Is it really that hard.....? 🤔

You're right. More vegan options should be provided everywhere. It should be the norm.

I used to be vegan. I managed. I think the problem is most people don't know what it includes, and that's fine. Your food restrictions aren't their problem. I have celiac disease and that's for me to sort out, not others.

Please can you use the quote option OP so we can see what you're replying to?

I'm in catering and I always want to provide amazing food for everyone, including vegans. I've thrown away many almost full jars of vegan mayo after providing a small buffet, and that stuff is pricey! I just don't use enough of the stuff.

If I wanted a non-dairy "milk" I would just take some in a small bottle. It's daft for a whole litre to be bought just for one drink.

With gluten free rolls I always freeze what's left in the packet.

Op. The vegan diet is so restrictive. Most people are too busy doing everything they need to get done without having to google all the restrictions of a vegan diet and having to spend extra time preparing extra dishes for one person.

If you had a serious allergy (not a ‘dislike’) then of course people close to you or around you should make sure you’re not exposed to the allergen. People with serious allergies are who we as a society should be assisting and making every effort for.

But the vegan diet is generally a choice you’ve made and why should we cater to everybody else’s choices, if we catered to every individual who has this or that diet, nothing would get done. The world doesn’t revolve around you and your vegan diet.

And a lot of people use butter or chicken broth when cooking vegetables. With the vegan diet, there are SO many restrictions that the chances of getting your special dish right are slim to none.

BYOV

Bring your own veg.

Chips can be problematic, depending what they are cooked in.

My daughter recently had a vegan pie. She didn't know it was vegan till I told her afterwards.

Being vegan is a pain though

Running a restaurant or cafe is different to catering a one off event, especially if funds are tight and it's run by volunteers.

Almost all cafes, pubs etc do vegan options in my experience, and I would certainly make the effort if I had guests over, but catering a large event is different.

Also, you keep saying that vegetables are non offensive, but I can tell you that if you had my youngest over for dinner and presented him with vegetables, he'd be going hungry! And I hazard a guess that many children would be the same. (I hate that he struggles so much with veggies, he is getting better, but bloody hell it's a pain. My older two love veggies, don't know where this aversion has come from.)

YANBU. I'm a committed carnivore who can't eat dairy. It's extraordinary how many places have NO vegan milk alternatives, sandwiches, cakes or biscuits. I mean, I can do without a coffee or a snack but I often think about what a nightmare this must be for Actual Vegans. It's not compulsory to put butter & cheese in absolutely bloody everything!

It happened. Our friendship didn't survive the attempt to organise a lunch together but at least my DH got to have milk in his coffee. haha.

No, I wouldn't expect to find animal products in a vegan home, and anything I brought over would be vegan. I'm quite happy with vegan food and often choose the vegan options when out anyway. In my home, my family members get to make their own choices though.

Like you, I can't spread myself more thinly, so aren't doing anything extra for catering either. Not that that's something I take on at all at the moment. Most events I go to a 'bring a plate of food' type things anyway, so everyone brings one item. A good way to spread the work.

This won’t go down well and I’m sorry to say I wouldn’t cater to you or your kids if they were at mine, a vegetarian yes that’s easy but I genuinely find vegans a total burden and a bit of an eye roll I think vegans are just deliberately awkward and I’m not willing to take the time and effort to educate myself on it. I view vegans the same way as a fussy eating child etc

It’s massively inconvenient and a choice. You want it.. you sort it out. Why should they have waste just to accommodate you? Allergies.. yes… should be accommodated… food fads… no… deal with it.

I've always been happy to cater to vegans visiting my home, and understand the issues with keeping utensils and things separate. Where I draw the line though is when the vegan I'm catering to tells me I'm not allowed animal products of any kind in my home during their presence.

People don’t want to cater to you, OP. You’re a minority and minorities are difficult. You’re suppose to blend in apparently. All of us the same…

I just think it's alot of faff/added cost for the school to include all dietary requirements in a bbq (which let's face it is a meat feast.)
I would always cater for vegans though if they came to my house and would be happy to.

I found vegetarian/vegan cooking quite expensive because of the need to do proper protein balancing. You can't just have lentils without balancing that elsewhere. Nuts are good for you but so expensive. To do it well, I found quite costly.

Speaking of catering functions though, having to do food prep like that, or spend more on catering, is a time issue for whoever has to do the prep. I'm very busy, my time is tight, do I want to spend the time cooking extra dishes? I'd be happy for an organisation to cater it, but it is likely to add to the cost of hosting the event. For some organisations with tight funds, that will be an issue. Join the committee and offer to do the vegan cooking required for events yourself?

Have you actually been out to a pub / restaurant recently? There are at least 2 vegan options now at most high street chain places e.g. pizza express, wagamama, Zizzi etc. Even McDonalds now has the McPlant. You can get vegan lunches in most coffee shops e.g. Costa, pret, Starbucks. Even better,.go to some independent local places, they seem to have even more vegan options than the high street chains.

Regarding school, have you offered to join the PTA to help organise the vegan option on offer? Or just expecting another parent to do it.