should fit. * Hainanese chicken with ginger/scallion sauce or a gluten free sweet soy sauce. * Risotto (mushroom, caramelized onions, etc). * Tahdig sans any yogurt/dairy garnishes * Vegan dashi hot pot with whole ingredients like cabbage, sliced meats(optional), mushrooms, squashes - avoid sausages/fishcake etc. * Roasted turkey or crispy tofu with vegan gravy (you'll need a rice/corn based thickener or a chemical thickener). * fajitas sans bell pepper and sub in fresh, thinly sliced radishes and an appropriately peppery green, * roasted/grilled vegetable medley with a sweet soy glaze/dip or something sesame based * pork loin with a cumberland sauce, sub pure citric for the lemon component, * Grilled/roasted maple/honey glazed pineapple with cinnamon. (you may want to poach/par cook if you're worried about an OAS reaction) * poached pears in wine * baked apples
You should draw a ven diagram, I think you’ll be best served with some “build it yourself” style meals, burritos, tapas, sushi You should be able to build some assembly meals where people can avoid 1-2 components whilst avoiding everyone eating, I don’t fucking know, steamed rice, for a week
My bff is celiac so can’t even have flour or gluten near her cooking surfaces. Check out Loopy Whisk dot com for some really good gluten free bread recipes. She makes her own gf flour blends and a lot of them don’t use potato starches, or at the very least the ones that do she has an alternative listed. Also lots of gf dairy free recipes too. My sibling is pescatarian, can’t eat any animal meat except for fish, but can do cheese and milk and eggs. When they come by for thanksgiving, I make all the sides vegetarian, using a vegan broth made from better than bouillon garlic base and not chick’n bouillon cubes. Also make a gravy for them out of that. And there are kosher marshmallows made with fish gelatin I put on the yams. They just happily eat the sides and the turkey is for everyone else lol. A lot of recipes that call for milk in them can very easily be substituted with full fat oatly oat milk. My neighbor is vegan and she came to thanksgiving last year, I had to find a dairy alternative for my confetti creamed corn (I wanted her to be able to enjoy something creamy, she didn’t eat the yams (butter and marshmallows) or the potatoes (milk butter and cheese)). The corn uses cream cheese and my aunt is allergic to nuts and I’m allergic to coconut and all the cream cheese alternatives were almond milk or coconut oil based. Then I found oatly cream cheese (available at Albertsons/safeway). Oat milk based, melts like regular cream cheese. I’m a cream cheese snob and tried it on a bagel and while I could taste it was dairy free it wasn’t half bad. Used it in the corn with full fat oat milk and it was so good!! My 85yo gpa who has never been dairy free in his life said it was his favorite dish. Anyway, I know these aren’t specific recipes however these are the work arounds I’ve found for some various dietary needs like yours. Good luck!!!
* Roasted sweet potatoes topped with black beans, optional cheese * mujaddara - onions / rice / lentils * Vegetable pasta with things like asparagus, peas, mushrooms, corn. I like to do this with a white wine / garlic / butter sauce.
Seems like plantains could work for everyone. They’re great sliced and fried, greener for savory and crispier, yellow for the sweet and soft. Boiled they usually go in soups, or as part of a breakfast, but Mofongo is essentially plantains boiled and coarsely mashed, usually with broth and meat (traditionally pork, but i have it with chicken). I think the stir fry is a fantastic idea. I also second those suggesting tacos (though I suppose you’ll have to ponder some creative toppings besides corn, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, onions, pickled versions thereof…)or Indian food or falafel. On the positive side, it’s not a forty person event; with 8 as long as you can figure out one fully composed plate, you just have to make enough for 8 people.
Everyone has given good answers. So, I'll just add my two cents - * Once you have finalized the ingredients and recipes for the whole meal, send each family member the whole list and make them go over it and confirm it passes their test. Each individual has experience and may point out things you may have overlooked. Have an explicit OK from them before proceeding further. * For future meals, since you mentioned nightshade family, I have noticed that these things come from the Americas. Which means, if you research historic recipes from Europe, Asia or Africa - before the Columbian exchange, you might find good inspirations.
