If you're vegetarian are you bothered by any of these?

[Knitwit99]

I don't eat meat but I do eat animal in other things so I don't count myself as vegetarian. If I can easily avoid meat I do, I would pick the veggie Percy Pigs if they were right beside the gelatine ones, but if someone offered me a Percy Pig I would just eat it without bothering to check. That tiny amount of gelatine would not bother me at all.

DS14 is vegetarian and the opposite extreme.

If you consider yourself to be vegetarian do you eat-

Non-vegetarian marshmallows and sweets containing gelatine

Chips from the chip shop cooked in beef fat

Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets

A veggie pie cooked on the same tray as a meat pie

A veggie pie that has been cooked in the oven underneath a meat pie on a metal baking tray

A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie

A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag)

I've had mixed responses from people irl. One lifelong vegetarian said he doesn't care if a chip shop cooks its chips in beef fat or not because any animal dna has been fried into oblivion. I was really surprised by that.

Another who used to have a massive bag of haribo in her drawer at work, she figured the animals were dead anyway so she might as well save their gelatine from going to waste.

DS will absolutely not eat anything with any animal by-product in and ties himself in knots trying to avoid any meat being anywhere near his veg. Eating out is difficult because he can't be sure his vegetarian food hasn't been cooked right beside meat.

To my mind a small splash of animal fat on my food is not going to matter but I guess to him it really matters. I'm curious about where other people are on the spectrum.

This is not about me trying to persuade him to think differently, I'm just genuinely curious. I do also think he gives himself a whole lot more stress than he needs to but maybe not. I respect his choices (mostly, I think the chances of meat juice dripping through a solid metal tray onto his food are pretty low and don't have much patience with that one)

@Wearywithteens

I get that in hospitality people don’t give a shit about vegetarians. I was once told by a member of my church ‘oh no one will notice’ when I mentioned about cooking the meat and veggie stuff separately at the annual bbq. When I told her that it was for my benefit because I’m veggie she walked off embarrassed. But just because meat eaters don’t understand the importance of not cross contaminating doesn’t mean it should be taken lightly and written off as not a big deal. It is a big deal! And I’ve been veggie 30 years - I’m not some prickly teenager.

It doesn't really have much to do with them not giving a shit although this may be true in some cases. It's more likely than not because kitchens only have limited space and cooking appliances therefore some cross contact is impossible to avoid.

I won't eat any animal products, no exceptions, so gelatine and beef fat are out.

I don't mind if my food is cooked in the same oven or carried in the same bag as meat, as long as there's no direct contact (e.g. I wouldn't eat roast potatoes that have been cooked in a tray with a roast chicken)

If you are vegetarian or vegan and not worried about cross-contamination, then you are not vegetarian or vegan! Case closed. Call yourself something else

Even PETA say that veggies/vegans shouldn't worry about cross contact because it's all about reducing demand for animal products and meat rather than being perfect and pure

Thank you! Nice to know my reasoning aligns perfectly with PETA's... lol!

But seriously, I'm vegetarian because I don't want to contribute to the killing of animals in any way. Me eating a veggie pie cooked in the same oven does not contribute to killing any animals. And my veggie pie is still a VEGGIE pie. So I'm still a vegetarian.

Of those I would eat these:

Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets.

A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie (not if dripped on).

A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag)

twitter.com/petauk/status/1005456274526490625

"And we urge vegans not to insist that their food be cooked on equipment separate from that used to cook meat; doing so doesn’t help any additional animals, and it only makes restaurants less inclined to offer vegan choices (which, again, hurts animals)." -- www.peta.org/living/food/making-transition-vegetarian/ideas-vegetarian-living/tiny-amount-animal-products-food/

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Hang on sorry - not from the same shopping bag??!! Yeah, that's going a bit far!

Meat cannot travel through plastic!

Wouldn't do cooked on same tray though, or cooked in oven with a roast if it was spitting. Meat becomes a bit disgucting to veggies after a while.

Hi OP, vegetarian here for 3.5 years. To answer your questions:

Non-vegetarian marshmallows and sweets containing gelatine no

Chips from the chip shop cooked in beef fat yes

Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets yes

A veggie pie cooked on the same tray as a meat pie yes

A veggie pie that has been cooked in the oven underneath a meat pie on a metal baking tray yes if no gravy leakage

A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie yes

A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag) yes

But seriously, I'm vegetarian because I don't want to contribute to the killing of animals in any way. Me eating a veggie pie cooked in the same oven does not contribute to killing any animals. And my veggie pie is still a VEGGIE pie. So I'm still a vegetarian.

Same here.

Honestly this whole attitude of "you're not a real veggie/vegan because you are okay with your veggie burger touching the beef burger for two whole seconds!!!!" is not helpful. It's certainly not helpful to the animals and I actually think it puts people off giving vegetarinism/veganism a go because they think they have to be 100% perfect and pure all the time.

