Seen a lot of posts on Lemmy with vegan-adjacent sentiments but the comments are typically very critical of vegan ideas, even when they don’t come from vegans themselves. Why is this topic in particular so polarising on the internet? Especially since unlike politics for example, it seems like people don’t really get upset by it IRL
I can see why not having vegan options at gatherings is frustrating, tbh. For the same reason not having halal or kosher options is also frustrating if you are going to invite guests with those restrictions. Providing a decent vegan option is easy and nonvegans can also eat it, plus you can easily make it a catch-all option for gf folk as well. I wouldn’t throw a fuss about it, or post about it online, but I always try to make sure there’s a vegan option when bringing snacks in for the kids at school for example (I’m a highschool teacher) so everyone can participate
As someone who knows his ways around the kitchen: No. It is definitely not easy, even if you just go for the salad option. Have you ever looked at any ingredient list? Some store-bought “fresh” pasta is not vegan. A lot of things you would not think for a second about them containing animal products like salad dressings are actually not vegan. In a lot of countries, McDonalds fries are not vegan.
And as soon as it comes to the necessity to replace non-vegan ingredients with vegan ones, you’ll fall down a rabbit hole of “this can be used to replace that, but only in those circumstances”, “Yes, you can replace X with Y, but you have to be careful to cover up some flavors”, or even “The replacement for X is basically a doctoral thesis in chemsitry”.
See. Here we are. Even now. “Vegan option yadda yadda. So easy. Why would you invite such and such without thinking of food restrictions blah blah blagh”
You couldn’t help yourself.
Considering even a basic caesar salad (cheese) and Jell-O (gelatin) are not vegan, providing vegan options at an event really isn’t particularly easy. Most events will have vegetarian options without even thinking about it. However, vegan options require very explicitly thinking about what is offered. Meanwhile, group event planning is already quite a bit of work even before considering such heavy restrictions.
When I’m hosting an event, guest comfort is my highest priority. I’m not a vegan, but if anyone coming to an event that I’m hosting has dietary restrictions, you can bet your ass I’m going to be accommodating.
It’s not giving them “special treatment” in my eyes; it’s giving them basic respect as my guest. I invited them to an event because they’re a friend/colleague/fellow human who I invited to attend. It’s my responsibility as host to make sure everyone who decided to join me at the event is fed a good meal.
I sympathize with anyone who has a restrictive diet (for medical reasons or otherwise) so I consider this high on the totem pole of tasks involved in event planning. A couple of years ago my doctor told me to cut my carb intake to help lower my cholesterol a bit and it sucked majorly at any event I attended cause there’d be no low-carb options. Could eat all the bacon and eggs I wanted, though, ironically.
Maybe so. I typically will provide something like falafel/bhaji/spiced chickpeas with hummus in a wrap, but in situations I’ve helped with event planning for, there has always been a significant proportion of the party who are either religious vegetarians or have other dietary restrictions. If veganism isn’t as common where you are, you wouldn’t think about it I suppose
I don’t.
I invited you to my event. You’re vegan? Too fucking bad.
As a guy eating a smokehouse meat pizza right now, you can fuck right off.
If you invite someone to your house, then it is your responsibility to do the same for them as everyone else you invited, within reason.
It’s not hard to throw some hummus, salad, or a fruit and/or veggie tray out.
I loves me some run down both you arms cheeseburgers, but I also like apples, carrots and broccoli.
Down south we had whole fruterias dedicated to just making fruit cups, in Texas, not Cali or some hippie shit like that.
All of those same options are great at home choices for bad brain ADD days, for all my fellow broken brain gang.
Salads aren’t usually vegan. Many gave been touched by cheese, a milk product, or egg.
Vegan also isn’t like an allergy. It’s a choice. Choose to bring your own food.