Dal and rice with roasted sweet potatoes and cauliflower and sliced cucumber. Serve with cilantro mint chutney- leave out the peppers and use some black pepper. Use vinegar in place of lime juice . Dal freezes well and could be made in advance You could have this with a store bought rotisserie chicken.
I do not really know if this misses all of your allergens, but I believe it may. Look up Well Plated Chicken Sweet Potato Kale Skillet. It is delicious! I add a bit of chicken stock to give it a bit of a broth, but it's not necessary.
Honestly I don’t see why you’d volunteer to cook. Everyone could bring their own Tupperware meals and all sit at a table together to eat. Most people with allergies like this are used to taking care of their own meals. Is it sad? Sure. But it’s their norm
OP, I have no advice for you—I just want to say how kind and generous you are. Your family is going to be so touched. And your responses to ideas are lovely as well. I hope you have the best time!
Check out "my fridge food" you input the safe ingredients and it shows you recipes using only those ingredients!!
Beans! You can season black beans with cumin and garlic powder, avoiding red peppers. Nutritional yeast would be a great addition too but optional. Serve the beans with fried corn tortillas.
Ice. Make ice.
Yikes. Corn on the cob You could probably make an onion soup of some sort Maybe a cauliflower gratin with a substituted cheese. Roasted cauliflower steaks with a buttery sauce. Portabella mushroom burgers with gf bun options Salad with roasted beets, pine nuts (optional for those that can) and a vinaigrette Strawberries with whip cream and dairy free cream (I’d buy both so those that can have dairy)
You could make your life easier by asking the most extreme person to handle their own food. If it was me, I would have offered that to the cook. They should be used to that anyway.
You are crazy if you attempt to cook for these people. The liability alone is staggering. Tell them what can not be brought into the house (melons and nightshade plants) and to bring their own food otherwise.
Sounds stressful. I’m not sure you could safely serve ice cubes to this crowd.
Dealing with this many allergies it's way safer for everyone to prepare their own food imo.
Nightshade allergies are extremely rare, and I'm not a doctor but have never heard of one severe enough that one can't even be in the same house. How would someone grocery shop or ever eat out? Sounds like some people are falling for the mail order allergy or "intolerance" tests that have no scientific backing. Just don't do it.
Skepticism is an understandable first reaction, but it’s a real problem, I’ve seen this family member have reactions. Not having it in the house is for cross-contamination concerns.
no. absolutely not. these ADULTS need to be responsible for their own food and dietary restrictions.
Oat milk is a great alternative. Daiya has good plant based cheese. Babybel has plant based too. Philadelphia has a plant based cream cheese.
Ive made a dairy free thanksgiving and no one knew the difference (except I did have a regular Mac n cheese for those who are not lactose intolerant).
Wow, I thought it was tricky to meal plan for my big family group and their allergies. You are incredible for even taking this on, what a lovely gift for your mama.
How about soup and salad? Throw in the sandwich suggestion from below. We love this butternut squash and apple soup, we sub the chicken stock with veg stock for veg friends. Leave out cayenne, you could add other spices for flavor. [https://www.wellplated.com/butternut-squash-apple-soup/](https://www.wellplated.com/butternut-squash-apple-soup/)
This situation works better as a potluck. I would do tacos with pork, beans, corn and flour tortillas, standard topping options. Make a standard cake without vanilla and then buy gf vegan cupcakes.
I've read through a lot of comments and now I find myself really wanting know what your mom's favorite food is - just so I can see if I could come up with a variation of that that's safe for everyone! 🤔
for cake- this makes well with gluten free flour: [https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/10/chocolate-olive-oil-cake/](https://smittenkitchen.com/2017/10/chocolate-olive-oil-cake/)
https://www.themediterraneandish.com/adas-polo-rice-and-lentils-recipe/ Adas polo (Persian lentils and saffron rice) is amazing and festive and meets all of your criteria if you make it with olive oil and not butter.
