Is it really that hard.....? 🤔

[StillGotBabyBrain]

My family is vegan, not a massive deal.

When the school has events, no vegan option, so everyone gets a bbq or food catered and we don't. Not even a dairy free alternative for hot drinks! (Primary school, high school is better).

When they go for sleepovers I get worried parents asking me what should they do, can I provide food and drinks for them...

Pubs and restaurants barely cater for adults let alone add options for the kids menu.

Went to a choir meeting the other week, nothing I could eat from the food included in my ticket price.

Am I being unreasonable thinking it's really not that difficult to provide bread and houmous or vegetable dishes? They're suitable for everyone, so isn't a waste of food! Blows my mind.

Did you know there are at least 100 million vegans in the world?

It's normal in a lot of other cultures and increasingly so here too.

A genuine question for all the vegans here: how do you make sure you get enough zinc in your diet without also getting too much copper in your diet?

We're supposed to get at least 10x more zinc than copper to be healthy, and I have found that completely impossible on a vegan diet, which convinced me that it wasn't a healthy way to live and put me back on a more traditional diet.

Don’t know why you think my comment was boasting. I was correcting incorrect information.
If people quote facts they need to get them right. I would do this whatever the subject.
As the majority of new vegans/ vegetarians are also in the younger age bands 18-24 year on year. I think it’s obvious which way things are moving.

Why do some people feel so threatened by different life choices they have to be so rude. If you’re happy with your choices, be happy. Leave others to be happy with theirs.

Nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes.
I don’t know how much but clearly I eat enough as my last tests which I have done yearly showed no deficiencies in anything.
As an aside I eat seeded, nutty whole grain breads, nuts and seeds with oats and in smoothies.
Lots of greens, herbs, spices. Beans, lentils of some sort every day.
I couldn’t give you quantities though as I’m just used to shovelling them in.

Louds of info online.

We're vegan at home but when out with other people they can cater to him as they see fit. I'm not forcing my ethics onto him just as I don't think parents should force a religion on to their children either.

Yes, I agree. Parents could always compromise by letting hosts, schools etc give a vegan child a vegetarian option. The trouble with staying over in someone's house is that the milk tends to be dairy, the spread butter or dairy-based. It makes even a simple breakfast needs re-thinking.

All of these foods give more copper than one tenth of the amount of zinc it contains, which is the problem. It is perfectly possible to get enough zinc on a vegan diet, it just ends up giving far too much copper alongside.

Yes, the majority of new vegans are in the younger age group, and the majority of them pack it in after a short go and return to a properly balanced diet.

Even The Vegan Society admits that only 1.5% of British people are vegan. That is a tiny minority, and yes, vegans and veganism are widely unpopular.

That's not "being rude", it's pointing out reality. And no, I don't feel threatened by vegans, I find their naivete and self-righteousness genuinely amusing.

I get your dilemma but eat a large variety of food, use a water softener ( to reduce copper pipes leaking copper into your water ), don't overload on extra oestrogen etc etc etc. Avoid copper iuds and hormonal birth control, check supplements some add copper etc etc etc. Oysters, shellfish, chocolate and organ meats are high in copper.
Theres lots to do. It’s not just a vegan / veggie issue.

You said
vegans remain a tiny unpopular minority and doubtless always will.
You called me self- righteous 🤣🤣🤣 for correcting incorrect data! What a bizarre jump.

Thats rude
Resorting to rudeness speaks volumes.

So as I said.
If you are happy with your life choices be happy.

@Robinbuildsbears
wondering if you’d find this study of interest, if it helps.

You're posting obvious nonsense so I'll make this my last reply...

It is demonstrably correct, not incorrect, to point out that vegans in the UK (and most of the world) are a tiny and unpopular minority. And it's reasonable to assume that most people will continue to reject the vegan option, for the same reasons that most people do now, into the future.

Sorry haven't read all posts but while I sympathise OP I think it is a lot to expect from people. Anyone with a diet restriction (allergy or choice) has the responsibility of providing alternatives. I would think it can't be that hard to pack a dairy alternative for a sleepover and let them eat cereal for breakfast, or vegan jellies for a treat. I agree with comments upthread re joining PTA or at least influencing things. My kids school had an event this year, mostly sandwiches and cakes, and they had a gluten free stand and a vegan stand because one parent on PTA pushed for it. So many parents were grateful for it. If I was hosting a party I don't think I'd be able to cater for a vegan without added expense or work so I would expect them to contact me to discuss it.

