Labelling vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu

Use terms correctly

Those who want to label vegan dishes should clearly distinguish the terms. Vegetarian means: without meat and fish, but with milk, eggs, or honey. Vegan means: completely without ingredients of animal origin. In between, there are guests who eat fish, or those who only avoid certain products – for them, clear information is equally helpful.

There is currently no binding EU-wide definition. In Germany, the guidelines of the German Food Code describe what is meant by vegan and vegetarian; many businesses follow these guidelines. In everyday life, what matters is: what you write on the menu must be correct.

Mark or own category

• Symbol at the dish: Vegetarian and vegan dishes are placed among the others and are still recognizable.
• Own category: Guests who are looking for something specific will find everything at a glance.
• Both: own category for main courses, symbols for appetizers, side dishes and desserts.

It is important that the symbols are consistent and explained once, for example in a short line at the end of the menu menu. In the menu menu template from Same-QR, you can add the categories Vegetarian and Vegan with one click or write the designation in the additional line of the dish.

Hidden animal ingredients

Most errors do not occur with the obvious meat, but with ingredients that no one thinks of:

• Broth based on meat or fish in soups, risotto or sauces.
• Gelatin in desserts, cake icing, or gummy bear decorations.
• Cheese with animal rennet, such as some hard cheeses.
• Schmalz, butter or lard as frying fat.
• Egg in pasta dough or breading, honey in dressing.
• Fish sauce and anchovies in sauces and dressings.

Go through each marked dish with the recipe sheet, including finished products. If a product changes with the supplier, the labeling must be checked as well.

Cross-contact

A vegan dish that is fried in the same pan as the schnitzel or fried in the same oil is not acceptable for many vegan guests. Whether you can use separate equipment depends on your kitchen. If not, be honest – for example with the note “vegan ingredients, prepared in a shared kitchen”.

In the case of allergies, cross-contact is even more critical. For milk, eggs, or fish, the rules of allergen labeling apply, and these are independent of the vegan symbol.

Advise guests

Even with good labeling, guests have questions. The service team should know which dishes can be adapted to vegan and which cannot. A short cheat sheet at the register helps, especially for temporary staff.

If the kitchen is flexible, it is worth adding a note to the menu: We are happy to prepare many dishes vegetarian – just ask. This comes across as welcoming and is more honest than a symbol next to a dish that is only vegan upon request.

Checklist for labeling

• Recipe sheets of all marked dishes checked for animal ingredients.
• Finished products such as broth, sauces and doughs are included.
• Symbols are uniform and explained on the menu.
• Note regarding shared kitchen, if cross-contamination is possible.
• Service knows which dishes can be adapted to be vegan.

A reliable label spreads by word of mouth. Vegetarian and vegan guests recommend establishments whose information they can rely on – and often come with friends who eat everything.

Frequently asked questions