Aibu to be a vegan?

[sahbear]

I am 40 year old with 2 meat eating kids and husband. I have always (since I was about 6) been a vegetarian for animal welfare reasons. I am increasing swayed by the ethical and environmental arguments for veganism, but there's a bit of me that's worried about being a pita for others. Will no one invite me for dinner anymore? Will I be THAT one everytime I go out to eat?

[PutThatPomBearBack]

of course yanbu, but I think you already know that.

[sahbear]

No, I really don't know. My brother's a vegan. I don't see him that often, but when I do I feel it's a bit annoying to cater for him.... Obviously I don't tell him that... I guess I do think veganism is a little unreasonable on a day to day basis but I agree with the principle

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

If I'm honest I would be terrified inviting a vegan to dinner.

I would make an effort but would be really relieved if the vegan brought their own dish to heat up.

I'm sure as more people become vegan we will get used to cooking vegan meals. Good luck with it.

[user1476185294]

Why not eat vegan at home, but vegetarian at friends and when out at less vegan friendly places. If you are thinking about continuing to have dairy, eggs etc at home just to make life easier when being a guest then IMO YABU.

IMO not eating meat already makes it harder to be a dinner guest, not sure not eating a few more things makes it too much more difficult for the typical omnivore household.

[Dothehokeykokey]

YANBU but, I am interested in the "environmental" argument for veganism because you will either have to survive purely on seasonal goods from U.K. Or whatever you eat will have been flown in or grown in a heated greenhouse.

Plus, you will fart a lot so contribute more than you fair share of greenhouse gasses.

[LiviaDrusillaAugusta]

As long as you brought your own food with you, I'm sure it will be fine!

[harderandharder2breathe]

Yanbu to vegan but it is hard for people to know what to cook if they're doing dinner for you so possibly a bit difficult. Vegetarian when you're not doing your own food would give you more options, but it's your choice

[sahbear]

Love the farting idea..... I guess a lot of what I eat now is flown or shipped in (eg rice) so that won't change. But it takes a lot less energy to produce plants than dairy I think.

[WhenSheWasBadSheWasHorrid]

I can't imagine giving up cheese. Looked at some vegan cheese in the supermarket not envy

[SuffolkBumkin]

I just posted this on the other vegan thread.

"At the end of a dairy cow’s life, she is kept in an abattoir holding yard or paddock until it’s her time to be slaughtered. She is not fed or watered. Her udder is full to bursting and is incredibly painful. This is an explanation of what happens in the final minutes of their lives from an activist who worked undercover in this abattoir:

“They come up the race, they’re stunned, have their throats slit and then their bodies are hooked up by their leg. Their severed heads are hung up by a hook under their chin
Sometimes when they are lifted up their legs are not strong enough to support the weight of their bodies. It would be due to calcium deficiencies etc. and their bodies tear off and hit the ground. They are then deemed not fit for human consumption.”

If the cows being slaughtered are pregnant, the foetus is cut out of them and the blood is extracted from the foetus by hanging it up on hooks and making it’s legs move rapidly whilst the blood is pumped out of them. This blood (fetal bovine serum) is the most widely used serum-supplement for the in vitro cell culture of eukaryotic cells. “This is due to it having a very low level of antibodies and containing more growth factors, allowing for versatility in many different cell culture applications” (Wikipedia)"

So no, I do not think yabu.

[user1476185294]

If you're only after an all or nothing and you are wanting a vegan lifestyle then do it.
But you want to be vegan but find it annoying to cater for a vegan? I don't get it. Surely as a vegetarian who's considering becoming a vegan you can't be too fixated on having non vegan products with every meal. Why not make something vegan for you both?

[CactusFred]

I've been vegan for 17 years and the world has really moved on in that time. Most cafes and pubs worth their salt can cater for you and most have vegan dishes on the menu anyway. Even crappy chain pubs!

As for being invited to dinner be like me - expect little and be prepared to be pleasantly surprised by people's efforts

[Rinceoir]

I'm always delighted when a vegetarian/vegan comes to dinner. I'm not vegetarian myself but love trying out new recipes. We don't eat meat every day anyway, and I cook a vegan dinner at least twice a week though.

[LiviaDrusillaAugusta]

Suffolk - I imagine you are a vegan? I used to have vegan friends but they loved to preach so they aren't in my life any more. I don't eat meat more than twice a week but would struggle to be vegetarian, let alone vegan, as I'm picky.

[sahbear]

I think Suffolk sums it up nicely. I guess as a vegetarian I have been ignoring dairy cattle for decades, and thinking I am doing my bit, and yes I like cheese

[Miniwookie]

Yanbu to become vegan as long as you just get on with it without preaching to others and avoid spreading misinformation about the dairy industry that you get from dubious sources like Wikipedia.

[shakeyospeare]

@SuffolkBumkin Was that from the link to the photos? I cried at that article. Actually cried and I am not a crier.

I have been vegan for over a year and all I think now is, I wish I'd been vegan sooner. I've been vegetarian nearly all my life but honestly, I think dairy is more cruel than meat.

[sahbear]

I think why I struggle to cater for my brother is I am also trying to cater for fussy meat eating children too (his and mine ). I do feed him by the way it just seems like an extra effort...

[TheJiminyConjecture]

Ah good old Wikipedia

If you were my friend I'd still be your friend after becoming a vegan. The only thing that would stop me seeing you would be if that was your only topic of conversation.

[SuffolkBumkin]

Livia do as you wish, only not to the detriment of another person or animal.

[shakeyospeare]

@Miniwookie I find that it's meat eaters who like to preach about protein and bacon and "what about plants? They have feelings, too!".

The vegans I know, and myself, we just generally get on with it. There's no preaching, but there's a whole lot of having to justify making certain choices...

[TheWhompingWilly]

YANBU, but can I ask you a question? If you were invited to a charity quiz which included a fish supper, would you expect a vegan alternative or would you be happy with just the chips (cooked in vegetable oil, of course)? This was the subject of a very heated debate at our last PTA meeting as the chip shop doesn't do anything vegan and it would involve buying, cooking and transporting an alternative. I personally would rather just have chips than a couple of vegan sausages cooked in a random kitchen with no food hygiene certificate and reheated in the staffroom microwave but I am prepared to be told I am completely unreasonable on this.

[sahbear]

Vegans- do you in reality end up eating a lot of processed food on a day to day basis?

[Soubriquet]

My dh used to work at an abbtoir

Pigs and cattle

They were fed and watered. They would come in on the lorries and be in lairage for at least 12 hours to allow them to calm down and de-stress. They were fed and watered and looked after over night.

[sahbear]

I'd have chips and mushy peas from the chip shop like I do now...