Simple, Surefire Solutions For Successful Vegan Catering
Veganism is growing by more than leaps and bounds. The number of vegans in the U.S. had a 600 percent increase between 2014 and 2017, according to Forbes. Even people who don't abstain from meat all the time are participating in things like Meatless Monday. CNN reported that Burger King's mega-successful launch of its vegan whopper led to its most successful quarter in years.
There's a growing demand for good, plant-based food. Whether you are catering to a couple of vegans in a large crowd of omnivores or providing food for a completely vegan event, things don't have to be complicated. Consider these simple solutions for catering to the plant-based eaters.
Think Beyond a Salad
The easiest thing to offer a vegan is a salad. After all, many aren't prepared until just before serving, and it's easy to leave off the meat. However, since it's so easy, that's what vegans are most often offered at restaurants and events. It can be boring and overdone. While you should offer at least one vegan salad on the menu, don't make it a part of the main course offerings unless it's one of at least three choices.
Anticipate That Omnivores Will Love the Vegan Option
One problem that vegans often encounter when eating with omnivores is that the non-vegans often see that the plant-based option looks better. Once they catch a glimpse of a delicious vegan meal, they'll ask for it themselves. Before long, there may not be enough left for vegans to eat. You don't want to say no to someone who wants the plant-based meal, so make sure that you have more vegan food than you anticipate needing.
Don't Forget Dessert
Since fruit is often offered at catered events, people tend to think that's an easy solution to a vegan dessert. Like salad, that's often the default food item available to vegans and large scale functions. From weddings to business conferences, vegans are served fruit for breakfast and dessert. That will be disappointing to many plant-based eaters.
Instead, make sure you offer at least one decadent vegan dessert. Websites like Vegan Street offer a variety of recipes for creative desserts that are fairly simple to make. That can leave vegan diners with a very positive impression of your event. Contrary to what is said about first impressions, finishing with a bang is one way that caters often get more work.
Finally, vegans can be both picky and easy to please just like omnivores. Try to take feedback with a smile and learn from it. While you cannot please everyone with even the most customized catering plan, you set yourself up for success when you ask plenty of questions about preferences before the event and then offer enough options to fulfill the needs of the guests.
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