How to handle vegetarian guests

kittykatwi13 · September 2010

I like Meat and hate vegetables. I know there will be a veggie tray for hors d'ouerves and some on the buffet but should I really have to plan my menu around the 6-10 people out of 200+ that will be attending that are vegetarian?

Ashes_3 · September 2010

I think you should have a vegan option for those people. You don't have to "plan" your menu around them, just have another option for them. We only have one vegan and I am having something prepared just for her for my rehersal dinner and my reception out of 150 ppl. Its just courtsey!! You wouldn't want to go somewhere that you didn't have food there you wanted to eat!

kaesha · September 2010

Seriously, ditto pp. Make sure there's a substantial main course option for them and some sides that everyone can enjoy (I mean really, how much meat do you need in pasta salad or a great green salad?) then move on. Even if you don't like veggies, odds are that most of your guests do.

Bottom line: you wouldn't invite people over for a dinner party and serve them a veggie tray while you feasted on a rack of lamb, you know? That would be mortifyingly bad poor hosting. You have to take care of all your guests, especially because of their dietary restrictions.

MandK9 · September 2010

Yes, please don't blow them off just because the food they can eat isn't what you prefer. I'm a vegetarian, and am shocked at how many weddings I've been to where the only thing I can eat is salad. I feel like it's ridiculous to think that because we don't eat meat, we're not entitled to a meal. I had to run out, get a pizza and eat it in the parking lot once because I was starving, but didn't want to ditch the wedding.

So, that's that. I'm a vegetarian and plan on including tons of meat-based options at my wedding because I know lots of people will want them. I clearly won't eat them, but I think it's proper to offer all varieties of food.

mysticl · September 2010

I was at a wedding that had one vegetarian guest. The meal was prime rib and there were no other options. However, the bride had made arrangements with catering to serve one vegetarian meal to that guest. That is an option you could look into but since your are having a buffet it shouldn't be too hard on you to include a non-meat course like pasta and sauce.

MandK9 · September 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_handle-vegetarian-guests?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:8c517efa-8409-4962-809e-06144f9525a2Post:450f1f70-1253-41c0-baee-05339ba853d9">Re: How to handle vegetarian guests</a>:
[QUOTE]I was at a wedding that had one vegetarian guest. The meal was prime rib and there were no other options. However, the bride had made arrangements with catering to serve one vegetarian meal to that guest. That is an option you could look into but since your are having a buffet it shouldn't be too hard on you to include a non-meat course like pasta and sauce.
Posted by mysticl[/QUOTE]

<div>
</div><div>Yes, perfect: in a buffet, maybe you can have a meatless mostaccioli? Or if you're really in love with meat sauces, you could have the noodles in one chafing dish, and two sauces in the next one: one marinara, one meat. </div><div>
</div><div>P.S. Vegetarian doesn't always mean vegetables. Pasta is an easy crowd-pleaser that can be made vegetarian with no problem.</div>

[Deleted User] · September 2010

i am having gluten free meals for the 2 people attending my wedding that are celiacs.
it would be rude to have nothing for them to eat- just as it would be rude to have no meal for the vegetarians.

i am a vegetarian, half of my guests (including 90% of my wedding party are vegans)
i'll be serving one meat entree and one vegan entree. everybody goes home happy.

jagore08 · September 2010

We had 2 vegetarian guests and I made sure that they were accommodated, as should you with your guests. Just think how you would feel going to an all vegetarian wedding just because the bride and groom were vegetarians.

[Deleted User] · September 2010

my venue actually is handling this. We get 2 choices for our meal selection and thay have a vegan meal for any who need/want this instead. So its ultimately 3 choices. THey did ask us if we could get them the # of vegan meals that would be needed or think we would need so they can prepare.
Check with your venue/caterer they may be able to help you there.
BUt i do think that it is necessary, you need to feed them something they will/can eat. You dont need them passing out for lack of food, or walking out angry and upset because you ignored their choice/belief in food

kittykatwi13 · September 2010

Ok I see where everyone is coming from, but I have gone to a vegetarian wedding that included nothing I could eat. We are preparing all the food ourselves and want it all to make sense together. Nothing is finalized on what we are doing but I"ve asked them what I should make for them and they can't even come up with anything. I'm even now thinking about having breakfast foods for dinner becasue then I don't have to think about what vegitarians would want compared to meat eaters. Plus I do love breakfast but my mom is not onboard with that so I don't know what to do anymore.

kaesha · September 2010

Make (or buy!) a vegetarian lasagna. It's dead easy and often freezes well so it can be made in advance. Heck, I'd choose a veggie lasagna over a meat one any day of the week; they're so much less greasy.

Try something like this:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Spinach-Lasagna-III/Detail.aspx

Serve it with a Caesar salad (sans bacon), garlic bread. DONE.

