Catering for vegetarians at a house-warming party, do I need to provide separate food?

[IslandCanary]

Everyone is bringing a dish, so far most of these contain meat/fish (apart from the salad) as we're doing tapas-style.

One couple have just told me they are vegetarian.

Do I need to ask everyone to bring vegetarian dishes instead? Or is it ok to just provide some salad/rice and let them bring a dish they can eat? I don't want them to feel excluded.

I find most vegetarian food bland and unpleasant and would rather have meat/fish dishes to cater for the majority (I'm planning to make spicy chicken wings, someone else is bringing meatballs, another is bringing battered tempura prawns, crispy squid, vegetable risotto etc.

If I need to provide more veggie options does anyone have any ideas?

[Reiltin]

I'd want to provide a couple of options for them. They can bring a dish, plus you mentioned someone is bringing veggie risotto. That's two options. Maybe make sure it's a big risotto! And let them know what will be available for them so they can cater accordingly.

I doubt they expect everything to be veggie but I'd make sure they have options :)

[megletthesecond]

I would provide more options. I've been to endless buffets where veggies have very little to eat. Not only is there limited choice in the first place, the non-veggies supplement their food with the veggie food.

I've just remembered how much I hate buffets .

[incandescentalright]

Yes I think you should provide something else. Or maybe send out a plea among the other guests for more veggie dishes.

[TheCrimsonPleb]

I'm not a veggie but I do enjoy vegetarian food and I don't find it bland. It can be amazing. Could you do a veggie curry (squash & chickpea?) and do some vegetable tempura? A tasty salad? There really are lots of options m.

[KittenOfWoe]

If that's all they're getting, please let them go for helpings first - as pp said, other people will tuck into the very limited veggie bits too and then they'll go hungry.
You're being a good host to check and ask here but are being a bit U to be so dismissive - veggie food can be gorgeous! It's not all bland tofu juggling

[TheCrimsonPleb]

Spanakopita is good buffet food and easy to make.

[trinity0097]

Do they eat fish/prawns? Some do.

Cheese board and crusty bread?

[DoreenLethal]

I find most vegetarian food bland and unpleasant

You must be cooking the wrong vegetarian food then.

[DoreenLethal]

Do they eat fish/prawns? Some do

No they do not. People who eat fish are not vegetarians.

[pearlylum]

Vegetarian food bland? Not in my experience. I would rather that than "crispy" squid or tempura prawns that have been lying around and travelling for a few hours.
I am not vegetarian, but I do have both vegans and vegetarians in my family. I usually build a meal around the vegetarian food first and then add the meat stuff for the meat lovers. So I may make a chickpea and veg tagine, an aubergine bake, jewelled couscous, salad, flat bread, hummous, and some juicy lamb kebabs.

Indian food lends itself well to this approach too, lots of lovely veg dishes, hm pakora and chapatis, then some chicken tikka and kofta.

[pearlylum]

When I make big spreads for guests the "veggie" food is eaten as quickly as the meat.

[QueenofLouisiana]

Tapas stuff could include: garlic mushrooms (nice and easy), roasted veg and grilled halloumi, peppers stuffed with cream cheese (from supermarket), patatas bravas. All yummy- let the veggies go first!

[mamager]

How on earth can you bring risotto to a party?

[DoreenLethal]

I was on a course the other week; two veggies and two meat eaters. There was a plate of veggie food and a plate of non. The meat eaters piled their plates with the veggie food and started eating, us two veggies eeked out the remains between us, and then the meat eaters piled their plates again with the meaty food. Lovely behaviour.

[Longtalljosie]

There's no point convincing veggie posters that meat dishes taste nicer!

Can you contact the veggie risotto makers and make sure they're making it with vegetable, rather than chicken, stock? Marigold do a good one which they can get at all supermarkets except Aldi. And ask if they can bring enough to feed 6. That and your veggie friends' dish makes 2 as Reiltin says. And presumably you'll be doing a salad as well? All good. Just make sure the meat-eaters hold back until your veggie guests have helped themselves...

[pearlylum]

doreen I would have wired into the veggie food too. I do eat meat but would have chosen to eat mostly the veggie stuff.

[Ughnotagain]

Vegetarian tapas isn't bland or unpleasant

Regardless of anything you need patatas bravas with tapas. So that's one dish sorted. Ask the person doing the risotto to make sure they use veggie stock. Tortilla as well. Job done.

[BadDoGooder]

YY Doreen this is why I hate buffets and party food type stuff.
I do wish meat eaters would stop and just fucking think about someone else for 30 seconds. Why does it never occur to them that the veggie food is there for a reason?

Sorry for the rant!

OP try and include a couple of extra veggie dishes, and do try to either let veggie take 1st pick, or point out to all that the veggie should have 1st pick of the veggie stuff, I have actually had to leave work dos v early, as all I could find to eat were a handful of crisps/nuts and occasionally a sad and lonely cheese and onion roll, after all the meat eaters had eaten all of the buffet.

And you are most definitely eating the wrong vegetarian food if you think it's bland, I have meat eater friends fighting over who gets to come to my veggie feasts!

[harryhausen]

I'm another meat eater who loves veggie food so yes, definitely get much more veggie options or tell people to bring more.

I always find goats cheese and red pepper quiche/tartlets really good or a big Cous Cous salad loaded with spices and veg. I also really enjoy a Waldorf type coleslaw as an accompanyment.

[nightandthelight]

Not everyone needs to bring veggie food but either ask a couple of amenable guests or provide sufficient yourself. Also as others have said let veggie guests go first.

[TheSolitaryWanderer]

'the non-veggies supplement their food with the veggie food.'

This has happened every time I go anywhere there's a buffet, and I've been veggie for 40 years. Fine if there's loads, otherwise you're left with crisps and dips.
M&S or Waitrose do decent veggie stuff, no bother other than buying it and possibly reheating. Or tell the vegetarian guests to bring their own food.

[harryhausen]

Yes, I eat near but was veggie for 7 years and really like the food so like both. I wouldn't be do rude to eat all the veggie stuff and leave none but would over cater a bit if lots of veggies were going.

We're not all un-thinking meat eaters

[228agreenend]

Veggie quiche, veg chilli using quorn,

Coleslaw, salads, jacket potatoes,

[AllOfTheWinePlease]

If you find veggie food bland and unpleasant you're doing it so wrong! ;) I'd provide a few options, as well as whatever they bring, then they'll have a good selection to choose from. What about some crispy filled potato skins, homemade houmous, spicy battered cauli florets, a really good salad? Easy, inexpensive and delicious.

[DoreenLethal]

doreen I would have wired into the veggie food too. I do eat meat but would have chosen to eat mostly the veggie stuff.

Why - why do you people do this?

Seriously. You may well choose to eat the veggie stuff, but usually the caterer have been told for example '2 vegetarian out of the 4 attendees' and have thus provided half and half meat and veggie. And you eat the food that HAS BEEN SPECIFICALLY PROVIDED BY THE PEOPLE THAT GAVE THEIR FOOD PREFERENCES'.

Fucking gets my goat.