Who would think this was a sensible option?

[Thistledew]

At a wedding this weekend. The wedding breakfast was a hog roast, so guests were asked in advance if they wanted a vegetarian option.

MIL is vegetarian, so requested this option. The food was served buffet style, so we all went up to collect our meal. MIL says "Please can I have the vegetarian option - what is it?"

...


"Salmon"!




I'm still boggling as to who might have selected this. I know that some 'vegetarians' or rather pescetarians eat fish, but surely it is common knowledge that most many vegetarians don't? Who would have thought it a good idea?

Fortunately, she didn't go hungry as there were several salads served as accompaniment although there had been no veggie canapés but she had to fend of several enquiries from her friend, the mother of the groom, as to whether she had enjoyed her meal!

AIBU to think this was rather bonkers?

[Alconleigh]

Where are all these spectacular thickos? Everyone I know manages to grasp that fish aren't plants and that vegetarians don't eat meat OR fish....

[MewlingQuim]

I'm not a vegetarian, but I had a massive argument at a catered work training course when the organiser asked the usual question 'what could we do to improve the course' and I said 'i expect the vegetarians would prefer it if you don't provide tuna and prawn sandwiches as the vegetarian option'

Stupid cow was insisting that all vegetarians eat fish, she said 'well I'm vegetarian and I eat fish'

[TouchPauseEngage]

I cater for weddings. We would never ever serve salmon as a veggie option. In the bizarre situation that the host demanded we did I think we'd probably have a spare tart set aside for vegetarians just in case. Most of the hog roasts round here are supplied and run by butchers so maybe that (sort of) explains the cluelessness.

We always have at least 3 spare veggie dishes as people always claim the veggie option when they haven't requested it.

Also, in defence of caterers who've not catered for allergies or other requirements. It is very very common for the host to rush up at start of event and say they forgot about the coeliac vegan for example. Cue mad rush to assemble a stuffed pepper and some GF canapés in 5 mins!

[Catnuzzle]

When arranging the food for my wedding I asked the hotel's wedding coordinator if the puddings were vegetarian, her response she was a bit of a dullard 'Well they don't have any meat in them'.
You don't say!!

[lettertoherms]

Andrewofgg why did you aim that at me?

[Primadonnagirl]

Once went to a hog roast and asked what the veggie option was " er..nothing?!" Hostess was a bitch though who had designs on my DH.

[pointythings]

I always ask about cheese, milk and eggs when catering for vegetarians - we have a lot of staff turnover where I work and I love to bake, so I've learned to ask - and to adapt. There are so many 'Free from' recipes of all kind out there, there's no excuse for not trying. At one time I had a coeliac vegetarian with dairy intolerance on the team, I learned a lot and it will stand me in good stand in the future, no doubt.

[PixieofCatan]

YANBU, my sister almost chose fish as the veggie option at her wedding. She's been a veggie for over 20 years but eats fish I've been a veggie for 20 years and have never eaten fish, you'd think she'd know by now!

[exexpat]

Hakluyt - I don't think anyone was saying meat-eaters should never eat cheese sandwiches, just that they shouldn't eat all the cheese sandwiches leaving vegetarians with the ham sandwiches… I have often found that I get to a buffet and all the (obviously more appetising-looking) veggie-friendly stuff has gone, leaving me with a few lettuce leaves and all the leftover sausage rolls/ham sandwiches etc.

[Catnuzzle]

When arranging the food for my wedding I asked the hotel's wedding coordinator if the puddings were vegetarian, her response she was a bit of a dullard 'Well they don't have any meat in them'.
You don't say!!

[Dontgotosleep]

I agree o.p. If you don't eat meat then you shouldn't eat fish.

[Me624]

I don't think carnivores shouldn't eat veggie food, however when it's a lunchtime seminar and catering have clearly provided a meat sandwich platter and a veggie sandwich platter, and my colleagues all know I'm a vegetarian, it would be considerate for them not to gobble all the veggie ones before I get there. Just like if I were a meat eater and I had a colleague who I knew didn't like ham, I wouldn't eat all the beef/prawn/chicken sandwiches and leave them only with the ham ones.

