Hosting a plant-based party is not as hard as you think
The impact of food choices at public and private events is rapidly gaining the attention of event organisers around the globe. Environmental concerns are increasingly being cited as an important consideration in both small and large scale catering. From the Golden Globes to Moreland city council - we are seeing examples of organsiations outside of the environment movement taking a stand against the high embedded emissions in meat, actively raising awareness about food consumption and food waste. Within the Ranges, new plant-based cafes (eg. Olivia’s Pantry in Kyneton) are opening and other cafes are extending their menus to include plant-based dishes. in 2019, MRSG’s VEG group was asked to cater for the Shire’s Sustainable House Day lunch, a veterinary information event for horse owners, and St Ambrose’s Annual Carnival.
A move towards plant-based catering at parties
There is definitely a move towards catering plant-based food. In December alone, I went to a vegetarian wedding, a Xmas party that only served plant-based food, and we also hosted a plant-based Xmas for my extended family. It is important to note here that the groom is an omnivore, and the xmas party was held by omnivores.
Going plant based is all the rage, and for good reason:
It’s more inclusive - it says you care for everyone coming, and that the vegetarians and vegans are not less important or secondary citizens. Omnivores do after all eat vegetables as part of their diet - dropping the meat for a day is no great loss.
There are so many delicious, fresh, seasonal plant based dishes to choose from. If you are serving delicious food - what is there to complain about?
It’s better for the environment, human health and animal welfare (read more on that here)
It is likely to be lighter on your pocket as well.
Serving plant-based food is not as hard as you think
Let’s take Xmas. When I told people I was hosting a plant based Christmas last year, the responses ranged between incredulity (what will you eat???) and admiration (wow you’re making your omnivore family eat a plant-based meal, and for Xmas, wow.)
And to be honest I was a little worried myself.
Think 23 guests, including two vegans, one vegetarian, nine flexitarians and 11 omnivores. Two people were gluten and dairy free and one cannot eat onion or garlic. Not an easy crowd. We made almost everything gluten free, plant based (vegan), with no onion/garlic (garlic oil and spring onions were luckily allowed). In the end we had two vegetarian dishes (vegetarian scotch eggs and a Triffle) and about 6 plant-based (vegan) dishes (see some photos below).
On the day everyone turned up an hour early, there was a mad panic, chaos in the kitchen, and then my brother in law broke out the plant-based cocktails and stress levels miraculously settled down.
What did we serve? Snacks: cashew cheese, dips, veggie sticks, olives, bhuja. Starters: pumpkin soup, followed by San Choy Bow. Mains: Nut loaf, home made gravy, roast potatoes, 4 different salads. Dessert: plant based cake, Trifle (vegetarian) and fruit sticks dipped in melted vegan chocolate.
“The food was awesome, and this is the key point. If you serve good food - who is going to complain? Especially if a) you ask guests to pick their favourite vego dish for the day, and b) they are responsible for making it.”
The food was awesome, and this is the key point. If you serve good food- who is going to complain? Especially if a) you ask guests to pick their favourite vego dish for the day, and b) they are responsible for making it.
Everyone left asking us to host again - including the omnivores. So I think we can safely say a veg xmas is not only completely achievable - it is actually an attractive option! It’s something different, fun and less heavy on the belly. What’s not to love about that.
Not quite ready for a completely plant-based event?
Ok so it might be a leap to go full vegetarian or vegan without any experience. Never fear, there is still plenty you can do.
Follow the example of Pene Rice, member of the Eat More Veg in the Macedon Ranges Facebook group, who actively worked to reduce the meat available at her Xmas table to one dish:
“Christmas was not with my vegetarian, vegan friends... We compromised with an ‘Eat less MEAT’ dictum. We achieved this by satisfying the entire extended family with one free range chicken and slices of free range prosciutto in a terrine. It is a very successful way of limiting the meat consumption and adding more veg”.
Come to the VEG group Pot Luck and learn some new dishes. Join our facebook group, borrow a vegetarian or vegan recipe book from a local library and try out some recipes.
It is not as hard as you think!
#eatfortheplanet #morevegmoreoften #lessismore