To find mumsnet so hostile to vegans?

[RebornFlame]

No based solely on but inspired by a couple of threads in the last few days. I’m not quite vegan yet but plan to be fully by the next few months and none of my friends, about quarter of whom at vegan are not sanctimonious or preachy at all.

Also please stop bashing vegan cakes! They’re yummy!!

why would I

We're different. I wouldn't assume people want vegans meals, and vice versa for many reasons.

Just out of taste, there's a lot of vegan stuff I don't like. Well, anyway, I think I've explained why.

A lot of vegan food is highly processed, as I said.

I'm a committed omnivore but I have a really good vegan fruit cake.

I was on a thread the other day where the op was told she should get rid of her child instead of sorting her biting dog issues it's really not all about vegans

Also, not keen on the gluten free bread etc.

WTF does gluten free bread have to do with veganism?

It read fine in context. Some do like a swear!

Do I remember you from apples? Lots of apples (it'll make sense if I have).

“Just out of taste, there's a lot of vegan stuff I don't like.”

Like what?

I never know what people mean when they say they don’t like vegan food.

I don’t really know what people mean by “vegan food”. Some food is suitable for vegans and some isn’t but none of it is specifically for vegans and no-one else.

I think, by vegan food, people are referring to things like fake chicken fillets and fake cheese. Those foods are highly processed and specifically labelled as and aimed at vegans. When not discussing the processed foods people surely just say 'vegetables', 'pasta', 'legumes', etc. So when someone is saying they wouldn't want to be fed 'vegan food', for example, vegan 'shepherds pie', without being informed of the ingredients I completely agree with them. People absolutely deserve to know what they are being fed. If it just happens to be a vegetable, dairy-free dish then no there isn't any need to declare that it is vegan as it would be obvious.

Yes, I agree that is what is often meant by the term “vegan food”.

But what I meant is that even “fake chicken” is food for everyone, not just food for vegans. Some people may not like it, but in theory, they could eat it.

Calling it “vegan food” makes it sound like it’s only for vegans, when in fact it’s suitable for anyone (allergies excepted).

I make a lot of dishes that happen to be vegan. They are not vegan food.

We had a vegan dinner tonight- felafel, flat breads and salad. Ds unveganed his because he likes mayonnaise. I could have easily made a vegan equivalent if there had been any vegans present.

I’m planning a vegan dinner tomorrow too- a family favourite of spicy vegetable casserole and cous cous.

A lot of vegan food is highly processed, as I said.
A lot of food is highly processed.

I'm not sure how meals without animal products are somehow highly processed.

I enjoy a shepherd's pie made with lentils and tomatoes. It's not got any animal products in but totally from scratch.

Today I had bread and homemade (by friend not me) hummus for lunch, also vegan and lovely, but not processed.

Bertrand that sounds like a great meal.

I’m a bit of a meal planner. Saturday is steak sandwiches and Sunday is roast chicken. On the barbecue if it’s hot- in the oven if it isn’t. Monday is leftovers. Tuesday will be risotto, which night be vegetarian, vegan or neither depending on what leftovers we have and who is eating with us.

When i say I don’t like vegan food I mean that most of the dishes I have had feel, to me, like there’s something missing. Fat maybe? Richness? Taste? I don’t know. For example, I don’t like chilli bean casserole and rice - it feels like it needs some chicken. However an aubergine Thai curry is rich and filling and almost meaty, and I like that despite it being vegan. I don’t like tofu which would be a great protein/stodgy substitute. We eat a lot of veggie now for environmental and health reasons. Without meat or eggs or cheese or....**something else I feel short changed. I feel like it needs a sausage. Even though I don’t want to eat a sausage with everything.

I'm not sure how meals without animal products are somehow highly processed

People are not talking about vegetables and legumes, they are talking about things such as quorn. Nobody is suggesting that everything without animal produce is highly processed. Your lentil bake is not a comparable dish to a 'shepherds pie' made with quorn or something deliberately made to resemble meat. Your lentil bake isn't what people mean when they talk about 'vegan food', it just doesn't happen to contain any animal products. I feel some people are deliberately misunderstanding.

Relax OP, so many more people are open to the idea of veganism now so you should be happy.

@PooWillyBumBum oh god I detest those threads as much as the OP does the vegan bashing ones. Those are the definition of hate!!

For example, I don’t like chilli bean casserole and rice - it feels like it needs some chicken

I can’t imagine how a dish with lots of different levels of spice and flavour (at least when I make it!) would be enhanced by the addition of a bland-tasting meat like chicken.

Maybe it’s the “bite” of complex protein you’re missing?

The 'preachy', 'radical', 'aggressive', labels given to vegans, always seemed hypocritical to me. However, with so much information about the horrific cruelty of the animal agriculture, now available online, and reports such as the most recent IPCC report on the impact of the meat and dairy industries on climate change, available to anyone who wants to do the research, I wonder why flesh eaters think they have a right to continue with their destructive lifestyle without comment or resistance from those of us who object to animals being tortured while our planet burns - all for the human 'right' to eat and do whatever you want. It's sociopathic.

@theo32 I completely agree! I am not vegan but eat a plant based diet where reasonably possible. I’m certainly not preachy but I really wish I could be.

Really? In my experience this is something that people say has happened to them. A bit like feminists having a go at a man for holding the door open for them, or someone being sacked for asking for a cup of black coffee in the staff canteen.

Yes really. I have seen a fair few comments of the "yes well done to you for partaking in the torture of animals and destruction of the planet* type comments.

I am however fully aware that these types are of the minority it's just that they tend to shout the loudest.

I don't consider an opinion preachy....I consider preaching preachy. I have an increadibly preachy preachy (and very hypocritical friend) I love her to bits. But she is incredibly prechy!

'Horrific cruelty' is a sort of vegan catchphrase.

Berating flesh eaters isn't going to make them change their minds, you can capture more flies with honey substitute than vinegar.

Some vegans come across as human haters. Humans are animals too. We eat meat like lions, dogs, cats, certain apes, etc. Yet people campaign to save the foxes when foxes will kill for fun, not just for sustenance (I am absolutely for the ban for what it's worth). The world works on eco systems and food chains and it would be a very different place if everything was vegan. On a different thread a lady did she didn't like the idea of driving as cars cause a lot of animal deaths on the road yet she has cats which kill 27 million birds a year but said, but that's nature. It's not nature to keep cats as pets!

I wonder why flesh eaters think they have a right to continue with their destructive lifestyle without comment or resistance from those of us who object to animals being tortured while our planet burns - all for the human 'right' to eat and do whatever you want. It's sociopathic.

You have every right to your opinion. You have every right to express it. I have every right to give exactly zero shits about your opinion.