In recent years, vegan and vegetarian diets have been gaining traction. The general public are more informed on topics like sustainability and are increasingly deciding that a vegan diet works for them. Whether or not you are a vegan yourself, you probably have at least a few friends and family members who are.
Deciding to throw a vegan party can be difficult, many of the more typical ‘party foods’ are meat dishes. This can make things complicated whether you are serving three course meals or just nibbles. At One Warwick Park Hotel our wonderful catering staff are used to creating delicious meals for a wide range of dietary restrictions. If you are interested in our hotel as a venue, please contact us here to discuss catering options for a vegan party.
Why a vegan party?
While egg, meat and dairy dishes are considered popular party dishes, it is perfectly possible to serve delicious food without including these ingredients. If you are vegetarian, then organising a party can be easier, as you can use dairy and eggs in your meal plan. While vegan parties do limit your food options, they have many positive aspects that will be sure to impress your guests.
- Serving vegan food to your guests is far more sustainable and eco-friendly than using meat products. The planet is struggling in part due to the loss of important habitats such as rainforests, lost due to meat production.
- While buying local, organic, free range meat from your local butchers can ensure that your meal has had a happy life. Many forms of meat production are increasingly being considered inhumane. Vegan dishes will ensure you and your guests can chow down guilt free!
- While we need sources of protein in our diet, these proteins can be sourced from nuts and products such as tofu. There are many studies indicating that a vegan diet, or at least a few plant based meals a week, can do wonders for your health. Bringing your guests around to the health benefits of fruits and veggies will be an excellent project.
- Expand your guest’s food horizons by serving dishes they may not have tried before. Many vegetables that where once staple parts of our diet have fallen out of fashion. From purple carrots and traditional species of squash and samphire, there are so many incredible vegan dishes that your guests may not have tried before.
Serve seasonal
If you are aiming to be as sustainable as possible, then choosing organic seasonal fruits and vegetables to make up the bulk of your menu is a winning combination. From fresh green salads in the summer, to warming root vegetable soups and stews in the winter.
There are hundreds of dishes that are as delicious and filling when vegan, as they were with meat. Using fresh seasonal vegetables is not only cheaper, but far more sustainable.
Condiments
If you are using lots of uncommon vegetables and spices to make your vegan menu as delicious as possible, then making sure that the condiments remain familiar to anchor your meal is very important. Humus, ketchup, mustard, eggless mayonnaise and pickle are all vegan and will ensure your guests have a familiar accompaniment to the food.
Sustainable decorating
At the moment decorating is all about bringing the outdoors indoors, this is especially true of a vegan party. Decorating your venue with plant pots filled with herbs and house plants will be sure not to disappoint.
Using a hotel as a venue for a party means that all the extra items you might need, from glasses and plates, to tablecloths and streamers will probably already be in the hotel stock. This is far more sustainable than buying plastic tableware and will help you cutting down costs as you may not have to buy any decorations new.
Be aware of dietary requirements
When you are in the planning stages of the party, it is important to inform the hotel staff of any dietary restrictions and allergies your friends might have. From gluten intolerance to a peanut allergy, the menu and arrangements will have to be altered in order to ensure that the party is inclusive to everyone.
Vegan friendly drinks
While many assume that alcoholic beverages can be vegan friendly, many beers and wines in fact contain animal products such as egg whites and fish products which are used in the refining process. Before serving drinks at a vegan party, do some research to see which are vegan friendly and which contain animal products.
Cream liquors are generally fairly obvious and as such easy for vegans to avoid. Cocktails however can be harder if a list of ingredients is not listed next to the menu. Some cocktails also contain cream or egg whites. If your party is taking place in a professional venue, then let them know that your party is vegan and they will often do much of the work themselves looking for vegan friendly drinks and menu items.
Pudding!
No matter if you are a meat eater or a veggie, everyone loves a good dessert. While the eggs and milk that are often used in baking can’t be used for vegan cakes, there are more and more vegan substitutes and recipes for people on those diets to try. Many patisseries and cafes will now have at least one sweet vegan option on display.
While milk chocolate may be off the table, there are now many dairy free brands of chocolate for some delicious vegan brownies or dairy free coconut cream cheese cake. This is where you can really get creative in creating a fabulous pudding menu to send off your guests with a smile.
If you are interested in holding a vegan party at One Warwick Park Hotel, please contact us here. Our friendly and skilled catering staff will be happy to discuss your plans for the party and the vegan menu items we have available.
