Vegetarian not catered for

[ParrotsAteThemAll]

Invited to a bbq this afternoon, just had the message they haven’t got any vege burgers/meat alternatives. Of course I could buy my own, but why should I? The meat eaters will be having burgers, sausages, chicken whilst, yet again, I’ll be offered a salad and bun.

This happens all the time and for years I just accepted it, as I was the awkward one. I’ve mostly had to cook my own too, usually in the house as the host ‘doesn’t know how to cook a vege burger’! Surely this day it’s easy to grab something vege from any supermarket, big or small. I’m not even fussy what brand!

I’ve bought a nice bottle of wine for the host and a nice dessert to take, tempted not to take it now. Of course I’ll go enjoy the company, probably eat beforehand,

Any other veges find this frustrating, or should we accept we’re the difficult ones and take our own food?

Not actual Parmesan obviously

Urgh! How hard is it to cater for a vegetarian?! Pesto pasta salad; peppers with stuffed rice; potato salad; veggie burgers, sausages and cheese/ veggie skewers… and buy a little disposable bbq! It ain’t that hard!!!

I mean, you can eat cheese if you’re vegetarian, is she vegan?

i always cater for my veggie mates,so rude not to do the same for you.

And another meal planned for next week.
glad to be lurking now
screen shot taken ❤️

Not Parmesan you can’t it’s not vegetarian

pre this century most hard cheeses weren’t veggie either
Luckily they’ve mostly switched now.

I am on a special diet and always take my own food. Friends and relatives accept it as the norm.

I'm a meat eater but have always make sure that vegetarians / pescetarians are catered for at bbqs - halloumi, veg skewers, tandoori cauliflower plus sides that everyone can eat. If they dont want contamination with meat I scrub the grill and cook theirs first. I think it's awful to invite someone and then not actually cater for them

It’s rude and lazy to invite people to a BBQ and not cater for a known veggie guest.

And there are plenty of easy options beyond vege burger / vege sausage.

We use our garden BBQ plus portable camping one to create a veggie grill,

Haven’t got 2 BBQs ?(most people haven’t!) ask to borrow a friend’s one. No friends who have a portable one? Disposable. Or cook the veggie food first before the meat goes on and keep warm.

How are people so ignorant?

Lots of hard cheeses aren’t vegetarian because of the rennet. But you can get veggie versions

https://www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/waitrose-italian-vegetarian-parmesan-cheese-strength-4/856878-688834-688835?srsltid=AfmBOorjkFgd_9LXPyj8yPTXr0eEQsi4kfp455yIbLdE6U_d3AJW9tjF

We just use this

I'm on the fence here. We would always cater for a vegetarian at a BBQ, but then we always do loads of interesting stuff at BBQs anyway! (fish, veg kebabs, sweetcorn, peppers, mushrooms) If your the kind of person who would just grab burgers and sausages, I kind of get just not knowing what to get for a vegetarian! Also if you aren't doing interesting veggie food, then a imagine only the vegetarian will eat it, so what's the point of buying a box of something that they already have in the freezer?

True, traditional Parmesan uses animal rennet. Strictly, you would use a substitute.

However, as a life long vegetarian who tries to avoid any known meat products I don’t get too het up about a sprinkle of Parmesan if someone gives it to me. Not a hill to die on.

@gamerchick @70isaLimitNotaTarget I thought it was fairly obvious that they bring their own BBQ to prevent meat contamination from mine! We have no issue with this at all. I would always try to cater for anyone I'd invited and my vegan food options have improved over the years- well, so I'm told anyways.

I don’t understand all these issues about cross contamination. Surely the hosts have an oven ? Just cook the veggie burgers/ big mushrooms/ other foods that aren’t meat inside in the oven and then bring them out to put on the table. They won’t have that authentic blood seared over hot coals taste that traditional bbq food has, but I can’t see most vegetarians worrying too much about that!

Tbf most hard cheeses are OK these days. I rarely find non veggie ones
Parmesan though isn’t ever vegetarian. The name is protected ( bit like champagne) and Parmesan never do a veggie version. They always use rennet .

There are hard cheeses that copy the flavour but they’re not Parmesan

I do die on that hill. 😄

This is why I bring my own. I’d love to be able to eat anything though. It’s not faddy eating it’s actual allergies (anaphylactic) and intolerances.

Just don't go.

Yes. I’ve seen this before. Hard cheese like Parmesan. Like nearly all cheeses these days there’s an alternative which is great

I can understand not wanting to cater for multiple dietary requirements but I don't think veggie & non-veggie offerings at a barbecue is too much to expect. It's not as though the omnivores will shun anything not containing meat - I'm a meat eater but I enjoy vegetarian bean burgers, for example, and at a barbecue I'd normally offer some interesting sides other than lettuce that could be veggie - e.g. pasta salad, and the obligatory crisps/nachos and dips.

And this is why I wouldn't trust anyone to cater for me unless they shared the same food restrictions. Parmesan isn't vegetarian and there are all sorts of other animal products that aren't meat that people use without thinking, e.g. I know a friend who made a rice salad and cooked the rice in chicken stock making it unsuitable for both vegetarians and coeliac.

I don’t think it’s really a big deal? I’m a vegetarian too and always take my own stuff for a bbq for multiple reasons. 1) Meat alternatives are expensive and I don’t want the host to have to go out of their way and be out of pocket just for me. 2) I don’t like every veggie alternative so would rather pick my own. 3) I can take uncooked leftovers home, guilt-free. BBQs are meaty affairs. It is what it is! We chose the more awkward lifestyle so we have to deal with it IMO.

But if someone is "strictly" vegan and is worried about cross-contamination from a BBQ used to cook meat, why would they accept an invitation to a BBQ in the first place?

Surely a BBQ is mostly about eating burnt meat, so even accepting an invitation in the first place is being complicit in the consumption of meat.

Good for you, genuinely! I will try harder