Food orders for work related events are to be vegan and vegetarian only

[ValerieVomit]

We all received an email at work to say that when we order catering in future for work related events we can only order vegetarian and vegan food. The management team has imposed this. It's to reduce our carbon footprint. I don't think that this means there is to be no carnivorous food available for the rest of the organisation but our department won't allow us to order any.

Reasonable or not?

Veggie & Vegan food on a free work buffet being classed as discrimination & bullying shows that a lot of people really have fuck else all to worry about.

I understand having allergies makes eating out difficult but free work food isn’t going to cater to everyone specifically every time. People with dietary requirements generally get the short end of the stick. No one is being oppressed through lack of ham sandwiches.

I don't eat crisps as they have no nutritional value even though I like them. I don't eat lots of carbs like pizza, pastry and bread sticks, no. I don't like any of the other stuff you mention, no. I do like some fresh fruit.

Meat eaters not worthy of having food provided only virtuous vegetarians and vegans catered for.

Eh, what judgement is being made? We made the decision on the basis that if we cater (for example) 100 events or meetings per year, going meat free in our catering makes a meaningful difference to the sustainability of our catering.

Nobody attends all 100 events - most will do a few, so the individual inconveniences are low (and I use the word lightly as I don’t think a vegetarian sandwich is an affront to anyone’s human rights. It’s a free sandwich. Ham enthusiasts are welcome to bring their own).

Having had the policy working well for a number of years I promise you most people don’t even notice.

Cambridge University has moved to 100% plant based catering in all its canteens and cafes (not the college's, but the main university) so while it doesn't apply in this case it is starting to happen. And isn't as inclusive as first suggested.

What do you usually eat from the typical corporate training day buffet lunch?

So every time you are ordered to be at a work meeting there will be food for others but not you. I've been to some of these nasty meetings where you can't go out for lunch you are made to stay in a building talking to people who are all eating. I've been to events where spice and rice seemed to be on offer with a few bits of salad. Had I have been warned in advance I'd have brought myself in a chicken breast.

Sorry, but that's ridiculous lol.
I'm a meat eater but I can go without meat for one meal.
Think it says more about you that you feel judged for your choices than it does about vegans and vegetarians to be honest.
All the years that they have had to be not catered for and go hungry being the norm, and now they're included more good grief how people get up in arms about it.
You or I can go home and have a bacon butty, or take our own pack up of meat to work if we needed a meat fix.
Like have always happened over the years. You eat what there is or take your own

OK, I'm engaging in good faith here.

Salads, tofu and roast veg - better make sure the dressing is gluten free. Any vinegar has to be rice/white wine/etc from traceable sources, as malt vinegar/common preprepared dressing are made with vinegar derived from barley. No soy sauce, no flour, no barley (intrinsic in the vegan soya mince our caterers use), no soya mince, no yeast extract, watch for the veg seasonings, make sure the other items that only non coeliac attendees seem to need to make it more than 100 kcals all in are completely separate and across the room from the rest of the food...

Otherwise, you end up with 1oz of plain tofu, two lettuce leaves, half a cherry tomato and the opportunity to scowl at the hummus that has a broken bread stick and a spoon that's been used to spread it onto crusty bread complete with crumbs embedded into the tub.

I eat chicken out of a chicken sandwich, ham out of a ham sandwich provided no mayonnaise which makes me gag. I might eat the triangle of bread too if no spread, butter or mayonnaise on. I eat fruit. I eat chicken nuggets/dippers, cocktail sausages. I will eat cheese and pineapple chunks. If I'm warned it's veg and vegan only I bring myself a chicken breast, punnet of raspberries and a banana. Unfortunately not all organisations warn you in advance so I'm expected to go hungry if not warmed or no fruit.

I understand the veggie stuff, but not the vegan stuff. Vegan stuff is horrible.

It would be so much easier if we routinely considered this stuff though. it would get easier.

Allergies aren’t just peanuts and dairy. They don’t all fit in the nice easy to tick boxes. There are people allergic to onions, garlic, nightshades, or various spices. When people say “don’t you eat vegetables” well yes, but if you have a rare allergy, you need to know exactly what is in those vegetables. If your allergy is to one of the very common vegetables, you generally just steer clear of them at mass catered functions because the risk is just too high.

then add in the chance of a food being prepared with some sort of unusual method and things get really scary. You might think that is mayonnaise, but it’s actually got garlic in it.

A menu edict like this means suddenly all the little tricks we use to stay safe but still participate are thrown out the window.

@NeverDropYourMooncup ; Sarson's Malt Vinegar is made from barley which contains gluten. The end product however contains a trace amount of gluten, which is well below the level that is safe for most people with coeliac disease.”
Thai soy sauce is naturally gluten free.
If you have a soy allergy you can use coconut aminos.

However, anyone who is coeliac or has a allergy will inform the caterers beforehand. Caterers can either play it smart with alternative ingredients or keep it simple. As an allergy sufferer, I expect my food to be kept to one side and covered.

celiac disease is more common than nut allergy. We could include nuts and exclude gluten.

Fine as long as Soya and Avocados are banned too

What, all vegan food?
Better stay away from all fruit and vegetables, tea, coffee, Oreos, jammy Dodgers, chips.....

Yup! And to those saying avocados, palm oil, food miles etc... It's possible but rare that veggie/vegan food will be more environmentally bad than meat.
To those that say it's excluding, i genuinely dont understand that and hope you learn to love eating more mindfully.

Presumably it's cheaper and easier as everyone can eat veggie food but not vice versa. Suspect the climate thing is just a PR spin.

Naturally vegan stuff, non processed, is nice though surely, like falafel, hummus, lots of curries...

Thanks so much for enlightening me, @Beautiful3 . I've been eating 'vegan stuff' for nearly 30 years and never noticed how horrible it is.

Great decision

Nope this is insane!!

In my immediate team I have:

• a vegetarian
• a muslim who only eats halal
• a Jewish guy who only eats kosher
• someone who is gluten and dairy free due to allergies
• a vegan
• One of those people who only eat meat and whole grains (I forget the name of the diet, he has been eating this way for 5+ years though)

and we can still arrange a meal out or order food in the office to suit everyone (usually a decent Indian that has a vast vegan/veggie menu and halal meat options)

unless your office is in the middle of nowhere it should be possible in this day and age to cater for all diets. And as for the carbon thing, I wonder how many of your management team drive fancy company cars, have massive bonuses, take regular holidays abroad and live in massive houses way bigger than their needs.

its virtue signalling on the backs of the regular employee, who’s only perks probably include a free lunch every now and then and some free tea and coffee.

Who’s paying for the food at events? If staff are then it’s unreasonable not to be allowed a choice. If it’s paid for by the company then they can offer what they like

🙄when people say “vegan food” like they’ve never eaten a banana, nuts, Soreen malt loaf, an Oreo, jacket potato with baked beans, Bisto red gravy with roast potatoes, peanut butter on toast, popcorn, jam doughnuts, pitta and hummus, a nice big salad or soup!

LOL “vegan food” is just food.