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Original poster

Vegetarians invited themselves for Christmas- got beef ordered!

874 replies

EdenFlower · 18/11/2021 16:48

So, my vegetarian relatives and asked if they can join us for Christmas? I have it planned- joint of beef on order, I've perfected my roast potatoes and like them cooked in beef dripping, likewise the yorkshire pudding, my sprout recipe is cooked with pancetta, starter is parma ham and figs...and so on! Grrr! Now everything will need to adapted to be veggie because I'm not doing two versions of everything. It was already adapted to be gluten free for MIL but now two more special diet guests is a push.

Would it be rude to ask them to bring their own veggie options with them- nut roast and vegetarian gravy or whatever it is they eat?

OP posts:
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pucelleauxblanchesmains · 18/11/2021 18:39

If you "can't believe people are still thinking it's OK to not be vegan", maybe you're the one in the bubble?

QuiteQuaint · 18/11/2021 18:39

I would guess that OP isn’t a confident cook. Good cooks wouldn’t be worrying about cooking for vegetarians with 6 weeks notice. But that’s fine, shop bought will be ok anyway. Not everyone has great cooking skills. And it’s just as much about the company anyway.

YouJustFoldItIn · 18/11/2021 18:39

Oh god, not bloody goats cheese.

I thought that had disappeared as the default veggie option.

Really? I thought mushrooms were the default veggie option that you all liked to moan about.

To be fair, if you are going to limit yourself by cutting out huge amounts of different foods then you are going to have accept that there may be a certain amount of repetition. If I decided to stop eating red meat I'd expect to be served an awful lot of chicken and fish. It's just the way it is.

Plus, most of us are trying to suggest things that will work alongside a roast beef dinner. There is no point suggesting amazing veggie curries or stir fries, is there? The OP doesn't have time to be making rice and naan breads and raitas, or fiddling around with her wok. She's got a roast to cook.

Stovetopespresso · 18/11/2021 18:39

@LordEmsworth people feel threatened about vegetarians as we respect the climate(ducks)

HerbivorousRex · 18/11/2021 18:41

Your menu sounds lovely, it does sound a bit stressful to suddenly have to cater for extra people with different dietary requirements. I’m sure they are just excited to see you and it might not have occurred to them how many side dishes are often cooked with meat products.
I’m doing the opposite this year (I’m a veggie who is catering for meat eaters).

Your menu actually sounds pretty similar to mine and there are some really easy changes you can make without having to change your whole menu or feeling like it’s not how you’d like it to be.
I’d suggest:

  • taking out a couple of portions of the sprouts before you add the pancetta.
  • doing a small tray of roasted parsnips/carrots/potatoes in veg oil with some rosemary and garlic (that way you don’t need to worry if some of the other sides have meat in them and you can still have your potatoes roasted in beef fat). These are actually better if they’re parboiled the day before so you can literally just put them in the oven on the day.
  • you can buy decent ready made veggie gravy, just add some extra herbs and wine for flavour when you heat it up.
  • if you’d be willing to consider an extra veggie side like spiced red cabbage then you probably don’t need to worry about a main course (especially if you’re also making a cauliflower cheese). You can always let them know what the veggie dishes will be and then ask if they want you to buy in something extra or if they want to bring something.
  • for the starter you can just swap the ham for blue cheese or veggie Parmesan with a drizzle of honey.
  • if you cook your Yorkshire puddings in beef fat then as long as you let them know that they’re not veggie then I’m sure they’ll be happy to just stick with the other sides (although I have had quite a lot of success doing them in veg oil).

If you really want to make a veggie main then
I’ve made this before (and I’m making it again) www.abelandcole.co.uk/recipes/caramelised-red-onion-stilton-chestnut-roast it really does only take about 15-20 mins to prep and it’s delicious. You can use gluten free bread if you have concerns about cross contamination. It does need some oven space though, so if it’s too much extra faff I’m sure you’re guests will be fine with all the sides (I know I would be!)

Most desserts are veggie (unless they contain gelatin). I’m making a meringue wreath with cream and berries so your plans should be fine!

Good luck and have a lovely Christmas! Your friends and family are lucky to have someone cooking a lovely meal for them.
(I’d also be completely happy to bring my own main dish if it made the host’s life easier. I am also very happy and used to just eating whatever veggie side dishes are available- most vegetarians know that it’s extra effort to cater for them and completely understand that Christmas is busy enough already!)

lanthanum · 18/11/2021 18:41

@EdenFlower

I didn't say no because it would be rude- and it will be nice to have them there. A bought nut roast and Bisto is not my style, or theirs! I would be embarrassed to serve guests that! My question was would it be rude to ask them to bring their own (which would undoubtedly be home-cooked) with them.
Perhaps put it as "I've planned the menu and ordered the meat. It would be so lovely to have you with us, though. I'm not sure I can manage cooking veggie alternatives from scratch alongside the meat - I could buy a ready-done nut roast (is there one you'd recommend?) or if you wanted to bring something better that we can heat up, we could do that." Then it's up to them.
PurpleDaisies · 18/11/2021 18:41

You might have missed my latest post @YouJustFoldItIn

This is what I said…Seriously, I would eat the goats cheese tart and be pleased to have been catered for.

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 18/11/2021 18:42

@EdenFlower - it might be worth looking for a vegetarian main that you could make ahead of time and freeze - that way you would know it had worked, and it would mean less stress on Christmas Day. You could also parboil and part-fry some roasties and parsnips in oil, so they would just need popping in the oven in a little foil dish.

