To think it's selfish to eat from special dietary requirements when you have none?

[IndividualMini]

At a work conference, where a catered lunch is being offered. There are specific sections for dietary requirements with limited supplies eg vegan, gluten free, nut free, along with a larger section for ordinary non-vegetarian sandwiches with ordinary bread. The guy ahead of me takes something from every single section including the ordinary non-vegetarian section, so clearly is not a vegan with gluten allergies! Why do people do this? As someone with specific dietary requirements I've been left many times with very little to eat because others have eaten food without thinking about whether others might actually need it.

I did a bbq buffet for 50 people earlier this year.

I knew there was one kid who needed diary free and six veggies.
I also knew that there were a fair number of veggie sympathesisers. As well as some hardened meat eaters.

I did four deserts - three were diary free. The kid was soo soo happy because for once she had a choice. No one else gave a shit and couldn't tell the difference and were pleasantly surprised.

I did a whole bunch of salads. The veggies were delighted as they didn't just have veggie burgers and nothing else. The veggie sympatherises were also bloody happy. I was happy because it kept my costs down as they all ate less meat. And the meat eaters were absoluetely fine cos they still got their favs.

My point is that I think catering could be a lot better at this and do a whole pile of extra suitable stuff for dietary so EVERYONE can eat what they like.

Its not as hard as people like to make out. It just needs a little more thought.

Maybe he didn’t have his glasses on or has a disability meaning he can’t read? I’d expect all sandwiches for allergies to be in a separate section or plated for individuals to avoid contamination. If I state no dietary requirements I’d expect to have a choice of veggie and meat and fish. Surely a choice of eg cheese, ham and tuna is totally normal and the venue should just have a selection of each

I think GF or allergies is different to vegan/veggie here. It's not reasonable to expect people to think ooh no, shouldn't have the cheese sandwiches or the hummus and falafel wrap.

I agree. Although I think that omnivores shouldn't hoover up the vegetarian offerings (I'm a bit about vegans being a "special" dietary requirement) as an omnivore, vegetables are a BIG part of my diet, so why shouldn't I eat them at a work event?

but if there is one little main under the vegan sign

then your problem should be with the catering company who hasn't adequately supplied food suitable for vegans. Or, as yours is an allergy, your problem should be with the catering company who failed to keep your food separate.

"vegan" food is almost always suitable for vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters. It is totally unreasonable to expect anyone to turn down food they can and want to eat.

@Elastica23

the best idea then is to indicate you eat vegetarian. Then you'll be catered for instead of eating food intended for others. If you then fancy a sausage roll/ham sandwich it's not going to matter as there's always plenty.

I think people just don't think.

For instance its normal for meat eaters to eat BOTH meat and veg so they don't think to leave the veg for those who don't/can't eat it they just think oh 2 options for me to have a bit of both.

What confuses me is why is there always less of the more accessible food? Like veganism etc... isn't rare now and lot of religions have rules on different meats but virtually everyone can eat veg options so WHY is there always like 4 trays of different meat options (more than enough of something not everyone can eat) and 1 tray of veggie options for... EVERYONE.

Like theres usually never enough of the veg options even if everyone attending eats meat (veg sides are ALWAYS the first to run out) never mind if there people that don't.

They need to flip the script on the whole thing in general.

I do eat meat but I’m fussy about it and rarely eat it to be honest. Dh and Dd are vegi so it’s not often we have meat in the house. At any catered event if we have to pre declare dietary stuff I always tick vegetarian as I know I’d prefer a cheese sandwich over a (cheap) ham one. Same on aeroplanes. I think it’s quite a “thing” and there’s some sort of acronym I read once for people who do this….csnt remember what it is!

I'm gluten free but would much prefer to eat 'accidentally' gluten free things rather than free from bread etc. because it's not normally that nice. So I'd prefer it if the whole buffet included lots of gf things (meat, cheese, vegetables, rice, most dips, fruit, potatoes) etc but that my food was plated up first/separately. I don't think its unreasonable if people eat some things they fancy that happen to be gluten free/vegan. I like veggie sticks and hummus and if they were on offer I'd eat them, not think I need to leave these for the vegans. If there was a specifically gluten free alternative like a gluten free pizza and a regular pizza I'd be a bit annoyed if non-gf people ate those. I wouldn't eat from a buffet anyway though - cross contamination nightmare!

@LiquoriceAllsorts2 , Vegetarian food is any food not containing meat.
not containing any animal products.

I agree, but when people think of 'vegetarian food' they aren't thinking of weetabix and milk, baked potato with beans and cheese or poached egg on toast or something.

