I think I'm being irrationally annoyed about this...

[Admiralclingus]

DD went to a birthday party this weekend. One of the children in her class is vegetarian.
Speaking to the host family about the food as I'm planning dds birthday and wasn't sure what to offer the kids.
The host parent made a massive point about how difficult it had been to choose food for the vegetarian child. Apparently the only sandwich filling they could provide was jam.

Aibu in thinking that it's really not that difficult to provide vegetarian options other than jam? Surely there's plenty of "vegetarian" options that non vegetarian kids will eat too?

The child didn't eat the sandwiches.

I meant I wasn't sure what to offer in general for all the kids. Dd is not a particularly usual child in her food choices, preferring sushi and olives to cocktail sausages and crisps... pretty certain that won't go down too well with most of the other kids though!

Just serve whatever you want.

The kids will either eat it or leave it.

Or more likely just eat the sweet stuff in between enjoying themselves and having fun.

It's only a bit of food and presumably they'll have eaten a breakfast and will be getting another meal once they get home.

French fancies were my favourite.

At my 8th birthday party we didn't have any of that 'posh' stuff. I baked jam tarts and sausage rolls. I'm pretty sure I have a photo of the spread somewhere. My friends always had decent party fare though.

I never did a birthday buffet for my kids. I have made up for it now they are adults by doing the occasional cheese hedgehog for Christmas Eve.

I feel all nostalgic now.

In 70s we always had the savoury stuff first and then the sweets stuff was brought out.
So sandwiches and sausages on sticks and pineapple and cheese on sticks
Then the jaffa cakes and sweet stuff was brought out.

I remember going to a party where they were all on the table AT ONCE and as kids we exchanged glances and then looked to see if the adults were watching and then ate cakes and biscuits WITHOUT HAVING HAD SANDWICHES!!!!

Also, the first party where the sanwiches were ......hindreds and thousands, so sweet!!! That was wonderful moment.
Chocolate spread (not nutella, original cadbury's chocolate spread) was the ultimate in sandwich fillings, but it was expensive, so very rare.

Oh yes! Cheese n' pineapple hedgehogs and jam tarts!

The pineapple chunks were always tinned too!

In our area the kids have a savoury course then a sweet course, and almost every kid has to eat at least 2 little triangle as well as the sausage rolls and mini salad. Then the cakes come out.
My sister this we are all the biggest bunch of meanies.
And really lots of cheese isn't veggie, and our spread isn't veggie (being butter).

And we cut the sandwiches into fingers with the crusts cut off.

I get you. It's not difficult to cater for veggies, so there was no need for them to feel like martyrs about it. It's rude

ummm, butter is veggie. It isn't vegan.

They must be really thick if they can only come up with jam!
And it's not hard to find non gelatinous sweets! JFC

Just serve shit loads of Foxs Party Rings. Job's a goodun'.

It's more the fact that host family seemed so put out by the fact they had to even offer an alternative i suppose

she didn't have to offer an alternative, but she did though.

many vegetarians don't eat cheese or diary

why are you annoyed?

Grilled, my 17 year old DS asked me to get Fox's Party Footballs at Christmas. They're exactly the same thing, but without the hole in the middle.

He says you get more party for your ring

I have to say, it has never occurred to me to ask about food issues at any of the parties I have thrown dd16 and dd13 over the years. Pizza, cake, assorted junk food. A couple of kids have brought their own snacks to eat instead of the bday cake because of either wheat or dairy issues.

And why are you so bothered that the host parent was annoyed w food issues? Also don't see what's wrong with jam... YABU.

Oh cheese and pineapple hedgehogs! It's my DS's 1st birthday in a few weeks so I'm having a little party for him but it's really all for the adults for some retro party food, the hedgehog will definitely be making an appearance, along with party rings, sausage rolls, caterpillar cake, jelly and ice cream

Houmous maybe? I think that is veggie (maybe vegan)

I think most of the children I know like olives, OP!

Some people just like having something to fuss about...

It's not difficult to cater for vegetarians at a party and jam sandwiches are a poor effort

Pasta salad
Crudités and dips
Vegetarian cheese sandwiches
Mini quiche
Fruit kebabs
Cous cous

Most kids I know would eat this

Party food for under 10s: bread and butter with hundreds and thousands, cocktail sausages (vegetarian sausages are just as good if there are veggie kids), fruit kebabs. Birthday cake.
The added bonus is that making the kebabs can be a party activity.
Not really worth trying to do much more, IME. Fussy kids either bring their own or go hungry. (allergies, halal etc will be catered for).

They WBU to be difficult about it, it's not rocket science.
Most cheese in the UK is vegetarian these days btw, not like 15 or 20 years ago.
She should just do the normal spread and the vegetarian child could choose. If there are no veggie sandwiches no big deal as long as there other things.
What would the mother do if there were children with allergies? Our last party had two vegetarians and two gluten free children, out of six children!

My son loves a jam sandwich in his lunch box! My dad took jam sandwiches to work everyday for about 20 years, I know, that is a bit weird! (My dad, not my son)