shabbat meals without meat?

Mrs Bissli

Sun, Sep 02 2012, 8:11 pm

Firstly we don't hold meat is mandatory for oneg shabbat. Secondly, the rest of the family won't eat meat/chicken during the week so I'm the only one who needs to polish off whatever meat is left from shabbat, which isn't that healthy to start with.

We normally have guests almost every shabbat, and serve meat/chicken as I assume most people expect meat on shabbat. However, I'm rather sick to stomach facing another week of leftover meat, my freezer is full and I would hate having to throw away perfectly good food.

For the next week, we know for sure we only have 3 guests, one of whom is a vegetarian.
Is it really terrible if I don't do meat/chicken for shabbat meals? I'm thinking of doing milky or fish meals. The same 3 guests are coming for both dinner and lunch.

CPenzias

Sun, Sep 02 2012, 8:14 pm

I've made dairy for shabbos before. My husband prefers dairy so that's his oneg. What I do is I make something nice like salmon. I've made lasanga and veggies with dip too and then you can have ice cream for dessert

spring13

Sun, Sep 02 2012, 8:16 pm

I think the trick is to make whatever you're doing for Shabbos be something special - a more elaborate pasta or fish or something unusual that you don't make for just any supper. Presentation and variety can also go a pretty long way towards making a meal seem more festive, with or without meat. I think that a bunch of lovely salads and some delicious pasta is nicer than a bucket of cholent and some cold cuts any day.

Sun, Sep 02 2012, 8:28 pm

We always serve vegetarian meals. Out of consideration for guests who may have had meat at kiddush or who keep chalav yisrael, I try to serve all or most items pareve when we have guests.

Everyone eats. In over twenty years of hosting guests, maybe three people have seemed disappointed (all know in advance that we are vegetarian) while a few have commented that the meals are surprisingly filling. Of course people always give complements and you shouldn't take them at face value necessarily, but I think you can tell if people are picking at their food and don't really like it - it doesn't happen often!

Mrs Bissli

Mon, Sep 03 2012, 4:43 am

Out of courtesey, do you think I should inform the other 2 carnivoire guests we are not serving meat? Personally I prefer milky (so that I can serve ice cream/milky dessert and have milky tea afterwards) but should I stick to parve (though I don't know which is more popular--fish or dairy dish)? What would you think?

RachelEve14

Mon, Sep 03 2012, 5:16 am

I would for sure tell them if you are serving milky, I've been known to have meat at kiddush before and I would be upset if I couldn't eat from the lunch. Parve I don't think is as big of a deal, but since some people are makpid to have a meat seuda I think it's still nice to inform them so they can plan accordingly.

smss

Mon, Sep 03 2012, 5:40 am

RachelEve14 wrote:

I know a family that makes a cholent for "dessert" when they get home, whenever they go to vegetarians Smile

rovacat

Mon, Sep 03 2012, 5:58 am

I grew up with dairy shabbat and yom tov lunches. We only have meat for dinner. We love it- we always tell people before they come. Weve had many people who didnt like it- mostly new yorkers and me. I hate to be stereotypical but its true. It was hard for my dh to get used to it but now he actually likes it and sometimes (gasp) will ask me to do the same. Smile

sunny90

Mon, Sep 03 2012, 8:53 am

I would LOVE to do milky or parve meals every once in a while, but DH is firm on the NO.
Wish I could come! Too bad we've already moved out of London...

wispalover

Mon, Sep 03 2012, 10:53 am

We frequently do dairy shabbats, especially in the summer. We do always warn our guests (we live in a town where meat is highly appreciated!), but most appreciate a change.
For an easy summer shabbat lunch I usually make a yummy homemade mushroom quiche, caesar salad, sesame noodles, oven-baked brown rice and steamed broccoli. We then always serve ice cream for dessert which is a definitie big hit Smile

ElTam

Mon, Sep 03 2012, 11:23 am

We typically only eat meat for Shabbos, but we do parve or milchigs on yom tov. Esp. with two- and three-day yom tovim, There's no oneg in having a stomachache from all that meat.

I think if you just tell people, it's fine.