...to wonder why people are so rude about vegans?

[CheekyWombat101]

Obviously not everyone, but in general, I can’t go a single day without hearing a comment or spotting an eye roll if the word ‘vegan’ is spoken out loud. It’s like a dirty word. Ironically a word usually brought up by someone who isn’t vegan, but starts the conversation and then takes offence at it. It’s really bizarre.

Over and over again you hear associated words like... fad, militant, extreme, unhealthy...

Why? Why do some non-vegans take such an interest, and such an offence to it all?

Non-vegans who don’t care or are supportive - you are awesome! Please keep doing what you’re doing, it’s really refreshing.

Canadian tea, more like high tea. Napkins, tea, finger foods. No lentils or salads.
Veggie sticks (but what dip??) Fruit platter but what cheese, there has to be baking, nuts??
Made home made iced tea last time, for one guest to say she’s allergic to mint.

@BertrandRussell bore off.

@AryaStarkWolf Fine, every vegan that I know has lectured me. Is it not very tiring to take everything so literally all the time?

If someone is a twat who is vegan, people blame it on being vegan, as though a lack of cheese turns you into an arsehole. And the experience of this one twat is repeated every time veganism is mentionned.

I don't think this is quite right, at least IME - you can be a twat and a vegan but your twattishness can be completely unrelated to your veganism. I.e. you might just be a generally unpleasant person, and therefore people will pick out the fact you're a twat rather than specifically being a 'vegan' twat.

On the flip side, if you're a twat and also a vegan and your twattishness is demonstrated through self important lecturing and guilt tripping about other people's food choices, or generally judging people that aren't vegan (or vegan 'enough') in their eyes, then you'll be the 'vegan twat'.

I certainly don't blame the twattishness of the vegan twats I know on their veganism, but its the tool they use to ram their views
down people's throats so it gets very old very quickly. Meanwhile, I'm sure many of the other twats I know are vegan and I probably have no clue, just as many of the lovely people I know are probably vegan and I have no clue (in addition to the lovely vegans I know). It all depends on how evident you make your identity as a vegan l, rather than just as a person.

do I get points for using the word 'twat' so many times in one post?

Knitclubchatter I'd make a hummus for the dip. Also, you can sometimes get gluten/dairy/egg free cupcake mixes - I'd do one of those and whack some blueberries into them.

Excellent idea the hummus!

One thing I have given up is butter. It's been an easy thing to do, no more than giving up sugar in tea. All my children have sugar in their tea - they are young adults before you attempt to shoot me.

I do like my milk though in my tea and especially in my coffee. I only have tea once daily though and coffee very rarely.

Bertrand, I like Blue Diamond unsweetened almond milk in tea. No real flavour at all, definitely not sweet, and it's thicker than some other nut milks, so you don't have to use half a pint.

@Knitclubchatter
How about some stuffed vine leaves to go with the hummus and veggie sticks.

@Knitclubchatter
Also maybe some mini veggie sushi rolls.

Some mini veggie kebabs?

Re my mini sushi roll suggestion - I think soy sauce has gluten in though.

Is there a vegan chocolate you could to make as a dipping sauce for strawberries? Or a vegan chocolate dipping sauce?

Brilliant idea about the stuffed vine leaves - could also do some stuffed mini capsicums?

Also, do a search on vegan afternoon tea. It comes up with a pile of suggestions!

😉 I don’t do fish/seaweed

I love to put different olives, dairy free of course, onto a stick. Pineapple with this product is gorgeous on a stick as well.

www.waitrose.com/ecom/products/waitrose-vegan-original-block/480840-692515-692516

Plus I do like to have snacks like own home made 'crisps' from potatoes. They are yummy!

nadiashealthykitchen.com/vegan-gluten-free-afternoon-tea/

Ok re the seaweed but you can get vegetarian sushi.

“@BertrandRussell bore off”

Oh, I do love an intellectual debate!

The friends I have who are vegan go on about it incessantly. They didn't talk about being an omnivore when they ate meat.
The say they're "doing their bit" for the environment and to not let their kids down for the future.
Its laughable really..2 kids, holidays abroad, plastic tat, 2 cars, long commute.
It doesn't add up and it's kind of patronising in the walk they talk. That's one couple. The other couple I know are really quite aggressive and judgemental about it as if we are too stupid to not go vegan. Any evening with them turns into some debate about it and it's lead to us just getting so fed up we don't want to hang out with them anymore.
Also, we love cooking and having dinners but it's more hassle if you have omnivores and vegans together so those nights have reduced too. Before anyone suggests we just make a vegan meal..we have sometimes, but we do like meat, as do other friends and vegan meals just aren't as good!

