Catering for vegans

[PieandPotatoes]

We have friends who come and stay regularly. One is a vegan. They never bring any food with them. It takes me ages to do the food shopping (checking labels for ingredients). We spend loads on oatmilk, vegan cheese/yoghurt etc and we end up cooking two dishes at mealtimes as my husband refuses to eat anything without meat. I think that they should at least bring some vegan food with them. What do you think?

I have that book @CurlewKate plus others in the range. They helped get me out of a cooking rut. The recipes are so interesting and delicious.

@Nolegusta I wish you would stop describing curries and similar dishes as gloop. It's rather childish.

I get that you don't like curry or anything cooked in a sauce.

I didn't say all curries were gloop - I was referring to the gloop in the image. I love a good well made curry. I also love some dishes with a sauce.
I'm just not keen on gloop - some other dishes can be gloop too....I'm sure you've come across gloop too at some point (you're lucky if you haven't).
It's not childish to refer to gloop as gloop though. Sauce and gloop are miles apart.

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Haven't read all as 5G a bit slow have a power cut. But I have to agree that picture is not very appealing. I was on the phone and took a quick picture of it off the heat in a rush - looks a bit watery - apologies 🤣

Yes that's a bit different.
Off the top of my head I've had people say 'ugh that smells horrible! How can you eat that?!' About innocuous food, not anything particularly pungent.

And 'eeew that looks disGUSting!'

About hummus.

'Urrrgh! I don't like the look of THAT!!'

All said while I was eating/cooking/about to eat. Just not something I would ever do to somoene. About anything they liked really, not just food.

The lecturing is annoying, but otherwise, I think you're making this too complicated. One carton of oat milk - pleasant drink and makes lovely porridge if they don't use it. No vegan cheese, yogjurt etc. It's horrible. No need to buy tofu or tempeh unless you like it.

Vegans eat vegetables, beans, pulses, grains, nuts, seeds. My vegan go-to is pasta pomodoro which everyone loves, with parmesan for the non-vegans. You can easily add some cooked mince (or even suasage or something) if you have a 'I must eat meat' family member. Vegetable soups, curries, stir fries are all things everyone eats. Stir fries are particularly good because you can stir fry meat or fish separately and just add it after the vegan portions have been served.

I had a veggie friend who we often invited for Christmas. She would turn up with her veggie ready meal, saying 'Can you just pop this in the oven?' She meant well, but it drove me mad because the oven was rammed, the timings and settings weren't suitable, and I always told her that I would have a veggie alternative for her.

Plain boiled vegetables 😂i think cooking methods have improved in the last few years that we aren't still all boiling all the nutrients away. There's much nicer ways to prepare veg than boiling the life out of it, and no, not necessarily by slathering it in curry or stong seasoning (much as I love curry and love strong seasonings, I can appreciate a plain veg prepared well with just a little oil and salt).
There's millions of vegan dishes to suit any taste. Google exists.
Of course I'm not for one second suggesting that you personally change your diet, it was just a response to your post. I'm not being arsey either hope my tone doesn't come across that way.

As for the op- this is ridiculous. Grow a backbone. Tell them you aren't hosting this year if you can't stand having them over. Or say we thought it would be nice if you hosted for a change? If you do host, say you have been busy and cannot prepare vegan food in advance can they bring a dish. Ask them to prepare their favourite dish.

Fwiw I would never just expect to be catered to like that. I always check in advance whether they would like me to bring anything, and i would bring gifts for the host which are suited to their tastes not mine (ie I'd still buy them milk chocolate even though am vegan, I wouldn't be buying a meat platter lol)

@Nolegusta "
I don't want accommodating food, I want food I like (not gloop)"

What does this actually MEAN? Accommodating food. Food that everyone in the group can eat and enjoy.
What does it mean to you?

and a fussy DH whose culture focuses on meat-based dishes,

Which culture is this @Commonsense22 ?

Also, as a vegan i wouldn't dream of lecturing people in their own home about their food choices, especially when they have catered to my tastes! Totally inappropriate. Likewise I expect the same in my home, i split up with someone who did that to me tried to criticise pretty much all my life choices in my own home! Get away!
On the flipside I have friends with totally opposite views to mine and we can respectfully agree to disagree as part of a Light hearted debate.

I'm at a loss as to why you're appearing to not understand every single thing I write. Look at what you wrote and then look at my response. It's fairly simple. 🤣

What do they bring when they come to stay with you - flowers, wine, toys for the kids etc.

A way of broaching it would be - instead of the lovely wine perhaps you could bring along your favorite vegan cheese etc

Vegan Ice Cream is to dye for and everyone wins low calorie junk food that contains plants but is just as nice as normal ice cream .

Moving night and ice cream?

Depends if you're inviting them to stay or they're inviting themselves. If the former then it's pretty poor form to ask them to feed themselves

@Nolegusta "I'm at a loss as to why you're appearing to not understand every single thing I write. Look at what you wrote and then look at my response. It's fairly simple. 🤣"

It honestly isn't.

Why not do something like a veggie chill the day before and just heat at it up for.them, cheap and cheerful. There is no need for specialist fake dairy products

Maybe just ignore my posts if you cannot understand them.

@Nolegusta

It's easy if you assume we all like what you like, that's my point. I wouldn't have enjoyed what you describe.
Then you wouldn't be served that. You would be asked if you like something before hand. Do you like pizza? Are there any vegetables you don't like? Do you eat pasta?

You're missing the point of my comment. Anyway, OP hasn't returned to her thread so I don't plan to waste any more time discussing this. 😁

I've got no power sorry and very patchy data and no WiFi. I'll read responses tonight / tomorrow:)

PS I made a chilli today on our gas stove - it was much nicer but couldn't get a picture as was dark.
I do do fritters/ tacos/ black bean burgers roast cauliflower etc. tomorrow if power still not on might try to do sautéed potatoes etc as haven't got that much food in :)