Does it really have to be this complicated?

It is Christmas Eve eve and I am getting a jump on the Christmas Eve meal and pre making the twice baked potatoes.  Now this will be a table favorite and will complement the filet mignon and salmon nicely.  I have already scooped out all the potatoes into a bowl, leaving just the skins, and start tossing in all the other ingredients.   Just before I hit it with my mixer, I realize my mistake!  One of the potatoes needed to be bacon free.  So there I am gathering enough potato and picking out the bacon bits to make one bacon free twice baked potato.  Now the sour cream, cheese, and mounds of butter are not a problem, but it can’t have bacon bits in it.  So I mix up two batches to meet the needs of the dinner guests. They were awesome by the way.  We are also having surf and turf since not everyone eats red meat and I wanted to cook filet mignon for this holiday meal.

Now in the past, I don’t remember dietary restrictions being as complicated as they have become.  People just ate what was served and were happy they did not have to cook it.  I do a lot of extended wilderness trips and many times organize the food.  It has become standard practice to ask people if they have any dietary restrictions and many times must get the menue approved.  I have had to accommodate vegans, vegetarians, just no red meat,  low sodium, organically grown only, and gluten free foods.  I do understand people who have a real health issue with certain foods like a peanut allergy, but a potato with some bacon bits once or twice a year- really.

Planning menus for large groups of people have become a pain in the back side.  Often the food prepared is not my first choice as to accommodate the one or two who won’t eat prime rib or you end up cooking two main dishes to make them happy.  Just suck it up and eat it and you can serve a free range turkey with vegan whole grain stuffing and organically grown garlic mash potatoes next to GMO free, locally grown aruglua.

Having friends and family over for dinner should not be as complicated as it has become!

The World According to Jeff-