I suppose it depends on what the side dishes are. Going by a more conservative meal than mine, I’d expect to see things like corn, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls and cranberry sauce. While not terribly exciting, it’s not a meal to kill you. Find a way to sneak a legume in there, like lentil soup, vegetarian baked beans or three bean salad, and it actually is nutritionally complete. Shit, it’s a better meal nutritionally than 80% of the world eats all the time!
But psychologically, I feel like a major family meal needs a “main dish” that’s protein. It’s entirely illogical, but as a host, I’d feel bad if I didn’t meet the psychological needs of my guests as well as the biological ones.
I think we must be related. Only my mom hates to give over any control on the preparation of the meal, so she’s constantly trying to “supervise” me, even though I’ve been successfully feeding myself for years without such assistance. When I told her vegetarians were coming to my house for Thanksgiving, she was absolutely horrified because a) she doesn’t agree with vegetarianism (I have no idea why someone would need to “agree” with someone else’s eating philosophy) and b) I often eat vegetarian food and am pretty good at making it, so she has to give up at least some of the reins to me. She hates it.
I guess my OP is sorta unclear.
To sinplify, can a restaurant, or someone serving a typical meal, claim to be serving vegetarian food?
I haven’t been vegetarian for maybe fifteen years, but back then the side dishes at thanksgiving wouldn’t have earned a “yes” response.
Nobody that I ever knew would have referred to vegetables, etc as vegetarian food. Only tofu and the like had that distinction.
Maybe you had to be there.
As to the OP - I think a full vegetarian meal should contain at least one dedicated vegetarian entree. Anything from a hearty pasta dish to a light ratatouille.
Nope, not nutritionally, I don’t think. Although botanically, they are. But they’re specifically excluded from wikipedia’s list of pulses and the lists in vegetarian cookbooks I have. I think it’s because it has a high sugar content instead of amino acids like dried beans, but don’t quote me on that. Ditto for garden peas, unfortunately. They don’t add up to a complete protein in the presence of a grain.
Peanuts do, though. So I guess a dish of peanuts to munch on before dinner would win the whole protein vegetarian game.
Succotash is a traditional T-day dish, and lima beans and corn form a complete protein. What is the big deal?
To answer the OP, the minute anything made from animal flesh is added to veggies, they are no longer vegetarian. It’s easy to serve the veggies plain with “sambals”–little dishes of toppings like bacon, soy bacon, ham, nuts, etc. Your dieting and veggie guest will appreciate it.
We will be having green beans at Thanksgiving dinner. They’ll be cooked with meat. They’re not vegetarian anymore, though they’re good. The cranberries(a homemade relish) and sweet potatoes(depending on your beliefs, I think they’re made with butter) There won’t be any vegetarians at the table, so it’s not a problem for us.
What do you mean, “can a restaurant claim to be serving a vegetarian meal”? What makes you think restaurants can’t serve vegetarian meals?
If they make food and serve it and the food contains no animal products, then it’s vegetarian.
The OP almost sounds to me like you’re asking, “Can ONLY vegetarians serve food that is truly ‘vegetarian’? If non-vegetarians make the food or serve it, is it no longer ‘vegetarian’?” Sort of like, “Can a non-Jewish person prepare a kosher meal or does the fact that the cook isn’t Jewish automatically mean the meal cannot be kosher? Even if they followed all the rules about separating meat from dairy, etc.?”
Jeebus, help me if I had to survive on side dishes! Once in awhile, in a pinch, sure. But I’d never meet my protein requirements if I had to do that (and I’d be worried about some of my vitamins and minerals too).
We don’t fuss if a host only provides us with side dishes, as long as the veggies weren’t cooked in say, bacon fat, or boiled in beef consomme. When my fiancee’s boss hosted a rib and wing night, we just ate extra helpings of salad. But side dishes every day? I’d waste away to nothing. Besides that, it would be incredibly boring
And I’m also a little unclear about the OP. If a certain dish contains no animal products, it is a vegetarian/vegan dish. (Nutritional value may vary.)
But if the OP is referring to “vegetarian food” as a “tasty, well-balanced vegetarian meal” then just eating like a rabbit is not going to cut it.
