Feeding a difficult vegetarian

pigpen

sonastin wrote: »

Now me, I'm kinda vindictive. So if you've pushed them for help in making it easier for them to enjoy your cooking, and they weren't prepared to be helpful, then s*d her. Provided you can think of something which avoids the things they were prepared to say she DIDN'T eat, you are allowed to conclude she'll eat anything and everything else. And if she's sniffy about that she can go hungry. After all, you did ask, you're not a mind-reader. But as I said, I'm kinda vindictive - I'd probably go out of my way to find something she'd hate, as long as it wasn't mentioned on the banned list

I'm with sonastin on this one.. don't get the stuff they said she won't eat do the things they didn't mention.. a nice t-bone should do it lol.. . I don't think it is vindictive I think it is working wit the info you have.

I wouldn't be running myself ragged over this.. does she eat fish? I'd probably go pasta/potato bake of some sort of steamed fish or vegetable assortment.

You could always do a huge bowl of salad with dressings etc and warm crusty bread, pate for the meat eaters and a range of cheeses if she eats cheese or slices of salmon and meats. .. and chips! lol

Or go total cop out and go out to eat

DigForVictory

Rice, pasta & the wonders of beans. (Loads of types, soakable & presoaked.) If the fussy one cannot figure something to eat from this triumvirate, then she can get peckish for a while.

retropants

i am veggie and also lactose and gluten intolerant. I know I am a pain in the !!!! to feed, so I always make sure I bring something, otherwise I talk to the host beforehand to agree something that everyone will like, that I can eat some of.
You may not know, but there is lactofree cheese and milk. so you can make pizzawith cheese and carbonara sauce that won't give her a tummy ache!:rotfl:

all the veggie mince (chilli, bolognese etc) suggestions are great, as are the toad in the hole etc. I may also suggest veg sausage casserole with rice & broccoli, that would be nice for everyone!

tara747

sonastin wrote: »

Now me, I'm kinda vindictive. So if you've pushed them for help in making it easier for them to enjoy your cooking, and they weren't prepared to be helpful, then s*d her. Provided you can think of something which avoids the things they were prepared to say she DIDN'T eat, you are allowed to conclude she'll eat anything and everything else. And if she's sniffy about that she can go hungry. After all, you did ask, you're not a mind-reader. But as I said, I'm kinda vindictive - I'd probably go out of my way to find something she'd hate, as long as it wasn't mentioned on the banned list

<---- I'd do this too. :rotfl:

snowleopard61 wrote: »

Um, if I were you I think I'd pretend to have come down with something very infectious and let them bed down in a B&B!

I'm with Carcluster on this. I think you can only afford to be either vegetarian or fussy.

No, on second thoughts, I'd do this. :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

hazelsmum

why not ask her to have a look at the UK vegetarian socitey and vegan society websites-which have lots of recipes and she can let you know which ones she would like you to make?

(sorry cant post web links as i'm a newbie)

Ruby789

Daisie, I feel for you!

But I will confess that right up to my mid 20's I was just like you cousin's wife. I was so ignorant of how difficult I was to feed and reading this makes me cringe!

The reason I didn't like that kind of food was taste. In the case of the onions and garlic they were too strong; peppers and courgette tasted bitter, and the texture of aubergines and mushrooms bothered me. I've forced myself to eat each vegetable in turn and now even like them (still not quite there with onions, and still hate garlic and leeks). Weirdly I have always adored green veg, which traditionally kids find bitter till their pallate matures.

Anyway, I would probably just call and ask one more time for a bit of a steer on the menu, and if there is any particular reason for the extra fussiness. As everyone said, keep breakfast simple cereals and fruit etc.... Lunch i'd second the soup suggestion (tomato; sweet potato; pea and watercress), and you can make this ahead of time easily. Most people have one or two sandwich fillings they like too, and omelettes are fairly safe.

For dinners I would go for basic meals:
like mixed bean and vegetable chilli
mixed bean and vegetable curry
roast potatoes with broccoli, carrots, parsnips, peas and sweetcorn (maybe with veggie gravy and nutroast to replace the meat bit you'll all have)
pizza, (with variety of toppings as someone else suggested, can do cheese-less)
a simple pasta with tomatoes, green beans, broccoli, chilli
a butternut squash rissotto with pine nuts (no parmesan)

p.s. I would check if she'll eat fake meats (I didn't back then, it was the texture)

I would assume that she's not being fothcoming in suggesting things because she doesn't want the meals to be all about her, ... at least that's what I thought I was doing when I was not making suggestions. I was happy if I had some elements of the main meal everyone else was having, just minus all the bits I didn't like. I know that doesn't make any sence, but it's genuinely what I thought.

Do you and your family already have some favourite veggie meals that can be adapted to suit her likes and dislikes?

LameWolf

OMG what a nightmare! I'm veggie (no meat or fish) but the only vegetable I absolutely won't touch is beetroot.

*Thinks* .....

If I'm not feeling up to doing anything complicated, I sometimes do tagliatelle with tinned tomatoes and chopped-up veggie hot-dogs; 'tis just an idea.:o

Oh, and last night we had jacket spuds with baked beans and the aforementioned veggie hot-dogs, which went down well.:o

Good luck!!:eek:

Mojisola

daisiegg wrote: »

My cousin and his wife from California are staying with us next week and she is a really fussy eater. She is also a vegetarian and lactose intolerant on top of that! (Although she takes some special pills to allow her to eat dairy products sometimes I think)

She dislikes most vegetables but definitely will not eat onions, peppers, mushrooms, aubergines or courgettes. Those are just the ones I remember, there may be more!

From memory I think she quite likes some green vegetables.

daisiegg wrote: »

I did ask both her and her husband when I saw them at the weekend - they told me what she DIDN'T eat but they didn't make any suggestions as to what she does eat! Despite me pressing them for an answer!

ETA actually she did say she likes fake bacon.......that was all she gave me!

I would be getting back to them and saying - very strongly - if you don't give me some examples, I can't prepare food for you. I'd buy in a selection of veggies and show her the kitchen.

A lot of our ME group are on special diets. When we get together for a shared meal the ones on very restricted diets bring their own separate meals; others bring something gluten-free that's good for them but can also be shared or something savoury if they're avoiding sugar, etc.

I would consider it quite rude for a guest to put a host in this position.

mike347928

Breakfast: Cereal + Soy / Rice / Almond Milk and Black Bean Brownies

daisiegg

Thanks everyone

Well on arrival v late last night I fed her a veggie burger in a bun and hm potato wedges, that went down well, though salad/vegetables were declined.

She had vegetarian sausage rolls for breakfast and we are about to have bacon/fake bacon in bagels for lunch.

Going out to the pub tonight for dinner!

Will do pasta and bolognaise tomorrow night, and give her the option of quorn bolognaise, or pesto with her pasta (she likes that).

Then eating out again Friday night!

Thanks for all the suggestions and letting me rant