This post is a part of a series about the Vegetarian Lifestyle, called Going Veggie Style!

If you’ve ever requested a vegetarian meal on an airplane, then you know that the airline gives you an entirely different meal than everyone else--this is not necessary. While I’m eating bean paste and sprouts without a cookie, I’m salivating over the sandwich, grapes, and chips everyone else is eating. During my 15 years of vegetarianism, there is no question I get asked more frequently than, “What should I feed a vegetarian guest?” To answer the question, prepare whatever dish you normally would, with meat on the side.

Vegetarians are like everyone else, but we just don’t eat meat. I’ve been to many dinner parties where I was forced to choke down bland, poorly-cooked tofu while everyone else ate gourmet. Follow these simple guidelines to please any vegetarian guest. You’ll be surprised how easy it is.

Common mistakes

In an effort to please vegetarian guests, many hosts have made simple mistakes that prevented a vegetarian from enjoying a dish that was intended for their enjoyment. For example, you’ve made your famous bean stew, thinking how high in protein it will be. Unfortunately, you forgot to skip the ham hock step in the directions. Maybe you’ve made a Caesar salad for your vegetarian guest, but you forgot that the dressing has tiny bits of anchovy in it. Other ways of tainting a veggie meal for your guest are adding bacon bits to a salad or putting meat that could be served on the side in the main dish. For example, if you’re serving chili, put the ground beef on the side. This is a win-win situation.

Don't make a fuss

Most vegetarians do not like having to eat something entirely different than everyone else because we feel left out. If you were planning on steaks for your dinner party and cooking a separate dish just for the vegetarian, reconsider. Go ahead and serve the steak, but try pasta primavera, salad, and dinner rolls on the side. A vegetarian guest can make the pasta his or her main dish, no problem. It is not necessary to do as the airlines do and make us a tofu cake with lentil sauce. We like the same food as everyone else!

Vegetarian barbequing

With the wide array of fake meat available today, throw a meatless patty on the grill. It is sure to please your vegetarian guest. I recommend either fake beef or fake chicken patties. Grilled vegetables are also great on the grill. Be careful to make extras though. Your other guests are sure to see the grilled veggies and want to try some. If you’re doing shish kabobs, try either tofu with vegetables for your vegetarian guest. Tofu and fake meat can be purchased in the produce or frozen food section of your local grocery store.

Holidays

Many holiday meals center around turkey or ham. No problem, any vegetarian already knows this. Don’t worry about offending a vegetarian guest because everyone else is having meat. As long as there are enough veggie side dishes, no one will go hungry. Having a “pot luck” holiday dinner is also a great way to please a vegetarian guest. No doubt the vegetarian will bring something he or she will enjoy.

This was the last post in the Going Veggie Style series! I hope you enjoyed this series of posts by Staci Marquez-Nichols. She's a professional writer and vegetarian lifestyle expert.

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Comments (4)

vegetarian
written by Heidi , March 20, 2008

Great Post! I usually end up just eating side dishes at most parties when I am the odd vegetarian out. Great ideas!

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written by Evita , March 20, 2008

Good advice. And thanks for the warning about the plane food, we will be travelling soon for the first time as vegetarians so it's nice to know things like this :)

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written by Mel T , March 20, 2008

Thanks for the great tips, very useful indeed, and it really helps to get incite from a vegetarian to avoid offending.

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written by Nico , March 22, 2008

Indeed, vegetarians are also just people :o)
thx for the comments!