Picture this: you've quoted a catering job assuming vegetarian options will cost less than meat dishes, only to discover your margins have vanished. Plant-based alternatives often carry hidden costs that catch caterers off guard. The trick is knowing how to price these options before you commit.
Why vegetarian catering turns out more expensive
Plant-based catering seems cheaper — no expensive meat or fish. But reality often disappoints:
- Pricier replacement products: Plant-based 'chicken' costs €18-24/kg vs. €8-12/kg real chicken
- More ingredients per dish: Plant-based dishes often have more vegetables, nuts, and spices
- Specialist suppliers: Smaller volumes, higher purchase prices
- Extra prep time: More chopping, more complex preparations
⚠️ Watch out:
Never use meat prices as your starting point. Vegetarian dishes have their own cost structure.
Calculate the real ingredient costs
For each vegetarian option, add up these components:
- Main ingredient: Tofu, tempeh, seitan, plant-based meat substitute
- Protein sources: Nuts, seeds, legumes (often pricier per kilo)
- Extra vegetables: More variety for flavor and texture
- Specialist ingredients: Nutritional yeast, plant-based cream, specialty oils
💡 Example: Vegetarian curry (10 people)
Ingredient costs per person:
- Chickpeas: €0.80
- Coconut milk: €1.20
- Vegetable mix: €1.50
- Spices & herbs: €0.60
- Basmati rice: €0.40
Total per person: €4.50
Compare with your standard options
Make a direct comparison with your regular dishes:
- Chicken curry: €3.80 per person
- Vegetarian curry: €4.50 per person
- Difference: €0.70 extra per person
For 100 guests, this means €70 extra ingredient costs. Factor this into your selling price.
💡 Example: Price calculation
Event for 50 people, 20% vegetarian:
- 40 people standard: €3.80 = €152
- 10 people vegetarian: €4.50 = €45
- Extra costs: €45 - (10 × €3.80) = €7
Total extra costs: €7 for entire event
Factor in labor time
Vegetarian dishes often require more prep time:
- More chopping: Diverse vegetables, finer cuts
- Longer cooking time: Legumes, grains
- Separate preparation: Preventing cross-contamination
- Extra attention: Less room for error in flavor
From tracking this across dozens of restaurants, I've found you need to budget an average of 20-30% extra labor time for vegetarian dishes. At €25/hour labor costs, this means €5-7.50 extra per hour of cooking.
Price your vegetarian options
Use this formula for your selling price:
Selling price = (Ingredient costs + Extra labor) / Desired food cost %
💡 Example: Price calculation
Vegetarian dish:
- Ingredients: €4.50 per person
- Extra labor: €1.00 per person
- Total costs: €5.50
- Desired food cost: 30%
Minimum selling price: €5.50 / 0.30 = €18.33 excl. VAT
Save on smart purchasing
Lower your costs by:
- Using seasonal vegetables: 30-50% cheaper in season
- Bulk buying dried products: Legumes, grains, nuts
- Finding local suppliers: Less transport, better prices
- Making your own substitutes: Marinating tofu yourself vs. ready-made
⚠️ Watch out:
Always ask in advance how many vegetarian options you need to prepare. Surplus of specialist ingredients is hard to use.
Track your real costs
Keep track of what vegetarian catering really costs you:
- Ingredient costs per person for each vegetarian dish
- Extra prep time compared to standard options
- Waste percentage (often higher with unfamiliar ingredients)
- Customer satisfaction (justifies higher price)
With a system like tools for food cost tracking, you can monitor these costs per dish and automatically calculate your minimum selling prices.
How do you calculate the extra costs of vegetarian catering?
Make a complete ingredient list
Write down all ingredients for your vegetarian dish, including spices, oils, and garnish. Also add up the quantities per person. Don't forget pricier replacement products like plant-based 'meat' or specialty nuts.
Calculate the real purchase prices
Look up current prices for all ingredients, including specialist products. Note that vegetarian replacement products are often 2-3x more expensive than the original ingredients. Also factor in smaller packaging that costs more per kilo.
Add extra labor time and overhead
Budget 20-30% extra prep time for vegetarian dishes due to more chopping and complex preparations. Multiply this by your hourly rate. Add this to the ingredient costs for the total cost per person.
✨ Pro tip
Track your vegetarian dish costs for 30 days to establish accurate baseline pricing. You'll discover which ingredients spike your costs most and can adjust recipes accordingly.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
Are vegetarian catering options always more expensive?
Not always, but often. Simple dishes like pasta with vegetables can be cheaper. But once you use plant-based replacement products or lots of nuts, costs quickly rise above regular options.
What percentage of your guests usually choose vegetarian?
On average, 15-25% of guests choose vegetarian options at catering events. With younger target groups (under 35), this can rise to 30-40%. Always ask in advance about expectations to prevent waste.
Can I charge the same amount for vegetarian and regular options?
You can, but then you need to spread the extra costs of vegetarian dishes across all guests. Calculate the average of all options and charge one price per person. This prevents discussion but can squeeze your margin.
Which vegetarian ingredients are the most expensive?
Plant-based 'meat' substitutes (€18-24/kg), cashew nuts (€15-20/kg), and specialty cheese substitutes (€20-30/kg) are usually the priciest. Legumes, seasonal vegetables, and grains are actually much cheaper than meat.
How do I prevent waste of expensive vegetarian ingredients?
Always ask a week in advance for the exact number of vegetarians. Buy specialist ingredients only 1-2 days before the event. Plan multiple dishes that use the same base ingredients to prevent surplus.
Should I offer multiple vegetarian options for large events?
For events over 80 people with 20+ vegetarians, offer 2 options to avoid complaints. But keep one simple and affordable (like pasta) and one premium (with nuts or specialty proteins) to control costs.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
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