How far would you go to accommodate a vegan?

[Juicyj1993]

In a few weeks we're hosting a bbq for my Husband's birthday.

We have about a dozen guests coming, one of whom is vegan. As we don't normally buy vegan food I've started looking at what we'd normally buy and what is and isn't vegan. To make sure the vegan has the same variety of choice as everyone else I'm going to have to spend quite a bit on alternatives. As we have the non vegan alternatives we won't be eating the vegan versions, so they'll either go home with the guest or be thrown.

How much would you accommodate a vegan?

Would I be unreasonable to provide vegan burger with vegan cheese, plus bun and nothing else or do I need to go the whole hog and get vegan sausages, vegan condiments and vegan coleslaw?

Ps they are vegan by choice, not for medical reasons

Barbecue
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more
noun
a meal or gathering at which meat, fish, or other food is cooked out of doors on a rack over an open fire or on a special appliance.

I wonder if the vegans go to the same amount of effort when they're hosting non-vegan guests, or is it a case of Tough, eat what I provide?
At least the OP is expecting a vegan, we found at 10 pm on a Saturday night when she arrived that the French exchange girl was vegan, this was about 25 years ago when I'd never even heard of vegan! Later found that she'd decided to be vegan on the ferry from Calais, she wasn't a vegan at all. Never been so glad to say Bon voyage when she left!

@Whenwillglorioussummercome I've been to some BBQs that have a huge variety of different foods and others that are meat and bread sorts, I'd just take burgers for myself if It's the latter.

Maybe yes, it is hard for people to understand?

@Dryinginthesea yes, I understand that, I cannot stand food waste and I'd never leave food for someone to try unless they'd told me they wanted to. I find that really odd behaviour

If we're going to go all 'clue is in the name-BBQZ MEANZ MEATZ!' no, it actually doesn't. It refers to a method of cooking using a framework. Anything can be cooked on it.

The thing I find odd is why you'd expect a vegan to not enjoy the social part of the gathering, or not invite someone to an occasion just because their diet is different. If you're really that put out by it, don't be friends with them-it isn't fair on you or them!

None of my close friends/family are vegan. I've been to two BBQs recently. One a large, organised one at a club, one a small back garden 4-5 people affair. First one, I took two burgers, ate with ketchup, chilli sauce and potato wedges. Latter, as a closer friend, they got me some vegan chicken substitute and did it on kebabs with peppers and mushrooms, I took burgers with me, put in bun with some salad. None of us even mentioned my being vegan once! We just had a good time, had a few drinks and enjoyed the sun. Some commentary on here is bizarre.

Japan has the shortest history of eating meat in its food culture. It was only after 2007 that household fresh meat consumption surpassed fresh fish consumption in Japan.

So what are fish made of if not meat, then? The Japanese have clearly just changed/varied the kind of meat that they eat - but they've always eaten meat (as a nation; not every individual, of course).

I can never understand people who claim to refuse to eat meat, on ethical/belief grounds, but who will nevertheless cheerfully eat fish and deny that they're eating meat - especially considering that you have to drown fish and cause them prolonged distress when catching them for food and can't just instantly stun them like you can a cow.

Or am I missing something and do they now make vegan-friendly 'fish' out of fruit or rice?

@JudgeJ my partner isn't vegan, and if we're catering always buys a good variety of things they and visitors can have-but if that wasn't the case I'd probably, as others have stated on this thread, just ask people what they would like. A close friend of mine is coeliac, and although I do get bread products etc in for them they often prefer to bring their own other bits.

At least the OP is expecting a vegan, we found at 10 pm on a Saturday night when she arrived that the French exchange girl was vegan, this was about 25 years ago when I'd never even heard of vegan!

I remember when I was at school and we went on an exchange trip to Germany (home of sausages) - over 30 years ago. One of the girls from our end was a vegan and it turned out that neither she nor her parents had seen fit to bother mentioning it in the info to be passed on to her hosts - they were about to find it out on her arrival/first meal with them.

