For some, going vegetarian or vegan can seem like an intimidating life decision. Meat and dairy products are staples of both traditional and contemporary cooking, making it difficult to imagine a diet without either of those ingredient categories.
If you are someone who is creating the perfect menu for your wedding, it is important to recognize that your particular tastes and preferences should not be the only things represented on a given menu. If you’re anything like us, it’s very likely that you have some vegetarian or vegan friends and family despite not adhering to a particular diet yourself. For this reason, it is important to create a wedding menu that is accessible by having something for everyone.
One common misconception about both vegetarianism and veganism is that participating in either lifestyle forces you to sacrifice a certain level of creativity in your culinary choices. However, this is definitely not true. In fact, vegan and vegetarian chefs have been working especially hard over the past few decades to not only create some wonderful dishes, but also introduce alternative diets into mainstream society!
To help you understand just how vast the worlds of vegetarian and vegan cooking are, we’ve compiled some tips for creating the perfect vegetarian or vegan wedding menu:
Meet the New Meat
One of the first things you have to understand is that you do not have to stray too far from your desired menu to make it vegetarian or vegan. For example, if you have a menu that has a lot of meat products, you can look into alternative meats that are based from vegetables or soy. If you need a place to begin, we recommend looking into Beyond Meats. In the United States, the concept of alternative meat has recently become so popular that it is even being featured at famous fast food chains like Burger King!
Look at Local Vegan Bakeries
Though it’s easy to think that dairy is essential to create baked goods, you’d be surprised at how wonderful vegan treats can be. Not only are vegan baked goods accessible for a variety of diets, but they might even taste better than dairy-based products! Many vegan bakeries are also small businesses, so you’ll be able to support the local community by using them to cater your wedding. We recommend that you look into local vegan bakeries to find some surprisingly delicious options!
Have Multiple Menus
In contemporary society, catering companies are used to creating multiple menus to make weddings completely accessible. If you are someone who is worried about straying too far from your meat-based menu, it’s possible to create a completely different vegetarian menu. Many cultures also have vegetarian alternatives to famous recipes, making it easy to switch back and forth! For example, if you have a menu that features chicken parmesan, perhaps you can serve eggplant parmesan as an alternative dish.
