Food for a houseguest?

[xokell2]

My mil will be staying with me for a couple weeks and I'm trying to think of grocery items to have on hand that might be nice for an out of town guest. I already asked her if she wanted anything in particular but she said no.  *-)

I'm also looking for good dinner ideas for when she's here. My husband works nights so I usually made something lame and easy for my kiddos. 

Please help 

[Pom]

This is so personal to each guest(s). Do you know what she traditionally likes...big hot tea drinker? eggs every morning? does she prefer salads at lunch and seafood when you dine out? I try to shop with some sense of how they eat when we dine out.

For example, our guests that were just here enjoy the following (which I don't normally stock): Sweet Tea, flour tortillas with eggs for breakfast, Hot Salsa, extra milk, orange juice-no pulp, Sprite. Not big seafood fans, but do enjoy most other meats and veggies.

[orval]

I try to have breakfast foods - bagels/English muffins, yogurt, cereal to choose from. Maybe a nice fresh fruit salad already made.
We usually do sandwiches or leftovers for lunches - but some good bread, homemade soup, lunchmeat, salad fixings.
Dinner - I do stuff I don't usually make for just two of us. Baked spaghetti or PW Chicken spaghetti - they make so much we have too much. Pulled pork in the crockpot. Fresh veggie pizza. All still easy.

[konapoppy]

I like things where they can "make their own" with the ingredients they like. For example, sandwiches, tacos, stir fry, grilled meat and veggies.

I also like to keep a variety of snacks- nuts, pita chips and dip, trail mix, etc.

[Pom]

I made this casserole and it was a massive hit. We had fresh garden tomatoes on hand but it was kind of summery and different. Kind of a breakfast, lunch or dinner type thing and easy.

Kentucky Hot Brown Bake Casserole
Ingredients
Two - 8oz package refrigerated crescent rolls (I used reduced fat)
1 lb. smoked turkey (Spread Dijon over top layer of turkey)
8 slices cooked bacon (oven method to make life easier)
8 slices Swiss cheese
3 Roma tomatoes, sliced thin
3 eggs, beaten (two bottom layer, one top)
Instructions:
Unroll the crescent dough and separate into 2 squares.
Place one square in bottom of 8"x11” pan that is greased or lined with parchment paper.
Press dough to fit pan.
Layer with half the turkey, bacon, cheese and tomatoes.
Dijon on top layer of turkey
Pour half the eggs over the top.
Repeat the layers.
Top with remaining dough square.
Pour remaining eggs over top.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, covered with foil. Remove foil and bake another 35-40 minutes.
Let sit at room temp for 15-20 minutes before serving.

[VillainV]

If she said she doesn't need anything special, then just go with a variety of foods like what orval listed. I'm lactose intolerant, and my parents and in-laws know that I like to have soy milk around. Otherwise, my husband and I are pretty easy houseguests.

As for what to cook while she's there, you can't really go wrong with meat + two veggies, unless she's vegetarian. Meals like spaghetti, lasagna, and meatloaf are pretty universally liked. You might also consider making an egg frittata with some diced potatoes and onions, whatever veggies you have on hand (peppers, asparagus, spinach), some kind of cheese, and eggs. You can google recipes to see if something strikes your fancy.

[mbcdefg]

Cold cuts and bread/rolls
Cereal or oatmeal
Fruit
Cheese and crackers
Peanut butter and jelly
Frozen meals (Trader Joe's?)
Salad
Eggs
Chips and dip
Cookies
Juice, milk, soda, Gatorade, beer/wine, whatever they like

Takeout menus

My mom would probably like stuff like frozen pizza, sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, potatoes. She's not much of a cook and eats really bland food.

My FIL would like pasta, chicken breasts, a basic steak (flat-iron is a good cut), thin pork chops, potatoes, broccoli, mozzarella cheese. He is a retired Italian chef so he's up for cooking full meals.

[crashgizmo]

Something we always keep in mind is coffee- neither H or I are big coffee drinkers, and some people HAVE to have it. And my dad drinks those flavored creamers, so I always buy those.

Same thing with soda/tea. DH and I only drink Diet Pepsi, so I always try to have some regular soda or Iced Tea for guests.

[jena]

I try to think about what I've seen in their fridge or what they cook or order in restaurants.

And since she'll be here a couple weeks maybe you can take her shopping with you.

My mil eats more vegetarian meals so I try to plan less meat heavy meals, stock up on salad fixings, and I buy a special bread she likes from our grocery store that she can't get at home.

[aurora]

I think a key element is snack foods, but that depends heavily on what each guest likes (fruit, cheese & crackers, chips, etc.).

We have guests showing up in a couple of hours and H told me not to go to the store, so...I guess we're being bad hosts. (At least they're good friends who won't be offended if we go shopping after they get here.)

[dancingirl21]

Breakfast items: Fruit, yogurt, bread/bagels, "regular" cereals - cheerios, corn flakes (generic enough that everyone probably likes one)
Lunch items: Deli meat/cheese, tortilla chips/salsa, pasta salad
Dinner: I usually try to provide or make dinner so take out pizza or a homemade meal
Snacks: Cheese/crackers, fruit salad, popcorn

I like to keep a good mix of healthy/non-healthy on hand so all guests feel like there is something they will eat.