FubbaMoozer · September 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_handle-vegetarian-guests?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:8c517efa-8409-4962-809e-06144f9525a2Post:cbff1ebb-fb3f-48e9-9ab1-fd4fdf121557">Re: How to handle vegetarian guests</a>:
[QUOTE]Ok I see where everyone is coming from, but I have gone to a vegetarian wedding that included nothing I could eat. We are preparing all the food ourselves and want it all to make sense together. Nothing is finalized on what we are doing but I"ve asked them what I should make for them and they can't even come up with anything. I'm even now thinking about having breakfast foods for dinner becasue then I don't have to think about what vegitarians would want compared to meat eaters. Plus I do love breakfast but my mom is not onboard with that so I don't know what to do anymore.
Posted by kittykatwi13[/QUOTE]

1. The fact that you've been to a wedding that had nothing for you to eat should push you in the opposite direction from what you're doing. You realized how crappy it was that you had no good choices, but you want to do the same thing to your guests. Plus, you couldn't eat their food because you don't like how vegetables taste-- vegetarians can't eat the food you'll offer because it's against their beliefs or their health.

2. Someone suggested above that you make pasta with marinara. I think that's incredibly easy and 100% acceptable. So is the lasagna that a PP mentioned.

kittykatwi13 · September 2010

BTW ceaser salad is not veggie friendly or at least the dressing isn't. It has sardine's in it, no joke. Plus if they wanted something and I"ve asked what specifically they want and won't tell me I've never had to deal with a picky me plus picky vegetarians (and they are)

kaesha · September 2010

A traditional Caesar has anchovies, not sardines, but you can easily make it without. Heck, you can even make vegan Caesar dressings and dump the egg from it.

There are tons of recipes out there. Check out the Moosewood series of books from your library.

dizzinea · September 2010

definitly include something vegan, there are lots of dishes that your carniverous guests will like too. maybe grilled sateed muchrooms, or a pasta dish based around zuchini, maybe even ask a couple of your veggie guests for ideas

[Deleted User] · September 2010

im kind of offended by the vegetarians are picky comment.

i was always a picky eater growing up, and have actually become less so since i've been a vegetarian.

kittykatwi13 · September 2010

I didn't say vegetarians are picky I said they're picky vegetarians

FubbaMoozer · September 2010

The take-home message here is: you will offend your vegetarian guests if you do not offer a meal that they can eat. That's the end of the story. You seem pretty locked in to your decision to not include a vegetarian dish, so just be prepared to have a couple of pissy guests. I don't foresee anyone telling you it's okay to not have a meatless choice... unless they themselves are doing the same, and have convinced themselves that it's not rude. It is.

AbbeyS2011 · September 2010

I had a co-worker who was mostly vegan - from time to time she ate chicken, but mainly it was non-meat meals. She used to make a killer cheese lasagna - had 4-5 different types of cheese and a marinara sauce - you did not miss the meat!

Pasta is always a good choice - you could have meatballs on the side for those who wanted to add it to their dish. A pasta station would be a good idea - 2 or 3 different types of noodles and 2-3 sauces, then sauteed or grilled vegetables chicken and meatballs - everyone can mix and match their own! Since you are doing the food yourselves, break out the crock pots for the sauces, and for the meats, I noticed recently (in the wedding section)at Wal-Mart, they have disposable chafing dishes! Just a thought but should work for you.

As for salad - why not just set up a salad bar with leafy greens, a variety of toppings and dressings? You can also have your Caesar made up and everyone is happy.

HTH

linguo42 · September 2010

Would you make an exception for someone who had allergies or would you tell them to make do with what you'd already planned out?

Having no meatless entree option for people you know are vegetarians is, IMO, no different than serving scallops to a guest who is allergic to shellfish and saying "just eat around them". It's not like they're springing it on you at the reception without any warning. You know they're vegetarian, therefore it is only considerate to give them a non-meat option.

Vegetarian food isn't rocket science. There are plenty of good meatless meals out there, as people have pointed out above.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown · September 2010

The fact that they can't tell you what to make is because... well, vegetarians can eat anything except meat. Do you know how much food that is? Pick a kind of food you want to serve. Southern? Italian? Mexican? Asian? We'll give you options for each. Vegetarians don't just eat vegetables. Undecided

In fact, I know a lot of vegetarians who don't LIKE vegetables.

What are you thinking of making? Find something that goes with it with no meat. Or make a meatless version. I went to a wedding once where the bride and groom made all the food. they had chicken en mole, salad and rice. They made tofu en mole for vegetarian guests.

And could you not eat anything at the wedding you went to or did you just choose not to eat anything? Because not being able to eat something is different from being picky. (I agree with PPs - I am NOT a picky eater and I'm a vegetarian. Wow, there are about a dozen things I don't eat including beef, pork, chicken, etc.)

HisLilSassafras · September 2010

I am really surprised that you assume that vegetarian means that you only eats veggies. http://allrecipes.com//Recipes/everyday-cooking/vegetarian/Main.aspx has over 3000 recipies for vegetarian dishes that are more substantial than a salad. It doesn't matter if they are picky and don't like the food. It does matter if you invite then and then don't offer anything that they can eat in good conscious.

