Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Vegan as the default. Specifically slightly annoyed with the McPlant

377 replies

streamee · 14/03/2022 16:47

I'm not vegan, I'm vegetarian.

I want a McPlant with proper (if American cheese slices can be called proper) cheese.

I would like to order a Big Mac, and sub out the burgers for the plant burgers!

Surely there are more people like me?

Vegan options being the default for vegans and vegetarians is very annoying. AIBU?

(No this isn't all I have to worry about in life before someone says it.)

OP posts:
beinggreen · 14/03/2022 22:50

@Elphame

The fact that there are more vegans and veggies, means I can even get a vegetarian hotdog at Thorpe Park. Back in the olden days I'd have to bring my own crappy cheese sandwich!

Now I'd far rather have the cheese sandwich personally!

Much of the food I eat is vegan and I would have no problem with the vegan offerings if they were actually real food rather than the lab created plant based concoctions.

It's perfectly possible to make some lovely vegan food out of real food but all the restaurants would rather just buy some frozen vegan fake meat burgers as a quick cheap and easy lazy option.

I used to dislike tofu but had a delicious meal in a good Chinese restaurant. They told me they made their own rather than buying it in. I bought some soya beans and had a go. It's now one of my favourites

100% agree.

What's wrong with a nice bean burger with the option of fake cheese or real cheese? Suits both vegans and veggies. Vegan faux meat is the worst!

Most vegetarians actually like vegetables... I hear vegans eat those too. Can't businesses be a bit more creative?

EmmaH2022 · 14/03/2022 22:53

again2020 “ I'm suprised how many veggies on here don't want to eat vegan”

Why though?

KittenKong · 14/03/2022 22:57

Because it tastes horrible, the texture is weird and (I may have mentioned the is a million times) often use something that makes me feel sick. Plus the vegan ‘meat’ alternatives really try to look like dead animal for some reason. I’m not squeamish but some look bleugh.

Veggies like their cheese!

Boredoutmymind · 14/03/2022 23:00

Im annoyed with this as well. I don't want fake cheese. Vegan foods tend to have more fat, sugar and salt.
If they think veggies should eat vegan. Then they should think that meat eaters can get veggie food too. But they don't get rid of the meat food. I hate fake meat stuff, just do proper vegetable dishes.

Some restaurants also only offer 1 veggie option but offer a meat, chicken and fish dish.

Lopoem · 14/03/2022 23:04

@IchabodCrane Vegan food in the UK however seems to be about substituting meat. Which I found strange. Why don't you want your veggies to taste like veggies?

There is nothing wrong with veggies tasting like veggies. There are some great meals that don't contain meat substitute's which I mainly eat. However, as a vegetarian who actually really enjoyed eating meat prior to becoming a vegetarian, but stopped eating meat for ethical reasons it is nice to have the substitutes. Sometimes I just miss meat and it's great to have these options without going against my own beliefs.

PurpleDaisies · 14/03/2022 23:05

The fake meat takeover of all vegetarian options annoys me. Now it’s all a beyond meat burgers and no proper bean burgers etc. Lazy.

TabithaTittlemouse · 14/03/2022 23:13

@NiLunNiLautre

Am I the only one who actually LIKES vegan cheese? 😁
I do! Although I wouldn’t eat anything in Mac Donald’s no matter what cheese they use!
douper · 14/03/2022 23:14

Yes, it's so annoying. I often chose the veggie option because I just don't fancy meat but I love cheese & butter. I also don't necessarily want fake meat.

PurpleDaisies · 14/03/2022 23:17

It’s rubbish that they won’t swap the cheese for real cheese. Plastic burger cheese is my guilty pleasure.

TweenTrauma · 14/03/2022 23:33

This annoys me too OP.

Of my 2 nearest McDonalds, one will happily let you swap the vegan cheese for dairy cheese. The other won’t let you, apparently they’re not allowed because they can only take things off, not add them 🤷‍♀️. Mysterious.

That said, I can’t taste any difference between the vegan cheese and the dairy cheese, it all just tastes kinda plastic (in a nice way).

AuntTwacky · 14/03/2022 23:33

Don't eat McDonald's? The so called plant burgers are full of artificial additives

Original poster
streamee · 15/03/2022 06:59

@TatianaBis

VU as McD’s is minging whether or not the cheese is real or fake.
That's just your snobbery talking
OP posts:
WhoWants2Know · 15/03/2022 07:10

The Big Mac with plant patties is exactly what I want, and it's really frustrating that I can't just order that.

ineedsun · 15/03/2022 07:22

@EmmaH2022

again2020 “ I'm suprised how many veggies on here don't want to eat vegan”

Why though?

I assume because if people are vegetarian for ethical (as in animal welfare) reasons, they might also have concerns about dairy because there are equally concerning practises in dairy farming. But I think that’s pretty well known so people will have chosen to continue to eat dairy for their own reasons.

For what it’s worth, some vegan cheese isn’t too bad as long as you don’t assume it’s going to taste like dairy cheese. I suppose it’s a bit like missing some meat when you go veggie but after a while you couldn’t stomach it.

HeadingForHome · 15/03/2022 07:32

This is my thread! I am not a true vegetarian but eat hardly any meat and would 99% choose a veggie option when I'm out. Now they are almost all vegan options with vegan cheese, fake meat etc. Gross. I'm more likely to choose a meat option again...

MotherOfWhippets · 15/03/2022 07:43

YANBU

I'm veggie and everywhere is automatically defaulting to vegan now as it 'covers all'.

Rubbish.

PurpleDaisies · 15/03/2022 07:45

It’s not even defaulting to vegan that I find objectionable. Vegan fake meat fake dairy.

I don’t want a quorn lasagne with real cheese in a restaurant any more than I want one with dairy cheese on it.

I really miss McDonalds’ spicy bean burger.

KittenKong · 15/03/2022 07:47

It’s lazy cooking! Quite a lot of veggie food is vegan anyway (think of pasta sauces or stuffed veggies, ME food is often vegan based with some lamb/chicken/duck added). Lovely, tasty, no odd lumps of ‘meat’ that have a strange texture and horrible aftertaste.

PoxyAndIKnowIt · 15/03/2022 07:53

I haven't had a McPlant before; this thread has made me want to try one!

Hhoney · 15/03/2022 08:05

I agree. I’m a vegetarian but I love cheese. I’m fed up of all the veggie options becoming vegan.

RockinHorseShit · 15/03/2022 09:28

again2020 “ I'm suprised how many veggies on here don't want to eat vegan”

Because we know it's not a healthy diet as it misses key nutrients & we eat natural whole food diet, so don't eat fortified foods.

I agree with you on the dairy industry though & we don't use milk, but we do love good cheese, so buy carefully instead, same with eggs

SartresSoul · 15/03/2022 09:34

YABU. I’m vegetarian and I can’t tell the difference with the cheese at all. Fantastic burger.

PurpleDaisies · 15/03/2022 09:36

@SartresSoul

YABU. I’m vegetarian and I can’t tell the difference with the cheese at all. Fantastic burger.
Congratulations. Vegan cheese is very personal taste-I think almost all of it I’ve tried is horrible. Since McDonald’s does other cheese, why shouldn’t a swap be allowed?
KittenKong · 15/03/2022 10:13

If it’s so great - use it on ALL the burgers. Why should the vegetarians have all the fun?

RockinHorseShit · 15/03/2022 10:22

YABU. I’m vegetarian and I can’t tell the difference with the cheese at all. Fantastic burger.

Lucky you, is that the left overs from covid affecting your tastebuds ?

I've tried many a vegan cheese & one thing they all have in common in my experience is that they taste like synthetic shit