Hosting a Vegan for The Holidays

Maybe your son or daughter has changed their lifestyle and gone vegan or plant-based. Perhaps you have an in-law visiting that's taken the dietary plunge into veganism. No matter who it is, hosting a vegan can seem a little daunting, but fear not! Any dish can be veganized and there can be plenty of food for everyone. Here are some tips to hosting a vegan during the holidays (or any other time)!

1. Ask them to bring a dish. I have this an numero uno because honestly, the last thing a vegan wants to do is create more work for you or make you bend over backwards as a host. I promise you, they won't be offended if you're having a potluck and they are vegan! All of the vegans I've encountered are more than happy to bring their own dish and share their foods with anyone interested.

2. Find some veganized classics. Baking or cooking vegan meals is in no way more difficult or laborous that cooking a non-vegan meal. You probably already have the ingredients at home to make a vegan dish and don't even realize it! Veggies? Check! Fruits? Check! See my Pinterest board for 400+ ideas or simply do a quick Google search for "vegan [fill-in-blank]". You'd be surprised what recipes are out there!

3. Establish their restrictions. Usually vegans will let you know ahead of time what their restrictions include. Vegans don't eat any animal products including all meat, dairy, eggs and sometimes honey. Aside from the vast reasons people go vegan, it may be because of certain food allergies. Some vegans may avoid gluten or soy, as well, so it's helpful to know their restrictions if you're providing a vegan meal.

4. Try forgoing butter and milk in dishes. One of the things I missed most when eating at a family gathering were the simple staples: mashed potatoes. Try making yours with almond milk and no butter. (There is a vegan butter out there made by Earth Balanace if you want to include it). This will ensure that your vegan guest has more than just one option for dinner!

5. Enjoy the experience. Don't fret over what to serve your vegan guest. Keep it simple and make those small adjustments to what you already have in mind and you'll all enjoy your meal together just fine! There's more important things to life than fretting for weeks over what to serve to your vegan guest. We seriously just want to enjoy the moment and hang out with our friends and family, no matter what vegan foods we're being served!

Looking to go vegan? Check out these related posts below!
Where to Begin
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5 Tips for a Healthy Vegan Diet
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Top 5 Reactions to "I'm Vegan"
Protein in a Vegan Diet
5 Tips for Eating a Plant-Based Diet (Anywhere)
Veganism in a Nutshell (video)
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