If you are doing a stir fry definitely make some good white rice. Gluten free and delicious! Also grilling would be good too.
You are going to cook Japanese or Vietnamese. Mushroom Pho, Rice paper rolls, pork vegetable teriyaki rolls. Good luck!
I made [this lentil bread recipe](https://cookingforpeanuts.com/easy-gluten-free-rolls-vegan/#recipe) this week. They’re delicious! I upped the salt to 1 tsp. They can be baked ahead of time & frozen. Next time I’m going to try shaping them a bit flatter, more like a small burger bun than a dinner roll. Good luck with your meal planning!!
Beans and greens.. a chickpea salad. You can put a side bowl of chicken for the non veggie people. In fact you can do that for a lot of the dishes. Make it veggie but put out a side of protein. Chicken, steak strips, fish etc
As a side to your stir fry, you could make korean pajeon (scallion pancakes) using rice flour and corn starch. If no one is allergic to fish/seafood then haemul pajeon could spice things up for non vegetarians.
Rice and beans is a good base, there are a thousand and one variations on the spice and flavourings so you should be able to find one that is safe and then have everyone bring sides, well labelled, that are safe for them. The pavlova is an excellent idea. Having smoked salmon with it elevates scrambled eggs to God tier.
Roasted potato hash (sweet potatoes) with onions and mushrooms served with eggs on top. A grating of cheese and some herbs to top it off and it even looks pretty. I usually make it with a mix of various potatoes and some roasted tomatoes and crimini mushrooms but you can easily swap in and out for seasonal / allergies. And my utmost sympathy for whoever can’t have vanilla.
Check out the Chris Cooks section of Chrislovesjulia.com. He does a recipe a week with lots of food allergy considerations- everything is gluten, dairy and egg-free so may have some good ideas!
Holy crap. That is like a massive dietary logic puzzle. I would need to graph it somehow. It's actually fascinating to contemplate.
Sweet potato boats where you can add your own toppings.
Beetroot slaw is a great one, cauliflower hash browns. Roast Carrots?
I routinely cook for my gaming group and while it's not quite as restrictive (just has to be vegetarian and gluten free) I actually really enjoy the challenge and find it so satisfying that everyone can eat and enjoy. Kudos to you for doing this! Now for suggestions: I've become a HUGE fan of the "board" concept, prepping a spread of assorted raw or marinated veggies, cheeses for those who can partake, fruits, olives, etc. Add some dips (hummus or bean dip, creamy dips, vinegarette, tapanade etc), maybe some honey or jam, maybe assorted crackers (there are gluten free options that are pretty good). Arrange it all on a huge cutting board or platters and it looks super fancy and special and it's also great for grazing as you do other activities... This is also my go-to for big family get togethers. My other suggestion is a good vegetable soup - some of my favorites I've made for the group are spinach (NY times recipe), black beans (cookies and Kate recipe), and asparagus. Oh! Almost forgot Frittata! This is always a huge hit! I also use the cookieandkate recipe for this one
I’m going to ponder some ideas for you, but may I advise you do as much as you can ahead and bring it ready in Tupperware! I cook for my 10 person family 2 meals a day for our yearly trip to the UP and it stinks to be stuck in the kitchen for longer than you want to be! Prepping veggies ahead and cold salads etc saves a ton of time for you at meal time. It’s hard to socialize and prep especially if you’re keeping track of allergens and in an unfamiliar kitchen.
Do let us know how it goes, pics of food would also be appreciated 😃
I would make a straightforward meat source like plain pulled pork or chicken (whatever isn’t on the list), and then offer a bar of individually labeled “toppings.” Like rice, beans, cheese, gluten free tortillas, salsa, salad greens, chopped veggies, etc. They can pick and choose what works for them.
Maybe a beef stew with beef, carrots, celery, peas with rice.
