As a barbecue host, you probably work very hard to make sure that everything is just right for your invited guests. You want them all to leave feeling happy, well nourished and satisfied. You want them to leave singing your praises. And all of them do, except for one: your vegetarian friend. Oh, you thought they’d be happy with a good ol’ salad and dressing. You even added croutons for good measure. Isn’t that enough? Would it be for you? Vegetarians and vegans can enjoy a barbecue as much as anyone and you can make it happen. Here’s how.

• Clean your grill. Vegetarians generally don’t like their virgin veggies mixing with slaughtered animal remains, so clean and scrape your grill (which you should have done anyway) before putting anything on the grate.

• Consider mock-meat food. But bear in mind many mock meats, including veggie burgers and franks, do not cook well on a grill and they may fall apart long before they make it to a bun. Read the heating instructions carefully.

• Think about fresh vegetables and fruits on the grill. Roasted ears of corn, still wrapped in their husk, have a subtle smoky flavor when cooked on the grill. Don’t neglect roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams cooked in their skin, either; just brush the skin with oil or butter (no butter for the vegan, though) before you roast. Sliced tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, squash, asparagus and peppers are wonderful roasted on the grill. Try marinating them first in a balsamic vinegar/olive oil mix with fresh herbs.

• Skewer it. Make kebabs (soak the sticks for at least 30 minutes, if you’re using wood skewers) from vegetables or fruit, or even firm tofu.

Your vegetarian friends will thank you. And this time, they’ll mean it.