*Definitions

A vegetarian is someone living on a diet of grains, pulses, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits with the use of dairy products and eggs.

A vegetarian does not eat any meat, poultry, game, fish, shellfish or crustacea, or slaughter by-products.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian: Eats both dairy products and eggs. This is the most common type of vegetarian diet.

Lacto-vegetarian: Eats dairy products but not eggs.

Vegan: Does not eat dairy products, eggs, or any other animal product - this includes honey.

Stumbling Blocks

Many foods contain ingredients derived from the slaughter of animals. Gelatine is made from animal ligaments, tendons, bones etc which have been boiled in water. It is often found in confectionery, low fat spreads and desserts, and other dairy products. The term animal fat refers to carcass fat and may be present in a wide range of foods, including biscuits, cakes, and margarines. Suet and lard are types of animal fats. Certain food additives (E numbers) may be derived from animal sources.

Cheese is often made with rennet extracted from the stomach lining of slaughtered calves. Vegetarian cheese is made with rennet from a microbial source.

The Vegetarian Society has an information sheet listing ingredients which may be unsuitable for vegetarians.

Many vegetarians that eat eggs will eat only free-range eggs. This is due to moral objections to the battery farming of hens. The Vegetarian Society only endorses products containing eggs if the eggs are certified as free-range.

Practices in catering

Vegetarians dining out will expect work surfaces and chopping boards, utensils and all other kitchen equipment and facilities to be either kept separate from those used for non-vegetarian food preparation, or cleaned thoroughly before vegetarian food preparation.

Caterers should also ensure that fryers, grills and griddles used for preparing non-vegetarian products are thoroughly cleaned. Fryers must be filled with fresh, uncontaminated oil before vegetarian food is cooked.

The Vegetarian Society recommend that caterers keep a separate set of utensils for the preparation and serving of vegetarian meals.

*The definitions above are those of the Vegetarian Society. Further information is available from their website.

Tamarinds

The reasons for becoming a vegetarian or a vegan are many fold. 'Each to their own' is our ethos. We are not campaigners or bang the drum enthusiasts, we simply wish to provide a catering service that fellow vegetarians and vegans can trust.