But I don't hate vegans. And I enjoy vegan meals.

@NinjaInFluffyPJs

I didn't see your question about imitation foods answered upthread. Sorry if I missed it.

Humans like what is familiar and natueally resist change and risk.

Fake meats can be useful when you are transitioning. Not just because it is familiar but many vegans have been eating animal products for decades before they give it up. Good vegan cooking takes practice and for most of us, our experience is of meals centred around meat. To be able to prepare food in the same way is helpful. I started with lots of fake meat but now I have mastered how to cook things like beans well, I only ever really use it if someone else is cooking and I want to make life easy for them.

My first meals as a vegan were pretty awful TBH and I am a keen cook. It took me a long time to be able to cook decent tofu or lentil curry. Now I whip it up with vegan naan bread without breaking a sweat.

Knitclubchatter I have some super easy delicious gluten free recipes, from egg, dairy and gluten free Yorkshire puddings to shortbread, chocolate fudge cake. Send me a message if you want them. I have family who are vegans, paleo, Coeliac and dairy/lactose free. It's second nature now but hard to begin with.

@BertrandRussell ha, that's funny coming from you.

@MonstranceClock Fine, every vegan that I know has lectured me. Is it not very tiring to take everything so literally all the time?

No it isn't, not in the context of a discussion like this anyway? I mean, you're claiming that every vegan you met lectures you but the reality is you only know they are vegans because they lecture you, most people don't really discuss their diets and so are just normal people trying to live their lives

I don’t go on and on about being vegan, I don’t mention it unless it’s unavoidable. However, I do silently judge meat eaters. How could I not? One of the reasons I don’t eat animals or the liquids that come out of them is for environmental reasons: being vegan is the single biggest thing we can do to avoid environmental damage, and most people know that now, so of course I’m going to judge people that choose to carry on eating animals just because they like the taste. I just don’t tell them I’m judging them.

And I don’t get the argument that you’re a hypocrite if you do anything that hurts the environment or animals, such as go abroad, or consume electricity, or drive a car, or wear leather (I haven’t been able to work out what’s worse for the environment, leather or plastic shoes, for example – I haven’t bought leather shoes for ages, but I don’t want to buy plastic either, and I don’t want to not have new shoes ever, so it’s difficult). All ethical choices are difficult, and sometimes we just do the best we can. For me, personally, it’s less of a sacrifice to not eat animals than it is to not fly, so that’s what I do. It doesn’t make me a hypocrite. We all do what we can do. I’m sure people will judge me for that, and I don’t care about that, as I expect others to not care about my judging them for eating animals.

The bottom line is, none of us is perfect, we all do what we can - and ultimately what we want. It seems obvious TO ME that it’s better not to eat animals or exploit them in any way. But I know most people disagree, and there doesn't seem a lot of point discussing it or trying to persuade them otherwise. The only time I discuss my veganism is when people insist on quizzing me about it – often quite aggressively – if I have to acknowledge it.

Incidentally, the Vegan Society definition of veganism is ‘a way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose’. I’m not a perfect vegan because I wear leather shoes sometimes, and very occasionally eat eggs from our rescue hens, but I’m seeking to exclude as far as possible and practicable all forms of exploitation of animals. (I'm not a perfect vegan but I'm still not a hypocrite.)

I’ve got ideas ;), thank you ladies.
May do some stuffed mini peppers using quinoa and nuts.
Hummus and veggie sticks, fruit platter and get dh to bake biscotti

I absolutely respect vegans. I don't eat meat but at the age of 50 am too worried about my bones to give up milk and eggs. I realise this is selfish and with more research and planning I would be just fine but I haven't done it yet.

@DaisyBD
I have the same dilemmas. The trouble with veganism is that it can be a rabbit hole and you can end up questioning everything you do. But I look at how much things have changed in the last 20 years and I believe that in the future, the marketplace will be more set up to accommodate us in terms of goods in the same way it now does with food.