Let graduate have her veggie menu

Hi, Carolyn: Our family is in the midst of planning our daughter’s graduation party and would appreciate your advice on the menu. Our graduate is a vegetarian and she does not want to serve any meat, chicken or fish at her party. Our family supports and respects her decision to be a vegetarian, however, no one else invited is a vegetarian (except her best friend), so we wanted to offer a main dish containing chicken or meat along with vegetarian side dishes and desserts.

Is our daughter imposing her values on others and expecting too much?

Or am I making a big deal over nothing and should abide by her wishes? This has become a hot topic at the dinner table. – J.

Given that vegetarians are decades out from being an exotic breed, and given that round-the-clock cooking shows and worldwide cultural cross-pollination have made brie the stuff of convenience stores, and given that pasta, beans, dairy, nuts and eggs can give your guests all the protein they need in a form that won’t even scare Uncle Phil, there’s absolutely no reason to go against the guest of honor’s wishes.

She may be one of two vegetarians there, but putting meat on the menu just for the sake of serving meat is actually a case of your imposing your values on her.

And if your guests are of the sort to get their noses out of joint at the prospect of eating lasagna, or sesame noodles, or even high-end macaroni and cheese? Well, then, let them eat quiche.