To be annoyed that vegan options have replaced vegetarian?

[Sacredhandbag]

It's only a silly gripe in the grand scheme of things but it's bloody annoying.

I've been a vegetarian my whole life but since veganism has become more popular and more and more people are becoming part of the movement (and good on them!) it's like restaurants, cafes and hotels have skipped adding vegetarian options and thought "well vegan options covers both so we'll just add a few of those"

No! I am not vegan. I am vegetarian. I still want my eggs, my cream, my cheese, my butter. I want a stilton and broccoli bake, not a grilled bit of cauliflower!

Afternoon tea (I'm a fan and have one as often as I can) is the worst for it. There's an ordinary menu and then there's a vegan menu and that's it. You order one or the other. I don't want chicken or fish sandwiches but I sure as hell want my scones with proper clotted cream! So I have to be specific about the sandwiches and say I want some from one menu and some from the other. Bloody annoying.

Any other veggies feel the same?

Yanbu! I'm allergic to a lot of vegan food (soy is a main issue), but I'm vegetarian! It's such a pain to explain I'd like the vegan option but with dairy products!

@IHateWasps ,do you eat meat/fish?

I am finding that restaurants are indeed dropping fast. However, the difference with the vegan ones is that they aren't being replaced by other vegan ones, if that makes sense. So there are lots of burger/chicken shops that fold but are then replaced by other burger/chicken shops, but where I am the vegan cafes are folding and being replaced by yet more burger/chicken/pizza shops.

What bollocks

Its not really about if the food is vegetarian or vegan for most vegetarians, its whether its nice food or not.

Unless you're a vegetarian or vegan that craves meat and therefore loves fake meat (and I know they exist and fair play to them for sticking to a moral choice) then the issue is generally that the great veggie or vegan food - bean burgers, anything vegetable based like a curry, ramen, stir frys, pies, tacos - all things which could easily be vegan and enjoyed by everyone (ok possible issues for nut allergies with some) have been replaced by fake meat.

I like vegetables. I don't want to replicate meat meals - much as i like aubergine and paprika I do not yearn for facon.

If restaurants want to offer only a vegan option no veggie, then if they could just manage to do ONE none fake meat option in the mix that would be amazing. Its not much of a choice but at least its edible.

Ah yes.
When vegetarianism was much less popular I was always being asked if I missed bacon. The smell of it cooking makes me feel slightly sick tbh.

That makes no sense, though. How can the majority of the population be 'special' - by very definition?

Also, unless there are any specific allergies, a vegan CAN eat meat and dairy just as much as an omnivore CAN eat vegan. It's just that one person makes one choice/rule as to what they want to/will eat and another person makes a different choice/rule as to what they want to/will eat. Neither of them is 'wrong', as long as they respect the other person's right to choose as well.

Totally agree I’ve been vegetarian for almost 40 so before it was mainstream, very little choice back then when out and about, a lot of ingredients only available in Health Food Shops not in big name supermarkets. Would have to go out of my way to find a vege cafe or a good Chinese restaurant. Over time it got much better, more than 1 choice when eating out and tasty and interesting options, easy to find ingredients in shops, but now it’s all vegetarian/vegan lumped in together it’s back to the bad old days unless I want to eat fake meat products (I don’t) and frankly questionable substitutes it’s very restrictive, I just want decent vegetarian food.

I’ve been vegan for over 20 years and I’ve never been anaemia, even in pregnancy. If you eat a well balanced diet and don’t have underlying medical issues, there’s no reason to be lacking iron as a vegan. Eating red meat once a week won’t do much anyway so that seems an odd choice. An average steak wouldn’t even provide one days iron requirements. It seems the person you knew was lacking in knowledge about nutrition which may have been why she was low in iron and not eating enough iron rich foods,

I've taken to walking out (when feasible) if the menu is like this too, especially when it's one shitty cheap veggie/vegan option at the same price as meat dishes. I think it's the only way the message will get across. Eating out is so expensive nowadays that I'm not prepared to pay for a poor experience when it's declared up front.

High quality, thoughtfully cooked vegan food is great. Many cuisines obv have a lot of vegan dishes as a matter of course. Ethiopian etc. Lovely.

But I don't want to be eating UPF spreads, fake meat or cheese or crap like that or even tbh jackfruit which is a fruit, not a burger filling. Tofu, tempeh, seitan are fine but if I choose them. If I'm eating out, I want an option with dairy, frankly. Not a random salad with no coherence. And why so sweet? Always so much squash and sweet potato on veggie and vegan menus.

It's maddening when this is the token non meat option and there is a full menu of non veg. One of each could easily be done.

Bring back Cranks, Food for Thought and Whole Meal of Streatham

My teenage nieces did this at a BBQ once. Ate all the halloumi which was for me to have instead of burgers, then moved onto the burgers and ate them too. I pointed out that all I now has to eat was the salad and they just shrugged. Their parents didn't care either.
Very selfish behaviour.

Personally I would find it difficult to eat vegan food because I can't eat mushrooms and have to limit lentils, chickpeas, vegetables etc. to small quantities. If someone invited me to a meal at a vegan restaurant I would have to decline or risk being ill. I couldn't even ask for a jacket spud as I wouldn't get a decent filling!

I'm vegan and agree with you. Dairy substitutes are not very nice and I can completely get why you don't want to be forced to have them just to avoid meat. If its any consolation the vegan stuff is usually not very nice for vegans either. Unless you're going to a specialist place it's poor all round.

I've leant to get into the queue first at functions which looks very rude as I'm quite overweight and if doing any catering for parties myself to put the vegetarian food on a different table and label it as vegetarian

Agreed! WE WANT CHEESE! 😄🧀

So what about vegetarians who have the same? Looks like plenty of restaurants aren’t bothered about them.

As a lifelong veggie I absolutely do not want fake meat! Never have!

I want those burgers made out of vegetables you describe, or I want a bean burger. Preferably with some nice melted cheddar on top. I don't want crappy fake meat vegan burgers, designed for people that used to eat meat.

I doubt that and as far as I’m aware she’s under medical supervision (in another country). It may have happened when she hit the menopause, it was in the last couple of years and she’s mid 50s.

Well exactly. Maybe people should just stop going to restaurants that offer such limited options. Although I prefer independent restaurants at least the chains seem to cater for different choices.

Don't even talk about that abomination a cauliflower steak 😒 revolting. It only improves with the addition of a cream and cheese sauce.

This is so true. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 7 years old, I’m 44. The rise of supposed Veganism has cannibalised Vegetarian cuisine. Restaurants are too lazy or can’t afford to provide options for both, so it’s assumed Vegetarians want to eat vegan food. Which personally I hate. Plant-based burgers - which taste like boiled erasers - are the scourge of modern food. Urgh.

I'm vegan and don't like the new trend of all the fake meat - I do not want a fake hoisin duck sandwich! I've never eaten real duck.

As for the vegan options taking over you're probably right apart from puddings- I find loads of vegan mains but then no puddings!!

Some of the chains are the worst for not having a vegetarian option - the last time I looked GBK being one such.

It just means more trailing around trying to find somewhere to eat. In 2025 it’s ludicrous.

YANBU, my DD is vegetarian and usually orders a veggie burger if we eat out but these days they're usually vegan so come with vile vegan cheese!