Vegan, paleo, gluten free, dairy free … With more and more people following special diets these days, pleasing everyone at the holiday table can feel like a challenge. Use these hosting tips to easily and cheerfully accommodate your guests’ preferences.
Vegan, paleo, gluten free, dairy free … With more and more people following special diets these days, pleasing everyone at the holiday table can feel like a challenge. Use these hosting tips to easily and cheerfully accommodate your guests’ preferences.
With more and more people following special diets these days, whether by choice or for medical reasons, pleasing everyone at the holiday dinner table is a little more challenging than it used to be. With these holiday hosting tips, it’s easier to accommodate your guests’ preferences than you might think.
1. Take the initiative.
When sending out your holiday get-together invitation, ask your invitees to respond with their dietary restrictions. Some guests are hesitant about voicing their special needs for fear of being a bother, and others get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holidays and forget to mention it. Making a point to ask specifically and cheerfully allows you to plan accordingly and not get caught off-guard at the last minute, while also setting your friends’ minds at ease.
2. Ask guests to contribute.
These days, it’s rare that the host prepares every single dish. Don’t be shy to ask your guests with special dietary needs to bring along a favorite option. They’ll be delighted to contribute a dish they know they can eat. Plus, it’s an opportunity to show other guests how delicious a special-diet version can be, which helps the cause for future holidays.
3. Serve one dish instead of two.
Even if you don’t want to go the potluck route, the holiday dinner shouldn’t be a made-to-order eating event. It’s natural to want to please everyone, but there are more than enough special-diet ingredients on the market to allow you to make one version of a dish that works for all eaters. Here are some easy substitutions.
Cooking swaps for vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free guests
For vegans and vegetarians
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth when making stuffing, soups, and other side dishes.
- Prepare protein-rich side dishes that stand in for the roast or turkey. Vegetarian stews, stuffed peppers or squash, and bean and grain side dishes can be a center-of-the-plate item for vegans and vegetarians.
For dairy-free eaters
- Use silken tofu in lieu of milk and cream in desserts and cream-based soups.
- Olive oil and dairy-free milks are excellent alternatives to regular milk and butter for mashed potatoes. Roasted garlic makes a flavorful and creamy addition, too.
- Most grocery stores now carry myriad delicious dairy-free ice creams and whipped toppings, making dessert easy for any guest.
For gluten-free eaters
- Substitute rice flour or corn starch for wheat flour when making gravy and other sauces.
- Excellent gluten-free breads are now readily available for making gluten-free stuffing; simply toast GF bread cubes in the oven until dry, and then crumble to make your favorite recipe. Several manufacturers also offer gluten-free stuffing mix.
- You’ll find several gluten-free pie crust options, too (both premade and mixes), but you can also set aside some pie filling to make crust-free parfaits for the gluten-free eaters.
