Food orders for work related events are to be vegan and vegetarian only

This reminds me of the idiots who post pictures of steak on vegan IG pages lol.

it’s probably sandwiches on highly processed white bread. So yea probably better off buying your own dead animals (who have no doubt been eating all the plants that have been draining your water.

Most vegans eat very healthily and usually eschew the highly processed stuff.

If an employee of mine refused to take part in meetings because they were having a hissy fit about vegetarian food, I would be rethinking their continued employment pretty rapidly.

Good for you! Not sarcastic and I applaud that. I certainly don't think going meat-free is a cure-all and yes, it comes with its own problems. I'm not even a vegan myself.

However I've noticed that whenever there's a bit of encouragement to take a baby step towards something ethical, we see a lot of nitpicking outrage that it isn't wholly, completely ethical. As if no one should bother taking a small step they think will make the world a fraction better if they're not prepared to take a giant leap and ensure every aspect of their lives is 100% morally pure. I don't understand people who are more outraged by "hypocrisy" than the fact that the planet is burning in the first place.

I'd just buy myself a Cornish pasty or a Ham sandwich or something and take with me because I'm picky about my food. I don't like food with mayonnaise, mustard, salad cream or any other mush on it. I find a lot of vegetarian sandwiches always assume everyone likes this mush all over their sandwich. I don't like salad leaves, tomatoes or hard eggs either. I don't like onions or spinach so wouldn't eat their quiche or crisps either. I suppose I might eat some fresh fruit. I think it's rather dictatorial tbh. I'm not a vegetarian or a vegan and won't be forced into it. There would be a huge backlash if only meat eaters were catered for and vegetarians or vegans were left out.

It is a choice for people to be vegetarian or vegan, of course.

That doesn't mean that anyone catering for you is required to provide meat just because you want to eat it.

They are not taking away your choice in any way by not providing meat, and more than they would be taking away your choice to eat chickpeas if they happened to serve up lentils.

They can choose to serve what they like. You can choose to eat what you like.

Almost nothing you've said has any relevance.

Who is asking about your unfair expenses policy? Who mentioned forcing employees to travel? What do in-person vs virtual events have to do with anything?

If I'm going to shout about being better for the environment, then I'd better do my homework, otherwise I'm being fake and pretending.

Its fine to 'call out' fakers and scammers - and hypocrites.

I'm not saying I'm saving the planet, I'm not claiming anything

It probably wouldn't bother me either way, as long as the food isn't ultra processed.

What interests me is to look what the Great and the Good are offered, compared to us grunts. This is a menu from Parliament where, amongst other things, there is steak, pork, duck and fish on offer. It's cheap too because we subsidise it.

https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/mdr-main-10.09.19.pdf

I should add that the emphasis is on local and sustainable as well as plant based.

Same!! Always the last to go here.

I can't remember the last time i ever had a lunch that didnt have meat in it, or a dinner, so i'd just bring my own, i dont like a lot of veggie food.

thats funny - in my experience, thats always the last one to go, and most likely to be left over.

I work in IT

I'd also like to remind everyone exactly who invented the idea of a carbon footprint

(it was BP in 2004.)

Spot on, @NoMoreFalafelsForYou .The whole UPF argument is a bit spurious IMO. Tofu is sometimes classed as a UPF, but I'm virtually made of it and am in very good health. It's also a regular feature in Asian cuisine.

I hope they enjoy their turnip canapés if they are going to be local and seasonal that’s the sort of stuff they need to be eating.

Please tell me this is some up its own arse marketing agency in London or something of that ilk.

I would bring in my own bento box with food from my own culture. I have zero against veganism/vegetarianism but it should be a choice. Just like I wouldn’t expect everyone to like stuff I eat.

If they want to save the planet they need to stop breeding, travelling and buying anything. I bet they all have the latest iPhone though.

What a bunch of virtue signalling hairshirts.

How?

I can't have gluten and often the meat is the only bit I can eat!

Absolutely ridiculous and tremendously unhealthy. I would advice that I do not eat ultra processed crap for health reasons and see what they say regarding your inclusion.

Yeah, I don't have any respect for transparent organisations that are so keen to parade their virtue that they'd make a decision like this.

In organisations like mine, expenses (very measly amounts!) are reimbursed for food purchased when an employee has to travel for work- unless food is provided at a catered event.
So effectively they'd be forcing people to travel and incur extra expense, whilst simulateously vastly reducing what's on offer for them to eat (in the case of vegan only) and preventing them from chosing for themselves without incurring further cost.

And yet somehow..... no one's pointed out that if these companies cared so deeply about 'carbon footprint' and chose to hold a virtual event instead of corporate grandstanding- they'd be saving 1000s of kgs of carbon emissions from delegate travel alone😂

Oh the irony!

Agree with PPs that vegetarian overall is better. Vegan is processed and can, but doesn't always, carry a high carbon footprint.

I would prefer a meat choice as I love it though but wouldn't care too much as it's free plus, I don't actually have to eat it and can bring in my own meat based stuff.

Most work-related buffets/food occasions are sub-par at best. Even if they fully catered to every diet, religion and allergy requirement people would still complain 😆

The carbon emissions of eating beef from the UK is about 40 times that of a vegetable from Chile. The transportation emissions are tiny compared to the food, water and farting of the animal.

Why do people only seem bothered about UPF when it's vegan food?
You don't often see people complaining when a buffet is full of ham sandwiches, sausage rolls, pasties, etc.

I'm a meat-eater and it wouldn't bother me at all from a preference point of view, and I can see why it would be a good practical decision in terms of all the food being suitable for everyone, and avoiding having to work out how much vegan/veggie stuff vs meat to order (given that the meat-eaters often snaffle the veggie stuff they fancy). But if carbon footprint is their motive, then previous posters have a good point about avocados etc.

Doesn't surprise me. Catering exclusively veggie and vegan food that the staff didn't ask for risks increasing the carbon footprint, as people may simply ignore the catered food and bring their own meat.

On the surface it seems a great idea except that a lot of vegan foods are UPF. Perhaps highlight this as it's not good for health either

Unless they’re sourcing things locally it’s just virtue signalling because it’s doing nothing for the carbon footprint.

I don't drive (never have); rarely fly; don't have children or pets.

Is that low-carbon enough for you? Or should I be knitting my own muesli too?

There are various reasons for scepticism about linking meat-free initiatives to carbon footprint impact - it's not just lack of concern about the environment.

(1) Too much emphasis on one source of carbon emissions: not much use reducing one area if you're merrily consuming vast quantities of needless stuff, plus the waste that produces.

(2) Carbon emissions are not the only environmental damage caused by human consumerism, ie land clearance, water and mineral extraction.

If I'm sceptical about meat-free diets it's because I'm a darker shade of green than the single-issue activists.