How to cook for NON-VEGANS

So your family is coming over but you are the only vegan. You’re stressed and don’t know what to cook. You want to impress them, but there’s no way your touching dead body parts. Trust me, I know how frustrating it is because I’ve been there.

Substitute meat

When I’m making something for non-vegans there’s one tip I always keep in mind: cook something which is similar to meat. I always make sure, I choose a meal which is a veganized version of a non-vegan dish. Personally I don’t buy meat substitutes because I don’t want to eat something which reminds me of meat and also because these products are too artificial. BUT when I make something for non-vegans I always use some kind of meat substitute. For them it is important to eat something that has the taste and the texture of meat so they won’t feel like they are eating “grass”. Thank God there are so many options nowadays! Check your local supermarkets because most of them have their own vegan products (at least in the UK).

Veganize traditional meals

It is always a good idea to veganize traditional or popular non-vegan meals. I believe you can make the vegan version of everything! Do your research because you can find really good recipes on YouTube or on recipe blogs. Or you can even create your own recipes. You can find a lot of meat substitutes but the easiest and cheapest way is to use soy products. Soy protein is a great substitute of mince and soy chunks are great instead of chicken.

Make something they like

I know, I know, this one seems so obvious… Don’t try to make a dish with full of funky veggies for someone who doesn’t really likes veggies. Try to listen to them and keep in mind what kind of meals they usually eat. For example my boyfriend doesn’t like spicy and hot food, so when I cook for him I’m not gonna make anything which is too hot or spicy. On the other hand my father lives for hot food, he adds hot sauce for everything so when I cook for him I always make sure I have some chili peppers and hot sauce on hand.

Show them it’s delicious

Show them that vegan food tastes as good as “normal” food! When I cook for non-vegans I always feel that I want to show that vegan food is tasty and versatile and you can make the same dishes vegan without even noticing the difference. Nowadays there are so many options and ways of eating vegan. You can still enjoy the same meals you really don’t have to eat kale all the time. Most importantly, you can create the same meals with meat substitutes. Same taste, same texture, same look but without cruelty. There’s really no need to eat animals.

My favourite meals

My boyfriend is not vegan and I cook for him every single day so I thought I share a couple of meals he likes. These are super easy meals. First of all, Ellen Fisher’s Pad thai. I must admit I love this recipe too! (you find it in one of her recipe books) His second favourite is the Mexican dish I make. I make the taco meat from refried beans and lentils but sometimes I use Iceland’s No Bull Mince (he definitely prefer the first one). It is a yummy and filling plant protein source. I serve it with some mexican recie, a fresh salad and I also buy some corn tortillas or tacos too. For garnish I make vegan nacho cheese or cashew cream. Sometimes when I have time I make both, that’s the best! This is something I made when our parents came over who eat a more traditional cuisine and they loved it! When friends come over a vegan burger with a mayo potato salad is always a good idea. I like Iceland’s No bull burgers they’re a nice budget option. If you want to go fancy I recommend the Beyond Meat Burger from Tesco. Super delicious and meaty!

I hope this post can provide you some guidelines. Cooking for non-vegans is so much fun! I always enjoy showing how amazing vegan foods are.

Cheers,

K

Ps.: Check out my videos in the topic :)