Vegetarians and vegans:What would you like to see at a buffet?

[WallabyWay]

I'm helping to arrange a buffet. There will be a mixture of hot and cold food. What foods would you like to see at a buffet please?

(Vegans and vegetarians and others with special diets will be invited up first, but we'll make sure that there's plenty because people who eat meat can enjoy vegetarian/vegan options too.)

TIA

Halloumi

I hate grazing boards so we definitely won't be doing that! Although that's a definite no for various other reasons too of course.

I'm not vegetarian but had the most amazing whipped feta and mint dip recentl

That sounds amazing!

This!

I appreciate something that feels like a main, like in the way that a burger or chicken thigh would at a BBQ. Vegetarians/vegans are generally good at and used to making a bunch of sides into a meal and are fine with that. But it’s always nice to have one sizeable thing - vegetable or cheese tart/pie, veg burger (cooked separately), a jacket with lovely fillings or whatever.

We went to a fully vegetarian wedding a few years ago and they did massive trays of roasted veg and roasted new potatoes, which I think most people wouldn’t think of as ‘vegetarian’ (and actually I guess vegan) but they are easy to do and filling for everyone.

For sandwiches - egg mayo, boiled egg and sliced tomato, cheese & pickle, ploughman’s, or for vegan, hummus & cucumber, or smashed falafels & rocket.

Your buffet sounds lush.

Butternut squash salad
Falafel (but nice falafel)
Vegan pate
Guacamole and hummus

Gluten free options:

proper falafel
chickpea salad
sweet potato/walnut salad
baked bbq tempeh or tofu
roast broccoli salad
rice salad

Do not do this! Especially in Scotland. A load of DPs family do not eat any kind of veg and don't consider it a meal unless there is meat.

please oh please do not do brownies as your only GF pudding option. I have been GF for 16 years and love chocolate but boy am I fed up with brownies as the only buffet pudding I can usually eat. Meringue, almond cake (if you don’t need to be nut free) or polenta cake are all great alternatives that don’t need you to get involved with gf flour.

Cous cous with roasted veg
Quiche
Devilled eggs
Cucumber feta watermelon mint salad
Bread and cheeses and chilli jam

I’m not vegetarian but eat mostly veg based.

Depending on the proportion of vegetarian guests, and as lots of the dishes being requested here would probably be enjoyed by all, eg potato salad, could you reverse your idea and make it all vegetarian/vegan with a side selection for meat eaters?

Is there a way this thread can be saved? It's great for party ideas. As a meat eater, who has grown up in a meat eating family but with lots of veggie and vegan friends it's great to see some alternative ideas for buffet food to serve or ask for when ordering catering for a party.

This sounds very considerate and lovely, OP.

I have food intolerances owing to auto-immune disease and love the idea of being able to assemble my own plate from lots of ingredients on the table. I can't eat onions or garlic, for example (a lot of people with IBS / IBD type issues can't), so would appreciate a salad or two without onions or spring onions in them.

Btw Heinz do a very good vegan mayo but it's not particularly cheap.

What a fantastic idea. I'm going to steal this for my next get together. Works for everyone and filling.

Things without spinach in them. I'm allergic to spinach and vegetarian options so often have spinach in them!

There definitely has to be meat. I don't mean to drip feed but it's for a charity/organisation that deals with a wide variety of disabilities including dementia so we have a number of people who like plain traditional food. It's majority meat eaters too though we do have a good number of vegans and vegetarians too(Mainly staff/volunteers). So I will ensure that there's plenty of vegetarian and vegan food I promise.

The number of different dietary requirements is a little daunting but we all know our people very well and are used to catering for them at the groups so that takes a lot of fear out of it.

It won't just be brownies for the gluten free people. I get annoyed with that being the only offering in cafes and I'm not even gluten free and I adore brownies.

The local church(Whose kitchen we are using) are making the desserts. They run a lovely cafe and have a pretty extensive gluten free menu available so the gluten free desserts(And gluten containing desserts) should be good.

Good point about having a main too.

If you are using any kind of fake meat, please label it. Quorn allergy is a thing

If you are making food that has cheese mixed in with it, again please label it with the name of the cheese. I loathe blue cheese with a passion so finding it in my salad isn't nice.

Jacket potatoes, easy to do but give a hot option. Along with salad, cheese, dips. At least I feel I've eaten a meal then, rather than a snack plate.

I eat everything, but love making Vietnamese summer rolls. I actually prefer them vegan rather than adding meat. Lots of youtube videos on how to roll them, can be made ahead if the tray is wrapped in cling film and gluten free/halal also (check the rice paper wrapper ingredients though to check for any gluten).

I serve with an easy satay sauce. In a jar, shake up about 1/4 jar crunchy peanut butter, 1T GF soy sauce, 1T GF sweet chilli sauce, 1T sesame oil then thin with water till its thinner out a bit for dipping.

Sandwiches- I love grated carrot, houmous and rocket as a vegan option, then you could add cheese for veggies.

Bits i usually do for my vegan guests when doing a buffet
Roasted garlic potatoes
Falafel humus and Guacamole on a wrap
Tabuleh can add cous cous to it
Noodles with shredded carrot, spring onion, peppers, coriander and sweet chili or satay sauce
Coleslaw, can jazz up with apples/cheese/curry powder
Olives
Garlic bread
Sliced tomatoes drizzled in olive oil, garlic and parsley
Miso Mushroom pasta
Fruit Kebabs

Oh I forgot to say in my previous post, unsolicited but please please ensure that the veggie food is not touching any of the other food and there are separate utensils provided!

Oops sorry, I see OP and PP have already addressed this! As you were.