One of our Christmas guests is vegetarian and only just told us

[AnnaleeP]

Christmas this year is just me and DH and a couple of close friends. When we invited them they said they had a friend coming to stay, would it be OK for them to come too? We said yes, that was 6 weeks ago. Since then we've sorted out what they're bringing food-wise.

Tonight DH gets a text 'will there be room for a tray of vegetarian sausages to go in the oven?' Errrr if the extra guest is vegetarian the time to mention this was 6 bloody weeks ago. I'd like to be able to serve the poor lady something a bit nicer than freaking Linda McCartney sausages for Xmas lunch so now we have to rethink what we were planning on serving. Obviously the vegetables with the main meal are OK but the starter was going to be fish and meat and there's quite a lot of meat involved in the main obvs. I'll have to make veggie gravy and different roasties for her. I dunno what to do for the main. DH is trying to get some answers out of them but so far it's 'oh don't go to any trouble, she'll just have sausages' - she's not having freaking sausages! Just tell me what she wants and I'll make it! Is it me? I'm just trying to be hospitable to someone I've never met, it's bloody Xmas.

I would tell them to bring something for the person as they left you very little notice. But to be honest there are loads of veg options in the shops these days to make getting something in easy

You seem disproportionately angry with the OP, Limited.

Again, it's been acknowledged that the guest does not want LM sausages. The guest was just trying to be polite. The OP was right to want to do something different.

The OP has sorted it all out, and seemingly left the thread while the rest of us bicker about it all.

Please just go with what she has asked for. I am veggie but also allergic to mushrooms and can't have quorn either. I'm sure she wants to put you to no trouble, hence bringing her own

Probably best to clarify exactly how veggie this extra person is - I say I'm a veggie because I don't like the consistency and the bonus squishy fatty possibly bits of eyeball or god only knows what else of meat. I prefer the taste of the green bisto to any of the others. I'd still have normal gravy if that's all that was on offer, and I certainly wouldn't turn down a few spuds just because they'd been cooked in the same pan as the turkey...

No dowager, just at a loose end like you

I would just do the sausages. My grandad is veggie and every time he goes for a roast at his local pub the landlady always makes him quorn or a nut roast. He absolutely hates those things and is happy with just veg but she won't have any of it!

My DD is vege, we said we'd bring a veggie main course but the host has bought her a cheese souffle which she will love. We'll bring some vege gravy granules as she might not have though if that and I'm not going to ask if there's goose fat on the spuds. Ignorance is bliss! Bit off imo of your guests to invite along someone else after accepting your invitation!

Christmas dinner without the meat is a very satisfying, nutritious, filling meal. I'm having it in my own home because there's no need to provide anything else. Sage and onion stuffing gives enough of a meaty texture.

Agree with many others - stop creating a problem where there isn't one. I would be really upset if I brought my own sausages and the host insisted on me eating a flipping nut roast!

Just don't do what my friend's dad did when I was younger. BBQ at their house, cooked some veggie burgers for me and put them on top of the pile of juicy meat burgers! Had to politely decline!

Also, don't go crazy! Most veggies don't check wine, some are stricter re cheese. You could always get a little foil thing of roast veg that could be put straight in the oven 'uncontaminated' for her. Personally, I enjoy the bread sauce and cranberry sauce, and sometimes chuck a couple of veggie cocktail sausages on the side! This year I'm cooking a quorn roast. Can then have some of it cold in the evening whilst everyone else tucks into ham and turkey leftovers!

We usually have a could of vegetarians at Xmas.

I do veggie sausages, veggie gravy. My potatoes are in oil mostly, plus I do gratin. Then thry can have all the vegetables.

Pudding is ( bought) veggie mince pies and cream/ice cream. The Xmas pudding is made with suet so no go.

As an alternative perspective I'm vegetarian and this year I'm cooking for my beef farmer in laws on Xmas day. I'm doing a side of their beef for them alongside my vegetarian roast, and some gravy from the beef juice and possibly will pop some veg in with the meat. They've said that's what they want and I'm happy to cater for it. I was bought up vegetarian so am not 100% sure on the meat but I'm happy to be guided by them- let the vegetarian guide you as to what they want.