BBQ joints usually have coleslaw and potato salad available but I wouldn’t say they serve vegetarian food, those are just sides that don’t have meat. If the BBQ place claimed to be serving vegetarian food, I’d be annoyed.
By the same token, if a friend asked me over for Thanksgiving and she assured me that there would be vegetarian food yet when I got there, my choices were limited to green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and rolls, I’d also feel that was misleading.
I think that’s what the OP is trying to ask (I’m not totally sure tho’, the question is still a bit nebulous). I don’t consider a meal to be vegetarian food if it’s just sides or a salad. (I’ll make do, of course, and not make a fuss if it’s an invite and then go find something substantial to eat when I get home)
Most restaurants around here have some fully vegetarian meal options. Even your TGI Fridays type places have a form of “meatless burger” (usually made with a nut-based, grain-based, or soy-based patty) that is served with vegetables and rice. And there is a place near my that has an awesome marinated tofu stir-fry. These are regular restaurants.
There are also places like Fresh that are vegetarian-specific and you can get vegan meals as well. But in Toronto, most restaurants have at least one vegetarian option that is a full, well-balanced meal and that is not based on side dishes.
ETA: I’m guessing “serving a typical meal” is the OP’s way of saying “serving a meal made up of side dishes”. Yes?
It’s pretty obvious that I was asking about “typical” meals, which almost universally include meat. I never even hinted that vegetarian meals must be served by vegetarians. In fact, I made it clear that that’s not what I’m saying.
And what’s all that about kosher??? Where did that come from??? I know nothing about kosher law.
Are you one of those people who hate vegetarians for some reason?
A vegetarial meal is a full meal that has no meat, basically. Many chinese-american meals just happen to be vegetarian. Is that what you’re asking?
Um, dude, it’s not obvious what you’re asking, hence all the confusion. I don’t think I know what you’re asking either.
The kosher comparisson was due to your OP (where yes, you did hint that vegetarian foods are prepared by vegetarians):
It’s a valid comparisson.
Yes, side dishes at a Thanksgiving may be vegetarian (if the stuffing was not cooked in the bird). But if you are telling a guest that a vegetarian meal option will be available and it turns out that it means “eat the meatless side dishes and the salad” it’s not quite fair. A “typical meal” may include vegetarian dishes. But a vegetarian meal usually has a main dish that is meat free and yummy.
mangeorge, she isn’t the only one that was still confused by your question. I don’t think what you were looking for the answer to was at all obvious. That’s why we’re all guessing and answering questions in ways you might not find useful.
Vegetable side dishes normally served alongside a meal containing meat are not usually sufficient to warrant being called a vegetarian meal, at least not a very exciting one, but unless they’ve been prepared with meat (for example potatoes roasted in the tray with the meat drippings, or green beans simmered in chicken stock), then they ought to be suitable for vegetarians.
Your OP asked about foods and dishes, not meals. A dish is vegetarian if it contains no meat. Its purpose or audience isn’t really relevant, IMO. So, yes, the salad at a BBQ joint may indeed be a vegetarian dish.
A meal is another story. There are plenty of good veggie main dishes (as I’m sure you found when you were a vegetarian) and many meals can be created around them. It feels like your question is can it truly be a vegetarian meal if there is no specifically created vegetarian main dish. Is that correct?
I guess so, since I often do call anything that doesn’t contain meat to be vegetarian.
You yourself have said you didn’t explain your question very well and quite a few people besides me have expressed confusion.
You have made nothing “clear” about what you’re asking or not asking. Your OP and subsequent posts are confusing and don’t ask anything that anyone can understand easily. Either learn to express yourself or learn to not get angry at people who are trying to figure out what you’re trying to say.
I am very aware of what a vegetarian meal is. Based on your own posts, YOU don’t seem to be aware. I’m not the only one who thinks this.
Best of luck getting someone to answer your “questions.”
C’mon, every one. The OP was certainly not clear, and the clarification made it worse (to me, at least), but that is no reason to be mean to the OP. I am willing to continue to make an effort to understand the question and offer a reply, if the OP wants it.
mangeorge, is any of the respones so far close to what you are looking for?
