Last-minute amendments
By Fleur
@Fleura (34956)
United Kingdom
October 23, 2021 4:43am CST
This weekend we are meeting up with an old school-friend of mine and her husband and teenage daughter. It’s been planned for a while. They will arrive Sat afternoon, stay overnight and leave Sunday evening, so we will get to share two evening meals.
We decided to opt for things we could prepare in the slow cooker, so we will be able to go out for the day and then have food ready so the meal won’t be too late.
Choosing things that everyone will enjoy can be a challenge, but we opted for two favourites, spaghetti Bolognese for one night and slow-cooked gammon the other. I went out and bought all the necessary ingredients.
I told my friend the plan and she replied ‘Yummy, sounds lovely. Daughter is still vegetarian.’
Daughter is vegetarian?
Daughter is STILL vegetarian??
Did I know this?
I thought it must be one of those things that had passed me by when I wasn’t paying proper attention.
I replied ‘How did we forget that?’ And suggested it might be easier if I made some vegetarian stew for us all instead.
But she replied ‘Oh no don’t change, husband loves his meat!’
Well I did know that - it’s a standing joke that he would eat meat at every meal if possible, but still that means I now have to prepare two different options at each meal.
When the others got home I asked them ‘Did we know that Daughter was vegetarian?’ and both the girls and my partner confirmed that none of us had any idea. The last time we met (a few months ago) the girls remembered her chomping through crispy duck pancakes!
At least she still eats eggs and dairy produce so she'll be able to share the chocolate brownies and tiramisu I had planned!
I haven't got a suitable photo so here are some cows : )
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2021.
7 people like this
7 responses
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
27 Oct 21
@DianneN Unless the pescatarian is a diehard about eating fish at meals, you can probably skip that worry. I would suggest going for a nice vegetarian main or two. Something like sweet potato lasagna, stuffed squash, or quinoa stuffed Portobello mushrooms might work.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502251)
• Italy
23 Oct 21
Season one portion of spaghetti with only tomato sauce without the meat.
I always did that when my mother was alive, my husband likes spaghetti with olive oil garlic, and hot chili pepper, or Carbonara, basil pesto, Mom only liked with a simple tomato sauce. So I seasoned her portion with a different sauce.
1 person likes this
@wilsongoddard (7291)
• United States
26 Oct 21
It is possible to make a vegan spaghetti Bolognese that even meat eaters will like. Veggie crumbles are on the market that provide a texture similar to meat and that offer good flavor.
As for the duck pancake thing, it is common to continue poultry for a while on the path to full vegetarianism. In my path, I stopped beef and pork at about the same time; then, I cut back on poultry. Eventually, I gave it up. I was fully vegetarian for a bit, pescatarian for a bit, and back around to fully vegetarian. I have long stretches (mostly inadvertently) of being vegan these days.
When it comes to planning meals for a group, it is generally best to veer vegan. It is the way to ensure that everyone has something to eat. I learned that one the hard way after making vegetarian dishes with dairy. Vegan is always the simplest answer.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174319)
• United States
1 Nov 21
It's possible daughter is... selectively vegetarian... I think I'd call and talk to her directly and see what she says in response to your proposed meal plans.
1 person likes this
