The Vegetarian's Dilemma

Do you tell your hosts you're a vegetarian? 

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.