In our house it’s steak fries (TheKid dislikes mashed potatoes), peas, and cottage cheese.
If you’re making it three courses, I would start with an iceburg lettuce salad - very simple with cucumbers, tomato, red onion.
For dessert either the aformentioned cake or a pudding. My mom often made chocolate pudding for dessert when she went old school. Toss on a dollop of whipped cream and nom nom.
Baked potatoes and asparagus. Dessert - Sara Lee chocolate cake. Nobody doesn’t like Sara Lee!
StG
For tomorrow, the only possible accompaniments are mayonanaise and bread – IMHO meatloaf finds its highest calling in sandwich form.
When the kids were young, after the meatloaf was about done, I’d frost it with mashed potatoes and put it under the broiler for a bit.
I’ve made meat loaf gravy - scrape the goodies at the bottom of the pan, add a tiny bit of oil, add onions and mushrooms - carmelize onions, add flour or cornstarch- brown, then add broth. (or use Lipton Onion/Mushroom Gravy:))
String beans are THE veggie for meatloaf nights.
What Silenus said.
Mashed potatoes and green beens.
All else is blasphemy.
Tater tots, because they can share the glory that is Heinz ketchup with the meat loaf.
Succotash.
Substitute horseradish sauce for the mayo, and possibly a thin slice of cheddar cheese - almost makes you want to cut back on eating the meatloaf the night before. Almost.
Don’t forget the relish! A meatloaf sandwich is just a sandwich without a healthy layer of pickle relish. And sourdough bread makes the best base.
I’m a 50’s kid and my mom always served meatloaf with scalloped potatoes and baked beans. Ketchup on top of the meatloaf, mandatory.
And the vomit smiley is where, now?
Seriously, my meatloaf sandwiches are just the cold leftover meatloaf, and two slices of bread. That’s all you need!
(Of course, it doesn’t help that I hate all forms of sweet pickle, including relish. Pickles should be salty and sour, dammit!)
That’s why they invented dill pickle relish. Just for you and me.
I’d say that “a really traditional accompaniment” to meatloaf would be bluegrass. I’d recommend “Man of Constant Sorrow” (see if you can find Dan Tyminski to sing it for you)–set raight down and smile while yur eatin’.
I’m old enough to remember the '50s, and authentic meatloaf cuisine.
Mashed potatoes (with butter) and either peas or mixed veggies (also with butter). Peach cobbler for dessert.
I’m old enough to have been around the first time meatloaf was What’s For Dinner…
Mashed potatoes, peas, and a side salad. Mom’s homemade apple pie for dessert.
<swoon>
Growing up, it was always a baked potato and green beans with our meatloaf.
Mmmm… the butter would melt and run out of the potato and spill into the meatloaf and green beans. I miss my Mom’s cooking! (maybe I’ll go over tomorrow night)
One does not put gravy on meatloaf. One makes meatloaf with tomato sauce or tomato paste, and then tops it with a bit of ketchup.
I don’t recall what Mom used to serve with meatloaf, but I just had some for dinner tonight, and had carrots as a side dish. And Diet Pepsi for the beverage. It was all yummy.
My daughter gave me a jar of hot giardinaire relish (the regular stuff chopped fine) for Christmas. That would go well with meatloaf, though I always thought cold meatloaf existed only as a vehicle for ketchup.
ETA: But with the meatloaf? Pickled red cabbage.