This used to be dinner at my family’s house every night – until I became savvy to the ways of meat-free gourmet cuisine.  Instead of the same old arguments and awkward silences, a harmonious symbiosis has developed between the carnivores and the herbivores that share meals together at our family table.  

If you have the time, resources, and know-how, you can easily prepare family meals to include delicious and healthy meat-free options.  It’s even fun to put exciting meatless spins on traditional family dinner dishes.  With an amazing number of quality meatless products on the market today, you can create the texture and taste of meat without actually using animal products.  And incorporating vegetarian dishes into meals can encourage even our carnivorous family members to get their daily dose of vegetables.

Here are some ideas for taking a simple dinner dish and giving it some meat-free appeal:  

 
Barbecue Sandwiches – a tasty, affordable and simple dinner idea

*For the Carnivores – shredded chicken, pork or beef

*For the Herbivores – fried tofu, eggplant, portobello mushroom, tempeh, or seitan

 
Pizza – who doesn’t love a good pie?

*For the Carnivores - all the meatless ingredients with sausage, ham, and of course pepperoni

*For the Herbivores - olives, peppers, onions, mushrooms, broccoli, (you get the idea), and perhaps meatless sausages made from either soy, grains, veggies, or a combination of these.

 
Spaghetti & Meatballs - this classic doesn’t have have to be boring or limiting.

*For the Carnivores - homemade meatballs

*For the Herbivores - TVP (textured vegetable protein) or other vegetarian “meatballs” as well as any desired veggies. 

 
Burgers - hearty, nourishing and versatile.

*For the Carnivores - some lean ground beef and a family favorite recipe

*For the Herbivores - a veggie burger, either bought from the store or made at home using lentils or falafel

 
Mac & Cheese - cheap, quick and popular with kids of all ages!

*For the Carnivores - add chicken or sausage for extra pizazz

*For the Herbivores - pile on the broccoli, mushrooms and fresh tomatoes 

This is just a small sampling of what is possible. Take your most loved dishes and a little imagination to re-create them with options to suit every diet.  You’ll be surprised at what you come up with. Now, instead of stressing out, making tons of dishes for each meal you can make one dish with multiple options that satisfy everyone.  

Incorporating the meat-free option into our meals has benefited the whole family and I hope that it will benefit your family as well.