Vegan meals to bring to others' parties

[Poison Ivy]

THere are a few veganised irish recipes here (http://www.earthyfamily.com/IR-recipe.htm) - skip past the first recipe to find the veganised ones:)

[Lorrs]

http://www.vegsoc.org/stpatricks/index.html

[Jiffy]

We, that's me and the Mrs, have been invited to a Baptism and munch up afterwards by a family friend.

On the invitation it clearly states that the food on offer will be Jerk Chicken', lovely! :rolleyes:

The host has asked if there is anyone attending who is vegetarian or dislikes spicy food. This is where there is a slight difference of opinion between me and my wife ( she is lacto-ovo vegetarian and despises my veganism with a passion, BTW).

I am of the opinion that I should reply and simply state that I am vegan and see what they come up with. My wife thinks this is wrong and that I'm being deiberately difficult and trying to make a point. She feels that I should basically keep quiet and either take my own food or scavenge around the periphery when I get there. I'm in two minds about this. On the one hand I can see that putting someone in the position of having to cater for a 'special' diet when they already have enough to worry about at a family gathering is unhelpful and perhaps even selfish and inconsiderate.

On the other hand if I turn up with my own little packed lunch, not eating their food it will perpetuate the perception that vegans are weird, antisocial and inhabit a strange parallel universe. Not only that but it gives the impression that vegan food is difficult to prepare and can only be undertaken by weirdo accolytes! If someone has to provide vegan food it might make them stop and think for a minute and maybe even realise that not every meal has to contain corpse or cow pus.

Funnily enough I was supposed to be going to another family gathering in a couple of weeks, but I can't go because I'm already signed up for a cycling event. The rest of the family are attending. I was quite irked by the response from the host which was " oh well at least now I don't have to worry about what to give Jiffy to eat". Well I'm so sorry that me being capable of independent thought is such an inconvienience! :mad:

Sorry, off on a tangent there. So, getting back to my dilemma what does the panel think? Take my own grub or hope to find something more than a lettuce leaf and a tomato? :confused:

[harpy]

I'd just say "I'm vegan - I can bring a vegan dish though, if that would be OK, as I don't want to put you to extra inconvenience." Then the host can either take you up on it or say they'll make something for you.

If you do end up taking something I would probably try and take enough so that other people can try it as well, which will avoid the sitting-in-corner-with-lunchbox effect (though you might end up not getting much! :D ).

ETA in these situations I'd generally let the people know that I'll be opting out of the chicken/whatever to make sure they don't buy extra chicken/whatever for me.

[pusskins]

This is where there is a slight difference of opinion between me and my wife (she is lacto-ovo vegetarian and despises my veganism with a passion, BTW).

My wife thinks this is wrong and that I'm being deiberately difficult and trying to make a point. She feels that I should basically keep quiet and either take my own food or scavenge around the periphery when I get there.

I am sorry, I don't want to disrespect you or your wife but...WHAT????

I was at my brother's wedding recently, and he asked if we could provide some recipes which he could give to the chef, and then the chef would surprise us. We ended up with a 3-course meal which other people looked at and wished they could have had! We also sent a thank you card to the pub, as it all tasted wonderful! The main dish was roasted butternut squash stuffed with wild rice, chestnuts and mushrooms, accompanied by a fresh local veg salad (^_^)

I understand this is not something you will be able to do in your case, but I thought I'd share with you a positive experience.

I fully agree with harpy's approach to the situation. Be sympathetic to the organiser and offer to meet them halfway, then see where to take it. Then you can't be seen to be difficult!

[DavidT]

Do you have to eat when you get there? Why not attend not hungry? I've been to dos before and simply not eaten anything, which is fine too. Or is that weird?

[pusskins]

Do you have to eat when you get there? Why not attend not hungry? I've been to dos before and simply not eaten anything, which is fine too. Or is that weird?

That's good advice! I tend not to think about doing that, just because I'm all about the food all the time! (shall I pop an Austin Powers "baby" in at the end there?) :o

[jimmeh]

I'd reply stating "vegan", but agree that you should eat before/take something to eat if there's nowt

[fiamma]

Great response by harpy, as always :thumbsup:

[Cherry]

Yep, I agree. Harpy's "I'm vegan but I can bring something if that's easier" approach seems to cover everything.

