To feel I almost have to apologise for being veggie...

[Loopylala7]

We were invited out tonight with a big group, but I couldn't go due to no babysitter. Anyway DH casually mentions that, well there was nothing on the menu for me anyway. This is following a holiday where being a vegetarian was considered weird, so had to survive on junk food.

These are just a few of my recent experiences. TBH I feel lucky if I go to a restaurant and have two dishes to choose from. Am I being unreasonable to think this is unreasonable?

I've done living history events for years and often was the only veggie or one of a handful, if it was a large group. Can't tell you the number of times, veggie options have been cooked but then whoever has made them has made a huge song and dance about it like they have done you a massive favour. Then - after a couple of hours of having the piss ripped out of you by meat-eaters going on and on and on about it; the veggie option is swooped on, mysteriously by the carnivores, eaten in seconds and they then proceed to eat their own stuff as well...

I went to one event where there were 25-30 of us and I was the only veggie. The cook made some elaborate (but disgusting) veggie option that I think might have been a 1970s' person's idea of 'vegetarianism', then not only went on about how great they were for bothering, for ever (it seemed) but then served me ahead of everyone else at this huge, long table and made me taste it and pronounce how fantastic it was. It wasn't. I've never been so embarrassed in my life - everyone watching my every mouthful. And no dog to feed it to under the table when their attention turned to the dead things.

I get told, over and over and at great length, that veggies lecture meat-eaters (whilst I sit silently being lectured, myself).

roseformeplease that looks amazing. Might have to come up to Edi for (our) half term!!

I think I now know a little bit more about your arsehole than I feel comfortable with, rufus

surburban

joff

Completely agree. I can hand on heart say I've never lectured anyone about eating meat, or said it looks disgusting (mainly because I don't give a flying fuck what people eat)

But I've lost count of the amount of times I've been lectured to and told what I'm eating is disgusting (when half the time they bought it for me!!!! School BBQs spring to mind)

And I'm usually quite happy to either bring something to eat or have the meal without the meat (especially roast dinners!!!!)

I was told after a long lecture by a decidedly unhealthy overweight red in the face man that if you don't eat meat you die. He did not believe that I had not eaten meat for 30 years he kept going on and on about how I did eat meat as if I hadn't for 30 years I would be dead and I was lying to not only myself but to other people.

Well he was the same age as me. He's dead (heart attack) and I am still going.

Oh and I avoid Cornwall after a holiday there 12 years ago when I was made out to be a freak in front of everyone in a couple of restaurants when I enquired about a veggie options as I did not see anything on the menu.

Used to live near Oxford and on several occasions would go to functions at a certain well known hotel in the centre of Oxford. I was served ham salad, chicken and fish for the vegetarian option. When I complained I was told that I should have said I was vegan. To which I was served cheese salad. I should point out I am allergic to dairy.

I live near London and wouldn't move to any other area. I have travelled, thru work, up and down the country and the best I could hope for was the waitress/publican/restaurant manager was not going to point out to everyone in hearing distance that I was veggie in a sarcastic tone. Used to regularly sit in my hotel room with something I had bought from home.

I have noticed it seems to go in phases. There was the mushroom ragout phase, basically mushrooms boiled in cream, the veggie lasagne phase, factory produced meal frozen and microwaved. Then everything had to be goats cheese. Just lately it seems it is vegetarian risotto.

Although I think the stats are that there are just over 5% of the population in the uk who are vegetarian I think the stats say that is 3 million + people that restaurants are not catering for.

I think the stats say that is 3 million + people that restaurants are not catering for.

It's surprising how few of those 3 million people feel minded to open restaurants to service this burgeoning need, isn't it?

I was in spain once, merrily stuffing my face with tapas (decent bars you can eat very well) and the waiter come over, leans in and says very conspiritorally 'them over at that table there... They are vegetarians you can tell because they look so miserable!'. I then mentioned that I'd been veggie for over 20 years.

And can we stop all the bums please? You know what goes into sausages!

commuter

It's funny what people think vegetarians look or act like

They probably weren't even veggies, just meat eaters like my MIL who doesn't like sauces or spices and ends up with chips!!

Although maybe they were veggies who didn't know much about spanish food and had a bit of a shock! It can be very meaty/fishy!

I'm amazed how many people assume that veggies are wither pale stick insects (because 'they don't eat') or tubby greasers (because they eat lots of cheese and fat).

YANBU

I get so sick of having no choice, and lacklustre meals in expensive restaurants where my dh says his meal is wonderful. Bizarrely the starters are often more innovative than the mains, so sometimes I have 2 instead of a starter and main course.

My chief hates are smart restaurants which think cutting a circular goats cheese in half and putting it on top of some veggies, a vegetarian meal makes; and yes, those frozen vegetable lasagnes in brown pottery dishes that lots of country pubs sell.