I'm vegetarian and don't choose to eat anything cooked in, or prepared alongside, dead animal products BUT I'm definitely not going to make a scene if I go to someone's house for dinner and there is some cross contamination of meaty products/utensils etc.

A couple of years ago one of my best friends had just had a baby and I went to hers for lunch. She absolutely insisted on making the food, but was obviously frazzled, and totally forgot I was veggie. She made us sausage rolls and chicken salad sandwiches Didn't have the heart to tell her so I just cracked on and ate them! The only meat I've knowingly eaten in 20 odd years.

Non-vegetarian marshmallows and sweets containing gelatine - NO

Chips from the chip shop cooked in beef fat - NO

Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets - NO

A veggie pie cooked on the same tray as a meat pie - NO

A veggie pie that has been cooked in the oven underneath a meat pie on a metal baking tray - NO

A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie - ONLY IF THE VEG IS ABOVE MEAT

A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag) - YES

@WhenPidgeonsCry

If you are vegetarian or vegan and not worried about cross-contamination, then you are not vegetarian or vegan! Case closed. Call yourself something else

Even PETA say that veggies/vegans shouldn't worry about cross contact because it's all about reducing demand for animal products and meat rather than being perfect and pure

Thank you! Nice to know my reasoning aligns perfectly with PETA's... lol!

But seriously, I'm vegetarian because I don't want to contribute to the killing of animals in any way. Me eating a veggie pie cooked in the same oven does not contribute to killing any animals. And my veggie pie is still a VEGGIE pie. So I'm still a vegetarian.

PETA who kill thousands of animals every year

I don't want your meaty/fishy utensils touching my vegetarian food.
I don't want my veg barbecued on the same bit of the BBQ as the burgers.

Meat does not touch my food.

If you consider yourself to be vegetarian do you eat-

Non-vegetarian marshmallows and sweets containing gelatine No

Chips from the chip shop cooked in beef fat No. but prior to being veggie I didn’t like the taste anyway

Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets No due to cross contamination

A veggie pie cooked on the same tray as a meat pie No. as above

A veggie pie that has been cooked in the oven underneath a meat pie on a metal baking tray above would be okay

A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie yes, as above

A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag) No. I would like it separate

To my mind a small splash of animal fat on my food is not going to matter but I guess to him it really matters. I'm curious about where other people are on the spectrum. It would really matter to me tbh & when I first went Veggie it wasn’t even, unbelievably, because of the animals

I'm not a vegetarian. But if I'm cooking for a vegetarian I wouldn't do most of the things on your list. I probably would cook veggie and meat dishes in the same oven if I had to, but would avoid it to prevent cross-tasting eg meat aroma infusing the veggie pie. Similarly, I always cook the vegetarian food at a BBQ first and the meat afterwards - or get DH to do a small separate BBQ for veggies.

The cheese one is interesting though in that I've had friends who are veggie for years, but its only in the last few years that the issue of the use of animal products in cheese has come up. So until recently, it wouldn't have even occurred to me to check that the cheese was actually vegetarian. I've certainly never had a vegetarian complain about cheese in a meal but I really hope I didn't offend anyone back in the day.

Ditto, not that I've ever cooked with gelatine in my life and I HATE marshmallows so have never knowingly bought them, but until recently I wouldn't have actually clocked that it's an animal product.

PETA who kill thousands of animals every year

AFAIK they only euthanise animals who are highly unlikely to find homes.

Giving something a peaceful death vs allowing them to live out the rest of their lives in a shelter...to me it is quite a tricky one because whilst I don't agree with healthy animal being put down living the remaining of their lives in a shelter with no chance of being adopted isn't exacty much of a life either.

This has been interesting to read other responses. Here's mine they seem quite similar to others.

Non-vegetarian marshmallows and sweets containing gelatine - no

Chips from the chip shop cooked in beef fat - no

Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets -no

A veggie pie cooked on the same tray as a meat pie - no always a separate tray

A veggie pie that has been cooked in the oven underneath a meat pie on a metal baking tray -no always above the meat

A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie -Yes

A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag) - Yes

When I have had stuff accidentally which had meat products in (like marshmallows, chips cooked in beef fat and the memorable weekend I spent on the loo because my veggie option of pasta bake, we later discovered had been made with a tomato & bacon pasta sauce) I get a really really upset stomach.

So for me it's not about being strict for my principles it makes me ill if I'm not!

DD is vegetarian
She wouldn’t be happy about any of those (and I would respect her view) apart from the last one

Vegetarian for almost 30 years so since I was a child.

