Easy Hospitality Meal for Every Eater

Written by Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life, Contributing Writer

Inviting people into our homes to share meals together seems to be a habit that happens less and less these days. And I get it. It’s hard. We’re busy. They’re busy.

It’s true. Practicing hospitality can be a challenge and especially daunting in today’s world of Pinterest-perfect idealism (just let it go!). It can also be confusing to plan a meal while taking into consideration potential food allergies and simple food preferences (picky eaters, anyone??).

But I whole-heartedly think that the benefits far outweigh the challenges. There’s just something about sharing a meal together in the comfort of someone’s home. It’s a special sort of vulnerability to see each other’s messes, the pictures on our walls, and special places we call home. The time invested in conversations across the table or on the couch with a hot cup of coffee can do more for community building in a few hours than dozens of hours of small talk at work or church.

One of my favorite meals to plan for friends is setting up a taco bar. If the idea of preparing food is holding you back from hospitality…If cooking just isn’t your thing…If it just seems like there’s never enough time to get ready…then why give a taco bar a try?

It’s easy to prepare beforehand and requires little prep once guests arrive. And it’s a perfect meal to accommodate a variety of food allergies or preferences.

Gluten-free? No problem. Vegetarian? Got you covered. Dairy-free? Yep. Your kid only likes cheese? Sure thing.

It’s a no-fuss meal that everyone is familiar with. You can buy everything pre-made or spend a little time in the afternoon putting together a few toppings.

Here’s what I like to include in our taco bar:

Taco shells
Ground beef (seasoned with taco seasoning)
Black beans and/or pinto beans (seasoned with taco seasoning)
Shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa
Guacamole (I love Wholly Guacamole from Costco- so convenient and delicious!)
Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
Shredded romaine lettuce

Embrace the vulnerability of bringing people into your home, prioritize people over false notions of what hospitality has to look like, and take joy in the sweet gifts of friendship and community! It’s worth it.