Teen FAQs

I want to have a party but I don't know what to do about food. What are some veg ideas?

A party is a great opportunity to show your friends how easy vegetarian food can be. For snacks, the traditional route of serving chips, pretzels, and tortilla chips with salsa can be simple and stress-free. Doritos' new Spicy Sweet Chili chips are vegan, as are Robert's American Gourmet's Tings, which taste like cheese doodles. Of course, veggie and fruit trays are a delicious and healthy addition. If you have a deep fryer, you can also make my personal favorite, deep fried tofu. Simply cut a block of tofu into ½ inch cubes, sprinkle with bread crumbs, salt, and pepper, fry for 5-7 minutes in canola oil, and then place on a paper towel to absorb the extra oil. Serve with barbeque sauce for a crunchy, chewy, and tasty snack.

Another party favorite is baked goods. Check out http://www.vrg.org/recipes/vegancakes.htm for recipes for vegan chocolate and vanilla cakes. You could make these cakes into cupcakes (remember to reduce the baking time), or look for vegan cookie or brownie recipes online. Another great dessert that will get everyone involved is make-your-own vegan sundaes. Give everyone a scoop or two of vegan ice cream, and set out bowls of vegan sprinkles (most sprinkles have beeswax or other insect-derived glazes in them, "Sprinkelz" brand Sprinkles are vegan), chocolate syrup, Ricemellow Creme, sliced bananas and other fruit, etc., and enjoy!

If you will be serving your guests a meal, there are several vegan options. One of these options is tomato pie. It is best to go to the pizzeria a few days before and pre-order the pie, to ensure that no cheese is inadvertently added. Remember to make sure that the crust does not have eggs in it. You can also serve sushi, either homemade or store-bought. Many supermarkets carry prepared sushi, and the avocado and cucumber rolls are usually vegan. If you're having an outdoor party grilled veggies, like squash, onions, and bell peppers, can be tasty and easy to make. Just put the veggies on skewers (your friends can each make their own skewers according to their preferences), grill them, and then offer pita bread to make wraps. Another vegan option is veggie burgers and veggie dogs. This is a great way to let your friends taste vegan protein sources. They might find that they like them, and they will learn that vegans do not just eat carrots and lettuce.

Written by Erin Smith during her internship with VRG

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