Vegetarian house guests

[Anonymous]

My stepson, his (vegetarian) wife and their 2-year old are coming to stay for a few days. I've figured out what I'll serve for dinners, but I need ideas for breakfast and lunch. I don't usually cook those meals for my own family! We just eat cereal and leftovers. Also, I'll be pretty busy with regular life while they're here, so I don't see myself preparing anything elaborate.

What kind of things do you offer when you have house guests, especially for lunch?

[Anonymous]

They will probably be fine with cereal. You could spruce up cereal with sliced fresh fruit, slivered almonds and dried berries.

[Anonymous]

Are they lacto-ovo? Do they eat fish?

You can always go with big salads (everybody, even non-veggies, love those), pasta dishes, sandwiches with portabello mushrooms, rice and beans, lentil soup, veggie sushi, or gazpacho (since it's been so warm out lately).

Hope they have a great visit!

[Anonymous]

People who eat fish aren't vegetarians. Most vegetarians eat dairy and eggs; those who don't usually identify as vegans.

OP, it's nice of you to be so considerate. You could make a soup or two ahead of time, maybe one to serve hot and one cold. With some great bread and cheese and a green salad that's a nice lunch. Dinner too, for that matter.

[Anonymous]

For Breakfast:

Bread with humus, peanut butter, other spreads; Fruits, yogurt, granola, oatmeal, eanglish muffin, milk, etc.

For lunch: Any vegetable sandwich, soup, pasta, vegetable fried rice, quinoa, barley cooked with vegetable and vegetable broth, vegetarian chilli, tofu stir fry over rice etc, rice and vegetable curry.

Many of the lunch items can be cooked beforehand.

[Anonymous]

You're right, 21:18, but I've known people who describe themselves as "vegetarians" but still eat chicken and fish. Not vegetarian, obviously, but go figure.

[Anonymous]

Breakfast: waffles, pancakes, granola + yogurt, bagels, frittata, hash browns,oatmeal, cream of wheat, fruit or toast & juice (obv not all at once )
Lunch: goat cheese/arugula/roasted red pepper sandwiches, tacos, quesedillas, pasta salad, grilled cheese and soup, baked potato w/ grilled asparagus, veggie burgers, pizza, hummus and pita.

Vegetarian eating isn't that daunting. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're right, 21:18, but I've known people who describe themselves as "vegetarians" but still eat chicken and fish. Not vegetarian, obviously, but go figure.

21:18 here. LOL, PP. I guess for some people fish is a vegetable.

[Anonymous]

Presuming they're not vegan, for breakfast you can do cereal/milk, bagels with hummus or cream cheese, omelettes, pancakes, etc.

[Anonymous]

For lunch: quiches - they're easy to make (or Whole Foods has good ones) and salad with bread and cheeses.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much for all the suggestions!

[Anonymous]

When I have house guests, I usually let lunch be kind of a make it when you feel like it kind of thing. I would probably get a veggie tray, fruit tray, some nice bread, hummus, tabbouleh, maybe a chunk of a couple nice cheeses (if not vegans) and maybe make a cold black bean salad. I'd put it all out and let everyone just pick and eat whenever in the afternoon they got hungry.

[Anonymous]

Breakfast and lunch are the easier meals of the day. Cereal, yogurt, bagels, eggs, toast, pancakes, waffles, etc. For lunch quiche, sandwiches (cheese and veggie, hummus and veggie, roasted veggie), omelettes, bean soup, grilled cheese, big salad with nuts/seeds, dried fruit.

[Anonymous]

Veggie burgers with avocado, tomato and lettuce.

Veggie sandwich with avocado, tomato, arugula served on toasted wheat spread with a little butter/substitute and sprinkled with a little sea salt. Delish.

Breakfast ideas - oatmeal, fruit, toast with jam, veggie scrambled eggs, pancakes.