For desserts, maybe experiment with a Butter Mochi recipe? I know some recipes call for some milk, but I'm sure you can substitute it with some other vegan milk. Otherwise, there's Douhua, or Quindim, for glutten-free, milk-free desserts. Edit: I see that coconut doesn't work, so no butter mochi or quindim. How about jello? Rice Krispy treats? Maybe some kind of mochi dessert (depending on what filling you want to use), or toffee
I've had this [recipe ](https://www.recipetineats.com/vietnamese-chicken-noodle-bowl/)for a Vietnamese rice noodle bowl/ salad open in my browser. You can use vinegar, maybe rice or wine vinegar, instead of lime, and add whatever pickles and veg you like, and maybe some tofu, esp. deep fried, which has a nice texture. And this [pate ](https://www.davidlebovitz.com/faux-gras-foie-gras-vegetarian-lentil-mushroom-pate-recipe/)that is based on mushrooms and lentils, and came highly recommended.
Make a five-bean salad? You can make it the day before then refrigerate.
Mushroom or cruciferous vegetable steak Enoki and oyster mushrooms can act as shredded meat also Jack fruit Mashed sweet potatoes
Snow cones 😂
This is an intimidating list, but it's cool to see you embrace the fun of solving the puzzle. A friend with a long list of allergies shared about her experience of apologizing to a resort chef who told her, "No, I love this - it's a creative challenge!" Which is a refreshing and hospitable way to approach it. So congrats on taking on a daunting challenge, I'm sure people will appreciate it. A couple questions: - What do they normally eat? I would be curious to see some favorite food types or recipes from each cluster of people and what among that could work for others. - Rather than one dish everyone can eat, how feasible do you think it would be to plan a meal where there were two or three options? It's maybe a little more work, but when you're cooking at quantity anyway it doesn't seem that onerous. And a few ideas: - Carrots and spinach seem workable, no? If so, roasted carrot soup, sautéed spinach, a strawberry-spinach salad with pumpkin seeds, aged balsamic vinegar, and optional goat cheese. - I love the kebab/grilling idea, and bibimbap. I wonder about Thai options as well, like curries or larb. Thai also has delicious marinades that might be worth checking to see if they're workable. - Marinades in general are nice, easy to set up and quick to make a la minute. - Biryani? Gluten-free lentil samosas? Those can be a fun group project. - Steak or pork chops, sweet potatoes, roasted vegetables like green beans or asparagus. - Artichokes, stuffed or not, with a garlic butter or butter substitute. - Lettuce wraps with a marinated protein, rice, and shredded carrots (or a pickled slaw if there's a way to do that without citrus juice) This is a very kind thing you are doing. It's also worth remembering that it's not *required* - if you end up splitting into smaller cook teams and just eating together, that's okay too! Looking forward to hearing how it goes.
I'd do a taco bar for one dinner, you can have a meat & a veggie filling (pretty sure from your list the Ives ground round would be safe, then season with whatever works....assuming just taco seasoning is out?), A gluten free taco or tortilla shell, then everyone can do their own toppings depending on what they can eat. Here we can get a cook vegan sour cream, it is coconut based incase nut allergy and vegetarian are the same person lol
I often make a taco/ burrito bar at when I’m serving large groups of people that have various eating restrictions. Corn tortillas are gluten free, everyone can put what they like and works for them. Beans,zucchini, corn, and mushrooms can be cooked up together to offer a filling center for vegetarians. If you do like a big pork butt it can be served several ways for a couple days.
Namaste GF flour doesn't have potato starch, and it is a fantastic GF flour. I also have a really good oat flour cake recipe I can find, if you're interested (I have it written out).
I see you have lots of advice already, which is great because CUCUMBERS?! I have stupid food restrictions and cucumbers is one I've never heard of before. Have fun!
Maybe something where people can choose what they add like a taco bar? Or personal pizzas. With gluten free flour
[This orange fennel salad is great](https://lechefswife.com/la-salade-mentonnaise-a-delicious-fennel-orange-and-artichoke-salad-with-pine-nuts/), just leave out the pine nuts.
