Vegetarians invited themselves for Christmas- got beef ordered!

[EdenFlower]

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?

@YouJustFoldItIn

I think it’s everything being cooked in dripping, it sounds like it’s going to be a very bland meal.

Eh? Compared to being cooked in what? A decent roast isn't bland unless you are one of those people who thinks that anything that isn't spicy is bland. And it's hard to get more flavour into roast potatoes than by using beef dripping.

Compared to a range of flavours and textures.

OP Vegetarian for many decades here. But SURELY the point of a festive meal is the togetherness of everyone around the table? Of course you would like to serve nice food, - that's very good of you - but that is not actually the main issue
Your original menu sounded very, very meat heavy, as others have said.
If I were your vege guests, this is what I would say.
'Is it possible to remove the meat element from side dishes such as sprouts?'
'Could we please bring a tray of festive veg drizzed in really nice olive oil to be roasted for 40 - 60 mins (eg to include chestnuts - I'd add leeks and posh mushrooms and thinly-sliced parsnips and perhaps celeriac and a bit of squash or sweet potato). When veg are softened, then just add - we'll bring - for the lat 20 mins some posh feta or halloumi or goats cheese. We might also sprinkle some flaked almonds or chopped hazelnuts on top. And fresh herbs.'

That's just one tray extra at around 200C for less than an hour.

Then, if you can do cauliflower cheese and sprouts and ideally a few potatoes without meat additions, all is set for a really nice meal that all can share.

I have never, ever seen the attraction of fake meats. I've yet to taste a veg sausage tht I like.

For a starter, figs and cheese or almost any Mediterranaean veg type cold starter - doesn't have to have protein in it - would be fine for all.

it's very good of you to care; just remember that!

You need low faff and it always helps if all meals look similar.
Don't do mushroom Wellington unless you are doing beed Wellington.
Get some tempeh (fermented soy beans, comes in slabs or slices) marinade in some wine etc. Fry the tempeh last minute and use the marinade to make a sauce.
Keep it simple and by the time everyone is served it is not obvious who has meat or no meat.

The roulade @Babdoc mentioned is indeed lovely. My partner's mother cooked it for me when I joined them for Christmas - it was the first time I'd meet his parents and it was a really kind them to do. The rest had meat!

@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.

So, inviting themselves isn’t rude

But saying no is.

You’ve got that confused

@EdenFlower I think a straightforward conversation would be best; ‘We’d love to have you round at Christmas, but I’m just wondering how best to adapt the menu I’d planned, because we’re having roast beef with yorkshire pud and roasties cooked in beef dripping. Would you rather have Aunt Bessie’s yorkshires and roasties, or bring your own?’

Sides… sprouts roasted in olive oil are also awesome; do the pancetta separately and stir in to the canivores’ dish after, or parboil them, then roast a smaller dish in olive oil and the others with the pancetta. Starters are easy.

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?

You were doing quite well up until this point. I've been vegetarian for nearly 40 years and only have nut roasts when meat eaters make them, because they think that must be what vegetarians eat. As for 'whatever it is they eat' they're vegetarians, not some previously unknown zoological species you've found in your back garden.

I would just say that your meal is already planned, including cooking vegetables along with meat, and would they mind bringing alternatives with them. Then see what happens.

@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.

Of course it wouldn’t have been rude. It’s rude to have different eating habits, whatever they may be, and invite yourself for any kind of meal at someone else’s house. The only time it may be ok would be if you were vegetarian yourself. I would have just said, sorry we’re having beef with all the meat related trimmings. They are cheeky.

Why not have your planned beefy stuff and trimmings Christmas Eve or Boxing Day and get eg Marks and Spencer veggie option for Christmas Day ? That would make them feel most welcome

Can't believe people are still not at least vegetarian when the planet is going to pot! Seems like a lot of people in here live in some kind of crazy bubble that doesnt give a shit about animals or the environment.

Also, you sound like a terrible host. You have ages to plan these guests visiting, and if you have known they are vegetarian for ages, then you should also have things they can eat when they come to your home anyway. Just like you would if you had guests that were GF or allergic to stuff. You wouldnt have guests and not make them feel comfortable would you?

Its really not difficult to make vegetarian or vegan food and if you're allowing them into your home then you should treat them like treasured guests, not a nuisance! Most of the food you eat will be vegan, unless you don;t touch fruit nor vegetables. Research farming and why people are actually veggie and vegan before you start talking like THEY are the problem.

Eating animals is a terrible lifestyle choice , being vegan is absolutely the only right thing to be.

Again, I can't believe people are still thinking it's OK to not be vegan. The world's an absolute mess.

@YouJustFoldItIn

I think it’s everything being cooked in dripping, it sounds like it’s going to be a very bland meal.

Eh? Compared to being cooked in what? A decent roast isn't bland unless you are one of those people who thinks that anything that isn't spicy is bland. And it's hard to get more flavour into roast potatoes than by using beef dripping.

