If you're planning a special event and are either a vegan or vegetarian, consider hosting a meat-free celebration that aligns with your personal beliefs and values. Choose menu items that are so delicious and filing that even carnivores won't miss the meat.
A vegetarian and vegan menu will work for any type of special occasion, such as baby or bridal showers, wedding receptions, kids' or adults' birthday parties, family holidays, reunions and other get-togethers, graduation celebrations and anniversary soirees. Prior to designing the menu with your caterer, ask if anyone on your guest list has allergies, such as to wheat gluten, and provide the appropriate meals for them.
You can either hire a caterer that specializes in vegan and vegetarian food, or just request that a conventional caterer leaves the meat out of their traditional recipes. There are many protein-rich alternatives to meat that you can substitute, such as tofu, seitan, tempeh and any kind of beans.
Here are some vegan and vegetarian catering ideas for your next event:
1. Mexican Cuisine
One of the easiest cuisines to enjoy on a meatless diet is Mexican, since you can replace the meat with flavorful refried or black beans in most circumstances. For instance, serve both spicy and mild enchiladas filled with refried beans and cheese family-style.
As a more interactive option, you can provide all of the traditional and meat-free taco and burrito toppings and filings, including beans, seasoned soy grounds, grilled tempeh strips, regular cheddar and dairy-free cheese shreds, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and sliced olives. Serve hard, soft and salad taco shells, as well as large tortillas for burritos, and guests can wrap, roll and stuff their Mexican-inspired creations any way they'd like.
With any selections, include bowls of freshly made guacamole, sour cream and salsa as well for topping.
2. Build-Your-Own-Burger Bar
Another way to get party-goers involved during mealtime is with a build-your-own-burger bar, which will appeal to guests of all ages. Provide both grilled veggie burgers and marinated portobello mushroom caps, as well as a mix of white and wheat buns and Kaiser rolls.
Keep the meal exciting with a combination of classic and gourmet burger toppings, such as regular and vegan cheese slices and mayonnaise, spicy stone-ground and regular yellow mustard, avocado, red onion and tomatoes slices, fried eggs, crispy fried onions and grilled pineapple rings.
For sides, keep with the backyard BBQ theme with vegetarian baked beans, coleslaw, French fries and potato salad.
Share26 February 2019
Hello, my name is Trinity Billings. I am crazy about throwing wild birthday parties for kids and adults alike. Everyone should have a birthday party thrown in their honor after another year passes by. When I was a young kid, my parents always made a big deal about my birthday despite a lack of funds or time. As I grew older, I slowly realized all of the effort they put into making me feel special. As a result, I vowed to return the favor whenever I could. Today, I always throw my parents a big bash by renting tents, tables, chairs and decorations from event coordination companies. I work closely with party planners to make every event as special as can be. I hope to update this site with ideas that will inspire others to do the same for their loved ones. Thank you for visiting.