To think tuna is not vegetarian!

[TheTitOfTheIceberg]

A member of my team has been involved in arranging a small event at work, which was taking place today. I'm on leave but dropped her a quick text to see how it was going, and also asked her to let me know particularly what she thought of the lunch provided/any delegate feedback about it as it was the first time we've used these particular caterers. Company policy is now to order vegetarian options only as standard.

She has just replied "lunch was fine - samosas, spring rolls, quiches (leek & cheese, broccoli), dips with raw veg crudites, sandwiches/wraps (salad, cheese, tuna mayo, egg & tomato) and lots of fruit".

Tuna?? On a vegetarian platter? AIBU to think the catering company has dropped a bollock here?

are you saying you couldn't manage one meal without meat?! I wouldn't choose to eat a meal without meat. For me, a proper meal is meat + veg + carbs.

Lots of vegetarians eat rennet and gelatine. You can't impose your version of being veggie on others.

"Vegetarians don't eat animals. That's it, isn't it?"

Vegetarians eat vegetables.

Tuna is not a vegetable.

WeepingWillow - again they're not veggie then because they are eating meat products.

It's not a "version" you either are or aren't.

I'm the vegetarian who wouldn't have been able to eat anything from that platter due to serious allergies, if the tuna was on a big central plate with all the others I wouldn't be able to have any of it. I can't eat meat, poultry, fish or crustaceans and if there's even small cross contamination I get seriously ill.
I know there's too much made of allergies and intolerances at the moment but I would definitely raise this with the company.

I wouldn't choose to eat a meal without meat. For me, a proper meal is meat + veg + carbs.

But would you refuse a meal without meat if no alternative was available?

Apparently duck can be vegetarian too

Oops what I meant was I have been served duck as part of a vegetarian meal.

Vegetarians eat vegetables.

And fungi?

Graphista no, that is you imposing your view. Many vegetarians will not eat meat or fish but are OK with cheeses or sweets (ie things with animal by-products). Many won't even realise! Many will wear leather or other animal products, again, often without realising it.

And vegetarians eat a lot more than just vegetables!

No not just my view by any means. But that of many committed veggies including the vegetarian society here in uk and many other such organisations worldwide.

Veggie society wouldn't endorse products containing gelatine, animal rennet etc

Personally I don't wear leather, silk or wool either. But the genuine veggies I know don't either.

So where can I grow Tuna as a vegetable?

I've never met a vegetarian who ate tuna, so I would complain if it appeared in a vegetarian menu.

www.vegsoc.org/accreditation/?pid=650

See here

Flexitarian is code for "annoying wanker".

Graphista no, that is you imposing your view. Many vegetarians will not eat meat or fish but are OK with cheeses or sweets (ie things with animal by-products). Many won't even realise! Many will wear leather or other animal products, again, often without realising it.

No no it really isn't @WeepingWillowWeepingWino being vegetarian is actively NOT eating anything that contains animal parts and this includes wine, cheese, sweets - there are veggie alternatives you know! If they do it without knowing that's one thing but if its pointed out and they continue then they CAN'T call themselves Vegetarian as they are eating something that came from an animals body that is NOT a byproduct like dairy or honey.

Tuna is an animal therefore not vege ..If someone eats tuna they are not vege .. they are pescatarian 🙄🙄

Lots of vegetarians eat rennet and gelatine. You can't impose your version of being veggie on others

It's a pretty standard version of vegetarianism, though. I've seen labels specifically state that the product is not suitable for vegetarians because it contains animal rennet, but have never seen (for example) yogurt containing gelatine or cakes coloured with carmine labelled as being suitable, because they aren't. Plenty of people might avoid meat, but if they eat and drink product containing ingredients derived from the death of any creature I'm not sure they are vegetarian, and food manufacturers seem to agree.

Same goes for toothpaste, toiletries, skincare and cosmetics in my opinion. Also medication if at all possible to avoid, eg tablets instead of gelatine capsules.

‘Misappropriating Vegetarianism’ is the most MN quote I’ve heard in a while 😂😂😂
No OP, Tuna is not veggie, but judging by this thread it’s easy to see where they might have gone wrong! I’d politely let them know, good idea

Indeed. Many veggies would agree with that (DH included) - and many wouldn't.

What on earth does it matter to anyone else if a vegetarian actually eats a cheese with rennet in it? Does a unicorn die?

I always understood the definition of vegetarian to be: doesn't eat meat or meat products (with fish included as meat) but eats dairy, eggs and honey - so eats animal products that can be obtained without causing the death of the animal* but not otherwise. With vegan being not eating or using any animal-derived product at all. Pescatarian makes sense - no red/white meat but fish and shellfish.

*I appreciate modern farming practices often means the death of male dairy calves and male chicks, but that's an economic choice rather than an unavoidable requirement of the process of producing milk/eggs, compared to the way producing animal rennet, suet or gelatine can't avoid killing the animal.

OHh...this really gets my goat!! Every time I go to my in-laws', in deepest darkest Wales, they say "Chocolateychocolate, we never know how to cook with you being vegetarian! You do eat fish though, don't you?"

SEVEN years of this. Every time. NO, I DO NOT EAT FISH. OR BIRD.

What on earth does it matter to anyone else if a vegetarian actually eats a cheese with rennet in it? Does a unicorn die?

A calf does, and I thought a tenet of vegetarianism was only to eat food that doesn't come from a dead animal?

WeepingWillowWeepingWino

Some people say it isn't sexist to pay men more than women, since men are naturally better at the job. So by your logic, that's true?

Of course it's not.

However, as most /many vegetarians don't eat meat because of animal welfare I just don't understand why non free range eggs are included. Every time I have asked the eggs aren't free range.

I love the idea of a vegetarian only buffet. I recently went to an event where they announced lunch would be vegan and my heart sank a little despite being a life long veggie.

It was an absolutely amazing fresh curry with all kinds of sides and I was a total convert to the idea after that.

Meat eaters always nab the veggie stuff anyway