Entertaining those with dietary restrictions has become a challenging necessity. The solution lies in knowing what restrictions exist and in open communication with the guest(s).
The first step is determining what your guest is and is not comfortable eating. What kind of vegetarian are they?
Creative Solutions
It's hard to make two separate meals. Try these creative solutions instead:
- One-dish Meals. It isn't necessary to try to create vegetarian “meat-and-potatoes”. A one-dish meal like gourmet pasta or baked lentils is easier.
- Add Meat Afterwards. For example, cook all the fixins’ for chili in a large pot. Divide it into two smaller pots after all the vegetables have been added. To one small pot add browned ground beef for a meat version; to the other add textured soy protein (TSP) for an equally-delicious vegetarian version.
- Substitute the Meat. Replace the meat with a vegetarian mock-meat substitute. Try mock chicken cutlets, fake steak strips, and marinated tofu that are vegetarian and vegan. If animal products are to be used in side dishes (for example, adding bacon bits or Caesar dressing to a salad), set some aside before adding them.
- Potluck It. At casual gatherings, have guests bring along their favourite vegetarian burger or dairy-free, egg-free dessert.
- Take the Meat Out. Replace it with nothing. Some gatherings (like holiday dinners) are overflowing with more than enough vegetarian dishes to forget about a preparing a vegetarian main course. If employing this approach, ask the guest beforehand to make sure nobody feels left out from the festivities.
- Order In. Find a great vegetarian restaurant that delivers.
Politeness and Communication
Clarifying details – like what a guest means by "I'm a flexitarian" - before the big day can prevent dietary disasters.
Vegetarians and vegans appreciate efforts toward their inclusion and (in most cases) want to make things as easy as possible on the cook. A polite phone call regarding the inclusion of certain ingredients can reduce stress for both parties and provide new opportunities for creative brainstorming and even recipe-swapping!
Does "Meatless" Mean "Vegetarian"?
The words “meatless” and “vegetarian” are often used interchangeably; but they are not synonyms.
Animal products are often used, without containing actual meat (muscle) from the animal. Restaurants routinely use oyster sauce for tofu stir-fry sauces, for example. These dishes are not vegetarian, though vegetarians who cut out meat for health reasons might be more flexible.
New vegetarians are often surprised to find that broth or stock cubes contain bits of the animals from which they derive their name. Chicken fat is often the first ingredient. Luckily, many imitation stocks are 100% vegetarian. Check the Natural or Organic section of the grocer.
Additional Hidden Sources of Non-Vegetarian Ingredients:
- Caesar salad / dressing (anchovies, possibly bacon)
- Margarine (some brands) (gelatin, whey powder)
- Jell-o or similar desserts (gelatin)
- Some yogurts, sour cream (gelatin)
- Vegetable soup – canned (beef broth)
- Pie crusts (lard)
- Soy cheese (casein – a milk protein; vegetarian but not vegan)
The Bottom Line
- Guests: should inform the host of dietary restrictions in advance.
- Hosts: should help to devise a mutually acceptable solution. Hosts can seek guidance from vegetarian cookbooks and recipes, perhaps even becoming inspired to try new vegetarian dishes themselves.
- Back-up: challenges and mishaps are likely to occur and it is important to have a back-up plan. keep a box of vegan fake meat or veggie burgers in the freezer. You never konw when the soufflé will fall or a new vegetarian friend will drop by for a visit.