I think their family were that particular type of vegan who just assume that they are the only ones who can possibly be right and anybody who eats meat and animal products is clearly a reprobate savage; the ones who will deliberately exhibit faux wide-eyed amazement upon 'learning' that some people actually eat animals?!?!?!

" think their family were that particular type of vegan who just assume that they are the only ones who can possibly be right"

Yep. Surprising that all the people who think like that on this thread are meat eaters! 🤣

Yep. Surprising that all the people who think like that on this thread are meat eaters!

I'm a meat eater and I agree with you. I can't stand intolerance and belittling of choices that other people make for themselves on either side.

If you're making coleslaw or potato or rice salad make some without mayo and ask them to bring their own - or just the Helmans vegan Mayo anyway - it's delicious. Lots of mayonnaisey looking pre-made salad dressings are vegan. As is a vinegarette (made without honey)

Salad, bread, tortilla crisps and guacamole/ salsa
Onion, pepper and courgette skewers,

If was a good friend I'd pull out all the stops, and probably get a cheap separate disposable bbq to keep cooking on at the same time as the meat.
IME if one person has food set aside for a special diet, medical or preference, it becomes the most popular thing so having some extra veggie bits is never a mistake. If it's someone you aren't so close too, salads, skewers, chips and dip, bread and vegan sausages is plenty and you only need to buy the sausages specially for them.

Alcohol can be tricky with many wines, and beers not being but German beer is usually vegan and I'm guessing they'll bring their own.

That’s terrible!

Oh well that’s good news! There you go OP, no need to cater to the vegan at all, they’ll just be there for the social element…

No one NEEDS not to 🤷‍♀️

Actually I NEED not to eat meat. My body cant digest it and it makes me very ill. Similarly I have severe intolerance to dairy and eggs

You probably think I should sit in my house alone. Luckily I have nice friends!!!!

Really?! Ayou not a human, designed to eat meat? I could argue the same, I am extremely anaemic, I need meat in my diet - doctors orders.

@Naunet " I need meat in my diet - doctors orders."

You bring the doctor's letter saying you have to have meat with every single meal- and I'll make an exception for you and cook you a steak.

I think it would be pretty easy to provide vegan friendly options. I wouldn’t go mad, but I’d definitely make sure there were a few things available.

My husband’s family is replete with veggies, coeliacs, vegans, fuss-budgets…we always cater for all!

Can you ask them what they’d like? If they’re coming to your bbq, you must know them so have a chat. You might end up buying something they don’t like. Just tell them you’re not sure what they’d like :-)

You bring the doctor's letter saying you have to have meat with every single meal- and I'll make an exception for you and cook you a steak.

Isn’t liver recommended for extreme anaemia?

@Naunet that poster was relating to another poster saying everyone only goes to/has BBQs in order to eat meat, that's the only point of them.

Sure, right after you bring the doctors note that says you can’t eat meat. 🤷‍♀️

What an idiotic post - too much beef in the 80s???

yes I am human- how rude. I have an issue in my body cannot digest meat, it leaves me very ill(plus at higher risk of cancers). You only need to google this - you can see it’s a real issue. My Doctor has advised I don’t eat meat

You in the other can get iron from numerous other sources than red meat.

im sorry I don’t fit into your absurd view about other peoples dietary needs😂

Well I could certainly provide that. Mind you, I’d probably vomit all over the place which would probably give people the idea.

This!

@EbonyRaven you are an entitled idiot. And I'm not even vegan but your attitude is disgusting.

This is the advice I always give and I know it's been said several times already, just ask the person what they'd like. They might not like fake meat or cheese.

I'm DF die to an allergy and everyone seems really keen to give me dairy alternatives but I r never eaten dairy really and just don't like it. I associate it with crippling stomach pain.

If I was going to a friends BBQ and they'd gone out of their way to accommodate me and it was all stuff I didn't like I'd be mortified.

@Naunet "Sure, right after you bring the doctors note that says you can’t eat meat"

I'm an omnivore, personally. But if I have vegetarians or vegans coming to my house I cook vegetarian or vegan because I can't be arsed to cook two different meals. Nobody has ethical or religious reasons for eating meat. So for me to cook you meat you need to prove that you can't, medically have one meat free meal.