World Vegetarian Day - 1 October

Vegetarian food has come a long way from being treated simply as the alternative option on a menu. Vegetables, pulses, grains, herbs and spices can be the starting point for colourful, satisfying dishes with plenty of flavour – whether you're vegetarian or not.

World Vegetarian Day takes place on 1 October and also marks the beginning of Vegetarian Awareness Month. It's an opportunity to explore vegetarian food, try something different and perhaps discover ingredients and combinations that might otherwise be overlooked.

One of the great strengths of vegetarian cooking is variety. Beans and lentils can form the basis of hearty dishes, grains can add texture and substance, while vegetables can be roasted, grilled, baked or combined with herbs and spices to create completely different flavours.

There's a nutritional reason to embrace that variety too. A well-balanced vegetarian diet can provide the nutrients the body needs, while foods such as beans, peas and lentils provide protein and fibre. Fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, nuts and seeds can all play a part in a varied diet.

That doesn't mean something is automatically healthier simply because it's vegetarian. As with any way of eating, it's the overall balance and variety that matters.

When we're preparing food for an office lunch or meeting, we know we're rarely catering for a room where everyone wants exactly the same thing. That's one of the reasons a good selection of vegetarian food matters. It shouldn't feel like the option that's been added for the one person who requested it – it should look every bit as tempting as everything else on the table.

And often, that's exactly what happens. Put out a varied spread of sandwiches, salads, savoury bites and other dishes and people tend to choose what appeals to them rather than thinking about which options were intended for whom.

For us, that's what good workplace catering should do: give people genuine choice without making anyone feel as though they're getting the alternative.

World Vegetarian Day is a good opportunity to put vegetables and plant-based ingredients centre stage and appreciate just how versatile they can be.

You certainly don't have to be vegetarian to discover a new favourite.