Tips for Hosting a BBQ with Vegetarian Guests
You have planned the best barbeque ever when you find out that one of your guests is a vegetarian. Or even worse, you find out that one of your guests is a vegetarian after they have already arrived at your party. Don't fret, having a vegetarian at your BBQ is not the end of the world. It is possible to throw a great party with food that pleases both meat eaters and vegetarians. Put in a little extra effort and follow these vegetarian BBQ rules to ensure success, or at least minimize the disaster.
Be aware of cooking surfaces.
The last thing I want to eat is a veggie burger that is grilled right next to a cow burger. You may think that the juices from the real hamburger add flavor to the vegetarian alternative, and to an extent you're right. Your vegetarian guest will probably taste the meat flavor and possibly vomit thus causing a barbeque disaster. Cook your vegetarian food on a clean, meatless surface. If you only have one grilling area, cook the vegetarian food first. Do not serve your vegetarian food on the same plate as meat.
Have a wide assortment of vegetarian options, but do not make your vegetarian guest try every one.
I cannot count how many times I have felt obligated to try a bite of every single vegetarian dish to please a host. I love it when there are loads of vegetarian dishes though. Veggie burgers, vegetable kabobs, grilled corn, grilled asparagus, grilled portabella mushrooms, pasta salad, potato salad, fresh fruit, and veggies with dip are all great vegetarian barbeque options.
Do not try to sneak meat into your vegetarian guest's diet.
Games are always fun at barbeques, but one game your vegetarian guests will not enjoy is hide the meat. You may think using chicken stock is fine since it makes things tasty and there are no chunks of meat in it. Vegetarians would not agree. If there is meat in something and it isn't obvious, let your vegetarian guest know. A better idea is to just use vegetable stock so the dish is vegetarian friendly.
What to do about the unexpected vegetarian.
When a closet vegetarian shows up at your BBQ, do not panic. Take a deep breath and assess the situation. What vegetarian options do you already have available? Chances are you did not contaminate everything with meat and there are some vegetarian salads at least. If there is bacon on the salad already and your veggies have been in the same tray as meat you may have to make a run to the grocery store. Grab a bagged salad, berries, and nuts. All of those items can be set out without any preparation, and will be enough to make sure your vegetarian guest does not starve.
More from Loki Morgan:
Oh No! A Vegetarian is coming to Thanksgiving Dinner!
Published by Loki Morgan - Featured Contributor in Technology and Lifestyle
Loki Morgan is a Microsoft Certified Professional with over ten years experience in the Information Technology field including technical writing. Morgan has published online content with a focus on compute... View profile
- Vegetarian Christmas Dinner Recipe: Raisin Nut CasseroleMaking a festive and tasty vegetarian casserole is one way of making your vegetarian holiday guests feel welcome. Plan to make extras as non-vegetarians will enjoy it as well.
Cooking a Meal for a Vegan or Vegetarian Friend or Family MemberWhat to keep in mind when you are cooking for a vegan or vegetarian. 
The Vegan (Vegetarian) is Coming for Easter DinnerThis is an article for the host/hostess who has a vegan/vegetarian relative who will be coming to Easter Sunday dinner - with tips from the vegan's point of view. - Vegetarian Indian CuisineAuthentic vegetarian Indian dishes you can make in your own kitchen!
Tips for Hosting an Awesome Memorial Day BBQDon't let your first major BBQ of the summer become a daunting task. These tips will help you host your best Memorial Day BBQ ever
- Tips on Accommodating Vegetarian & Vegan Guests at Your Summer Barbeque
- How to Have a Vegetarian Thanksgiving
- Middle Eastern Vegetarian Food
- Thanksgiving Dinner Ideas: Best Vegetarian Turkey Substitutes
- Restaurant Review: Annalakshmi Indian Vegetarian Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- How to Feed a Vegetarian in a Family of Meat Eaters
- Vegetarian Food for Super Bowl Parties
9 Comments
Post a CommentWe have a lot of vegetarian friends, so I'm used to keeping this in mind. I usually buy some black bean burgers and have them in the freezer just in case, and I always have at least 2 vegetarian sides. Great subject!
Such a great topic, Loki! It can be daunting to say the least, when you discover at the last minute that someone is vegetarian. Your list of veg-friendly dishes is very helpful, as most of us prepare a number of these for a BBQ anyway.
Excellent tips. Many cooks would not even realize that chicken stock is a no-no. Non-vegetarians are sometimes not-up-to-snuff on what they can and cannot offer to a vegetarian. rcj
Thanks for checking my writing out.
Thanks for the article. My son is vegetarian so we have this come up from time to time.
That's a great point about not trying to sneak meat in. Would you believe a friend's aunt did this? Vegetarian's deserve as much respect as lactose-intolerant, diabetic, etc.
Very good tips, Loki. I'd rather have beef tips, though. ;)
Thanks Michele!!
Loki - this is a great article as we have several family members who have gone veg. Just so you know, the email notification had the wrong link in it and it took us to a Yahoo page that said "content missing." I came to your profile page to notify you (there is a thread in the Help Desk started by Marie Anne) and I saw it here on your Profile Page so I could read it here. cheers ;)