Yes, at the expense of vegetarian options. If you give the slightest stuff about animal rights, vegetarianism wouldn't exist.

What makes you think my vegetarianism has anything to do with animal rights? I just don’t like meat! I do like protein though, so I’ll stick with vegetarian rather than vegan.

I’m also allergic to tomatoes which makes things difficult.

Some of my extended family are vegan. I love the challenge of creating them something delicious! Equally I can’t eat dairy. I’m a teacher. The only dairy free meal my school can provide is a dry baguette with ham. I just always take my own food to school. It’s annoying.

With more and more non meat eaters every year ( see scientific study over 20 and 34 years, just to cut through misinformation posted elsewhere here ) I dare say we’ll all become more accepting of lifestyle choices which aren’t our own.

Whether more people are willing to accommodate that is down to personal choice.

Personally... its too much of a faff, il happily cater for allergies but vegans? Nope, we're a family of meat eaters, everything that is used to cook has been used on meat and I'm not about to go out and purchase extra cooking utensils/racks/baking trays to accommodate a vegan for a dinner. If I cooked for a vegan they'd have to suck up the fact that meat will be cooked at the same time for us as we simply don't like vegan food.
Vegans who kick up a fuss because the BBQ has had meat cooking on it make me 🙄 unless your bringing your own BBQ why bother moaning about it? I don't know many people who would willingly cater for a vegan without making a fuss about having to do so. Its difficult, it's time consuming and it's more hassle than it's worth.

I’m vegan by choice, and my daughter has CMPA, so is dairy free due to allergies, and I definitely agree with some of what you’ve said.

I work in a school (secondary) and the catering is dire, often no vegan option or if there is one it’s just jacket potato and beans. Absolutely agree schools should be doing better, and as you say vegan food is still a valid option for non-vegans, so doing a veggie pasta or similar would be cheaper for the school, better for the environment, and be a viable option for the vegetarians, students who need a halal option and kids with dairy allergies (as well as of course being fine for everyone else too).

In terms of parents, I understand that a lot more - no one wants to get it wrong, and if they’re not used to it, I can appreciate the nerves. With a kid with an allergy, I’d rather they asked than made a mistake! I’d say pubs and restaurants are miles better than they used to be though - it’s rare that I can’t get something for both of us, pretty much anywhere nowadays.

It's not hard... I have 4 or 5 vegan and more than that in terms of veggie options we make regularly.... always make sure I prep them not touching the meat options. And some of the vegan/veggie options I would always choose over the meat options... my favourite is a vegan chestnut aubergine and lentil ragu which my mum started cooking when my super and I went dairy free for our daughters
We always have vegan biscuits- lotus biscoff, oreos, borbouns in the house... and always some vegan friendly crisps incase anyone dairy/egg free come over without notice.....

The majority of new vegans are in the younger age group, and the majority of them pack it in after a short go and return to a properly balanced diet ... Even The Vegan Society admits that only 1.5% of British people are vegan

Since that 1.5% obviously includes all those young who'll "pack it in after a short go" - plus, no doubt, a few who just think it's the fashionable thing to say - I have to wonder what the % is of genuinely committed, longstanding vegans?

Does anyone happen to know if objective figures are available?

Do all these meat eaters eat meat at every meal or something? Do you never have pasta with a tomato based sauce or jacket potatoes and fillings? Curries? Stir fries? Do you eat meat for breakfast too?

I don't think it's healthy to eat so much meat.

I think this is a you problem. People hear vegan and panic as most most foods are not suitable for vegans. They are probs being nice trying to not to give your children food that may go against your dietary preferences you have for them. Send them with some pre packed things. Your initial post is quite entitled...I went to an all day Indian wedding and just didn't eat the food based on allergies and took some snacks instead. No problem.

If you look at the attached part of Oxford uni scientific study posted by me above. Your highlighted comment from another poster is not true.
To cut it short approx 15% drop out over 20 years. Such a low drop out rate is far from the majority.