9 Healthy Vegan Options For A Party

When celebrations like birthdays come, what do we do? Although it seems very complicated, the truth is that we have a lot of simple, more or less healthy options on hand for a very varied birthday party.

Vegan parties: what can we serve?

Here are some ideas with things that I usually use for parties and celebrations. These are the easiest and most affordable, you won’t have to spend all day in the kitchen to make them.

1. Bought snacks

French fries and many snacks are 100% vegetarian. There are many varieties to choose from, also vegetable chips (beetroot, parsnip, yucca, banana, etc), flavored bread sticks, donuts with nuts, etc. They can be very good for the crunchy touch that will contrast with the textures of other dishes that we put.

2. Nuts

Peanuts, walnuts, pistachios, almonds, beans … you can choose to buy them loose or a mix that comes with a little of everything. I like to toast almonds at home and add a little rosemary to them.

Nuts in general are very sweet, they accompany any celebration very well, even if it is just an aperitif with the family. Take care that they do not have too much salt or that they are not all fried, better toasted and the salt you put it when serving.

3. Pickles

Olives of various types : chamomile, arbequina, kalamata, etc., pickles, banderillas, pickled aubergines … all these options are good and are great with other things, especially olives. You can leave them the day before in a pot with their broth, bay leaf, rosemary and whole black pepper to give them an aromatic touch.

In general, pickles are comfortable to serve and eat, they are one of those things for which you do not need forks or anything special (you can put chopsticks, of course), just a container on the side for the bones (if you put olives with bone).

As a homemade pickle I usually make pickled zucchini. It is like the traditional pickled anchovies but 100% vegetable. It is a starter that always triumphs.

4. Patés

Homemade patés and creams such as hummus, babaganoush, muhammara, nut and legume creams, etc. To serve them you can opt for the toasted bread, but it will be more comfortable and easy by putting carrot sticks, whole wheat bread sticks or a snack that also serves to take portions of pate, such as nachos.

It is not necessary to put large quantities or a lot of varieties. At least one well-presented hummus, with olive oil, paprika and a few cooked chickpeas on top.

Another option is to prepare small canapes with these patés. You can use whole wheat toasts on which to spread a generous layer of pate and finish it with seeds, fresh sprouts (broccoli sprouts for example), a pinch of some spice (for example paprika and pepper), or some fresh leaves (basil, coriander, chives …).

Another advantage of homemade pates is that they are made in a moment and you can have them prepared from the day before, well stored in the fridge. And what is left can also be saved.

5. Varied snacks

Croquettes, dumplings, gyozas, potato balls and the like. They are small bites that heat up quickly and are always liked. You can make them the day before or buy them already made (there are 100% vegetable croquettes, of course), although their thing is that they are homemade and take advantage of things that we have in the fridge, innovate and offer more variety.

For example, the dumplings can be made with the filling “of a lifetime” changing the tuna for flaked tofu or textured soy. They look great. The croquettes, best small in size, and made with a variety of vegetables (leek, carrot, pepper, mushrooms and mushrooms, etc.), finely chopped.

They can be reheated in the oven or in the pan, always ensuring that they do not burn, moving them from time to time. If you don’t feel like cooking while you celebrate, opt for things that are also very cold, such as dumplings and gyozas.

6. Sandwiches

In the 80’s birthdays they could not be absent. I do not like to put sandwiches, but I admit that they are a good option, especially if there are a lot of guests.

Make them with whole wheat bread and cut each sandwich in 4 to make the servings less heavy. Fill them with vegan salad, vegetable patés with tender sprouts, ratatouille … above all, that the filling does not spread very easily and that in combination with the bread it is very tasty.

7. Drinks

The most “exotic” that I put are waters flavored with lemon and / or orange and infusions made of soft drinks, such as tea with lemon, but using different teas, which also have fruits and flowers, for more flavor. For the rest, there is a huge variety of shakes and soft drinks that are 100% vegetable and that can also be put if a guest asks for them.

8. The cake

On a birthday, people usually expect to have a cake and sing “happy birthday”, so I make the cake the day before and keep it in the fridge until serving time.

As a base, a vegan sponge cake that you want (for example, whole wheat with vanilla), and as a filling whatever you want. You have tons of things to choose from, from chocolates to 100% plant-based whipped cream or homemade vegan meringue made with aquafaba. You can also make pastry cream, coconut cream, mix vegetable cream with some nut butter …

As a ground cover, opt for a thin layer of whipped vegetable cream that will act as a “sealer”, and on top of that, chocolate ganache. I love chocolate, so my birthday cakes are usually made of various types of chocolates, vanilla, essence of rum, cinnamon, and hazelnuts.

Of course you can make it from lemon, carrot or whatever you like the most. It’s your cake!

9. Other sweets

There are tons of vegan “sweets” to choose from. From dark chocolate covered peanuts to 100% vegetable jelly beans and the like. I am not very into putting a lot of sweets, but sometimes they add a touch of color and contrast with the rest of things, which are usually salty.

One of the things I like to do is put a bowl with ounces of homemade chocolate. I make tablets starting from chocolates with more than 70% cocoa and I add crunchy elements such as puffed quinoa, walnuts, hazelnuts, puffed rice… Once the tablets are solidified, I split them into oncitas or pieces and put them in a bowl to nibble on sweet.