To tell newly vegan guest to bring their own dish on Christmas Day?

[GunpowderGelatine]

I'm hosting Christmas day at my house this year, not something I've done in ages. There's ten of us, including the kids, which is a great number - my plan, like every year I cook, is to order M&S food and pick it up on Christmas Eve then just bung it all in the oven and make some homemade gravy. I usually get a pork joint as I'm not a turkey fan, but will also be getting a turkey joint for my guests. I'm not usually the type to stress about Christmas dinner (it's only a roast after all!) but I also want it to be as simple as possible. One of my guests has declared they are now vegan. Which is a bit of a PITA for dinner if I'm honest as I'll have to sort a vegan main, gravy, dessert etc. I also have a nut allergy sufferer in the group which excludes quite a lot of vegan options as mains.

WIBU to ask the newly vegan guest to bring their own dish on the day or is that really rude? I've kind of planned the food around the size of my oven/hob and could do without the added stuff having to go in it (don't mind warming something up though)?

Some people with nut allergies cant even be in the same room as nuts. So OP would have to ensure that absolutely everything was nut free at Xmas, that's going to be really easy and fair on everyone else isn't it?

M&S will no doubt do a veggie main you could add to your order but vegan probably not. Dessert will be the trickiest as well, I doubt M&S stock a vegan dessert

They stock both a vegan main and vegan dessert FYI

I once had a guest who was vegan for detoxing purposes, it is short hand for fasting/dieting and really they are not that into food full stop. Don't waste your energy worrying about something like this. A quick salad with sprinkled cranberries is all you need to offer (and will take all of 30 seconds)

Olive spread isn't always vegan it often has buttermilk or whey protein in

Please don't inflict vegan things on your other guests...I've been the guest in that position 3 or 4 times and the pud was horrible...and served with something that wasn't proper cream...not my cup of tea at all, but each to their own.
Must admit I do same as you and buy it all pre-prepped so it would already be coated in goose fat, in cheese sauce, honey, etc. so for me it would be a lot of extra work! I do that because I don't want to spend all day in the kitchen. And I get your point about oven space! Tricky! Presumably if they are detoxing they won't really want a microwaved ready meal either!
Do you have a slow cooker that you could make some kind of veggie dish in? It could be further supplemented by any veggies that your guest felt they could eat - you might find that they are quite happy to eat some things such as roast potatoes/cauli cheese, etc.on the day.
I would serve them a nice fresh fruit platter after.
Good luck!

You’ve had a sacrxastic reply to most posts, but you did ask if it’s rude to tell someone to bring their own food. The answer is, yes it’s rude. It’s also rude and unnecessary to cook your roast potatoes in goose fat, if you have a vegan joining you. Of course you stick with your main meats etc, but it’s pointless and unwelcoming to have the accompaniments (roast potatoes are the best part of a roast imo) cooked needlessly in a way that makes them inedible to a guest.

I think if you’re hosting, you could compromise a bit

@FizzyIce ask what?? Someone stated randomly "goose fat on potatoes isn't the done thing anymore". I didn't ask anything to do with goose fat not really sure why you're so upset?

I'm going to get cherry and dark chocolate pudding from M&S for my vegan (and steal one myself looks tasty). I'm baking a cake for the other guests a couple of days before Christmas so really CBA putting any effort in on the day for desserts

Your responses are class, gunpowder 😂

It's alright saying just get a ready made vegan main. But it also means no butter on the Vegetables, no sauces, no bread sauce, no goose fat roasties or potatoes roasted around the meat, vegan gravy.
I have a vegan or two in my family and it's a pain. I don't want no cauliflower cheese or bread sauce made with soya milk (yuk), or no brandy butter. The list is endless.

maybe you could word it in a way that its because of space,cooking etc so that way no backs(which shouldnt) be put up

You’ve had a sacrxastic reply to most posts, but you did ask if it’s rude to tell someone to bring their own food. The answer is, yes it’s rude.

Which is why I asked what they'd like and the problem is now solved and Plant Kitchen sausages are on my list

It’s also rude and unnecessary to cook your roast potatoes in goose fat, if you have a vegan joining you

Ha! Feck off, it's my house I'll cook what I like for meat eaters. If vegan doesn't like goose fat being used then it's quite frankly tough - but like I say they are vegan for health reasons rather than animal cruelty and won't care about goose fat

and goose fat on potatos or lard is deff still the done thing!

And it is unfair to penalise other guests including the OP by having vegan desserts and mince pies

They won’t know, there’s no difference at all in taste. We have them every year to save faffing on Christmas Day.

Bisto Chicken gravy granules are not vegan, they have milk in them.

YANBU OP. Hint: don’t ask any questions about hosting on Mumsnet. It triggers everyone to turn into some kind of 1950s housewife who has very specific beliefs about what the perfect host should and should not do. It’s ghastly and very cringe but it happens constantly. Here in the real world nobody gives two shits if you buy preprepared ingredients (seems sensible to me!) or ask someone to bring their own dish. I’d ask a vegan to bring their own dish and if I were a vegan I’d not care about being asked. In fact chances are said vegan will just quit for the day anyway as it’s christmas and they’re too tempted by all the goodies, if they’re just doing it casually for a diet!

yes sorry.i am not going to make sub par roast for a vegan.espceically for detox reasons.fuck off enjoy christmas and all its fats and calories.life really is too short.and you can be healthy and eat meat,calroies,fat ffks.
i might on the day make a few sep potatos but this would be if all else was done and i was feeling very generous.
i suppose you could perhaps stick a jacket in.or just leave a few of the boiled potatos out before roasting.

but like I say they are vegan for health reasons rather than animal cruelty and won't care about goose fat

Huh?
But surely goose fat is the most unhealthy part of eating meat.

I'm a vegan but if I was plant based simply for health reasons goose fat would be the last thing I ate.
If you're giving them goose fat they may as well eat some lean turkey.

Do they know the potatoes are cooked in goose fat?

Many margarines aren't vegan either as many have dairy in

Buy this ginsters pasty (currently £1 @asda) www.ginsters.co.uk/products/moroccan-pasty/ bin the wrapping and serve either hot or cold.

They won’t know, there’s no difference at all in taste. We have them every year to save faffing on Christmas Day.

thanks for the laugh.there IS MOST definitely a difference

@furrytoebean sorry, what I meant was they won't care about it being in the room, not that I expect them to eat it! But frankly roasties done in olive oil are hugely sub par so my vegan will have to just have boiled potatoes and vegan "butter" (the olive spread I buy is vegan)

I have seen some vegan wellingtons in various stores but they all have a chestnut stuffing 😫

This Sainsbury,'s one is vegan and doesn't contain nuts. Should anyone else be looking for s nut free vegan/vegetarian main. www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/christmas-vegetarian-alternatives/sainsburys-btternt-sqush-chckpea-wellington-500g

Wait rose has had some really lovely vegan meals in recently, much better than and from M&S.

Bisto gravy is vegan OP!

This thread is a revelation- I've been making two types of gravy for years - the normal bistro for the omnivores and then veggie oxo for the veggies - I've just checked and the Bisto is vegetarian anyway! Amazing news (as it's soo much nicer)!

It seems you have spoken with your guest and found a suitable vegan option, but for future (and others) reference, Aldi also have some vegan things in this year. Including this Vegan Wreath Centrepiece which contains chestnuts, but not other nuts (it is important to ascertain exactly which nut/s is the problem): www.aldi.co.uk/vegan-wreath-centrepiece/p/021494322511000