Many say, you don't want them to go through any trouble and you can just eat the side dishes. I say YES, YES, PLEASE TELL!
1. (Unless you are a vegetarian or vegan purely for health reasons) isn't having someone purchase meat on your behalf half as bad as eating it?
2. What's so bad about influencing your hosts menu? If you believe in the cause, wouldn't you prefer your host serves more plant-based foods?
3. Your host wants to please you. A good host plans a meal around what she hopes her guests will enjoy. A lot of thought goes into this and if you can steer your host in the right direction, it is helpful.
For any picky or allergic guests: I aim to please. You're not being a burden by telling me what you like or don't like. You are saving me from wasting time and money on dishes you can't enjoy. If I knew one of my guests was happy to fast and one was a vegetarian, my Rosh Hashana menu would have been a lot simpler, and I wouldn't have dragged so much poultry home yesterday for our SIX festive meals.
I just froze three small packages of turkey and four huge chicken thighs. Tonight I will be making Upside-Down Stuffed Peppers instead of turkey. Easier, cheaper, I prefer it... No, cooking for a vegetarian is not more trouble. But cooking meat for a vegetarian is a bummer.
great tips! gigi.
ReplyDeletecouldn't agree more, if a dish is not well received than too bad.
ReplyDeleteBut if it's not even tasted (allergy, vegetarian etc...) then I'm insulted, better to warn in advance.
AS a host I always want to know. As a guest, I may say something to the effect of, What's on the menu? We don't eat dairy or meat. We're perfectly happy with veggies & salad.... Then offer to bring a side dish that could be our main dish! I've never felt rebuffed by my true friends & work colleagues.
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