I know someone who whenever I see her says 'I like vegetarian food; i'll often choose the vege option when eating out'. What she means is she likes things like mushroom/butternut risotto and beetroot and goat's cheese tart.

I'm sorry if only one portion why did you even put this out. I would have kept it away until ready to eat.

i agree it is down to the caterers but I also think it’s common sense that if you observe one or two dishes at the end of ththe buffet specifically labeled vegan that you don’t take them or you go back later to take them if there’s any left. I think it’s seriously unreasonable to see this and think “well I want it so I’m having it”. If only three people state they are vegan I would expect a small amount of dedicated dishes.

However, humans by nature are not carnivores and I would expect a buffet to be 50/50 meat and veggie. Then vegans can eat the dedicated dishes and still get salad/chips etc, veggies are really not hard to cater for at all and I would not expect a meat eater to not pick up a cheese/egg sandwich.

I'm not a vegetarian but I don't eat meat at buffets so I'll eat from the vegetarian/vegan choice.

I disagree. You can't control what other people eat.

You cant tell people at a buffet that they can only eat meat options! They are entitled to a variety of food.

A lot of propel who eat meet only eat meet once or twice a week. Not every day.

Meat eaters also eat "vegetarian " food. They don't only eat meat. Pasta and vegetables are not just for vegetarians!

Why didn't you just do the same meal for everyone?

Food for those with allergies should definitely be kept separate and very clearly marked to avoid cross contamination.

lifestyle choice of food such as veggie and vegan can be enjoyed by anyone - why shouldn’t I have a cheese and pickle sandwich alongside my ham and mustard one. Should salad items be reserved for non meat eaters? If not where do you draw the line?!

Can people piss off with the vegans just a choice not a requirement shit as well.

There are thousands of people like me that have a host of medical conditions from Anti-α Crohns through to PKU where it absoloutly is NOT a 'choice'.

Absoluetely this.

Caterers should understand that theres a huge trend for people to eat better generally and cut down on meat even if they aren't veggie.

The demand for this food is there - the caterers are failing to respond to this demand.

Its not hard.

I do get where you are coming from but the battlecry of the vegan is that it's all just FOOD and can't meat eaters cope without having meat in each meal? It wouldn't occur to me to leave things like salad, breadsticks, guacamole, crisps, nuts etc etc on a buffet "for the vegans". I wouldn't want to just eat sausage rolls or quiche lorraine.

Something marked up as "vegan cheese" or "meat-free chicken goujons" I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole.

I'm not a vegan but I don't eat meat at buffets so I'll eat from the vegan choice.

Surely if you know this you state this ahead of time though. I have colleagues who are really fussy and always declare veggie/vegan on the dietary requirements even though they are omnis. I don’t think there is anything wrong with this as long as you e declared it. Not declaring it and taking food someone else had ordered is unreasonable.

Like wise if a celiac has ordered GF and so has someone who doesn’t eat gluten by choice then I don’t think there is anything wrong with that as they have requested that. But if the celiac ordered GF and two people are GF by choice and don’t order it then I think that is unreasonable.

I do think by default there should be a mix of vegetarian and meat options though.

The problem is is that is very subjective. One person may think a jacket potato with beans is not vegetarian food and a mushroom risotto is as they grew up eating the jacket but not the risotto. Whilst another meat eater grew up also regularly eating mushroom risotto and also just see that as just food and not vegetarian food; they might think vegetarian food is just fake chicken or quorn sausages.

I hate it when there's a lot of meat based options and very little vegetarian.
I eat vegetarian half of the time, and do genuinely prefer most vegetarian foods.

Buffets should be 1/3 vegan, 1/3 vegetarian and 1/3 meat based.

You can't tell meat eaters that they can only eat meat.

I think a lot of meat eaters would only eat it about once a week. Many people eat a lot of pasta, salads, soups

I eat meat. But I mostly eat vegetarian food as I prefer it. I think I would eat meat about three - four times a month

I don't want to declare anything as it's triggering for me and I don't yet feel
ready to come out 😂

@LiquoriceAllsorts2 , I think you might be missing my point - that they are thinking that 'vegetarian food' is a certain range of food, not simply food without animal-based content.

I’m not sure if that’s supposed to be funny but as someone with PKU I can tell you it’s REALLY fucking annoying when I’ve expressly asked to be catered for and there is ONE vegan option and people eat it and I have to go without.

Yes, there should be more than one option but if people like you aren’t stating they want to eat it, caterers won’t put it out. I bring my own lunch to work functions now.