I Want Cake · September 2010

You really shouldn't treat your friends as a burden if you want them at your reception. It's not difficult to make a substantial non-meat dish (hello, pasta?), and I don't know if I've ever eaten a meal that had meat in every single dish. At our wedding, we'll have one person who's a vegetarian, and we're making sure she gets a vegetarian meal, even though we're also having a buffet. It'd be rude not to at least try to accomodate their dietary needs, and if you're serving this as a buffet option, everyone else will be able to enjoy it, too. Not everyone demands meat in every dish, and even though I do eat meat, I frequently opt for the vegetarian dish. Seriously, this isn't difficult. Do a little looking around and you'll see there are literally thousands of options.

kittykatwi13 · September 2010

Ok, I guess the fact of the matter is not that I don't want to do a vegetarian dish and be rude because it's my sister and her family. The fact is I am a picky eater and all the dishes people are bringing up are not one in my brain when I think of food because I don't eat veggies or sauces or non-meat dishes. So thanks for the ideas. I was venting when I was writing my originaly post because I will make them what ever they want but she won't tell me what to make. She is my MOH and has wanted to help with everything and I love her for that but she won't help me pick out food for her picky family (not because they're vegetarians just because they are) They might even be so picky as to not eat what I make because they're not in the mood for it that night. I"m not trying to be rude I don't care if people are veggies, vegan or whatever. I do have someone coming who has celiac and I will be making sure her meal gets served in a to go container because that's how she makes sure it doesn't get contaminated when people walk over her, since I know this I will accomidate. Thanks

kittykatwi13 · September 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_handle-vegetarian-guests?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:8c517efa-8409-4962-809e-06144f9525a2Post:1eaced32-1482-4d89-a1a3-15942721905d">Re: How to handle vegetarian guests</a>:
[QUOTE]Ok, I guess the fact of the matter is not that I don't want to do a vegetarian dish and be rude because it's my sister and her family. The fact is I am a picky eater and all the dishes people are bringing up are not one in my brain when I think of food because I don't eat veggies or sauces or non-meat dishes. So<strong><em> thanks for the ideas</em></strong>. I was venting when I was writing my originaly post because <strong>I will make them what ever they want </strong>but she won't tell me what to make. She is my MOH and has wanted to help with everything and I love her for that but she won't help me pick out food for her picky family (not because they're vegetarians just because they are) They might even be so picky as to not eat what I make because they're not in the mood for it that night. I"m not trying to be rude I don't care if people are veggies, vegan or whatever. I do have someone coming who has celiac and I will be making sure her meal gets served in a to go container because that's how she makes sure it doesn't get contaminated when people walk over her, since I know this I will accomidate. Thanks
Posted by kittykatwi13[/QUOTE]

Thanks for being such a great reader. I said Thanks for the ideas because I peorsnaly can't come up with them. I'm not a foodie or chef and no if I don't eat it it's not in my brain to think about so I will think about the ideas you are suggesting. And you're now married go be with your husband!

andamu · September 2010

I'm a vegetarian, and I've been to two weddings this year - one where it was a buffet and I had all of the non-meat things (corn, mashed potatoes, salad and a roll) and one where I was served a veggie meal (pasta primavera) made for me.

I didn't go home hungry either time, but I really appreciated the care the bride took at the second wedding to ensure that I had plenty to eat (thanks, BFF)!

Something like cheese (or spinach, or mushroom) ravioli is something that non-vegetarians will eat too, but gives us veggies something a bit more substantial. Even baked potatoes or a mashed potato bar or something will win you fans with your vegetarian guests.

Most vegetarians are experienced in 'eating around' the meat in any given meal, but it can be a) stressful (ex. do these green beans have pork in them?) and b) not always as filling.

Jennifer&Nate · September 2010

Having vegetarian guests isn't a problem to "handle". A host/hostess should always include a variety of dishes to suit various tastes. You might not make everybody happy, but serving one type of dish simply excludes too many people.

palaxcios · October 2010

I'm a vegetarian and it sucks to go somewhere that doesn't offer an actual MEAL to eat. It gets frustrating making meals out of side dishes, lol, like a plate with only mashed potatoes and corn on it because that was all that was offered. But it's not as difficult as it seems. Pasta is a no fail but I understand how it would look kind of...out of place if your menu is not cohesive with pasta (ie. a pasta set up and a bar-b-q, just looks funny) Sorry your veg guests aren't being cooperative and telling you what they would eat, that would be helpful! Luckily there is only a few! If they don't end up telling you what they want then make them the easiest dish possible so it doesn't cause you anymore unneeded stress.

Lizdc · March 2011

I am vegan and have only been to 1 wedding where there wasn't food for me. I forgave it only because I was the plus 1 but my guy was mad since he had discussed it with them at the time. I have also been the MOH at multiple weddings. I will admit if they hadn't figured out food for me after everything I was doing for them I would have been a bit ticked. If you want her input come up with three options and see if she has thoughts.

kittykatwi13 · March 2011

We figured it out. We have a local resturant with awesome Mac and Cheese with pretzel rolls and thats what she said would be the best and it's a great kid option. We'll have other things too but very happy with the choice

How to handle vegetarian guests

Re: How to handle vegetarian guests

Choose Another Board

Search Boards