If you consider yourself to be vegetarian do you eat-

YES BUT FEEL BAD Non-vegetarian marshmallows and sweets containing gelatine

NO Chips from the chip shop cooked in beef fat

NO Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets

NO A veggie pie cooked on the same tray as a meat pie

YES A veggie pie that has been cooked in the oven underneath a meat pie on a metal baking tray

YES A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie

YES A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag)

Im much much more lax now eg marshmallows. I used to I remember once my dad touching my food with a fork that had been on his plate (unused) next to his meat, I didn't eat any of it.

I've been vegetarian since before I was 10.i just don't like meat. My partner ears meat so the questions are real for me. Of course I'd eat something in the same shopping bag. That's how we do our shopping! But not meat juice dripping on stuff.

I would share an oven with meat stuff. But probably not a massive joint of pork for example.

No to beef dripping or gelatin.

I eat vegetarian cheese.

We do use the same kitchen wear and utensils. So don't have designated meat stuff. But do keep vege utensils etc seperate while cooking if also cooking meat. I wouldn't put a meat item on the same tray as a veg item. Eg the pies.

In terms of fried stuff. If it is labled vegetarian it will not have been cooked in same fat as chicken nuggets. So in general I'd want to look out for this on a menu. In restaurants I don't feel comfortable ordering if items aren't marked as vegetarian. You do just have to trust this to an extent. Just like anyone else prepping food for you. I don't eat places with a food hygiene rating below 4 and I always always check!

If I'm really stressed out I'm probably more anxious about contamination. So I'm wondering if it is an anxiety thing for him?

Vegetarian here. I don't eat any meat,
I will however eat chips in beef dripping (although would always seek veggie chips if possible, but wouldn't cause a scene if family are wanting to eat there), I've been known to enjoy a hairbo tanfastic on occasions, I rarely eat cheese but have never checked if it's suitable and fine with using same oven. A little twitchy if I order fries and veggie goujons at mcdonalds and they are in the same bag as a very greasy quarter pounder though. I am veggie after a really bad bout of food poisoning 6 year ago, it turned me right off any kind of meat, I dry heave if I think about eating it. So my examples are probably not the best as I think it's more a meat phobia as opposed to animal welfare (although I do love animals!) I like marshmallows and I usually get plant based ones, but will 100% have costa ones if there's no alternative

I'm surprised the above/below thing on the oven is even an issue. Does a "meat pie on a metal baking tray" really somehow drip over the edges of a baking tray??

@WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo

I'm not vegetarian but DS1 (16) is pescetarian so I'll answer for him.

Non-vegetarian marshmallows and sweets containing gelatine No. Although a shop near here sells marshmallows made with fish based gelatine so he will eat those.

Chips from the chip shop cooked in beef fat not knowingly. I know our local chippy cooks them separately. KFC don't, despite having a vegan burger on the menu

Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets Nope

A veggie pie cooked on the same tray as a meat pie As long as the pies don't touch, and are in their little foil tins then yes.

A veggie pie that has been cooked in the oven underneath a meat pie on a metal baking tray No. Likewise his pizza goes above the meat one.

A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie. Yes provided they aren't in contact. I'm not paying to use both ovens when everything fits in one !

A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag) Yes.

According to my family this makes him a vegan because vegetarians only avoid meat not other dead animal products .

I'm pescatarian and would answer the same as your son, @WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo .

I'd also do, eg, separate Christmas roast potatoes so meat eaters could have goose fat and I'd have vegetable oil.

Now I'm older though, I wouldn't sweat it if I did accidentally eat something with a meat product jn (eg had chicken wontons accidentally in Chinese food recently) but i did / would stop eating the moment I realised (but not make a fuss about it).

Interestimg point from PETA about reducing demand for meat so cross contamination isn't a big deal. It depends on your motivations. I don't like the taste of meat and find the idea of eating a dead animal repulsive. So I'm really bothered about it! I don't want animal flesh on my food.

But I do understand about it being less of an issue for people who do it for environmental or ethical reasons. Not saying I don't care about these things. It's just not my primary motivation.

Non-vegetarian marshmallows and sweets containing gelatine - WOULD NOT EAT

Chips from the chip shop cooked in beef fat WOULD NOT EAT

Deep fried food eg mozzarella sticks that are fried in the same vegetable oil as meat products like chicken nuggets WOULD NOT EAT

A veggie pie cooked on the same tray as a meat pie FINE

A veggie pie that has been cooked in the oven underneath a meat pie on a metal baking tray PREFER NOT

A veggie pie that has been anywhere in the same oven as a meat pie OK IF ABOVE shelf

A veggie pie that has been carried home in the same shopping bag as a meat pie (each pie cold and wrapped in a separate paper bag) NO PROBLEM

My kids are veggie / plant based “ for the planet “ and as a result so M I mostly.

As a result it’s low stress eating. Non of the examples given are a worry.
Battery eggs would be more upsetting.