Again? Really?! (Picture: Getty) How would you feel if nine times out of ten when you went out to eat you didn’t have a choice of what to eat?

You had to eat what you were told.

And it was one of the same three or four meals you were served every time.

Any vegetarian (that’s someone who doesn’t eat meat or fish) reading this will understand the disappointment of seeing everyone else in your group tucking into a roast dinner when you’re stuck with risotto again. Of course things have improved for vegetarians and nearly every restaurant does have a veggie option. Vegan recipe: Apple and cinnamon streusel muffins

It won’t contain fish or ham like it often does abroad and most places have got their heads around Parmesan not being vegetarian (due to the rennet).

However, it too often feels like an after-thought, a crap option stuck on at the end because they had to.

Look at a sample of veggie menus and you’ll see butternut squash risotto, goats cheese salad, portobello mushroom burger appear time and time again.

I have eaten vegetable lasagne and chips more times than anyone should!

Surely chefs learn something about nutrition during their training?

Many vegetarian options are lacking in any protein at all – instead being a dairy or carb fest.

It’s surprisingly rare to see tofu or beans offered as part of a vegetarian option.

If you’re reading this and wondering why chefs should bother here’s why:

Firstly, numbers

The NHS reckons that there are 1.2 million people in the UK who eat a vegetarian diet.

Some independent studies put this figure much higher – closer to 3 million.

That’s a lot of dissatisfied customers who won’t bother to return to your restaurant.

Secondly, there’s been a massive growth in the number of meat eaters who want to reduce the amount of meat they eat.

Movements like Meat Free Monday and a general better understanding of the impact on the environment and our health of eating too much meat have made many people keen to cut down their meat consumption.

Tofu scramble with salsa cruda – not so hard to make (Picture: Getty)

And thirdly, vegetarian food is delicious (I promise!).

It doesn’t have to be a second rate option.

Some chefs, such as Ottolenghi, have done wonders for improving veggie options.

Take a look at the food in one of his restaurants and you’ll find many vegetarian options that meat eaters would be delighted to choose. Sadly most chefs, even top end ones, desperately need to up their game. 14 tasty and vegan Chinese recipes My challenge to the uk’s chefs is to offer a vegetarian course – or courses – to tempt everyone, meat eaters and vegetarians alike. And don’t even start me on eating out as a vegan. Almost impossible! Here’s my wish list for the the future of vegetarian options – it’s only short and it’s definitely do-able: 1. More than one choice 2. Protein – so it’s a balanced meal 3. Interesting flavours – look to Asia and the Middle East but also South America and Africa for ideas. Mandy Mazliah is a vegetarian mum of three, whose kids all hate vegetables! She blogs about her efforts to get her kids to eat more veg at Sneaky Veg.

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