Are you used to making the same dishes your family enjoys for dinner, like meatloaf, chicken, or hamburgers? You have received many visits before and you are probably a great cook. But now a vegetarian is coming for dinner. Some people do nothing special for vegetarians and let them eat what they can find to eat as sides. But you want to be a good host and make a main dish that your vegetarian guest will enjoy.
Some people can get nervous asking dinner guests what they like or don’t like to eat. If you don’t know what vegetarians eat, ask your guests ahead of time what they eat. First of all it helps to know what kind of vegetarian you are, lacto-ovo vegetarian eats eggs and dairy, ovo-vegetarian eats eggs but no dairy, lacto-vegetarian eats dairy but no eggs, and vegan doesn’t. eat eggs or dairy. People who eat fish and no other meat are called pescetarians and are not vegetarians. Many people have been misinformed that fish is a vegetarian food, and it is not. You don’t want to be one of the people who make this mistake. Finding out what kind of vegetarian your guest is is a big step in figuring out what to prepare for them.
Ask your guests what dishes they like. This is a good tip for non-vegetarian guests as well because it will ensure that your guests will like the dish you prepare. Vegetarians are used to people asking them what they eat, so they often have dishes to suggest.
If your guest doesn’t have suggestions, the Internet is a great place to look for recipes. You can also find a vegetarian cookbook section at your local library or bookstore. Some vegetarian recipes call for hard-to-find ingredients that aren’t found in the average grocery store and may be foreign to you. If you’re not used to cooking vegetarian foods, stick with some of the easier recipes with common ingredients.
Don’t be intimidated by making vegetarian recipes. Vegetarians eat many of the same dishes that meat eaters enjoy, minus the meat. Vegetarians like spaghetti, macaroni, rice, beans, hamburgers (veggie burgers), sandwiches, pizza, and many other dishes that you already make and enjoy. You can make these same listed dishes, but just don’t add the meat. It’s that easy? Well almost. If you’re using any mixes, sauces, spreads, soups, or anything you haven’t made from scratch, read the ingredients. Some cornbread muffin mixes and soups contain meat, and some sauces and spreads may contain dairy or eggs even though they may not taste the same.
With these tips, you’ll be ready to host a vegetarian dinner. You are probably already a great cook, so it will not be difficult to use these skills to prepare a vegetarian meal. Your vegetarian guest will probably be more than happy to help provide suggestions on great vegetarian dishes. But if you want to plan a meal yourself, you’re now ready to look up easy recipes online or just make one of your favorite meatless dishes. Start preparing for the next party or gathering.