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

You may be thinking about this the wrong way- just choose vegan sides that anyone will eat, and then check whether they will eat fake meat, or whether they would prefer something else as a bbq element (eg portobello mushrooms).

We usually have a number of vegan foods at bbqs- usually because they are healthy and simple options that everyone will eat (we are all meat eaters in our house, btw). There is a lot of incidentally vegan food. Leave off any dressings etc as people are fussy.

Last time, we had (in addition to halloumi etc and meat on bbq)

Do a salad bar that everyone can eat, dressings and toppings (eg cheese) on the side.
Veg kababs- everyone can eat.
Vegan flatbreads
Felafel- anyone can eat
Coys cous- anyone can eat
Hummus- anyone can eat
Stuffed tomato/pepper- anyone can eat
Grilled corn- anyone can eat
BBQ portobello mushrooms (for burgers)

Some posters on this thread are clearly not great hosts with all the "done catering for vegans" nonsense and acting like it's a huge imposition.

The starting point for me is that hosting is about providing hospitality for people I presumably like enough to invite to my house, or who are connected to people I like. I've known fussy guests - not just vegan but the kind of people who can ruin a gathering with their demands and dramatics - and guess what, I simply don't invite them. This isn't a vegan thing, to be clear - most vegan friends I know are fuss-free and drama-free.

What I tend to do is actually use my words and ask them what they want, what we can provide and what they'll be happy with. If we're hosting a bbq it's no big deal to make several sides that happen to be vegan anyway (corn with a spice rub, various salads, Georgian aubergine with walnut paste and pomegranate seeds). Often vegan guests will happily bring along vegan burgers or say they don't need them.

DP and I also host parties with a larger food spread and it's trickier when there's a lot of baking involved (not using dairy substitutes in pastry, that's a line I won't cross) and we're inviting a lot of people for more of a house party vibe. Again we'd always have a couple of side dishes that happen to be vegan and if a vegan RSVPs yes it's pretty easy to just communicate with them about what will and won't be provided.

I wouldn’t invite them.

I think it’s one thing providing salads etc - that’s fairly simple.

But needing to cook extra on a different grill so that it’s not been in contact with meat juices just to pander to someone’s lifestyle choice, not a chance.

If they wanted to bring their own bbq and cook their own burgers and sausages then fine.

But it’s completely unreasonable to expect to be catered to to the extent that you expect the food to be cooked separately, and as such for the host to be expected to do twice the work.

Most people aren't vegan. That's a ridiculous comment.

I'm glad I'm not EbonyRaven's friend. It is so easy to provide vegan food now, especially if you avoid all the fake meat.

I have been vegan for over 50 years, not likely to grow out of it now. I would always ask a host what I could bring, and my social circle tends to do a bring and share type thing anyway.

EbonyRaven you are aware that millions of people in other countries are vegan for cultural reasons? It is not "just a fad" to them. If you opened your mind a bit you might find some new foods or recipes to try.

There are two types of morons in this sort of situation. The vegan guest who will preach to others at the bbq for eating meat, and the type of host who flat out won't accommodate a vegan at the bbq. Both total morons.

This. Small accommodations can go a long way.

I wouldn’t cater very far for a vegan to be honest.

Id Do a burger and a side salad and that’s about it.

I wouldn’t be buying sauces and slaw etc as it won’t get eaten after.

They are fundamentally a guest in your home and any decent host would cater for them so they have at least a few options to eat. It shouldn't be too hard to ask if they eat meat substitutes vegan products or prefer not to and go from there. You can get vegan food from Aldi if you are pushed for money and really how hard is it come up with a bunch of different salads and vegan friendly dressings that everyone can eat?

Some vegan burgers that can be done under your grill in the kitchen and not on the bbq. Then lots of nice salady stuff.

Have you tried vegan cheese? Most vegans I know won't touch the stuff.... Nasty! 🤮

Don't be thick on purpose. That's not what @Bagsundermyeyestoday meant.

I'm vegan and have been for 22 years. Maybe I'll 'grow out of it' in a couple of days, who knows yeh, no .

OP just ask them. It isn't difficult, or expensive to buy a packet of vegan burgers, they'll get eaten and if they don't, ask the vegan if they want to take them home. Or freeze them and keep them for another time. Don't butter bread products in advance. Make your coleslaw or potato salads with vegan mayo, I've never had anyone complain about that, so everyone can have it and you're not making separate salads.

At BBQs, I usually offer to bring my own 'meat' products, I don't expect to be catered for but most hosts (unlike some people on this thread) tell me not to, they've got it covered.

Veganism is a philosophical belief under protected characteristics, similar to religion. Humans can be so awful. If you'd not be awful about someone's religion, don't be awful about their beliefs either.

Forgot to add, as others have said, some people really don't like fake meat and would prefer just veg-based foods. So yes, as I've said, just ask them what they'd prefer.

Have you asked them? As a vegan through choice I would happily bring my own food ( and for a bbq I would be wary of anything cooked on the same bbq as meat)

How far would I go to accommodate a vegan at a meal I'd invited them to? Well, I'd provide them some food and not see it as "accommodating" them.