The funniest experience was at a Michelin starred restaurant in France where despite being warned ahead of time, they failed to produce vegetarian options for a number of our rather extensive meal. On these courses they just brought out an EMPTY PLATE, and put it in front of me with a Gallic flourish

I had a similar experience in Japan. Went into a a small, French style restaurant where I thought if be able to eat the pizza. The pizza had meat in it, but the maitre'd reluctantly said they could tailor their set meal for me. With every dish he brought out, he was very attentive, apologetic and,well,anxious. I was very complimentary as the food they kept bringing me was amazing- beautiful fresh tofu, teriyaki glazed vegetables, delicate pastas ( it was a bit random). I kept telling them how much I liked the good and how happy I was. At the end of the meal the maitre'd came over to tell me that they were all worried as they thought I would be very demanding as a veggie, and Thankyou for being so polite! It was a strange but lovely meal.

Only ever went to Spain on holiday...and loads of places did veggie paella or pizza, or egg and chips and well as the tapas

Saying that, I think that's all they did!!! Just as well I like those things!!

I do admit that I can struggle with the lack of variety on holiday, I went through a stage of being a pescitarian just so it was easier on holiday but I did feel very guilty

That's what you call style grunt

Please tell me they had those silver domes (cloches?) and 'uinveiled' the empty plates with 'ta-dah!'.

The french have no humour when it comes to food. Athough 'nouvelle cuisine' is a bit of a laugh (thinking 'emperors new clothes'!).

We were once told off for laughing in a vegan restaurant because the salad and dressing was swarming with flies (well it amused us - bug salad in a vegan place), or when I was handed a huge plate of sauages (only sausages, no sides, veg, garnishes) in a restaurant after trying my best to explain what 'vegetarian' was. When he finally got the message, he said 'oh... Sniff... We don't get many of those in here'.

Same holiday I got a lovely spaghetti with a tomato sauce for my vegetarian meal. Sadly someone had thougtfully placed a rotisseried chicken leg on top.

About 20 years ago I asked for a (non-existent) veggie burger in a rural French MacDonalds. The entire team came out to have a look at the weirdo veggie, and then very sweetly made me a cheese and salad sandwich in a burger bun and gave it to me for free

I think the UK is pretty good at vegetarian choices-I often have them myself, even though I am not a vegetarian. I don't think people appreciate it -when you go to a lot of places abroad it is very, very limited as they just don't understand it. If you are going abroad on holiday you need to be aware. If you are vegan it can be virtually impossible abroad!

I think we are lucky in the uk because we have such a variety of foreign restaurants. Italian, chinese, indian are so commonplace, and in the cities there is no end of nationalities you can find!

Abroad I find it less so. Maybe we aren't so 'precious' when it comes to home nation food?

My mum has a pitiful story from being a vegetarian in the 80s.

It was the depths of winter, so there was very little produce in their own garden. She and dad were fairly poor at that point and so had been subsisting for weeks on lentil stew or pearl barley stew.

Dad got a new commission and the agent invited him and mum out for a meal to celebrate and talk over the details of the work. The agent insisted it was his treat, and that he would take them to a really posh restaurant that had been getting great reviews in the national papers.

Mum was really excited, and looking forward to tucking into a fabulous meal. She is a life-long vegetarian, and whilst dad eats veggie food at home, he is happy to eat meat when it is available. They turn up to the restaurant full of expectation, but to mum's dismay the only vegetarian option is pearl barley stew! She nearly cried, especially when it turned out to be not nearly as nice as what she cooked at home, and also to cost £18! She said she nearly contemplated asking the agent to give her the £18 instead, as she could have made a week's worth of delicious meals from it.

thistle

What a shame for your poor mum

I remember when I stopped eating meat (not fish...bloody conning parents ) we would go out to a restaurant and the vegi main was whatever the meat eaters were eating except with....

Wait for it, wait for it....

A lump of cheese!!!! Sometimes, and this would be very exciting...almost a delicacy, it would be GRATED!!!!!!!

And then they would ask me if I wanted gravy

Things have certainly come a long way!!

I remember well when it was a lump of cheese with the veg! We have come a long way. Other countries have not.

Has anyone else been to someone's house for Sunday dinner and you are given a plate with vegetables and mashed potatoes. No gravy and no roasties as they are cooked with the meat. Then they look at your boring plate of dry food and say "Well, I could never be a vegetarian!"

BTW If you're ever in Sheffield this place is amazing: bluemooncafesheffield.co.uk

Yes!!!!!!!

First Christmas in our house

I make (bisto meat) gravy in my new gravy jug....I like a lot of gravy

Leave my dad's wife in the kitchen for two minutes, pick up the jug and she says "that's our gravy, I've just added the meat juice to it"

In my new fucking gravy jug!!!!!!!!!

Cue my husband desperately mixing some more before I commit murder

By all means add meat juice to your gravy in your own fucking gravy jug!!!!