Entertaining - picky eater question

[Anonymous]

A good friend and her family come to my house a few times a year for dinner, generally Christmas and New Years. Her family eats everything, but she doesn't eat any meat, fish or eggs. She doesn't eat any dairy, including butter. We are carnivores and eat everything. I always try to make something for her, but it's though. For example, I just realized that the salad I'm making right now has Parmesan cheese and the sweet potatoes have butter. I realize I can take her portion out before adding these ingredients. Here is my question. When she asks what she can bring, is it acceptable for me to ask her to bring something she can eat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A good friend and her family come to my house a few times a year for dinner, generally Christmas and New Years. Her family eats everything, but she doesn't eat any meat, fish or eggs. She doesn't eat any dairy, including butter. We are carnivores and eat everything. I always try to make something for her, but it's though. For example, I just realized that the salad I'm making right now has Parmesan cheese and the sweet potatoes have butter. I realize I can take her portion out before adding these ingredients. Here is my question. When she asks what she can bring, is it acceptable for me to ask her to bring something she can eat?

Absolutely.

[Anonymous]

You're kind of an awful host. I also eat everything but not cooking with meat, fish, eggs, dairy is not that big of a deal. There's dairy free margarine and salads do not need cheese.

[Anonymous]

So your friend sounds vegan. There are many vegan friendly recipes out there. Offer at least one of these.

[Anonymous]

OP, I am a picky eater and I definitely do not expect people to cater to me when I eat at their house. IF you can make a few side dishes without dairy and have out some hummus with a vegetable tray, I think you are good to go.

[Anonymous]

I would tell her you are planning several items that take her dietary needs into account but she's welcome to bring something to share because you always like getting new recipes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A good friend and her family come to my house a few times a year for dinner, generally Christmas and New Years. Her family eats everything, but she doesn't eat any meat, fish or eggs. She doesn't eat any dairy, including butter. We are carnivores and eat everything. I always try to make something for her, but it's though. For example, I just realized that the salad I'm making right now has Parmesan cheese and the sweet potatoes have butter. I realize I can take her portion out before adding these ingredients. Here is my question. When she asks what she can bring, is it acceptable for me to ask her to bring something she can eat?

Wouldn't she do that anyway? I don't think you should specifically ask her to do that. Find a recipe of something she likes and make that.

[Anonymous]

Maybe ask her what she likes and try to make that? Also, maybe she wont' mind a small amount of butter or cheese once in a while? There are a lot of vegan blogs out there, and it should be possible to come up with a few options.
I generally eat vegan, but when dining out I'm OK as long as there is no meat, fish or chicken in the dish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A good friend and her family come to my house a few times a year for dinner, generally Christmas and New Years. Her family eats everything, but she doesn't eat any meat, fish or eggs. She doesn't eat any dairy, including butter. We are carnivores and eat everything. I always try to make something for her, but it's though. For example, I just realized that the salad I'm making right now has Parmesan cheese and the sweet potatoes have butter. I realize I can take her portion out before adding these ingredients. Here is my question. When she asks what she can bring, is it acceptable for me to ask her to bring something she can eat?

Yes, of course. But you sound like you want her to bring her meal. That's different from bringing a side salad. Let her know what your expectations are.

Of course, part of hosting is making something that your guest can actually eat. So I would skip the cheese on the salad. You can also bake a separate sweet potato that doesn't have to have butter on it.

[Anonymous]

I would just do a few salads and veg that don't have dairy or have it as an add on option later. You don't have to add parm to the salad but put the parm next to the salad for people to add individually for example. I recently fell in love with a kale and squash salad that would be easy and delicious to make for everyone. You could saute everything in olive oil, not butter and it has walnuts for a little protein. IT's not that hard to have a few vegan side dishes. I think if more people ate vegan (myself included) we'd have a healthier society and planet.

[Anonymous]

FYI OP,l you could have just said she was a vegan instead of making her sound like a picky eater. She has made a life choice to not eat animal products, respect that.

[Anonymous]

Make SOMETHING she can eat and have her bring what she likes. You don't need to bend over backward to accommodate, but a vegan salad and a side dish is really not difficult. Bonus points if there's a protein involved...a quinoa or bean salad perhaps.

[Anonymous]

Op, get thee to a grocery store and pick up some vegan noms from the freezer case - some dumplings(Annie or Amy's), a pot pie and some dessert. Done!

[Anonymous]

You can get vegan margarine. Use that for your sweet potatoes and serve the salad with cheese on the side.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, get thee to a grocery store and pick up some vegan noms from the freezer case - some dumplings(Annie or Amy's), a pot pie and some dessert. Done!

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