Planning Meals for Vegetarian Guests

Have you been worried about cooking for a vegetarian (or many vegetarians) in your family during holiday seasons or special events? Now you can stop worrying! The following article will help you when the time comes to cook for your vegetarian loved ones.

Before you start cooking, find out what type of vegetarian your family member is. Are they a strict vegan or a "semi" vegetarian? If your family member is a strict vegan then they will probably not even eat food that contains yeast or honey or anything that contains milk and/or eggs. On the other hand, if they are a "semi" vegetarian then they will probably eat the meal as it is prepared and avoid the obvious meat dishes. To find out what type of vegetarian your family member is you should ask them the following questions:

1. What types of meat will you be willing to eat?

Some family members will be willing to eat fish or seafood (eels can be a great holiday dish) and many poultry dishes such as turkey or chicken.

2. Will you eat dishes that contain milk or eggs?

Many vegetarians will not touch anything that contains milk or eggs. If this is the case you can use milk and egg substitutes for cooking and baking.

3. Will you eat foods that contain honey or yeast?

Many vegetarians have ethical reasons for not consuming anything made with yeast or honey. Knowing this will make it possible for you to cook using alternatives.

4. Would you feel more comfortable bringing your own main dish and serving utensils?

Some vegetarians, especially strict vegans, will feel more comfortable bringing their own alternate dishes to the meal. This way they will be sure about the ingredients that were used to prepare the dish. As for the utensils, some long time vegetarians will get extremely sick if they eat even a small amount of meat. By using the same utensils in meat dishes and non-meat dishes there is always a chance that a vegetarian can accidentally ingest a small amount of meat.

Taking these things into consideration will help you out this holiday season when the time comes to cook for your vegetarian family member. By asking these questions you will ensure that all members of your family are able to enjoy the special occasions and the great foods that come with it.