To want this stopped?!

[Notasperfectasallothermners]

Dd started secondary school in September. Loves it, really settled well - no worries regarding peers /work etc. However, had an issue with food tech last week where dd (vegi entire life) was given pre measured out ingredients to make biscuits, as dd didnt know what lard was she used it and brought the biscuits home. All dc sat and ate them, will admit they were nice! Until she mentioned lard and Googled it herself. Not a happy dd! Told her things happen and not to worry, not lovely to drop down in a heap this once sort of thing.
Rang the school to remind them she is vegi etc, mistakes happen - don't expect head on a platter etc...
Then yesterday she gets home, salad wrap for lunch, server wearing gloves to handle ingredients makes hers - after handling ham to the previous dc in the line! Rang school again, they will be speaking to the caterers today. Fed up.

they shouldn't be touching ham and salad with the same gloves on

Then how do you make a ham salad?

Never heard of biscuits being made of lard before

I find this quite odd. In old cookbooks the term often used is 'fat'. Once, when using a book of my mother's I asked what was meant by 'fat' and was told it could be butter, lard or margarine.

Sorry but I think the answer there is ... packed lunch

Na that’s too easy that man

funuffle Why should a customer have to ASK someone to change their gloves?! The caterer should work under the assumption that no veggie (or Muslim, or Hindu, or Jew) wants their food contaminated by ham or any other meat.

That is not a correct assumption. Vegetarians on this thread said they don't mind cross contamination. Others have expressed concern about the plastic waste.

The OP's dd is giving all vegetarians a bad name. OP will not be doing her dd any favours in indulging such entitled and precious behaviour. Packed lunches are the solution.

Fucking lard biscuits No, that's grim on a few levels.

The vegetarians are getting some stick on this thread! I'm quite surprised that people get so het up about it.

I think tongs are the answer here... I'm veggie and do cringe at the not swapping gloves a little bit, but if I'm asked (at subway or similar) 'do you want me to change gloves', I do always say 'no', because of the plastic waste.
Failing that, give her a packed lunch.

I do have a good old LOL about the number of vegetarians I know that drink cow's milk and wear down coats. Mice to be able to pick and choose eh?
Just have a think about all those male calves being killed as soon as they're born every time you have a cuppa.

Londonista - I do see your point here, but I would argue that when you start to read about the way animals are bred for meat - the ethics of it, and also the environmental issues are huge, so I'd say better that then thinking, 'well I've had a brew now, so fuck it - fire up the bbq'. Baby steps... these incremental changes may well lead to milk changes and non-down coats etc.

I have every sympathy for the child and i can understand how devastating it can be emotionally

But this

Actually a vegetarian is psychologically allergic to meat, as in eating it, even accidentally goes against everything that you stand for & hurts your soul

Goodness

There's always a stottie-based solution, Gamerchick.

It's hilarious how much anger vegetarians cause! So much venom over something so trivial that doesn't even effect anyone but the person themselves! People need to chill

I agree with Piglet
Vegetarians are a very varied bunch.
Saying That everyone should know that because the Op’s Dd is vegetarian then OBVIOUSLY she will have an issue with the gloves/smell/meat touching her food etc... is non sense. Because most vegetarians I know wouod have no issue with that.

And YY about vegetarians loving the smell of bacon for example.

There seems to be a lot of vegetarians in this thread that feel they can speak for ALL vegetarians. When the reality says something Different.

Religion is not just 'a choice', and for many people its completely bound up with their culture, family and community. People cant just change religion or culture.

Aaaaaarrrrggghhh!! Why can meat eater not get that is often the same thing. 😫

You can chose at any point NOT to adhere to strict rules of religion, I know many people who do that, even as far back as school when my Hindu friend loved eating meat, including beef for her school lunches. Her choice.

Similarly vegetarians etc do often grow up with it & it is therefore sort of cultural for them too

don't expect head on a platter

Of course not - it wouldn’t be vegetarian for a start ;)

I don’t think you are wrong as such but I do think your DD needs to deal with these things herself and learn to ask questions before blindly using ingredients for example. I don’t think think the school needs to be the ones taking the responsibility for managing your DD’s dietary choices.

With allergies there is a different level of care needed on the part of catering staff but the onus of checking and speaking up still falls to the child.

I do think gloves should be changed before handling vegetarian meals though. Whilst it may not bother some and any “contamination” is going to be absolutely minuscule, it’s not that difficult to do really.

I am so glad I am too old for school. Being a meatarian it would be so psychologically traumatic if someone handled my meat with gloves contaminated by vegetable juice. I probably wouldn't sleep for months due to the nightmares.

YY blueshoes

I am so glad I am too old for school.

You should probably go back. You clearly still have a lot to learn.

I think tongs are the answer here...

Nah! That's too easy! :)

Is your daughter vegi through choice or because that is all she has ever known?

The OP's dd is giving all vegetarians a bad name. OP will not be doing her dd any favours in indulging such entitled and precious behaviour. Packed lunches are the solution.

She really isn't, the catering staff should be adhering to pretty strict food hygiene rules, she's simply highlighting that they haven't done something they are actually bound to do by H&S

Yanbu!
I am not a vegi myself. But your daughter is entitled to have her persinal beliefs respected. Just like any religion or allergy.

It is very poor food management to use the same gloves. I would be worried for the children with a serious allergy.
I think some retraining is in order for the caterers.

I agree rockin

Just because some vegetarians are 'lax' doesnt mean that the standards for catering should be lowered

This is excessive. Vegetarianism is a choice. You do have the right to make that choice for yourself. However I noted that your child is a life long vegetarian so presumably you have never let the child try meat and perhaps other food stuffs have never been available to your children.
If you want to be so pedantic you should try having family members who are tube fed or wit severe allergic reactions which could prove fatal to deal with before you get all leary about a glove being used on meat and salad. Then you would know what to worry about.

As a vegetarian, once vegan, I think the wrap thing is ridiculous and would happily eat a sandwich on the same plate as ham sandwiches etc etc etc. Only thing that might be different is if hands had mushed up corned beef that they then spread all over my food.

Vegetarianism is not the same as a religion or life threatening allergy. This sounds really odd and I;d be worried about giving extreme food related issues to my DC if overreacting like this

So those of you who think this is excessive... How would you feel if your DC had a life threatening allergy to say egg or fish & the catering staff used the same gloves instead of tongs to serve your DC a ham salad, when they've just used the same glove to serve the allergen yo other DCs 🤔

The rules are there for a reason

Oh jesus. 'Fed tube family members'. What a comparison.

There are also starving people in Africa, so we should all eat everything without question (!)

Vegetarianism is not the same as a religion or life threatening allergy. This sounds really odd and I;d be worried about giving extreme food related issues to my DC if overreacting like this

For all the server knew, OP's dd could have been Muslim or Jewish.

And even if the server knows the dd is simply a veggie, then it's unfair to treat her any less than someone not eating ham for religious reasons.