I am a huge fan of doing as much as I can ahead of time - it has taken a lot of stress out of Christmas.

Pumperthepumper · 18/11/2021 18:42

@QuiteQuaint

I would guess that OP isn’t a confident cook. Good cooks wouldn’t be worrying about cooking for vegetarians with 6 weeks notice. But that’s fine, shop bought will be ok anyway. Not everyone has great cooking skills. And it’s just as much about the company anyway.
I agree, and I think there’s a few people on here who feel the same.
YouJustFoldItIn · 18/11/2021 18:43

Actually the vegetarian sausage toad in the hole is a good call. That way you can cook everyone else's Yorkshires in beef dripping and do hers in an individual tray. Do the potatoes in olive oil.

TheNarwhalBalloon · 18/11/2021 18:45

OP, I'm vegan myself, and I do think it's unfortunate that they've invited themselves and that it potentially means you having to change your entire menu or cook twice. I can totally see why that's a pain. However, I don't know if it helps to think that they may have no idea at all how much of a hassle it is. I personally would have had no idea that your yorkshires, potatoes, sprouts and gravy wouldn't be OK for vegetarians. I would have though the only thing you might need to do was cook a small protein based dish to replace the beef. Myself I would have been happy to eat the vegetables and not have anything cooked specially... because I would have expected them to be vegetarian dishes. They probably have no clue how much you'll have to adapt your menu. I don't know if it might help to think of that when dealing with them. I hope you all have a lovely meal.

Stovetopespresso · 18/11/2021 18:45

@youjustfolditin yes toad in the hole is fun and hearty.

TatianaBis · 18/11/2021 18:45

I like goat’s cheese.

Has anyone suggested Cook vegetarian Christmas food? You can buy a complete veggie meal if you want.

EarthSight · 18/11/2021 18:47

If they've invited themselves, they've signed up to eat what you're serving. I think it would be a bit cheeky to expect everything to be a vegetarian.

Original poster
EdenFlower · 18/11/2021 18:48

I know they don't eat products that are made to imitate meat- so not sure vegetarian sausages would be acceptable.

OP posts:
Pumperthepumper · 18/11/2021 18:48

@EarthSight

If they've invited themselves, they've signed up to eat what you're serving. I think it would be a bit cheeky to expect everything to be a vegetarian.
Does anyone ever expect every single thing on a Christmas table to be cooked in or with meat?
scottishnames · 18/11/2021 18:49

Also, meat-eaters should remember that a lot of what's sold today as 'traditional' is barely 50 years old.

In the 1950s, boiled potatoes (and sprouts) were perfectly normal, although some did roast the potatoes. No cauliflower cheese and very few other accompaniments. Pigs in blankets were very new then; just as often, it might be a few chipolatas:
www.underthechristmastree.co.uk/a-1950s-christmas-dinner-menu/

CovidCorvid · 18/11/2021 18:50

I think it would be ruder to ask them to bring their own Than to buy something to be honest. I know people on my vegi gluten free fb group are raving about the Aldi frozen nut roast which comes in a pack of two portions. Get one of them, do the roast potatoes in oil, do some melon and fig starters and boil a few sprouts on the side. Job done and about 10 mins more effort.

Or make a nut roast the night before and leave it uncooked in a loaf tin over night and then just cook on the day.

Chloemol · 18/11/2021 18:51

I would do the stuff as you like it, with simple boiled/roasted veg for them. It’s no hardship to roast potatoes vegetarian style for them, boils plain veg for them and provide nut roast for them, shop bought

I accommodate vegetarians around what I do. Vegans bring their own

TheNarwhalBalloon · 18/11/2021 18:52

I also wanted to say that I love nut roast and mushroom wellington and would not be at all surprised or disappointed to be served either of these on Christmas Day. If you want a certain dish to be served on a certain occasion then you need to stay at home and make it yourself. As long as something is provided that fills their dietary needs then you've done your bit OP, no need to be worrying about whether all vegetarians like nut roast or not.

slashlover · 18/11/2021 18:52

I go to my parents for Christmas every year and I always take my own started and main, they're always ready to just go in the oven. My mum is a good vegetarian cook as I became vegetarian when I was 12, I just don't want her to feel as if she has to cook two separate means.

Stovetopespresso · 18/11/2021 18:53

@EdenFlower

I know they don't eat products that are made to imitate meat- so not sure vegetarian sausages would be acceptable.
give em a tin of heinz beanz Grin
Gilly12345 · 18/11/2021 18:54

Question who invites themselves to another persons house?

Answer a cheeky vegetarian fucker

BIWI · 18/11/2021 18:54

" Ive already shopped and its a very meat heavy dinner, you are welcome if you bring your own main course" is what i would say

It's about 6 weeks till Christmas. How on earth could the OP justify having done all her shopping now?!

So rude. You have guests, you cater for them and their needs. You don't try to make them feel unwelcome.

TractorAndHeadphones · 18/11/2021 18:54

@PurpleDaisies

I wish people wouldn’t lump all vegetarians into one bunch. We have different tastes?
So do meat eaters . However there are dishes that the majority find tasty, like roast chicken. I don't know what the veggie equivalent is. Given that there are only 2 however it would be wise to ask them what they like...

I've grown up quite low meat but then the sort of veggie dishes I'm used to are different... I wouldn't eat a nut roast, wellington or anything with mushrooms/squash etc. I'd rather bring my own food on a veggie day but that's just me