Just cancel Christmas if you find out she's actually vegan 😂

Waitrose have some wonderful veggie main things that take up minimal room. I'm doing egg salad as the starter for my vegetarian whilst we wolf down the fish.

I love red Bisto.

I check wine.
I usually buy these days, sainsburyms or co-op own brands as the vegetarian ones are labelled.
It's easy then to know what you're getting

Serioudly allwomanR?

My husband and I are both vegetarian (not pescatarian or flexitarian or vegan, but vegetarian) and expect that if people (family) want us to host (they do) that we will provide a fully vegetarian Christmas dinner, 2 of our 3 children are vegetarian (one of them looks like he'll choose to be vegan 😳 - it's all their choice! I believe in children being able to make such decisions themselves! They don't get given meat options at home, but are welcome to both at school and other ppls homes)

Anyways, I'm kinda shocked that you'd cook a beef joint 😳

If someone asked that of me when I was planned to host would be told no. If meat was important for their meal, they can bring cold cuts themselves to warm with gravy on the plate!

As for the OP? Veg is veggie (unless you put bacon or lard or something in it) potatoes can easily be veggie, which is fine for all tbh! I'd be perfectly happy with sausages, or some other chuck in thing! Like the quorn roast or a aunt Bessie's veggie toad in the hole (they're in the freezer in individual portions!) or even just a frozen veggie pie (cooked ofc)

Good Luck!

inappropriateraspberry my now ex mil made me a vegetarian meal upon my first visit to them...then covered it in meat gravy! I'm veggie for ethical reasons but had since discovered there's something in gravy that upsets my stomach. So no way I could eat it!

I did cook fish for my mum and dad once for christmas dinner.
I wore rubber gloves that I bought especially and I disposed of them afterwards

Conversely, I worked at Burger King for 3 years and handled the meat there - but they were frozen burgers and again, I had gloves, and handwashing was frequent.

I'm veggie and we go to my parents for Xmas day my dad usually does a but roast but I've told him I'm happy just with a plate of veg, if they're happy to bring the sausages I'd do that but make sure there's lots of veggie side dishes

So friends and " friend of friends" have been invited for Christmas Day. Perhaps the opportunity to spend day with good company and the fact the invite was extended to their friend matters more to any of them than the nitty gritty of the actual meal? As a vegetarian for more than 20 years , although I can cook lovely veggie meals, I am also very used to going places ( particularly in the past) where veggie options were non existent or awful. As such it possibly becomes a bit less about the food and more about the event ( so if a huge group going out somewhere with rubbish veggie options most vegetarians have experienced , similar to others with dietary restrictions, thinking ok I'll go for the company and accept meal not up to much). I know the meals over Christmas are a HUGE deal to lots of meat eaters - some of my friends seem to spend hours planning poultry and meat purchases and cooking- but as a veggie it truly isn't such a big issue. Pleasebelieve anyone with a restricted diet if they say they would be happy with ... ( whatever it is) as friend prob glad to be asked and truly does not want to put you to extra trouble!

lol I'm only hosting this year because FiL has pneumonia and they already had the joint prepared, but it's an accommodation I don't mind making for a one-off was really my point. They've always cooked vegetarian for me. If I was hosting 'proper' then it would be an Xmas vegetarian lasagne! 😝

I'm vegetarian and I don't think you are being unreasonable at all! They should have given you more notice.

Having said that, if she's only wanting the sausages, just get that. I know how you feel about ruining your Christmas dinner, but maybe that's what she gets for not telling you sooner! :)

She's a guest and the close friends knew more than 6 weeks ago about the friend of theirs staying with them so presumably knew the friend was veggie.

OP is quite rightly put out at being put on the spot about finding a veggie Christmas sdinner for the friend. I presume the friends have catered for her whilst she's staying with them. 2 days before Christmas Eve isn't enough notice in my opinion, for OP to plan to be hospitable which it sounds as if she's trying to be.

I have a nice cashew nut roast recipe that I could serve as a veggie main, but I agree that some of the veggie sausages are vile (Linda McCartney frozen ones are really nice!) and it's nice to offer a guest something they will actually enjoy. What about pudding? Am guessing Christmas pudding is out...

Veggie Xmas pudding widely available but yes a bit more notice would be best for that particular item. There's also Yule log and trifle (either non jelly or veggie jelly) or panettone or stollen