Fake Vegetarian MIL. AIBU?

[Mixxy]

MIL is an animal lover (lots of people are). She is self-righteous in lots of ways, what annoys me most recently is
her assertion that she is a vegetarian. She eats meat 6 times a week. Not fish mind you, meat. (I'm not trying to touch the pescetarian issue).

When you find her eating meat at meal times, she says, "oh I've had to eat meat today because of doctors orders". Fine-she's 80. But why call yourself a vegetarian?

Anyway, DH got a fantastic career oppertunity. To celebrate, I'm throwing a dinner party for a few close friends at our place. DH asked if his parents could come as his mother had worked in the same industry as him. I agreed.

Anyway, MIL rang me to let her know the time to arrive this
Saturday. She asked if I knew what I was cooking. I told her it was 4 courses with the main being Cornish Hens. She then asked what thw vegetarian options would be. I told her none. She got very indignant and cried, "but you know I'm a vegetarian'.

Nobody else coming is (8 others) a vegetarian. My BIL isa vegetarian and I accommodate when I cook for him, because he is the type of vegetarian that DOES NOT EAT MEAT OF ANY KIND. I feel annoyed that I now have to make 2 seperate courses to accomodate her fake vegetarianism.

AIBU to want to call her a fake, self-centered, drama queen?

I wouldn't make her a disgusting vegetarian meal - that'll just give her fuel for her martyrdom - but I would make the main selection so mouth-wateringly appetising that she'll be struggling all evening not to ask for a bit. I might also prime my friends to say, 'Mmm, Mixxy, this is incredible, you've really outdone yourself!' throughout the meal.

there's no reasoning with (some) women in their 80s

GMIL only eats chicken, turkey, and salmon, because "nothing else agrees with me". this only started after GFIL died - before that she happily ate everything, probably because he would have laughed at her if she tried this crap on him. Now if she comes round, I don't plan the menu around her, but sling a chicken breast or a salmon fillet in the oven alongside whatever we're having.

I would just buy a couple of pre made vegaterian options.
You can definitely buy an individual quiche.
And maybe a indvidual but cutlet or mushroom burger.

nut cutlet

Mmm but cutlet.

I might also prime a friend to take a very serious interest in her flexitarianism and ask lots of fascinated questions about exactly what it is she doesn't eat, and why, and whether she can take certain medicines with animal by-products, and whether it's an ethical stance or a digestive one, and - 'Mmm, Mixxy, you have to give me the recipe for this, it's divine!' - and sorry, MIL, you were going to tell me about how you feel about free range eggs, and actually, what about honey? on and on.

Cook something minging and cover all the veg in animal fat or gravy. Serve her a plain quorn fillet and some boiled cabbage. Wait til she asks for some chicken! You know if you go to loads of effort for her she will be eating the chicken anyway.

flexitarian = same as most other people but want a name for it?

Elsie
Sorry but flexitarian is not a thing.

Oh you are all making me laugh so much, I'm seeing that I'm just being a bit of a huffy cow about it all.

I will struggle to serve her the quiche without belly laughing. I will not forget to include my friends on the in-joke. You're right! It is free entertainment!

And give her an apple for dessert as your other dessert has animal products in so she can't have it!

I remember the drunk driving thread. What did you do on 4th July in the end?

My sister was gluten free once... For one week... The one week that she came and stayed in the ski chalet I was running. She also had a birthday that same week and needed a (gluten free) cake! Obviously the kit Kay's she was eating the whole holiday were not gluten free...!! She was not gluten free before the holiday, and not gluten free after the holiday and was my only guest who was a pain in the arse to cool for with allergies. Families- can't choose them!!

Give her the apple very seriously. Prepare it with almost Japanese care: peeled, sliced very fine, and arranged in a sunrise shape on a special plate. Look tremendously apologetic when you serve up an enormous chocolate mousse to everyone else, and say, 'I'm so sorry, MIL, hon, but I have a feeling the Belgian Chocolate Delight Creamy Cream Surprise Bombe De Luxe from Dean & Deluca might have gelatin traces? I did check the label, specially.'

You do know that as soon as she sees what the others are having she's going to come out with the "my Dr says I need to eat meat today" line. Don't put your self out making her something diphtherial. She's sounds a right PITA.

Diphtherial?? that was supposed to be special

Make her some diphtherial food if you like.

Actionlog I ended up getting a cab both ways. It was fine in the end because SIL had great career news too. I celebrated with everyone, baby was passed around, pictures were taken.

Thanksgiving is to be at our place, as a result of my compromise. Nobody had said they will come. Vegetarian option at this dinner is just to be a PITA. A little pre-warmer for what Thanksgiving might bring!

I do make a very nice sherry chocolate mousse, which my sister just advised me to tell everyone, "The secret ingredient is kitten tears".

Aaah, a does of MN. Makes everything much easier to deal with...thanks to all the more evil thoughts people provide.

Can't wait to tell my DB he's a flexitarian

Is anyone else singing "Fake veggie MIL" to the tune of "Fake Plastic Trees" by Radiohead?!

Shes the same type of "vegetarian" as my SIL!

''Agree that for a fake vaggie I'd be making the meat course tastier.''

Excellent typo 2rebecca

Please please please make her some really bland veggie main and a plain apple for dessert - and then come back and let us know if she suddenly insisted she needed the meat for 'medicinal' reasons.

Although of course, sadly you've only got enough french hens for the meat eaters.....

Oh I'll have hens and a lot more in reserve!

Some people seem to think that at 80 she's some nice old lady. She's not. She'll be first into the dinner cocktails and then roll her eyes when we have another bottle of wine at dinner!

I'll give her the quiche and then she can pretend in front of others that she is a vegetarian.

Or as my mother told me: "She can have a meat free funeral". Oh you wise ladies are very funny.

Odds on she'll throw a tantrum and demand a Cornish game hen.