[Hakluyt]

What I find very odd is the view that somehow carnivores aren't supposed to eat vegetarian food. How very dare they eat a cheese sandwich- they should only eat meat all the time.

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

Yes, we were told very firmly we were/were not veggies for our university field trip as it was a long way to the shops and buggering up the catering just because you didn't like the meat course wasn't fair.

One exception was made when my DF realised she'd forgotten to say she was allergic to fish, but otherwise it was eat up. Fortunately the food was gorgeous. Our hall food wasn't.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

I frequently order vegetarian meals because I don't much like pork/beef/lamb/fish. If asked "are you veggie?" I say "no, I'm just fussy", seems to work well enough.

[HSMMaCM]

Can I just clarify that vegetarians never ever eat fish. I have no problem with people who eat fish, meat, or those horrible apricots. Each to his own, but saying you're a vegetarian when you're not leads to us getting fed the wrong food.

Hats off to the plane captain who swapped my chicken meal for his cheese sandwiches when someone decided to pretend they were vegetarian and eat my dinner !

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

Gluten free veggie is fun. DF visited at Passover and we decided to try and not cheat and use matzos.

I think we ended up with vegetable chilli and some sort if fruit salad and her amazing almond cake.

She says the ground almond cake is stupidly expensive to make, so it's a Passover only treat.

[MiscellaneousAssortment]

Yup, I went to a 4 day work expo fully catered and absolutely no skiving off site ... And they failed to cater for proper vegetarians, as over a third of the company were 'vegetarians who ate fish and white meat'.

I was fuxking starving!!! There were words exchanged and the conclusion was I was being a party pooper who wasn't getting into the company spirit. Grrrrrrrr.

[TheJiminyConjecture]

Hi blanklook! Come be my friend, I have a vacancy for a vegetarian

Loving the fishandchipocrite also!

Whois your friend is clearly unreasonable, cheesy chips are disgusting!

[Andrewofgg]

Lettertoherms it's a fact that most who call themselves vegetarian eat eggs and drink milk, so a caterer who includes such things in a veggie option is not wrong.

[blanklook]

"I don't know any 'proper' (ie no meat or fish at all) vegetarians anymore"

<br />
I'm surprised at all the tales of people being given fish as the veggie option in restaurants nowadays, it happened to me a lot when I was apparrently the only vegetarian anyone had ever encountered on this planet ahemty years ago.  About 20 years ago, the restaurant veg options used to be lasagne, curry or chilli, nowadays it's often goats cheese tart with caramelised onion or butternut squash risotto.<br />
<br />
Poor MIL at that wedding, I'd have been speechless (and hungry).

[Ultracrepidarian]

YANBU
I went to a wedding this weekend I'm a vegetarian who is allergic to gluten and dairy (I eat eggs and honey so I'm not vegan)
Option for me was a vegetarian Wellington, mushrooms and seitan wrapped in pastry it looked lovely but wasn't gluten free the other non meat option was fish. This was professionally catered, I feel bad for your MIL as it's not easy even with vast amounts planning it can still go wrong.
I ended up having vegetables with potatoes and a herb pesto drizzled over the top. They made the pesto quickly to improve on plain sides.
No pudding as it all contained dairy, I had the melon starter again served with a summer berry coulees.
In the defence of caters it's must be tricky meeting everyone's needs, but it's a bit depressing when there's nothing to eat again!

[slithytove]

And yes, it's not rocket science. Vegetarians don't eat meat or fish. Which should include gelatine and stock etc but doesn't seem to for my otherwise staunchly veggie sister, which fucks me right off when I have to use separate cutlery for her but then she will chuck gravy all over her veggie parcel and eat haribo

[slithytove]

My best friend is pescatarian and would find questions about the ethics of that completely pointless (e.g. Farmed salmon). He cares as much about that as the average meat eater cares about cows etc.

He doesn't like meat. Hates poultry, can't digest red meat, cba with pork. He likes fish and seafood. Therefore he is pescatarian.

Why assume ethics come into it.