How To Cook For A Vegetarian This Holiday Season
Are you worried about cooking for a vegetarian in your family this upcoming holiday season? Well, worry no more. This article will tell you exactly what you need to do and know before you start cooking this holiday season.
You can start off by finding out what type of vegetarian your guest is. For instance, if she is a strict vegan, then there’s a chance she will not eat food that contains honey or yeast; however, if on the other hand, she is a "semi" or "pseudo" vegetarian, there is a chance she will actually eat the meal as it is prepared, including the meat. And if she’s a lacto-ovo-vegetarian, she might eat anything with eggs and milk, but will probably avoid meat dishes.
If you talk to the vegetarian in your family before you prepare your holiday meal, you should consider asking the following five questions:
1. Do you eat certain types of meat or none at all?
If the vegetarian in your family will eat certain meats (generally fish, chicken, and turkey), then you should consider preparing that as a side dish or asking them if they would like to bring a small dish of it for their own meal.
2. Will you use serving utensils that have been placed in dishes containing meat?
Some vegetarians experience severe gastrointestinal stress when they consume meat and grease from meat, so it is a good idea to find out whether or not they can do so ahead of time. If they can’t, you can simply put out one utensil for all non-meat dishes and ask that guests do not cross-contaminate.
3. Do you eat foods that contain milk and eggs?
As I mentioned above, lacto-ovo vegetarians will eat milk and eggs, but other sub-categories of vegetarian will not. Some won't do it for health reasons; others won't for ethical reasons. Whatever the case, you can get around this problem by either creating more dishes that do not contain milk and eggs or by using egg replacer, which you can find at most supermarkets, and milk replacements, such as soy milk.
4. Do you eat honey and yeast?
Some vegetarians do not eat honey and yeast for ethical reasons. If you find out that the vegetarian in your family does not eat honey and yeast ahead of time, you can either prepare alternate dishes or ask if they are willing to bring an alternate dish.
5. Would you like to bring your own main dish (to replace the turkey, ham, etc.)?
Many vegetarians eat popular meat-replacement dishes, such as "tofurkey" and "veggie burgers." Your guest will probably be more than willing to bring her own meat- replacement dish if you ask.
To reiterate, there are a number of things you should take into consideration when you cook for a vegetarian this holiday season; however, the single most important thing you can do is actually approach the vegetarian and ask how you can accommodate her and if she would like to cook with you or bring her own dish.
If you keep this in mind, your holiday meal will be a success with everyone - even the vegetarian in your family!
Vegetarian
Important Non-Meat Sources Of Protein For Vegetarians
Nutritious Vegetarian Food To Take With You
Pizza Is The Perfect Vegetarian Food
Why Vegans Don't Consume Dairy Products
Vegetarian
... allow themselves to eat foods that are made by animals, while vegans do not. That means that vegans avoid foods such as eggs, milk, or fish. People may choose to go vegan for several different reasons, and many make the decision because they feel that cruelty goes into creating any animal product. Others ...
The Differences Between Lacto And Ovo Vegetarianism
... understand the many benefits that a vegetarian diet can have for your health and the environment, but few realize exactly how many different subsets of vegetarianism there are. When it comes to vegetarianism, many people choose to be either a lacto-vegetarian or an ovo-vegetarian. In this article, we ...
Statistical Reasons To Go Vegetarian
... sperm count in the United States has decreased over thirty percent in the past thirty years. Some people think that vegetarians will lose out on proper nutrition by having such a selective diet. Many view vegetarians stereotypically as weak, pale individuals. However, there have been many great achievements ...
Becoming A Vegetarian For Medical Reasons
... vegetarian can help out with is the regulation of body weight. If you find that you are way above your ideal body weight, a vegetarian diet may be helpful in making your body level itself out. Fruits and vegetables are much healthier than meat, containing less fat and generally containing more healthful ...
... Corn on the cob is already a popular vegetable for the grill. In foil or in the husk, corn grills to perfection. Other vegetables work well on the grill too. Eggplant slices are delicious when they are seared and then brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic salt. Speaking of garlic, don't forget ...