If you're a vegan what do you want on a buffet?

[Impatientwino]

Going away as a group later in the year and I'm looking after the food.

Going to do a buffet style spread one night and we are all meat eaters bar one who is vegan. I don't know her but I've asked all of them to let me know anything they don't like. I've got as far as planning

Antipasti platter of meats
Cheese platter
Breads and crackers
Baked Camembert
Marinated artichokes
Sundried tomatoes
Roasted peppers
Babaganoush
Couple of different houmous
Falafel
Various dips, veg crudités and crisps
Vegetable spring rolls
Roasted vegetable couscous salad

I'll get some other bits of party food to warm up as well and I think there are a few choices for her but I'm just wondering what else I can add that is tasty and fits in with the rest of the food for the others too?

So, if you're a vegan what do you want/enjoy eating on an evening buffet? Any recommendations for brands/products appreciated!

I've heard vegan cheese is a bit meh?

I obviously will put vegan foods on separate plates/platters and use different utensils etc in preparation...

Thanks!

Whether I am bright or not is not the issue here. I honestly don't understand people who "like the taste of meat and dairy" but prefer to eat synthetically produced products that taste like "meat and dairy" but screw their noses up at the animal that actually creates this taste.

I highly doubt a sausage and a pig taste the same. However do feel free to take a bite out of a pig to compare...

I do a vegan sausage roll. Puff pastry. Spread with ketchup and Branson pickle. Half some Linda McCartney veggie sausages length ways then to whatever size you prefer. Wrap in the pastry and in the oven.

My buddy just likes a heads up if the bread/crisps/crackers aren't vegan.

@PurpleDaisies

Yes, but it won’t be filling if there’s not enough protein.

Yes it will.

You are wrong. I’ve had plenty of vegan meals out that have left me hungry if there isn’t a decent about of protein in it.

Agree - it’s so common for vegetarians and vegans to be given meals that would leave anyone hungry as they are lacking in protein.

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0

I honestly just don't understand all this vegetarian / vegan stuff! There are so many products out there on the market as subsititites but if you don't want to eat meat, cheese or whatever why do you want to have an artificially produced substitute that looks like and tastes like it? I had a workmate once who was vegetarian. In the BBQ season she would was complaining the meat-eaters bought out the veggie sausages and left nothing for the veggies! If you are a veggie, then go and munch on a carrot. If you are vegan go an munch on whatever has never lived!

Hang on, you’ve no issues with meat eaters eating veggie sausages, but vegans should only eat carrots?...

Because the sausage shape is patented to people who eat meat?

People who eat meat can only eat meat shaped things or meat, so vegans should eat only carrots?

The sausage shape is sacred and should be reserved for the meat eaters?

What’s the issue?

Also, if vegans barbecue a carrot, which let’s face it is vaguely sausage shaped... are they then not allowed to eat it?

@tabulahrasa fantastic response!!

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0
You have gone out of your way to comment on a thread about vegan food suggestions to disagree with the diet. If you are so offended (which you seem to be) then why click on the thread?
I bet you are the type of person who says "vegans will always tell you they are vegan", yet you have created a negative tone to a lovely thread about delicious meal ideas

In response to your point about why do vegans or vegeterians eat something that looks or replicates the taste of meat, perhaps it could be turned the other way. Why do meat eaters feel they need to eat something that has been killed when they could eat something that looks and tastes the same without the killing.
That being said, I also don't see the resemblance with an actual pig and sausage so not sure the annoyance over shape?

Anway OP, I think you are very thoughtful for thinking of your vegan friend and I think she will absolutely love the food you make!

@wafflyversatile

I do a vegan sausage roll. Puff pastry. Spread with ketchup and Branson pickle. Half some Linda McCartney veggie sausages length ways then to whatever size you prefer. Wrap in the pastry and in the oven.

Puff pastry ???? There is so much butter in puff pastry, how can it be vegan???

@PurpleDaisies more to the point, Quorn isn't vegan, which might account for the bad reactions (vegans puking it up when they realise that they have consumed it)

@IgiveupallthenamesIwantedareg0, vegan puff pastry exists. But you know that, you’re just being cantankerous. I bet your parties are a riot.

Puff pastry ???? There is so much butter in puff pastry, how can it be vegan???

Yes, definitely stuck in the 1980s, if not the 1950s.

You can get vegan quorn these days HathorX

Standard puff pastry is made with vegetable fat so is vegan. The nice version made with butter is seen as a niche product and isn't available in all shops.

Home made vegan sausage rolls a good idea though. No-ones going hungry after a couple of those alongside all the other food the OPs planning.

sainsbury's own brand frozen veggie gyoza, and tomato pasta salad are very nice IMO. Agree not to even go there with the vegan cheese. You've not mentioned dessert, but lotus biscuits and most oreo flavours are vegan.

Yes sausage rolls are a really good shout. I might take all the ingredients and prepare them there the following day for lunch. I can do meat and vegan ones to have with salad. I make a mean pork and apple one and I'll have a go at some different vegan fillings in the run up.

And before anyone starts shouting yes I'll prepare them separately and mindfully! And on separate plates and I'll ask her to help herself first

I've got lots of lovely ideas now thank you all!

The Richmond vegan sausages are OK, which is a surprise as their meat ones are awful, and they're very sausage like, so would work well if you want to skin them to make flavoured sausage rolls with apple etc, which wouldn't work for a lot of the other vegan sausages.

Brilliant thanks Barbara I'll give them a whirl.

Quorn isn't vegan, which might account for the bad reactions

There are a lot of vegan quorn products now. Lots of people are still sensitive to it. It’s the quorn itself that’s the issue.

Lots of lovely ideas here. I am going to try to make vegan sausage rolls.

If you are doing dessert then there is a wonderful chocolate torte in the freezer aisle of Tesco. I'm sorry i cant remember the name. They also do a lemon one. The chocolate one goes beautifully with soya cream and raspberries.

What a lucky friend you have having such an attentive host.

I’ve been vegan three years and would be really happy with your current selection of vegan options.

Only thing to mention is make sure the falafel are vegan - most of them are but I annoyingly bought some with milk in once!!

Sausages rolls would work well I personally really like Fry’s sausage rolls. Also Linda McCartney sausages are amazing - also popular with meat eaters I know as the protein is high and fat low.

Vegan cheese is quite an acquired taste, I’d recommend Violife if you did get some, but could maybe check with the guest first so you don’t end up buying some that isn’t used - this has happened to me before and it was a brand I didn’t like and I felt awful for not liking/eating it.

Aldi do some nice vegan burgers.
One is beetroot based, the other is sweet potato based.

Really tasty.

I'm not vegan or vegetarian.

They also do lentil crisps which are both vegan and gluten free.