As the winter holiday season continues, many with food restrictions, diets, or allergies may find themselves missing out on many of the classic staples of holiday foods. Common sides such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, various casserole dishes, may be just out of reach for these individuals. Here are some ways to modify classic side dishes in order to make them more inclusive, along with some entirely new sides. 

Mashed potatoes

A classic side that finds itself at nearly every table each holiday season. Traditional mashed potatoes contain boiled and mashed potatoes, lots of butter and milk, and salt and pepper. Luckily this dish is easy to customize, as simply switching out the butter and milk for vegan butter, and adding a little garlic makes this dish vegan friendly. Butter can also be replaced with extra virgin olive oil. 

Instead of peeling the mashed potatoes before boiling/mashing them, try leaving the skin on to give your dish an extra crunch and a new flair. Another option is to place the peeled potatoes on a baking sheet just after boiling, mashing them onto the tray (make sure they stay connected!), and then baking them for 45 minutes to give the perfect combination of crunch and classic mashed potatoes. You can find this recipe here. 

Stuffing 

Another classic dish that is often accompanied by turkey, hence the name, and provides traditional flavors to any holiday meal. For those who have a gluten allergy, stuffing is usually off-limits, however, this recipe provides an easy way to make homemade, fresh stuffing, with the simple substitution of gluten-free bread. This recipe is also vegan friendly, provided gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free bread is used. 

Rolls 

Bread is a must at big holiday dinners, due to its buttery and fluffy texture, and it pairs nicely with gravy and mashed potatoes. This recipe for traditional homemade rolls contains yeast sugar, eggs, flour, and butter. These rolls need time to rise and take about three hours to complete. 

Low carb diets restrict carbohydrate consumption and increase the amount of fat and protein consumed. Rolls that adhere to these requirements are hard to find but can be super easy to make at home with this recipe. This recipe contains ground flaxseed, almond flour, and Psyllium husk powder. This powder helps to combine the unique ingredients together, and is used frequently in low-carb recipes. 

Unique casserole dishes 

Mac & Cheese is a popular dish among younger kids and is most known as a bright orange from a Kraft or Velveeta box. However, it is easy to transform this dish into a sophisticated masterpiece with this recipe. Cook the pasta of your choice, and combine flour, onion powder, pepper, together with shredded white cheddar cheese to “adultify” this classic kid favorite. 

For a breakfast spin on holiday meals, this baked cranberry cream cheese french toast provides a sweet start to any morning. Before baking for 50 minutes, layer cubed french bread, cream cheese, and cranberry sauce. Cover with a mixture of egg, milk, syrup, and nutmeg, and then refrigerate. After baking at 350F, top with additional syrup and serve for a holiday twist on french toast. 

Other casserole recipes can be found here. Some have a unique take on traditional dishes, others with entirely new combinations to help add new flavors to your dinner table during the holiday season while being mindful of different preferences and dietary restrictions.