To ask why people are so critical/judgemental of vegans?

[abacucat]

Just wondering why?

I’ve actually never come across a preachy vegan. I know a few vegans and they’ve never made a big deal out of it. I’m guessing they’re the majority and the judgy ones are in the minority. 😊

I was out with a vegan friend last weekend. It severely limited our choice of restaurant. At lunchtime we wanted to share a few things (for the reason that we were exercising and didn’t want much, or to stay too long) and the only thing we could have was chips. We had to check how they were cooked. It’s a bit tiresome

Because vegans are morally and ethically better humans who care about both animal welfare and the environment enough to put their money where their mouth is, literally!

I try to eat veggie at least half and vegan once a week. I think at least trying to cut down is better than not at all.

If you have a problem with someone being vegan it says a lot more about yourself than them imho. You want to eat meat, that's your choice but don't attack vegans because they make you feel they're judging you when they've actually not said anything.

I had a vegan ordering food once and she used "I am vegan so it has to be vegan" instead of full stop in sentences. All of them...
Not all are like this, but gosh. This type is really not helping their image.

It's the "militant" ones who are an issue.
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/05/27/butchers-living-fear-vegan-attacks-rise-says-countryside-alliance/amp/

No matter what your dietary belief is, it's NOT ok to bully independent business. Or anyone at all actually.

I wonder if the Tyrannosaurus rex used to argue with the stegosaurus about such shit
Some might say no he just ate him

I don’t judge them or feel judged by them. I think they should do whatever they like provided it doesn’t impact on other people.

Imagine me dragging my vegan friend round a series of restaurants until I found the only one that fitted my exact dietary preference, then expecting her to choose from that menu, to suit me

No matter what your dietary belief is, it's NOT ok to bully independent business. Or anyone at all actually.

Well no, I don't think anyone thinks that's OK. It's nothing to do with being a vegan though and everything to do with being a bullying, nasty twat.
There's plenty of those about, regardless of what they do or don't choose to eat.

I've unfriended all the ones I know on FB as their constant judging posts and snide comments if someone posted a pic of a roast dinner started to get really dull.

I am in no way condoning anybody responding with nasty comments in such a scenario; however, to be fair, unless it's something very special or otherwise noteworthy, like your wedding cake or a dustbin lid stacked high and sold as a 'light lunch', then ANYBODY who feels the need to post pictures of their everyday meals - be they fruitarian, vegan, freegan, vegetarian, omnivorous, mixed grill or hog roast - is already really, really dull.

I don't know! I'm not that hard to feed as I'm consistent. I don't eat animal products but will eat any fruit, veg or pulse.

Catering for meat eaters can be tricky too. FIL and MIL eat some meat but not others. MIL loves fish but FIL hates it. And don't get me started on FIL's squeamishness when he saw me stuffing a chicken for HIM to eat!

I wonder if the Tyrannosaurus rex used to argue with the stegosaurus about such shit hmm
Some might say no he just ate him

Just for you. Because that made me lol😂

I'm struggling to recall the last time I've heard someone criticise a vegan or veganism.

Nope. Nothing is coming to mind. \(ツ)/¯

Close friend has recently become vegan. Not a problem to me. But if she becomes sanctimonious about me eating meat, it will be, I doubt that would happen.

For pretty much the same reason people hide behind the sofa when Jehova's Witnesses rock up.

It's difficult to have a conversation with someone who stares intently past your left ear and treats you as a practice dummy for reciting their own beliefs in your face.

THOSE Vegans, people can't stand.

Someone who quietly orders whatever they want at a restaurant I can't imagine anyone has a problem with.

As house guests I'm tolerant of them coming over, and I make stuff for them, because I want everyone to have a good time and I'd expect the same courtesy in their house, but damned if I have to put up with them carping on about it.

Biologifemini
There are SO many people in the UK who are nutritionally deficient and eat meat, dairy and eggs. Vegans / plant based eaters tend to be much more informed about their nutrition.
I think an uninformed meat, dairy and egg based diet is so much more dangerous than a vegan diet.

My family aren’t vegan but we eat a lot of veggie and vegan. I joined a local vegan Facebook group with the idea of getting more inspiration of how to incorporate more vegan food into our diet. And for ideas of good local places to eat vegan. It was an appalling group. No time for newbies, moderates, people trying veganism to see how it works. They were also very obsessed with targeting local small businesses, often by leaving horrid comments on social media en mass. Many of them had never even used these businesses, they just jumped on a venomous band wagon. This included several animal sanctuaries who were allowing children in to view and pet the animals plus using them in animal therapy for helping with trauma. They viewed this as animal abuse that needed to be stopped.

