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

Yes, and that is what i am basing my assumptions on. Catering for most companies is not known for its great quality.

It's very difficult to compel adults to eat food they don't like unless they are starving. I would say almost impossible.

@aurynne that's not the case in my personal experience at vegan catered events. Especially if there is no meat option on offer. If there is no meat option (which it sounds like there was at your events hence people going to the meat options) then people will be compelled (if hungry) to eat the vegan / veggie food as there is no alternative. So I don't see why there would be more waste than normal. Of course, it depends on the quality of the catering though.

It's a good idea in principle, but in reality it will end up being an utter waste because most of the food will go straight in the bin. It's what happens to most vegan food offered at many of my places of work, while any meat is consumed first and fastest. Same with "vegan, sugar-free, keto" sweet options - most go to the bin. While people gobble down the sugar and butter-full brownies and muffins.

I don't mind the ocassional veggie meal, but most of the veggie/vegan catering food I find bland and unsatisfying (even more than the bland meat options), so I would personally bring my own meals and not have the company-provided food.

I never used to be fussy about food but trying to lose weight, eat healthily, am also gluten free and dairy intolerant has massively restricted me when I’m not providing the food!
2 work events this week involving food
A - only thing I could consider was some GF flapjack but not sure if had butter so took a lactase tablet and grabbed some fruit out of my car
B - nothing I could eat at all other than some pickled red cabbage and a wizened tangerine - thankfully I had some falafels in my handbag so didn’t starve
I’ve just got used to always carrying snacks and if I find anything I can eat it’s a bonus!

Which is perfectly valid.

I'm pretty sure not many caterers will justify the cost of wild venison for a buffet, and I'm pretty sure there wouldn't be enough for everyone if that was all the meat available.

However many will agree with the policy, as some MNs have on here, because of more than just the reduced ‘carbon footprint’. The conversation can progress without being completely diverted.

It is therefore completely relevant to mention ethical issues, just as deer culling has also been brought up.

They’re probably being less restricting for vegetarians and vegans than what they currently offer.

Any food offered as part of a corporate lunch will be restricting in some way. I’ve never been to one that I could have whatever I wanted - it’s picking from what’s on offer.

My original point was that it is nothing to do with the ethics of killing, only carbon footprint.

Not what I said

It's restricting what they offer.

Other food is still available - people can bring their own if they really can't cope with the idea of not eating meat one lunchtime.

For one occasional meal. Not their entire diet.

They are restricting what they have available to people at events.
This is restricting the choice of food available.

No.

They are not introducing policies to restrict what people eat. They are restricting what they have available to people at events. This is not the same thing.

I worked in a place that stopped providing free tea and coffee. It didn't stop people from drinking tea and coffee.

Yes…thanks…I got that!

This thread is about introducing policies that restrict food choices for all, including omnivores.

I wasn’t referring to reducing carbon footprint, just the ethics of killing for some.

Thankyou for this.
Very interesting

If we are talking about reducing carbon footprint, then surely it is the farmed meat that is the issue, not the killing? Not so much for work lunches that are likely to be sandwich based, but for cafeteria food, recipes like wild venison bolognese would be a good alternative.

GPS recommend b12 supplements to many people including meat eaters.

They do work.

I suppose it depends if you’re happy killing the animals for meat. Most ethical vegans and vegetarians aren’t. Appreciate the discussion here doesn’t seem to be in that camp.

Driving slower seems to be a good answer as well as reducing humans taking over more land.
Hunting to reduce numbers isn’t
Wonder how sterilisation would work ? Humans, deer or both ? Depends how radical you are I assume.

@millionleaves
Monbiot's solution appears to be the wolves. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/11/britain-deer-population-ecological-disaster-wolves-humans-predators?CMP=share_btn_url

This would take some time however. Even then, I see no issue with those who would like to eat meat, eating wild meat. The arguments against eating meat on this thread seem to be about farming, not wild meat.

@Kalevala I'm not here to tell you you personally can or can't eat deer. It's your choice. As I said, from a personal perspective I am against hunting animals for a variety of reasons. I am sure there is a solution of which I am personally unaware that would be workable from a vegan perspective.

Did you read the comment above about Monbiot's book? Please feel free to read that and as he is British I am sure he relates his suggestions to Britain.

This appears to be US based. We don't have wolves in the UK.

The reintroduction of wolves to Scotland is being considered I believe, but it would take time. But if wolves can eat them why can't we?

Bit late to this thread but I don’t understand how anyone would have an issue with this. It’s free food. Grab a burger on the way home if you can’t cope without meat in one of your 3 meals a day.

As a veggie I’d have loved this at work events.

There was a very interesting document on Netflix about eating meat vs vegan, the benefits to health of going vegan with lots of info about damage to the planet from cattle farming.

https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81133260