Need Funeral Food Ideas - Special Dietary Needs

A friend/former coworker was killed in a truly horrible accident with a dump truck on July 1st. Her husband is here and doesn't have any family. Her brother, sister-in-law, their two daughters and boyfriends/husbands will be coming up from FL. I offered to provide finger foods at the funeral home for them to grab before, during, and after the visitation and memorial service which will be from 11-1 and 1 until probably 1:30 or 2:00. I live about 45 minutes away so I will need things easy to transport, can sit out, and can be made in advance. And that is the easy part that I could do without any problems.

The SIL is gluten-free and one daughter is vegan and one daughter doesn't eat red meat. The guys of course are all not picky. Each food doesn't have to meet all three criteria but I want an assortment that will provide enough sustenance for the three special diets. I have found that finger foods that are easy to nibble on when you don't really feel like eating work really good for visitations, funerals, etc. And during visitation, they can easily slip in and out and grab a bite here and there.

I was planning to take a breakfast casserole over the day before so they can pop that in while they get dressed. I am thinking about making the Baked Blueberry Pecan French Toast (or maybe blackberry since our blueberry crop wasn't great this year) and now I will add Cathy Z Sausage and Bacon casserole but last time I tried to do a vegan breakfast, it really wasn't great. The french toast casserole uses eggs, milk and butter so would alternates work? I haven't used them that much so have any of you used them in breakfast casseroles/stratas/etc.?

Any ideas or suggestions for all the special diets? I don't have a lot of time to play around and try things between now and the 3rd especially with everything else going on.

Oh I’m so sorry.

I’ve made this vegan fruit cereal breakfast several times, though I add kiwi, w unsweetened almond milk and it’s really delicious. Better than expected and was a staple when I did a vegan 30 day challenge.

I have not yet made this one, but it’s also vegan and gluten free bread crumbs would make this work for all.

Also in my vegan breakfast try file

www.themostlyvegan.com/chickpea-flour-mini-veggie-frittatas/



Oatmeal W fixins

Fruit

Charcuterie and crudité platter w hummus, plus something sweet like a jam. Finger foods without dairy can get problematic. Bruschetta made ahead then topped when plated would be another option you can prep ahead. Olives. Guacamole and gluten-free chips. Dried fruit. Deviled eggs (sorry vegan person) but everyone else will like them. Almond cookies.

This is T&T hot or rm temp, but you need cups and forks to make it walk around friendly.

mariadnoca said:

Oh I’m so sorry.

I’ve made this vegan fruit cereal breakfast several times, though I add kiwi, w unsweetened almond milk and it’s really delicious. Better than expected and was a staple when I did a vegan 30 day challenge.

The PLANTSTRONG Meal Planner

mealplanner.plantstrong.com

I have not yet made this one, but it’s also vegan and gluten free bread crumbs would make this work for all.

Sunrise Breakfast Bake

Start your day with a hearty, plant-based Sunrise Breakfast Bake! This delicious recipe combines vegetables, tofu, and spices for a satisfying and nutritious breakfast. Perfect for meal prep or a weekend brunch, this casserole is easy to make and packed with flavor

plantstrong.com

Also in my vegan breakfast try file

www.themostlyvegan.com/chickpea-flour-mini-veggie-frittatas/

Flourless Bite-Sized Breakfast Muffins – Oh She Glows

Boy am I ever glad to be on the the other side of that flu! Last Thursday, when I posted my Triple Almond Energy Balls recipe, I thought that after five long days of bedrest I was starting to feel a bit better. Unfortunately, I wound up taking a turn for the worse Thursday evening...Read More

ohsheglows.com

Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bake

There's nothing better than waking up to the sweet smell of warm cinnamon on a Sunday morning. This Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bake will feed a hungry crowd or serve as a scrumptious start to your week, with lots of delicious leftovers! If you want more recipes like these, plus adaptive grocery lists...

plantstrong.com

Oatmeal W fixins

Fruit

Charcuterie and crudité platter w hummus, plus something sweet like a jam. Finger foods without dairy can get problematic. Bruschetta made ahead then topped when plated would be another option you can prep ahead. Olives. Guacamole and gluten-free chips. Dried fruit. Deviled eggs (sorry vegan person) but everyone else will like them. Almond cookies.

This is T&T hot or rm temp, but you need cups and forks to make it walk around friendly.

Oven-Roasted Ratatouille Recipe | Chocolate & Zucchini

An easy twist of the stovetop classic, this oven-roasted ratatouille is faster and gives an incredible roasted flavor. It is even better the following day.

cnz.to

Click to expand...

Thanks - I think I see some things that will work. Love the frittatas and those are going on the list for sure!

Oh I'm so sorry for your loss. What a lovely mitzvah (good deed) you are doing.

This may seem odd, but I didn't want to eat solids during that time of mourning. However, a smoothie with silk tofu (protein) and frozen fruit (flavor) was sufficient. Could you whip up a quart or two, freeze those and bring it along?

These chickpea sandwiches from CI with GF bread may be interesting. Or just have it in a bowl with small dixie cups and spoons.

Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwiches: Serves 6

Why This Recipe Works

A creamy deli-style salad makes for a satisfying sandwich that's hard to beat when lunchtime rolls around, we wanted to put a vegan spin on this category by using protein-packed chickpeas as our base. When we simply mashed our chickpeas and stirred our ingredients together, however, our salads turned out dry, crumbly, and pasty. We wanted the richness and almost saucy texture of a traditional deli salad. Vegan mayonnaise helped the cause, lending a rich smoothness, but too much of it masked the savory chickpea flavor. Since we were already opening cans of chickpeas, why not make a hummus-style puree for creaminess? We buzzed a portion of the chickpeas with vegan mayo, water, and lemon juice in the food processor for the perfect creamy binder. Then we added the remaining chickpeas to the mixture and briefly pulsed them to give us just the right textural contrast. To round things out, we turned to classic flavors: Chopped celery provided crunch, dill pickle brought a salty brininess, and scallions and herbs finished the salad with bright, fresh flavor. Served on toasted bread, this salad makes a creamy, luscious sandwich sure to satisfy any lunchtime craving.

Vegan Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Gather Your Ingredients

2 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

½ cup vegan mayonnaise: SEE NOTE BELOW FOR QUICK HOME MADE VEGAN MAYO

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper

2 celery ribs, finely chopped

⅓ cup dill pickles, finely chopped

2 scallions, sliced thin

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, dill, or tarragon

12 slices hearty multigrain bread, toasted

Before You Begin
We strongly prefer our favorite vegan mayonnaise, Just Mayo. (SEE BELOW FOR USER COMMENT HOW_TO MAKE YOUR OWN VEGAN MAYO) Serve with lettuce, tomato, sliced avocado, and/or sprouts, if desired. This salad is also delicious served in lettuce wraps.

Instructions

1.Process ¾ cup chickpeas, mayonnaise, water, lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon salt in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

2.Add remaining chickpeas to food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped with some larger pieces remaining, about 4 pulses.

3.Combine chickpea mixture, celery, pickles, scallions, and parsley in large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread chickpea salad evenly over 6 bread slices. Top with remaining bread slices and serve.

Home Made Vegan Mayo
The recipe I use is great. 3T aquafaba 2 tsp dijon 3/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp white pepper 2T white wine vinegar 250ml/9oz oil (I use cold pressed sunflower) Put all the ingredients together and blend with an immersion blender or traditional blender. About 10 seconds later you'll have wonderful vegan mayo