How to Accommodate Vegan or Vegetarian Guests at Your Wedding
Vegan or Vegetarian guests may reach out to you BEFORE your wedding.
When all is said and done, there is one more challenge that you must deal with when planning your wedding: your menu.
Therefore, there are many aspects to consider, but what happens when you have vegan or vegetarian guests? Whether they follow a strict plant-based diet or you are hoping for a more inclusive and sustainable wedding and menu, the good news is that it is possible with the tips below.
The Difference Between Vegan and Vegetarian
Your guests may reach out to you with special requests for vegan or vegetarian meals. Do you know the difference?
Although the two dietary requirements are sometimes used interchangeably, they are unique. It makes a whole lot of difference if you can tell them apart since the goal is to accommodate all your guests and their needs.
Vegetarians avoid consuming animal flesh, which means that they don’t eat meat, fish, poultry, game, or any other food from animal slaughter.
On the other hand, vegans are a type of vegetarians, but their diet is stricter. In addition to not eating meat from animals, they also avoid all animal products.
Therefore, they follow the same restrictions as vegetarians but also avoid dairy products like milk, butter, eggs, cheese, and honey.
How to Plan Your Vegan or Vegetarian Wedding Menu
Are you serving a partial or full vegetarian menu? It’s not that challenging to plan meals that are sustainable, tasty, and still meet your culinary preferences. You can easily showcase to vegan or vegetarian guests your style and lifestyle and create dishes that everyone will enjoy. The following tips will help you.
Determine Your Meal Style
Having a meal style in mind makes planning way easier. Are you going for a buffet/self-serving kind of setup or a family dinner kind? Knowing the style goes a long way in determining the best type of vegan or vegetarian meals to serve the guests.
You will know what to serve particular guests or what to include in the buffet. For instance, it will be easier to include special foods if you are doing a buffet instead of a traditional three-course dinner.
Consider Seasonality
Your wedding food options will be talked about for a very long time, and here is where you let your personality, theme, and style shine.
Therefore, you can obtain inspiration from the season the wedding is in to make it easier to come up with a menu. For instance, if there is a seasonal produce around the time of the year, you can take advantage of that and include it in your menu.
Luckily, a vegan diet emphasizes on plant-based foods, so there is no better time to include fresh and ripe foods of the season.
Think of Protein
Being on a plant-based diet doesn’t mean that vegan food must only feature fruits and veggies.
They make great options, but remember that just like everyone else, the diet must also be well-balanced. The meals will be healthy and filling if you prioritize proteins, too. The best part is that proteins take longer to digest, so your vegan or vegetarian guests will stay full for a long time.
Consider plant-based proteins like variety of assorted nuts, beans, peas, lentils, and chickpeas. They come in varieties, and they can be cooked in so many ways to create appetizing meals, especially when combined with options like rice.
Add a Wide Variety of Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and veggies are a must for any vegetarian or vegan guest’s diet.
You can focus on a few types, but the best way to add color and provide options for your guests is by offering as many varieties as possible. This is your best chance to play around with your favorite vegetables and fruits.
Furthermore, the more colorful the dishes you present, the more fun for your guests. Imagine a rainbow buffet of fun colors displayed together. Think of green, yellow, red, orange, and white as tasty and healthy fruits and vegetables.
Plate Aesthetically Pleasing Food
Aesthetics are everything at your wedding, and it is not only about the theme and decor; how you present your food at the reception also matters.
Many would think that vegan or vegetarian guest meals are boring, but that is far from it. Plant-based foods also look appetizing, especially when there is a focus on presentation.
The catering team already knows what to do when it comes to that and can get creative with the display. They can also use edible flowers and colorful fruits as centerpieces.
Vegan and Vegetarian Menu Ideas
Now that you know what a vegetarian and vegan diet consists of and already have the tips on how to create an amazing menu for your vegan or vegetarian guests, there is one more step.
You will settle on the best food options to include on the menu, making sure that they not only fit the dietary requirements but are also healthy, tasty, and appetizing. If you need more details for your inspiration, below are the best menu ideas for your wedding, starting from the appetizers to the desserts.
Appetizers
- Grilled apricots with a cashew chevre, thyme or rosemary
- Potato wedges or bites with chives and cashew cheese
- Grilled tofu coated with peanut chutney
Starters
- Yellow lentils blended with organic spinach and seasoning of preferred spices
- Mushrooms with grilled beets
- Potatoes with vegetables coated in cashew gravy with choice spices
Salads
- Green apples with cucumber and asparagus served with tomato dressing
- Mix of cranberries with broccoli crowns, almonds, smoked paprika, and maple syrup.
Main Dishes
- Pasta served with oregano, pepper, onions, and tomato sauce
- Ratatouille (French meal made of roasted veggies and herbs)
- Mushroom stroganoff made of olive oil, onions, and ribbon noodles
Side Dishes
- Roasted carrots with olives and walnuts
- Tomatoes and cucumbers served with arugula and vinaigrette
- Brussels sprouts with lentils and radicchio
Desserts
- Vegan chocolate, vanilla and lemon cakes
- Apple pie or banana cream pie
- Vegan or raw tiramisu made with strawberries
Conclusion
Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life; nothing should go wrong, especially when it comes to the food menu.
Your guests will leave happy and content that you were considerate of their requirements when you have inclusive and sustainable options for vegans and vegetarians.
Whether you are on a special diet or just a few of your loved ones, there are so many plant-based foods to add to the menu. Remember to pick your meal style, emphasize the proteins, go for variety, and make them aesthetically pleasing.
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