Catering for a vegetarian?!

[Magenta3]

My brother's gf is a vegetarian. We're having everyone over next weekend for a get together. My family eats a lot of meat and I feel a bit unsure of what to cook her, and if I'm being honest I don't see why we should change our catering for one person.

I asked my brother to bring along some of their own food for her (he eats meat so will be fine, it's literally only for her) and he seemed annoyed at me. He obliged but I could tell he wasn't happy. When we've been to theirs she doesn't cook meat for us so it feels one sided. She jokes she'd probably poison us as she doesn't know how to cook meat but realistically she doesn't want to cook it, so why should we for her?

I’d be annoyed at you too, OP.

did she invite herself or did you extend an invite???

if you are welcoming and hosting someone in your home yes, you need to make sure that this person will have something to eat, good lord.

make a vegetarian dish that has protein, and they can eat the same sides others are having. It’s really not that hard. Make an eggplant casserole, there are so many options!

I would be mortified to suggest a guest I’ve invited to my home bring their own food. How mean of you!

Want to follow up what I said… if she has any sense she’ll sense that her new bfs family is composed of mean people. Maybe it won’t lasts if her partner eats meat.

wow you know how to make someone feel welcome (not).

Veggie food is soo nice now. Linda McCartney sausages are lush. Hash brown are veggie Soo many options. Stop being a cow

Mind boggling isn't it? Who on earth would expect a vegetarian to cook meat for other people? I do eat meat but am quite capable of surviving a vegetarian or even (gasp) vegan meal.

Hello, fwiw, this is a super veggie lasagne recipe and when a I made it for a dinner party it went down well with meat eaters too..and it’s very easy.
cook mushrooms with plenty of garlic and thyme,
stir spinach into cottage cheese with a sprinkle of nutmeg,
player with lasagne, top with breadcrumbs and Parmesan. Yum!
serve with roast potatoes and a fennel, orange and black olive salad.

Why did you invite someone over for dinner if you don’t want to host them? Vegetarian food isn’t rocket science. Get a tin of chickpeas and a jar of Patak’s tikka masala sauce and heat them up together if you are really struggling that much. If you wish to make someone feel unwelcome then you should be hosting dinner parties.

Cook the same for everyone.

pasta or curry would be an easy option

although I’m not a vegetarian I have several days a week where I don’t eat meat or fish.

I’m not a fan of the soya/meat substitutes, @SummerDawn2000 - but there are so many delicious veggie meals that don’t use them that I know I could happily cater for vegetarian guests without the meat eaters feeling hard done by.

Ds1 makes a delicious lemon pasta - he mixes lemon juice and zest (he uses one lemon per person) with grated Parmesan - 50g per person, and 1 tbsp per person of the hot pasta water from the spaghetti, with the hot, cooked spaghetti - it is delicious on its own, or you can add seafood or chicken for the non-vegetarians. You could add asparagus tips, broad beans and petit pois, and more Parmesan on top for a lemon pasta primavera. Basically, it’s a great base, and you can dress it up all sorts of ways.

I'd actually be quite upset if a veggie or vegan felt I'd expect them to buy, handle and cook meat to keep me happy. Can't believe people have that attitude.

God you sound absolutely awful OP snarky and mean. If I'm invited anywhere I just eat everything except the meat. Hopefully you are having some vegetables not just a massive pile of meat.
If someone is a guest I cater for them without any fuss. Stick a quiche in for her or something what's the big deal.
What do you do if someone is coeliac or allergic to nuts. Do you treat them like this.
I think you need to learn about hospitality and take that sneer you put on for anyone different off your face.

Rather than write this post, all you had to do was be honest and say you didn't know what to do. Sounds a bit simple, but I'm sure she'd happily have eaten an omelette, jacket potato, cheese and tomato quiche or even a ready meal alongside whatever veggies/salad you were doing - at least I would and I'm mainly veggie (eat fish as well!).

You sound very rude

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius , just to let you know, parmesan is not vegetarian, so would need to substitute it with a vegetarian alternative.

I think we've lost the OP but christ on a bike, what a narrow and outdated opinion. I mean bloody hell, next thing you know people will be saying they're vegan ... (bastards) (clutches pearls)

Oh and pity the girlfriend who might end up marrying into this family, imagine the dripping resentment at Christmas dinner. Being FORCED to put a vegetarian dish on the table.

You either don't like her or are a really bad cook. Or this is a wind up?

I eat some fish and its easier to say I'm vegetarian than pescatarian, I know other vegetarians who say this as well and I thought it was worth checking if the GF also ate fish.

I also eat ordinary cheese and don't check my wine, in fact I've no idea what you'd call me - probably bloody awkward😂I just don't eat meat

We eat meat with every meal, our diet is far from restrictive

YABVU. Presumably you would be eating vegetables of some description anyway, so it would mean only a minor inconvenience to cook some protein (or not - if you are doing a cold meal). Vegetarians can eat eggs, cheese (but choose vegetarian cheese - there is a difference) tofu, beans, lentils etc. You could add cheese on top of the vegetables perhaps, or make a quiche or puff pastry tart. In fact, you could do a vegetarian meal and add meat as the equivalent of a side dish for those who want it.
I made a cashew nut stir fry for a vegetarian relative who came to stay a while ago, and for my vegan BIL (who didn't let me know until a week before he came to stay...) I made a chestnut mushroom bourguinon and a roasted vegetable and vegan cheese puff pastry tart. Both were very tasty even for the meat eaters.

I'd be cutting you off entirely as my SIL with that attitude.

Crikey OP, I hope you weren’t considering entering ‘host of the year’. I see from your posts you have performed quite a quick back-track in your opinions, which is good.

I would recommend you phone your brother back and let him know you are really looking forward to them trying your new veggie recipe. If he’s shared any of your previous conversation with his wife she is probably already dreading the visit to you.

No I don’t!
maybe the OP don’t
Even our sandwiches for a pack lunch has meat in them 🤣 when I say meat I don’t mean pre packaged ham, I cook fresh chicken/beef/pork or gammon to go in them
Breakfast most mornings is either bacon or sausages.

Even with us being big meat eaters, I’m still able and willing to cook for a vegetarian, and I’d more than likely cook a selection for all of us

@Purplebunnie

You are a pescatarian my dear. Welcome to the club.

I'd have to disagree.