Adaptable Recipes for Mixed Households (Plant-Based and Not)

I recently sent a survey out to my followers and email subscribers about your pain points of eating healthy, homemade meals.

More than half of them said that their biggest challenge of eating plant-based is needing to cook for others who don’t want to eat that way.

Many of them said that one of their biggest struggles with cooking is that members of their household have different preferences that are hard to accomodate.

You Can’t Please Everyone…or can you?

Maybe you have a husband who feels a meal isn’t a meal without meat, a daughter who won’t eat any animal products, and you fall somewhere in between.

Although some may resist offering meat and cheese at a meal (myself included–I never buy meat no matter my guests), I do think that imperfect plant-based eaters are healthier and easier on the environment than perfect ones who may burn out quickly from the pressure or exhaustion of perfection. In addition, I think there is incredible value in a family sitting down, eating together, and all enjoying it. I believe that adults deserve to make their own choices about what to eat and relationships thrive when we give others free choice.

Here are meals that are perfect for households where plant-based, meat-eaters, and even gluten-free eaters all sit at the same table. They are also ideal for feeding large crowds where surely all preferences are present!

Meals that Cater to a Wide Variety of Preferences or Dietary Needs

Build-your-own pizza night. Offer real cheese and vegan cheese, and a variety of toppings. Make them heart-shaped if it’s close to Valentines Day!

Poke Bowls. Who doesn’t love a good rice bowl with a variety of choices! Offer chicken, fish, and/or tofu.

Similarly, these Sushi Bowls are a sure hit. You can include any kind of fish if you wanted. The whole-foods spicy “mayo” is so scrumptious you will lick the blender!

Slow-Cooker Black Beans shine in an amazing burrito bowl bar. Offer tortilla chips, fresh-cooked tortillas, cheese, chicken or taco meat, and avocados, tomatoes, salsa, and lettuce. A plant-based cilantro-lime dressing (or this one that’s not-vegan) takes it over the top. Can’t go wrong here!

Sweet Potato Black Bean Bowls with Creamy Chipotle Sauce is a must-try with that yummy sauce! You can include shredded chicken if needed. At my house, maybe one child only eats the rice or sweet potatoes, and that’s ok!

Lasagna Soup is a hit with all types of eaters in my experience. You can offer shredded cheese to go on top if you’d like, or cook gluten-free pasta to stir in at the end to make it gluten-free. Serve with a big salad or steamed broccoli.

These Yumm Bowls (inspired by Cafe Yumm) are easily tailored to each person’s preferences. I leave the olives off mine, and my kids might only eat the olives. 😉

Cauliflower Burrito Bowls with Cilantro Chimmichurri are another customizable bowl option. That cauliflower roasted with taco seasoning? I could eat the whole pan myself!

Hash Brown Pile-Up is a nearly weekly staple at our house. You can offer shredded cheese, fried eggs, and/or sour cream if you’d like.

Mediterranean Nourish Bowls are a unique spin on rice bowls that are bursting with fresh flavor! Offer feta cheese or other types of salad dressings (such as Green Goddess, Greek, or Italian) for those who want it. You can also include chicken in addition to the chickpeas. I served this (with only vegan options even) to a large group of mixed-diet family once, and everyone truly snarfed it up.

A big bowl of Vegan Greek Pasta Salad will be empty in seconds, it’s so flavorful and zesty! It’s ideal for summer picnics and potlucks but I make it all year round as a one-pot dinner. Add chunks of mozarella cheese or feta if you’d like, or serve with grilled protein and vegetables of choice.

Black Bean Salsa will not disappoint. Even though it’s just pure whole, plant foods (no oil is even needed!), everyone will love it. You can mix in quinoa for a heartier salad, serve it in corn tortillas for tacos, or put it alongside a big bowl of tortilla chips. It will get devoured and you’ll be offering everyone lots of fiber, protein, and micronutrients galore. This is my go-to potluck contribution, and I don’t even mind if it’s the only thing I eat there.

Taco Night is the quintessential please-all meal, right? You can make this Lentil-Walnut Taco filling for the plant-based option! It’s one of my favorite meals ever.

What would you add to this list? What do you make when you cater to a variety of preferences? I didn’t even mention a potato bar or smoothie bowl bar–just proof that the sky is the limit!

Need a Dessert?

If you need a crowd-pleasing plant-based dessert, might I suggest these quick No-Bake Brownie Bites or these fudgy Zucchini Brownies! For something more fruity, try Apple Nachos with Date Caramel Sauce, or Berry Crisp.