‘Speciality meal’ - long haul flights

[MaterMetella]

Fully accept this is a first world problem. And (semi) light hearted.

But I’ve been vegetarian since I was 8. I’m not a particularly evangelical vegetarian- many people don’t even know. My husband and sons eat meat. But I’m (quietly) delighted to have seen vegetarianism become mainstream and in public consciousness . I’m also really glad we’ve moved on from the days where vegetarians needed to be ‘grateful’ for being given substandard food in restaurants and charged a fortune for it (thinking of my fried egg in a french Michelin starred restaurant, and (also France) the time they bought the cheese board out for every course for me). It is now so mainstream most airlines offer a vegetarian meal as a choice on their menus. This is relevant.

Typing this from the skies but this has happened on every long haul flight I’ve done ever. I pre-order a vegetarian meal*. Instead of setting aside a vegetarian meal on the normal menu for you, you become ‘speciality’. That speciality meal is - IMHO - always inferior. It is generic and trying to cover all bases (vegan, gluten free, lactose intolerant, low fat, Asian vegetarian) and misses a lot of components a vegetarian can eat. You don’t get butter, milk or cheese and usually not even pudding, only fruit.

i have just been refused the (vegan) ‘wellness’ breakfast in Cathay Pacific (we shouted for business class as a huge treat if it makes a difference) off the extensive menu as I preordered a ‘vegetarian’ breakfast. So instead of bircher and fruits and a croissant I’m being given something neither the air hostess nor I could recognise- it looked like cubed courgette in tomato with a side of mash.

Is it too much to ask that if the airline offers a vegetarian meal on its regular menu, and I pre-order vegetarian that I can get one of those? AIBU?

What do other vegetarians do?

*I could just not order a vegetarian meal and just hope that I get my choice on the menu. But very occasionally there’s an airline that doesn’t have a vegetarian option (looking at you JAL!) so high risk. And of course where there is a vegetarian meal offered I might not get my choice.

I'm a longstanding vegetarian and I'm becoming increasingly infuriated by the lack of decent food options on flights (and elsewhere). Vegan options seem to have become a lazy default and they are almost universally dreadful and usually contain no protein or worse, highly processed options. KLM and Lufthansa long-distance veggie options are generally very good both in business and premium economy. SAS is poor (breakfast including salami as the only option) and they make it almost impossible for you to book it, requiring a phone call ahead of time - I gave up last time after a 40 minute wait). United are good but a lot of US airlines really aren't great.

Quite often I'll order a Hindu veggie meal as they are pretty reliable on most airlines. If I have a bad experience, I take my business elsewhere since I normally have a choice. Airlines need to realise that. I do give feedback but who knows if they pay attention. (They also need to realise that woman travel for business but that's a whole other thread!)

Paha I know exactly which curry you're talking about.
I came back on a long haul all tired and emotional recently and just asked for cheese and crackers (ex vegetarian, really fussy) and the steward sorted me out sorry just that. Perfect!

You are right - the speciality meals are always really dreadful.

If you aren’t actually allergic to something, always best to risk it with the real thing.

Veggie option not usually very popular either - so will undoubtedly be some left.