Beef dripping makes the potatoes really crispy and the Yorkshire pudding really fluffy because it reaches high temperatures. It can be done with vegetable oil though instead- with plenty of seasoning they'll be almost as good.

I would suggest to them they brought their own food if they weren't happy with a nut roast and bisto (ungrateful sods!). I would also make it clear it would be going in the same oven as the meat so if they didn't like it at least they would know.

No, it wouldn't be rude. It is rude however to invite yourself to someone's Christmas meal knowing that they will have to adapt their entire menu to accommodate you, without offering to bring your own food.

@doyouwantachuffedybadge

Can't believe people are still not at least vegetarian when the planet is going to pot! Seems like a lot of people in here live in some kind of crazy bubble that doesnt give a shit about animals or the environment.

Also, you sound like a terrible host. You have ages to plan these guests visiting, and if you have known they are vegetarian for ages, then you should also have things they can eat when they come to your home anyway. Just like you would if you had guests that were GF or allergic to stuff. You wouldnt have guests and not make them feel comfortable would you?

Its really not difficult to make vegetarian or vegan food and if you're allowing them into your home then you should treat them like treasured guests, not a nuisance! Most of the food you eat will be vegan, unless you don;t touch fruit nor vegetables. Research farming and why people are actually veggie and vegan before you start talking like THEY are the problem.

Eating animals is a terrible lifestyle choice , being vegan is absolutely the only right thing to be.

Again, I can't believe people are still thinking it's OK to not be vegan. The world's an absolute mess.

Jesus, what a stereotype of the angry vegan. Are you taking the piss?

My DH is gluten and dairy free and low FOD, it is a pain in the arse. I only cook to suit him, so if you visit me you get what he can eat. If we visit anyone i take food for DH, i would never expect someone to change their menu to suit DH. Tell the veggies they are welcome but the menu is the menu and they can cater for themselves

Compared to a range of flavours and textures.

The range of textures will come from the foods themselves. Roast potatoes, veg in various forms, meat, stuffing...none of that is affected by which fat you choose to use. The flavours can vary depending on the type of fat, but nothing I MEAN NOTHING will give a better flavour than using beef dripping or goose fat for a classic roast meat dinner. Olive oil or some other type of non-animal fat is fine, I use them often, but they are not going to add a great deal to the flavour and texture profile of anything on a Christmas roast turkey meal.

Avoiding beef dripping is certainly not going to help a rost dinner be 'less bland.' And using no fat at all but just steaming/boiling/baking everything , even less so.

Op im vegetarian (i don't like the texture of meat, I've never liked it)...but at the same time I'm easy, If you served me your Christmas dinner i would eat the veg and just leave the meat...just explain to them what your meal plan is, and tell them if they don't want to eat that maybe they could bring something with them...you can't change your whole Christmas dinner to suit two guests....I would never expect anyone to alter their dinner to suit me...I just eat what I'm given and leave the meat on the plate

Ah yes, roll out the trope of angry vegan - wouldnt you be angry if people were eating beings that you cared about? YOu are an example of ignorance. Really, the world needs to wake up to the terrible things it has done, and continues to do to animals and the planet.

Vegans arent here to gently cajole you into not being murderous.

Ask them what they would like to eat and let them know what you’ve already planned. If they’re polite, they’ll then offer to bring something.
Don’t change your plans on their account, just do some additional things for them.

Just cook either all or some of the roasties and Yorkshires in oil instead and there is literally nothing to worry about. I'm a vegetarian and would be more than happy eating everything else and just not eating the meat. The company is way more important than the food.

Everyone Please stop going on about nut roasts. That's NOT what most vegetarians like. Nor do many of us like 'welingtons' - stuff encased in soggy pastry. Pastry doesn't make anything festive; it's just a fatty, stodgy filler.

Vegetarians LIKE vegetables. If you want to add fat - eg to roast potatoes - then a good quality olive oil is - to very many of us - a much greater treat than dripping would be to you. and lighter, and healthier, and more ecological ...

Jesus, what a stereotype of the angry vegan. Are you taking the piss?

I thought the same! If I knew a vegan was going to be visiting I would make sure I had something suitable but I don't tend to keep a nut roast just in case. Unless it was doyouwantachuffedybadge in which case I'd make sure I had a nice juicy steak!

I'm veggie and usually go to town with the turkey etc. and buy something ready made for my main because I'm the only veggie. I'm planning a nut roast this year that the non veggies can have as a side dish but I don't usually bother.

Roast veg will be in vegetable oil, a portion of sprouts can be put aside before pancetta is added, I'll do separate gravy, it's not that hard, those of us who live with non veggies do this stuff every day.

Not your style to get a nut roast? Oh please

Buying pre prepared doesn’t have to mean dry but roast. I’m sure they’d understand that you didn’t want to experiment for the first time on Christmas dinner. I would be honest and explain, then offer them the choice of good quality pre made (high end supermarket or or something from cook if you have access to a nearby branch.