This is the first birthday I'm going to have while being vegetarian and I'm really really excited!!! but...
I don't know what to do!!!!!! Do I still buy meat products for my friends to eat or not?? I feel that buying meat is going against all my personal beliefs and all the reasons why I became vegetarian (animal cruelty etc) but I'm not sure what to feed everyone else??
Your opinion and any yummy vegetarian party dish ideas would be awesome!!!!
Happy birthday!!! Hope you have a great day ... and share your birthday cake with everyone here. Another Unleashed member had a party not long ago and asked for suggestions too, so I'll try find it for you. Give me a moment...
It is your birthday! If there is one day a year when you shouldn't feel bad about not buying meat for others, this is it! (Not that you ever need to feel bad about it). Who knows? Maybe you will encourage them to see that it is not necessary.
I am not sure about any good recipes, but I know that you can buy vegetarian and vegan foods from Woolworths and places like that that would be good for parties (sausage roll type things etc), they are a bit expensive though.
You could have a lovely big fruit salad, vegie sticks and lots of other fresh stuff. You could also make some kind of vegetarian/vegan lasagna or bake or something more filling. There are heaps of options. Go for it!
remember meat eaters eat veg meals all the time so it wont be a big deal. fussy meat eaters might toss their heads at tofu but wouldn't make any comment on say a noodle stir fry, pasta dish or a round of pizza.
Also at parties a lot of the food tends to be snacks, appetizers, sweets, junk food etc. all of which are very easy to be veg, as well as veg dishes which they wont care about a lack of meat.
For my birthday, everyone had vegetarian food.
My dad complained, saying that they make exceptions for me.
But I always cook my own food and they don't make that many exceptions.
Mum made fried rice for my brother's birthday. If she hadn't of put in the bacon, I would have been able to eat it.
Just explain that you want to introduce them to vegetarian cooking. If it bothers them so much, they could always eat some meat before or afterhand.
Don't stress. I doubt someone who lives gluten-free, would provide food with gluten in them. Or a paleo would provide ice cream (from cow's milk).
Ps. Don't feel bad, people are celebrating your birthday for you!
My family knows on my birthday we go vegan, and I love to use it as a time to introduce them to amazing vegan food.
A vegetarian couple that I know had a party, and I thought it was disrespectful that other adults coming to their party still brought meat there. I would bring new foods for your friends to try, like veggie corn dogs, and meatless hamburgers, and if you are only vegetarian, pizza.
