Plan for them properly
Nobody wants to be the guest left with a plate of salad while everyone else tucks into hot pork and crackling. If you’re having a hog roast, plan a proper alternative for anyone who doesn’t eat pork, whether they’re vegetarian, vegan, avoid pork for religious reasons or simply don’t like it.
Who doesn’t eat pork?
- Vegetarians don’t eat meat or fish.
- Vegans don’t eat any animal products, including dairy and eggs.
- Some religious groups, including many Muslims and Jews, don’t eat pork, and may need halal or kosher food for other meats.
- Others avoid pork for health or personal reasons.
The easiest way to find out is a dietary question on your invitation, RSVP or sign-up form.
Vegetarian options
We offer halloumi and vegetable skewers: grilled halloumi cheese with vegetables, served in a roll or on a plate. Halloumi is a cheese, so it contains milk; it suits vegetarians but not vegans.
Vegan options
For vegans, we offer a vegan burger or sausage, served in a roll. Check the roll and any sauces too: some rolls contain milk or egg, and coleslaw is usually made with mayonnaise, which contains egg. Ask for the allergen and ingredient information.
Other meats
For guests who eat meat but not pork, spit-roast lamb and rotisserie chicken are popular alternatives, and roast turkey is available at Christmas.
Halal and kosher
We don’t offer halal meat, and we don’t offer kosher food. If guests need halal or kosher meals, arrange them separately with a specialist caterer, and tell us so we can plan the serving around them. Please don’t describe our lamb or chicken to guests as halal.
Keeping alternatives separate
Vegetarians and vegans won’t want their food touching the pork or meat juices. Ask your caterer how alternatives are cooked, held and served, and ask for them to be labelled clearly. Separate tongs and serving areas help.
Gluten-free
Standard rolls and stuffing contain gluten. Gluten-free rolls are available on request. Tell us how many people need them.
How many alternatives to order
Count non-pork eaters from your RSVPs, then add a few extra: people sometimes forget to say, and some meat-eaters like to try the alternative. Tell your caterer the numbers for each option.
Making it feel equal
Serve alternatives from the same station, at the same time, with the same sides. A vegetarian guest should be able to walk up, ask, and get something hot without fuss.
A checklist
- Dietary question on invitations or sign-up forms
- Numbers for vegetarians, vegans and non-pork eaters
- Halal or kosher needs arranged separately
- Gluten-free rolls requested if needed
- Allergen and ingredient information shared
- Alternatives labelled and served separately
Why it matters at a hog roast in particular
At a buffet or barbecue, vegetarians can usually find something. A hog roast is different: the centrepiece is a whole pig, and the classic roll is built around it. Without a planned alternative, non-pork guests can be left with bread and salad while everyone else enjoys the main event. A little planning avoids that entirely.
Ask the right question on your invitations
Instead of just ‘any dietary requirements?’, try: ‘We’re having a hog roast. Do you eat pork? If not, would you like lamb, chicken, a vegetarian or a vegan option? Any allergies?’ You’ll get clearer answers and fewer surprises.
Children and fussy eaters
Some children are wary of anything new. Rotisserie chicken or a vegan sausage in a roll can be a good fallback for them, as well as for vegetarians and vegans. Count them when you give numbers.
At weddings
At a wedding, the alternative should feel as considered as the main event. Serve it from the same station, on the same plates, with the same sides, and make sure the catering team knows who has asked for what if you’re having a plated meal.
At work events
Workplaces are diverse, and some colleagues won’t eat pork for religious reasons. Offering good alternatives, clearly labelled, means nobody feels singled out. If colleagues need halal or kosher food, arrange it separately with a specialist.
At fêtes and festivals
At public events, you don’t know who’s coming. Having a vegetarian and vegan option on the stall widens the appeal, and clear labels and allergen information help visitors choose quickly.
Labels that help
Simple, clear labels at the serving station help everyone: ‘Vegetarian: halloumi and vegetable skewers (contains milk)’, ‘Vegan burger (Ve)’, ‘Gluten-free rolls available, please ask’. Guests can choose without having to explain their diet in the queue.
How many vegetarians and vegans to expect
There’s no reliable rule for how many guests at a given event will be vegetarian or vegan; it depends entirely on your crowd. That’s why asking on invitations matters. Once you have the replies, add a small margin for people who forgot to say, and tell your caterer the numbers for each option.
If you’re running a public event, such as a fête, where you can’t ask in advance, make sure the stall has at least one vegetarian and one vegan option and enough of each to last the day.
Sides that suit everyone
Choose sides that vegetarians and vegans can eat too, so their plate is as full as everyone else’s. Green salads and potatoes are usually fine; coleslaw often contains egg. Ask your caterer which sides are suitable for which diets.
Tell us early
The earlier we know numbers for each option, the easier it is to plan. Include them when you ask for a quote, and confirm them with your final numbers.
Quick answers
Is halloumi vegetarian?
Most halloumi is suitable for vegetarians, but check the information, as some cheeses use animal rennet.
Is the vegan option cooked separately?
Ask us how alternatives are cooked and served for your event.
Do you offer halal meat?
No. Arrange halal food separately if needed.
Can vegans eat the coleslaw?
Usually not, as coleslaw normally contains mayonnaise made with egg.
Planning an event? Tell us about it and we’ll check the date and send a quote.