How to Feed a Vegetarian in a Family of Meat Eaters

Just because you usually feed a family of meat eaters doesn't mean that you are incapable of feeding a vegetarian too. Even though vegetarians don't eat meat, they still enjoy eating other foods that are commonly served with meat, including rice, beans, vegetables and pasta. If you're concerned about feeding a vegetarian, you can always purchase frozen vegetarian meals, but you can also pull from your current grocery list to feed a vegetarian guest and still satisfy your family of meat eaters.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pasta
• Beans
• Rice
• Vegetables

1. Ask the vegetarian guest what they would like to have for dinner. Although the main course will be meat, you can still provide some vegetarian side dishes such as plain baked potatoes, pasta, rice and lentils or beans, fruit, or salad, for example.

2. Purchase a frozen vegetarian meal like fake chicken patties or burgers. These can be microwaved in a few minutes and provide your guest with a source of protein so they can stay a while and not have to rush home to eat food.

3. Avoid making a big deal about the fact that the guest is vegetarian. It's OK to ask general questions about why he became a vegetarian and how strict his diet is, but try not to make him feel uncomfortable by making it the topic of the night. Also by asking general questions, you can find out what kind of vegetarian he is. Maybe he still eats fish (pescatarian) or still eats cheese, eggs and milk (lacto-ovo-vegetarian). This can help you plan ahead in case he will be eating dinner with you again.

4. Keep a vegetarian dessert in the pantry because most desserts contain dairy products. Fruit, popcorn and certain cookies and cakes are great options, but check ingredients as some seemingly vegetarian-friendly products contain dairy. Don't worry about drinks so much, because the vegetarian guest can always drink water.

5. Give vegetarianism a chance by having your family try out the lifestyle for one meal. Serve soy meat tacos or soy meat sloppy joes. Your family might not even realize that they are meatless, and your vegetarian guest will appreciate the effort.

Tips & Warnings

• Provide a variety of side dishes so that your vegetarian guest can make a meal out of them.
• Be considerate and try not to make the guest uncomfortable during dinner.
• The vegetarian guest might not eat everything you made but don't take it personally.

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