Ps they are vegan by choice, not for medical reasons
Also I wouldn't judge whether their reasons are acceptable or not.

To make sure the vegan has the same variety of choice as everyone else
You really don't have to do that... unless there's a back story about this person which you've not shared where they'll kick off if they perceive they are being snubbed, in which case maybe you could edit your thread title to read "how far would you go to accommodate a twat".

"Veganism is a philosophical belief under protected characteristics, similar to religion. "

No. It's not. There are 9 protected characteristics in the EA.

Most caring hosts will think about vegetarians, vegans, celiac's.

How is this difficult? Surely many or most sides would be vegan anyway, or easily tweaked in a minor way, e.g. letting guests add their own butter etctl, to make them vegan (salads, potatoes, bread etc)? Make a couple of vegetable kebabs and maybe a lovely non-mayo slaw and you're done. No need for extra expense at all, or for buying fake meat.

It is possible to cook the vegan food and vegan friendly veggies first, if it’s not frozen it doesn’t take long to cook. No need for a separate grill. You can always wrap spare burgers in tin foil after.

There is a lot of drama on here for a meal and making it more stressful than it needs to be.

Most vegans would be happy that there is something other than salad and a 50 calorie mushroom. As others have said, do a couple of naturally vegan sides - a green salad, veggie kebabs, sweetcorn, minted potatoes, cous cous with roasted veggies , the sort of thing that most people would enjoy with ketchup, balsamic vinegar or a French dressing amongst the sauces and then a couple of vegan burgers on the grill. If you are worried about then not wanting fake meat, then there are vegetable burgers but they do tend to fall apart on the grill so use a spatula and be careful when flipping. Make sure than the vegan gets first dibs on these and keep one aside in case they want an extra one.

If you are getting crisps then some flavours aren’t vegan that you would expect so possibly get a packet of ready salted- which most people would like anyway.

If you are doing puddings or sweet snacks then there are loads of accidentally vegan things about like Lotus biscuits, bourbons, some donuts etc or puddings can be really easy to veganise, so just ask on here and someone will have a recommendation

I have been to lots of bbqs and not created a scene or stormed off or lectured the other guests. I don’t know of any other vegan who has.

OP, sounds lovely, other posters, not so much.

I think it is important to remember that although you are doing something for others in hosting, they are also doing something for you in attending. Rather than spending their free time as they wish, eating whatever they like, they are coming to spend time with you at your invitation.

Not that I feel it is relevant to a bbq but it is covered in the Equality Act

https://www.pact-hr.co.uk/blog/veganism,-employment,-and-protected-characteristics/

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/jan/03/ethical-veganism-is-a-belief-protected-by-law-tribunal-rules

Judge Robin Postle ruled in a short summary judgment that ethical veganism satisfied the tests required for it to be a philosophical belief protected under the Equality Act 2010. For a belief to be protected, it must meet a series of tests including being worthy of respect in a democratic society, not being incompatible with human dignity, and not conflicting with the fundamental rights of others.

I'm veggie and don't expect people to go out ofbtheir way to cater at a BBQ. I tend to cook a few veggies sausages/burgers and wrap them in foil to be warmed up on the grill. I'd never want cause hassle for the host.

I'm surprised at the people saying they don't accommodate vegans because vegans don't accommodate them... What are you being served by vegans that you can't eat for ethical reasons??

It's obviously not equivalent situations for vegans to buy and prepare meat (if they are ethically against it) vs meat eaters doing some meatfree options - I don't know any meat eaters who literally only eat meat 😀 Even the dog eats vegetables!

Presumably the people you're inviting to these events are your friends, or friends of friends, does it really hurt that much to make it pleasant for them? And if they are preachy (I.e., bit of a dick) about being vegan then don't invite them - but that's not because they are vegan, it's because they are a dick about it!

Thanks for saving me the job @Dashel . @Oblomov23 it can be helpful to arm yourself with the correct facts before posting.

When I worked for the police, they couldn't make me wear the mandatory leather belt for this reason (as an example).

Vegan bashing really does annoy me, not just because I'm a vegan, but because it is seen as acceptable for some reason, yet most who do it wouldn't dream of doing it about other philosophical beliefs. As a PP said, I've never seen any vegan causing a stir at any gathering.

Very good point about guests choosing to spend their time with you, also 'serving' you in some way. I have a coeliac friend, I'd not dream of not getting him some suitable foods when I host a BBQ/dinner party/whatever.

Assuming you like the person (or why would you invite them?!)making a small effort is part of accommodating and having a pleasant day in their company.

You can separate the grill with foil.

If they are the only Vegan then a salad should do for them. a work colleague was a vegan, on a work trip spent forever in supermarket getting food for the trip. we arrived at a destination on the trip, I said I was going to the Japanese restaurant for dinner and he could do whatever he wanted. turned out he was a part time vegan.......

I have tried these (by accident brought them) and yes nice so can get these and maybe a burger someone linked earlier in this range

groceries.aldi.co.uk/en-GB/p-plant-menu-onion-rosemary-sausages-300g6-pack/4088600213293

Didn't know Toby did a vegan carvery though. What did they serve

Ans yes mention a bbq and people think of burger sausage etx so def do r make all vegan