Menu ideas for visitors from OZ

suki1964

Niece and her boyfriend are en route to stay a couple of weeks and I'm panicking about what to feed them:eek:

This being NI and this week has been summer, I'm sure the weather will be a lot cooler by time they arrive ( Sunday) but, I'm sure our usual fare is going to be too stodgy for them ( chips with everything and most things deep fried when eating out for example)



At home we eat a lot of pies, stew type dishes, curries, Chinese and pasta dishes

Niece is 19 and according to sister doesn't eat enough to keep a sparrow alive :eek: is fussy:eek::eek: and tends to snack rather then eat a meal

BF I know nowt about but he's been back packing across the world for the last six months so I'm kinda guessing he's not fussed as long as it fills him :rotfl:

I wouldn't usually get my knickers in a twist , but we just had son and his gf stay ( they live in Australia ) and he was pretty scathing about menus here and she was a real fusspot

So all you lovely people who have been to OZ, have relatives there, or are even Aussie, ( and even those that haven't or aren't ) ideas please

Don't forget,I'm old style. I have a budget, and I scratch cook

NewShadow

I see two options - first get in touch and ask what they like before they arrive - say you meal plan and want to go shopping, and it's traditional for everyone in the house to pick a meal.

Or second, have something simple (thinking BBQ/pizza and salad/tato wedges) arranged for the first day or two, then (over dinner) ask them about their preferences for the week.

I'm thinking it would be great to ask the BF what he's tried/ liked/ disliked while traveling - maybe he/she can show you a few new things that they typically eat if you get the ingredients?

missbiggles1

Apart from fish and chips, what do you eat out that's deep fried - I can't think of anything. I also wouldn't describe Chinese food as stodgy.

What about doing some stir fry dishes and serving new potatoes and fresh vegetables rather chips with your stews. You could also do a variety of salads - it doesn't have to be hot weather for them.

kathrynha

I'd go for lighter food than your normal as it is supposed to be summer, but you can still have some of your regulars.

As she is fussy and a light eater, have stuff that you can save if not everything is eaten, and let people serve themselves.

Meal suggestions:
Pie, chopped salad, and nice bread
Curry with rice, naan, mango chutney, raita, etc, so it makes it more of a special meal, and a bit lighter.
Pasta with a nice sauce served with a green salad and garlic bread.

Basically your normal stuff, with a few extras to make it a bit more lighter for summer.

suki1964

Summer!!!

We've gone from beautiful hot glorious weather to torrential rain and floods with a blink of an eye lol

MissBiggles, even roast spuds go through the pans here You've heard of a Belfast fry? It's only the beans and eggs in most places that aren't put through the pans. Hell there was one place ( now closed) that would put a pie through the pans and I've seen more then one "chef" put a steak through

I do pizzas etc ( have a pizza oven in the garden) also spit roasts and BBQ. However it's going to be a lot colder here then they are used to but all the same I have those ear marked

I'd love to ask BF but he's in Europe somewhere, heading here for Wednesday we think

Sunday will be roast chicken. Just don't have a clue about breakfast or lunch. Last time she stayed she was 12 and toast and Nutella was the order of the day

I guess I'm over worrying. I'm a natural feeder. People come to my house and I feed them. Kids and grandkids I have sorted. These two are really strangers and I just want to make them feel at home and not feeling like that have to sneak off and eat cos what I provide isn't to their taste

Mojisola

suki1964 wrote: »

I wouldn't usually get my knickers in a twist , but we just had son and his gf stay ( they live in Australia ) and he was pretty scathing about menus here and she was a real fusspot

Didn't you show him where the shops and the kitchen were and get him to make the kind of meals he approves of for you?

freezspirit

Breakfast options: bowl of fruit, yogurt, mini variety boxes of cereal, selection of jams with toast and fry-up breakfast.

Lunch options: sandwiches with variety of filling, jacket potatoes with variety of fillings, salad with grilled fish/meat

Islandmaid

Hi,

Have a look at Bill Granger, an Australian chef, who cooks a wide range of things, as other's have said, don't stress, if in doubt, mist teens/20 somethings love a pasta bake and salad

This link is to BBC Bill Granger X

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/chefs/bill_granger

PasturesNew

They're probably keen to taste your "usual/local food". If in doubt, write out a list of the sort of things you'd be likely to cook them and ask them to cross off what they'd not want and indicate anything they dislike or have an issue with ... you then get back a list of your usual food they're happy to eat.

They should be grateful you're feeding them at all

missbiggles1

suki1964 wrote: »

Summer!!!

We've gone from beautiful hot glorious weather to torrential rain and floods with a blink of an eye lol

MissBiggles, even roast spuds go through the pans here You've heard of a Belfast fry? It's only the beans and eggs in most places that aren't put through the pans. Hell there was one place ( now closed) that would put a pie through the pans and I've seen more then one "chef" put a steak through

I do pizzas etc ( have a pizza oven in the garden) also spit roasts and BBQ. However it's going to be a lot colder here then they are used to but all the same I have those ear marked

I'd love to ask BF but he's in Europe somewhere, heading here for Wednesday we think

Sunday will be roast chicken. Just don't have a clue about breakfast or lunch. Last time she stayed she was 12 and toast and Nutella was the order of the day

I guess I'm over worrying. I'm a natural feeder. People come to my house and I feed them. Kids and grandkids I have sorted. These two are really strangers and I just want to make them feel at home and not feeling like that have to sneak off and eat cos what I provide isn't to their taste

Sorry, I thought you meant restaurants when you said "eat out".:o Sounds a bit like parts of Scotland.:rotfl:

I wouldn't worry about breakfast as long as you've got a few boxes of cereal and a couple of different types of bread. Why not centre lunches round eggs and cheese? You could have omelettes, scrambled eggs, toasted sandwiches etc - you won't want much of a cooked lunch if you're cooking dinner in the evenings.

How long are they staying for?

melanzana

Ulster Fry. At least once!

After that, what you would eat yourselves, and if there are any hissy fits, invite them to cook for YOU! lol.

You are so good having them there for two weeks. It's a compromise really, one day me, next day you kind of thing.

It will be grand. Don't worry too much. They are YOUR guests and will be delighted you are looking after them. If not, there is the door my friends! I jest.

Please do not stress yourself. If you were going to Australia, would you DEMAND your own type of food there? Didn't think so.

You are overthinking this I reckon.