The funniest post was about GBBO. The general consensus was if you watch it you are not a true vegan

I found them such an unpleasant bunch of people with the biggest chips on their shoulders. If you want to change minds you need to encourage and educate, not attack and vilify.

Meat eaters only get B12 as animals are supplemented with it... I just take the supplement directly.

I’m vegetarian, but make the effort to eat only plant based 4 days a week. I am working slowly towards a 100% plant based diet. I do it because I believe a solely plant based diet is much healthier. On days I eat only plant based I can easily consume at least 12 portions of fresh fruit and veg, if not more and I feel great. I never talk about it out of choice, if anyone asks why I say ‘for health’ and move the conversation on. I couldn’t give a shit what anyone else eats, if they want to chow down on steak in front of me they can, just makes my meal look more appetising to me in comparison!

@highheelsandbobblehats - I think you could make vegan shortbread. I use the recipe from BBC food that has butter in it, but I see no reason why you couldn’t use a vegan spread instead, as long as it is OK for baking.

Basically:
4oz softened butter/spread
2oz sugar (I use some soft brown sugar and some caster)
6oz plain flour.

Cream together the butter/spread and sugar, then mix in the flour. Gently knead and form into a circle about 1cm thick, sprinkle on a bit more caster sugar, mark the circle into segments (to break it up when baked), and bake on a greased baking tray (or non stick baking paper on a tray) at 180 degrees, for 15-29 muni tees, until golden brown.

Leave to cool, break into segments and try not to eat them all at one go.

You can add flavours - I make coffee walnut - I add espresso powder and chopped walnuts - and I am going to make Christmas spiced shortbread with cinnamon, mixed spice and mixed peel, maybe a bit of orange zest. Someone on another thread suggested chopped up bits of chocolate orange as an addition to plain shortbread, which sounds delicious.

I don’t have a problem with vegans. My husband is vegan. The problem I have is when they damn anyone who doesn’t share their beliefs and also follow a plant based diet and unfortunately manly of the vegans I have met are like this. Several I have spoken with act as though their way is correct and anyone who eats any other than the way they eat is the devil incarnate.

My husband’s daughter is a vegan and she is like this. She’s so unbearable and self righteous about it I refuse to discuss it with her anymore. I am a vegetarian and I feel I am doing my part, but she’s very judgemental over the fact I eat cheese (I don’t drink/use milk as it doesn’t agree with me)—she doesn’t seem to have it in her to understand that it have chosen to eat the way I eat and it’s nothing to do with her. Sadly she’s not the only vegan I’ve come across with this attitude and it has coloured the whole movement for me. I can’t be bothered with talking to vegans about diet anymore (many of them love to go on and on) as I won’t be pressured with the vile shock tactics they frequently insist on using.

I have total respect for anyone’s individual diet as it is a very personal thing but I only wish vegans would extend the same courtesy to me. I know they’re not all like that (my husband is not) but a lot who I have met are and I just can’t be doing with it.

I think that some people perceive it as a criticism of themselves if someone else makes different choices.

Not helped in this case by the occasional militant vegan who is genuinely judgemental about non-vegans.

As an aside, people describing themselves as 80%, 90% or whatever vegan/vegetarian - isn't that most people?! As a meat eater, a good 80-90% of the food I eat ALONGSIDE the meat is at least vegetarian, and much of it is vegan too.

Even the world's worst serial killer (talking about human victims, before somebody comes on and says 'but meat is murder') will spend 99% of their life living as a 'non-serial-killer'.

Meesh77 where on earth do you live, that there’s such a shortage of restaurants that have a vegan friendly menu, as well as a meat one? Why not just check on the internet, rather than waiting until you’re out?

There are as many different types of people who are vegan as there meat eaters. I don't care what people do or don't eat but as with anything in life, I don't want these virtue signalling worthies forcing their opinion on me.

Yeah, I meant 8 out of 10/9 out of 10 meals don’t contain meat/meat products

That’s what I meant when I said 80/90% vegan/veggie - not that 10% of my food consumed was meat

Top tip for meat eaters who don't wish to have a discussion with a veggie/vegan about their diet - don't ask them about it!!!!