[gogs67]

I'd just say "I'm vegan - I can bring a vegan dish though, if that would be OK, as I don't want to put you to extra inconvenience." Then the host can either take you up on it or say they'll make something for you.

.
The best way, then you are not being rude, demanding or weird!:D

[jibber]

^ Yep thats they way I always go too.

They might actually be willing and perfectly able to cook something for you and might be offended if you just assumed there would be nothing for you and turned up and didnt eat or with your own packed lunch.

[DavidT]

So replying (purely as an example) "You self-centred, inconsiderate, murdering, cholesterol-laden feckers" is a no-go then?

[harpy]

Blush! Thank you, people. David's response is what I'd be thinking as I wrote the polite letter though :D

I was also thinking that if they do offer to make something for you, Jiffy, then discreet emergency supplies aren't a bad idea, just in case they get hold of the wrong end of the stick about what vegans eat.

[gogs67]

So replying (purely as an example) "You self-centred, inconsiderate, murdering, cholesterol-laden feckers" is a no-go then?
That only works standing in the street shouting at random passers by!:D

[DavidT]

So replying (purely as an example) "You self-centred, inconsiderate, murdering, cholesterol-laden feckers" is a no-go then?


That only works standing in the street shouting at random passers by!:D

Yes! Imagine! :lol:

[Jiffy]

Do you have to eat when you get there? Why not attend not hungry? I've been to dos before and simply not eaten anything, which is fine too. Or is that weird?

S'not too weird but, well, seems like a capitulation really doesn't it? Quite apart from which due to the timings involved it will be past lunchtime and I won't have eaten since breakfast anyway and I'm a hungry caterpillar at the best of times. I don't think me munching Nak'd bars or bananas through the church service would go down too well. ;)

Apparently (and I think this is my Mrs doing an Alistair Campbell) lots of guests will be 'contributing' various dishes....how jolly handy, another one of her secret surveys, no doubt. :rolleyes:

We'd better take a fair bit then. IME, paradoxically, the vegan stuff is the first to get snaffled up!

[DavidT]

IME, paradoxically, the vegan stuff is the first to get snaffled up!

Mine too!

[Sarabi]

Mine too!
So true. My dining hall offers a "Grab N Go" section basically like fast food... and there are only two vegan entrées: hummus & vegetable platter and pbj. They're always gone if I don't get there early. I'll always walk in there, a friend will see me, and I'll mention there's nothing vegan... they usually say, "Then Grab N Go is not for you," and pass me by. :rolleyes:

Well, on the bright side, being vegan allows me to exercise my creativity which I always dreamed of using for the purpose of improving the world.

[harpy]

Yes, even if it's a sit-down meal I find the others always (ETA except when it's just a baked potato or plate of lettuce) eye up your food thinking it looks more interesting than theirs. There seems to be an obvious solution to that one!

What are you going to take then Jiffy? Better make it something fairly unpleasant-looking so the others don't all gobble it up before you get to it ;)

[puca]

I would say I am vegan and would ask if they minded me bringing my own food to share.

[Sarabi]

Haha, my friend says she always eats good-looking vegan food in front of her friends and tells them it's only for vegans as a way to get them to go vegan. :p

[Festered]

Nothing I can add here really but, in other situations (obviously not an option here) I have turned up early and taken ingredients which I have then prepared as the host cooked, and cooked enough for me and a few others. That has always gone down well .
Obviously I told them about my idea first :D

[LittleRedApple]

And the wives were asked to bring side dishes. They will provide the meat...

Well I don't eat meat, duuh! So I need some suggestions as to what I can bring as an amazing side dish, but the main meal for myself.

Please help me out! Recipes or links would be well appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!

[Staffy]

Touboulli. Make a touboulli, it's yummy and everyone will be knocked out that you made it as everyone always buys that dry boring stuff from the shop in plastic containers. I'll see if i can find the link.

The other thing is bring some mushrooms to fry up, or maybe make a chili pasta and mushroom salad. That one i just made up....