What about squash soup served with teriyaki chicken wings? I marinate mine overnight, then broil them, which you could easily do at your dad's. Easy to transport, easy to eat, yummy.

You could even make the butternut squash soup with ginger and Chinese 5 spice to marry it to the wings and do an Asian theme.

Of course, curry is excellent, too.

Sweet potato harvest soup

The seasonings make it like Thanksgiving in a bowl, a nice preview of the next day, and it's one of the easiest soups there is, no mirepoix or roux.

Yes, I was thinking chicken wings, but honestly, they are so messy and dad has some kind of palsy and almost certainly will spill or drop something. I guess I could just do some kind of boneless chicken strips, same way . . . Maybe I should even consider cold Kentucky fried chicken. Dad actually likes that. Yes, . . . I know.

If I went "Asian" for dinner I could even bake some shrimp egg rolls or do cold shrimp appetizer too. I love curried squash soup, not sure if dad will like it . . .

Cold fried chicken is delicious. Love to dip it into ketchup.

I think chicken soup could absolutely go w/ that menu. Maybe a cream style, or maybe a white chili style? Is Dad just picky, or can he not eat those things for a reason? You could hide any onions, garlic & chiles by mincing them fine enough to disappear into the mixture.

The onions, garlic, celery and peppers is because they upset his stomach, and I can usually sneak a small amount into a soup or dish for one of those, because a small amount usually doesn't bother him. As for the rest, I think he is more or less afraid of anything green. I have a great recipe for red lentil curried soup too, but that would be out, he doesn't do pea or lentil soups.

I have an easy peasy chicken soup that we make with boneless chicken breasts, frozen mixed vegetables, and boxed chicken broth, and then we add barley. It's good but I make it a lot. I really liked the idea of the squash soup though . . . I was in the grocery store today and saw they have any number of heat and serve "pockets" stuffed with various kinds of meats, so maybe some of those on the side . . . Chicken salad of some kind might be an option too. And on the way to the grocery store I thought of making deviled eggs. Dad loves egg salad so that would probably be a great option.

Instead of the guacamole and chips and cheese and crackers, why not a big dish of nachos with meat (either chicken or beef)? You can make everything ahead of time and just wrap it really well, or, if it travels/stores better, put each of the elements in a container or bag and do a quick assembly and a short time under the broiler there. You could do that with the squash soup.

Or do Bbstx's recently posted zucchini soup with the sausage in it. You could use chicken or turkey sausage--use olive oil for the sauté, brown the sausage separately, and add it in later in the cooking process so it doesn't overcook. Or get precooked poultry sausage, crumble it and put it in at the end.

But I also agree with Carolb that you could make chicken soup go with your meal well enough. Just look at the seasonings of the dip and guacamole and make sure the soup goes with them. Or you could goose the squash soup with some concentrated chicken stock (or veal or beef).

I'd make fun foods. They can eat healthy the next day. Buffalo chicken dip (from the oven), wings, nachos, sliders, spiced nuts, cookies, bacon wrapped dates, kebabs, loaded potatoes....

Bring a salad if you want one.

Soup, while delicious, isn't fun.

Protein can be deviled eggs, Everyone devours them and can be made way ahead. Another idea is sliced tomatoes, fresh or dried basil, balls of fresh mozzarella, drizzled with olive oil and freshly ground pepper. Picky eaters will pick out what they want leaving the good stuff for everyone else.

I agree with Nancy on the devilled eggs, and they can be made ahead of time. I also like the idea of boneless wings of some type, or maybe some chicken sliders. Potato skins or wedges can have cheese, beans or meat as a protein source too, and scooped out potato halves can hold things from taco meat to smoked fish to chili to a cheese mixture, so stuffed baked potatoes could be finger food if you use smaller potatoes.

A sliver of sharp cheese with a thin slice of roast beef makes a nice slider, even better on a sweet potato biscuit. I also think it should just be fun on Thursday, you can do turkey and vegetables on Friday!

Annie

SO and I actually enjoy healthy food more than unhealthy, that's one reason we are together, we have a similar palette! If it's healthy and tasty, it makes us happy. Maybe loaded potato skins would be good, since dad loves them. Or loaded sweet potatoes, which I just saw a recipe for the other day. Dad loves sweet potatoes too. I could make ones stuffed with marshmallows and sugar for dad (the way he likes sweet potatoes, and some veggies for SO and I, like maybe broccoli with chicken and spicy peanut sauce, since SO loves broccoli). As far as "fun," everyone included loves guacamole and also squash, but I agree that it can't be the main feature. I didn't know chicken wings came boneless, that would be good. SO would love some spicy wings to go with that assortment!

Wings are almost always welcome, IMPO.

If wings are too difficult to eat, boneless chicken threaded onto a skewer with whatever "wing sauce" basted on could be a workable alternative.

Meatballs in a small crockpot could also help with the protein angle and there are many different flavor options you could go with, lamb, turkey, beef, etc. I am not even sure you really need a soup for dinner since you will be eating a pork stew at lunch.

I'd make a vegetable beef soup....with onions and celery and let your dad pick those vegetables out.
Seems neither one likes food much at all, so buy some meatballs at Sam's Club and make that BBQ sauce with the mustard and grape jelly and fix what you like. Let your dad eat raw carrots and meatballs.

Yeah, for my dad some Little Debbie chocolate cupcakes and the meatballs would be fine.

L, boneless chicken wings are available frozen at Meijer, but not fresh, so you could probably find some. Chicken "tenders" would work just as well, I think, if you can't find boneless wings.

I've also roasted slices of sweet potato and topped them with sour cream/cheese/bacon and made a version of potato skins, because I like sweet potatoes as well as I like white ones, they're all yummy.

Have fun, the Lions have actually won a couple of games this year, so there's hope for football!

Annie

Ahem, we are Packers fans at my house! ;)