VEGETARIANS

[DaisyRaine90]

I understand people who REALLY don't eat meat, but people who sometimes do but then make you cater for them?

Should I pander to it or just say "I saw you eat a bacon sandwich last week so if you don't want to eat meat bring your own main"

[sailorcherries]

I'm now fully fledged veggie and slowly going vegan.

At this point having had no meat in months I'd prefer it if you provided something I could eat, even a basic tomato pasta dish.

However previous to giving up meat I would only eat chicken, maybe twice a week, and occasionally bacon, maybe once a month. If you asked me round for something containing red meat I'd probably ask for a veggie dish instead as I would eat that, instead of changing the whole meal to chicken/me picking at the meat/me leaving the entire meat dish. If you asked me to bring my own I would because that was too much then I would.

[CamelliaSinensis35]

People who eat meat 'sometimes' are not vegetarian. So you're really just catering for their preference that particular day. Annoying maybe, but would it really be such a hardship to cook a meal without meat? It takes minimal effort.

[PurpleDaisies]

When you say “make you cater for them”, presumably you offered to have them round for a meal? I wouldn’t say a request for no meat was particularly difficult to deal with. I ask people if there’s anything they don’t like or don’t eat.

I would judge someone who referred to themselves as a vegetarian while still eating meat. It makes it harder for genuine vegetarians.

[TheDuckSaysMoo]

Most meats - except chicken, turkey, fish or seafood - are too rich for me and would make me ill if I ate them - d&v type ill. A thin or ham sandwich would be tolerable. Because of this I tend to say I'm veggie or opt for the veggie option when signing up for events. I feel it is more polite than forcing a meat choice on the host.

I'd be more than happy for my meal to be the veggie side dishes tgat go with the meat, as long as it was a full portion. I'd feel it a bit rude if you asked me to bring something - as if you didnt care enough.

[DontKnowWhatToDo123]

dont get me started.... my mil decided a week before my wedding she was vegetarian. Cue me frantic on the phone to venue begging them to make one more veggie dish, then more mix ups on the day as the venue hadnt told the kitchen about extra veggie....arrrgh.

then speaking to sil a few weeks after wedding (she lives close to mil) she said she wasnt a vegetarian. anyway............turns out she just didn't want the normal meal and fancied the veggie meal instead, then complained she wasn't overly impressed that it was risotto and didn't enjoy it.

[PumpkinSquash]

Not too hard to put on a vegetarian option, surely?
Although I do know someone who says they're a vegetarian but eats chicken, turkey, and occasionally bacon.
I'll be eating a piece of ham for example and she'll be like "aw, poor piggy"
Erm....

[AlternativeTentacle]

People who eat meat are not vegetarians so you need to point this out to them. Not lump actual vegetarians in with these twats.

[CamelliaSinensis35]

Oh god the trauma of requesting an additional risotto..

Why is a meal without meat so way outside of the norm for most people? Is it not a proper meal unless there's something dead in it? Baffling.

[DaisyRaine90]

I cater for vegans, veggies, pescatarians, wheat free, dairy free and celiacs.
I’ll cook for people on slimming world if they like.

But it frustrates the hell out of me when it’s not a genuine dietary requirement but just to be trendy and make my life hard.

Ps. I am making a veggie option just with a little resentment

[DaisyRaine90]

I would never serve a risotto as a main. That’s a cop out one pan after work meal not a dinner party treat 😊

[Vinorosso74]

I am a vegetarian and people who say they are but still eat fish or even chicken annoy me. It then means some people then ask if I eat fish or chicken. Err no they are animals....
FIL really doesn't grasp it and will offer me stuff (non veggie) and say "oh you don't like that".

[Slartybartfast]

oh mostly I prefer the vegetarian option.
i do like meat but 90% would eat the veggie option.

[carefreeeee]

Ask them what they eat before hand and cook one dish for everyone. If you think this is difficult it suggests that you don't like the friend that much. Faddy eaters are annoying but if they are otherwise nice I would put up with it

[PumpkinSquash]

People who eat meat are not vegetarians so you need to point this out to them. Not lump actual vegetarians in with these twats.

I actually do.
"I don't eat meat" or "I'm vegetarian" I say "well, that's not strictly true, is it, as you eat chicken and turkey."
"I don't eat MUCH meat though. I don't eat red meat."
Me - "yeah, you do, you eat bacon if we go out for a breakfast."

Winds me right up lol, I have to say something!

[Slartybartfast]

Are you cooking a dinner party and people have requested veggie option? that does seem entitled and demanding if they are not actual vegetarians though.

[Bubblebubblepop]

I used to have a friend who pretended to be vegetarian. She was like Pam in Gavin and Stacey. It was hilarious looking back, but really frustrating at the time

[alletik]

Although from a different perspective...

I’m vegetarian and don’t eat meat. My children do eat meat, but are only allowed high quality, animal welfare meat. I buy my meat from a specific butchers, where the animals are raised on a farm in the next village across to me. I can go see the pigs in the field if I want to. I know exactly where they are slaughtered, the slaughterhouse is about a 10 mike drive away in one of the closest largest market towns. The meat is then sent to my butchers where it is of top quality (for animal welfare).

This is the meat I buy for my children. But I can’t insist other people buy this expensive and top welfare meat, can I? So usually they eat vegetarian when out and about. For me, It’s just about being polite and not questioning other people’s ethics over their choice to buy supermarket meat. I feel to raise this conversation would be rude and people may perceive it to be insulting (it’s not, I respect we all make our own choices in life - and this is the choice we have agreed!) so out of politeness, my children will mostly eat veggie when out, even though they’re not.

[PinkHeart5914]

Presumably you invited these people? Have you ever thought maybe hosting isn’t for you? Veggie food isn’t difficult

I’m not veggie but I eat very little meat and I prefer veggie dishes so if you served me meat I probably wouldn’t eat it so my friends tend to ask “do you want a meat dish” when they invite me to dinner, it’s being a good host isn’t it?

When people come to mine me and dh will cook without complaining for anyone that has a request, we like hosting and cooking so it’s not an issue

[Booboostwo]

Reductarians are, apparently, people who are trying to reduce their meat consumption.

[Slartybartfast]

if you go to someone else's house for a meal they cooked, you just suck it up, be polite.
unless they are charging you - it is just one meal.

[DaisyRaine90]

Of course I have already said I am catering for it but it seems unnecessary when the week after they’d eat the meat option

[Ikabod]

I know someone who describes themselves as a "flexitarian". Chooses a veggie option depending on where they're eating or what the menu choices are. I do too, but would never in a month of Sundays describe myself as veggie OR "flexi"

[PurpleDaisies]

if you go to someone else's house for a meal they cooked, you just suck it up, be polite.
unless they are charging you - it is just one meal.

You’re presumably not talking about actual vegetarians are you?

[PurpleDaisies]

I know someone who describes themselves as a "flexitarian”

Isn’t that just someone who eats? What a poncy git.

[LipstickHandbagCoffee]

So you’re not actually discussing vegetarians. you’re discussing folk who are expressing a dietary preference they don’t routinely adhere to (and at short notice)