Traditional vegetarian recipes and cooking tips for foods and meals which consist of grains, pasta, beans, vegetables, fruit can be placed in this category. Recipes which include meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish are not generally considered to be vegetarian.

This Vegetarian category can also include recipes which include animal products such as eggs, milk, cheese, and honey, and the like. These are considered acceptable to some vegetarians and is an eating pattern often referred to as "ovo-lacto vegetarian." Refer to the Vegan subcategory for eating patterns which are strictly limited to vegetable products, and exclude not only meat, poultry, fish, but also eggs, milk and dairy products, and insect products such as honey. In some parts of the world this eating pattern is referred to as "vegetarian" or "strictly vegetarian".