Who doesn’t love a full, expansive buffet? After all, there are so many options and infinite possibilities.

Lucky for you (and us), today, January 2nd is National Buffet Day! The day of the year when we pay homage to the all-you-can-eat food experience that we all know and love. Typically the buffets you find in restaurants have few plant-based options; however, you can avoid the strenuous search by making your buffet-worthy eats from home. These five recipes from the Food Monster App are inspired by all-time buffet classics and are perfect for when you are entertaining large crowds.

These Mediterranean Pinwheels are a no-mess option that are fresh yet flavorful.

These easy Mediterranean Pinwheels by Florian Nouh are big on delicious Mediterranean flavor. Tangy olives, meaty marinated artichoke hearts, crisp lettuce, and juicy cherry tomatoes are rolled up with a creamy tahini sauce.

Ooey-Gooey Baked Ziti is a nostalgic buffet staple that everyone should be able to enjoy!

This Ooey-Gooey Baked Ziti by Rhea Parsons is ooey-gooey, creamy, cheesy pasta topped with a simple sauce that’s bursting with flavor and more melted cheesy goodness on top, along with some crunchy bread crumbs.

Caramel Apple Crisp is an easy-to-scoop dessert.

This Caramel Apple Crisp by Kat Condon is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and vegan! Made with a simple homemade caramel sauce and topped with dairy-free ice cream, this crisp is the perfect fall and winter dessert.

You can easily make Cauliflower Rice Biryani and serve batches to all your loved ones.

This Cauliflower Rice Biryani by Sara Oliveira may be grain-free, but it’s just as filling as the original! Riced cauliflower is cooked with warm spices, carrots, and peas until tender, fragrant, and flavorful. This can be served as a main course or as a side with plenty of other veggies for sharing.

This Sweet and Sour ‘Chicken’ is reminiscent of the American Chinese buffet options.

This Sweet and Sour ‘Chicken’ by Rhea Parsons is incredible – the mix of sweet and spicy – that always makes me happy! It goes perfectly over some brown rice and satisfies that take-out craving without ever having to leave your house.

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
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