AIBU to not want to eat rabbit on Easter Sunday?

[FireBelliedToad]

Just because...well... the Easter Bunny

IL's planning to get take away from local restaurant. Set menu, 4 courses. Main is rabbit. Not something I would choose, but I'd make the effort to eat it if served. However, I don't want to tell my DC we'll be eating rabbit at Easter. And would you expect your Dc to eat it?

Seems a poor choice by the restaurant

Don’t get the sentimentality.

If someone was proposing to grab the children’s pet bunnies and butcher them in full view of all in the kitchen then perhaps that would be a bit strong, but otherwise it’s no different than eating the traditional Easter lamb after watching the newborn ones gambolling in the fields.

This has just put me in the mood for a delicious Italian rabbit dish I had once in Sicily where the little bunny is fried in olive oil, reduce some white wine in the pan, then add a little butter, lemon juice and a few capers. Serve with fresh tagliatelle and pecorino cheese.

I didn't know people told children there was an Easter bunny!
Mine have all cut up and eaten rabbit at cub/scout camp so I don't think they would mind and they've had Nigella's Rudolph pie on Christmas Eve before. Although one of them won't eat chocolate bunnies or reindeer.

I think the majority of children (and a lot of adults) see rabbits as pets and wouldn’t countenance eating rabbit meat. I admit that I wouldn’t eat rabbit myself, though quite clearly it’s illogical, as I own cats that catch rabbits.

It isn’t about logic. People won’t eat animals that they see as pets. (Including horses, which French people do eat.)

In your shoes, I’d eat the rabbit myself (so as not to be rude), but I wouldn’t expect my DDs to eat it at any time of the year, not just at Easter.

Rabbit is one thing I would prefer not to eat. We've had pet rabbits in the past and I can't move past the eating a pet thoughts.

Surely the restaurant offers a vegetarian option, even for a set menu. I would go for the vegetarian choice.

I would just say to the ILs that the children have never had rabbit before and it would be better to have something familiar for them to eat.

I grew up with game and rabbit in my diet, my grandfather was a gamekeeper so we quite often had it. I know that I was unusual amongst my friends who would only eat chicken ham and cod in breadcrumbs. Anything beyond that was too exotic for them, even lamb and beef.

rabbit is delicious, go for it.

We ate rabbit a lot as kids and we had pet rabbits (we didn’t eat the pets!). Rabbit was eaten a lot in the 70’s I think-cheaper than chicken then I think.
I’d eat it now, but not intensively reared. I’ve just raised an objection to a local intensive rabbit farm.

Maybe ask if they do badger and rice instead? Have heard it's good for DC

been lucky enough to eat wild rabbit occasionally, it is a faff to prepare but is very tasty.

they seem to have learned to stay out of our garden now so haven't had it in a while...

I mean, if you don't want to eat it, obviously that's your choice but I don't think it's anything to be squeamish over.

Rabbit pie or rabbit stew is tasty! If my DC wanted to try it I wouldn't discourage it or try and put them off just because of my own tastes.

If you are happy to eat meat its entirely unreasonable to be dithering about eating rabbit just because rabbits are cute and furry.

Exactly... plus Easter lamb is also cute and (fluffy).

Op I do think it's ridiculous to be absolutely fine with eating sheep, cows, pigs, fish and then clutch pearls at rabbit, any time of the year

Rabbit is lovely and as a poster said further up tell your kids it's Lapin.

@sweeneytoddsrazor

Can't see that it makes any difference for the children whether it's Easter or not. They won't want to eat rabbit because they are cute fluffy pets.

We’ve had three rabbits, didn’t stop my kids from eating rabbit meat

I still get pulled up by my aunt for telling my cousin that she was eating Peter Rabbit pie. We were both 3.

You either eat meat or you don't. And you either educate your kids about where their food comes or you don't.

That's not on other people to pretend differently.

I eat some meat but have no intention of eating others like rabbit. Easter or not.

Just because you eat meat doesn't mean you have to eat (or enjoy) all meat. A lot of people in the UK would not eat horse or dog, for example.

As this is a takeaway, do you have to order the set menu for everyone, or can the rabbit-eating grown-ups get this magical set menu and the kids order from a more suitable restaurant? If this is supposed to be a fancy menu, I imagine the ILs will be annoyed if the DC try rabbit for the first time, decide they hate it, and waste the cost.

I would order separately for them (and you, if so inclined) but let them taste the rabbit from an adult's plate if they are willing to try. Then, you know for next time if they'll eat it.

Of course yanbu , eat / don't eat whatever you want .
I like eating rabbit very much and the easter bunny us silly

I don't think the rabbit cares if it's being eaten at Easter or not. Either eat meat or do, you can't sanitise evrything for children.

It's totally unreasonable to eat rabbit on any day of the year.

Surely the restaurant offers a vegetarian option, even for a set menu.
Just looked at their website. They are only offering the one set meal for Easter, no vegetarian option, no kids menu. There is however, a choice of wine

Would you eat a cat or a dog if they were delicious and safe to eat?

@sweeneytoddsrazor

Can't see that it makes any difference for the children whether it's Easter or not. They won't want to eat rabbit because they are cute fluffy pets.

Why do you assume that?

Baby lambs are cute and fluffy and people have no issue with roast lamb on a Sunday.

Maybe ask if they do badger and rice instead? Have heard it's good for DC 🤣🤣

Yuck. Poorly thought out by the restaurant. YADNBU.