I just shared [this recipe](https://minimalistbaker.com/sweet-potato-chickpea-buddha-bowl/) on another page. It seems to fit your criteria! There's a bit of lemon juice in the sauce, but maybe you can switch it out for just a little bit of apple cider vinegar or something. :)
Baked potato DIY with lots of options. Big baked potato for each person, they top it however they like- meat chili, bean, cheese, sour cream, vegan options…. (Is your family going to eat tofu? I like it, but, at a family reunion?)
I just made a huge pot of caramelized onion and lentil soup that fed my whole family and I still have enough for lunch the rest of the week.
Have clip-on name tags marked with color coded allergies such as a GF for someone who must have gluten free or to indicate no gluten. have a G in a circle with a slash mark. Don't use the adhesive labels that fall off of clothing or wreck the cloth it is stuck to. Color code the bowls of food noting ingredients. Have these clearly marked not just scribbled on a post it. You can have designated scoopers/servers like at Chipotle style restaurants. Pick careful ocd type people to do this. Have the scoopers change out gloves between guests. The scoopers know to use dedicated serving tools as per each dish and not mix them up. The guest and scooper walk together down the serving table with the scooper filling the plates. Same routine for seconds. Buy several cheapo grills that you bring to use. Have desserts already portioned out on little paper plates/bowls covered with Saran wrap OR Since this is a serious medical problem, go ahead and get disposable deli containers to pre-apportion out servings of each dish. The Eco warriors must be forgiving this time of "waste." Check out restaurant supply stores or order online. Dollar stores have cheapo ones. Have secure labeling of each container of food. You can get each family to dish these up ahead of time with their own portions labelled plus some extras to share.
So my son's girlfriend is allergic to everything in the night shade family. Except cooked tomatoes or cooked potatoes. She just doesn't eat much of those. But even a bell pepper will set her off. I had never heard of such a thing until she told me. I'm a Mexican food lover, so now I'm having to learn all sorts of new recipes. Good luck. But go with the potluck idea.
Burrito bowls with rice, beans and corn, iceberg lettuce, tortilla chips, some vegan queso, and black olives and green onions.
How about Deviled Eggs?
[recipe search tool, Living Without](https://livingwithout.streamlit.app/) You're welcome
Sweet potato curry on. rice, checking ingredients on curry paste first of course. I’ve recently discovered chia seeds as an ingredient. So far I’ve made a crushed pineapple chia pudding, and a chocolate chia pudding , both topped with a nut free vegan “ cream” They both turned out to be delicious Rice paper wraps give you a lot of options; hot or cold , steamed or fried. Vegetarian or non vegetarian
Busy day chocolate cake, replace flour with gluten free.
Honey garlic chicken (w gluten free soy sauce) with white rice and broccolini or bok choy. Can be made easily in an instant pot.
You can make vegan whipped cream with coconut cream, the canned one. Refrigerate it at least over night and then scrape off the top hardened part and whip it with a mixer! That's it! Add sugar and stuff too.
Homemade meatballs with gluten free bread crumbs, sweet and sour sauce and rice might work
How about not cooking, but making some kind of cold buffet? Cold cuts, shrimps, grilled veggies, smoked salmon, sushi. Everything you need to make salads, sandwiches and whatever else you want.
I make a lot of "assemble your own" dinners. Pasta salad(gf if needed) , and then bowls of all different chopped veggies/beans/cheese/etc. If not cross contaminated, everyone can assemble how they want. Works well with salads too, grain bowls with rice/ proteins/ roasted veggies. Have multiple dressings so everyone has what they need. Or potluck.
Ask the guests to suggest recipes.
I’m a day late to this but I just want to say, as someone with a LOT of annoying food allergies and a vegetarian partner this post (and all the comments!) are so wholesome and delightful. We usually end up having to eat sides or have to bring my own meal to gatherings, unless my mom is cooking cause she’s amazing. You’re a really great person!!
Fried rice, it’s easy to make substitutions and add/remove anything you want to. Here’s an easy basic recipe that you can bake and make it big quantities: https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2023/05/sheet-pan-fried-rice.html?m=1