ICanDoThis Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 A few weeks ago, I was hanging out with a buddy of mine and his wife, both vegans. He for 18 years and she for the 10 or so they've been together. They both congratulated me on my enlightenment and commitment. One thing I asked them is what do you do when you're a guest at someone's house. He said that he hasn't eaten animal products since he went vegan and absolutely refuses to break his streak, at all, for anyone. I was raised old school: you eat what's put in front of you. So what do the rest of you do? Say you find yourself at someone else's table and there isn't really substantive vegetarian / vegan food. How do you walk the line between being polite and being healthy, or moral or whatever your reasons for going vegan? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducati Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I politely decline. If they ask, I tell them. The whole idea of taking what is front of you shows a lack of commitment. They won't respect or even listen to your message if they don't even think you are serious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im Your Man Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 The guest must be respectful but you can switch your point of view and say that the host must be respectful too, by serving for dinner something else than corpses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Fission Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Be nice to the flesh eaters and eat the animal that was good?NEVER!!!!!! First i say no thanks i don't eat that.Then they usually ask if im vegetarian and i say yes and if they keep saiing come on just have a bit i get shorter with them but thats as far as its gone.if its just a bunch of guys i'll put it to them straight up and tell them not to eat it eaither but with work parties or family dinners i just have to be nice to them and smile and say no 20 times over.....while clenching my fist under the table wanting to snap and rid the earth of their plague. Starter of thread, if someone served you dog would you eat it?Human even?manners are just made up things.Lives are real. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FormicaLinoleum Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 I would never eat something non-vegan in an attempt to appear 'polite'. The polite thing to do is to avoid a situation in which someone puts non-vegan food in front of you. If you know you are going to be in a situation where someone who doesn't already know you're vegan is going to be preparing food for you, let them know you are vegan well ahead of time. The easiest way to do this is say something like "I'm a vegan, which means I don't eat any animal products including meat, diary, eggs, and honey. I'd be happy to bring my own vegan food with me so you don't have to go through too much trouble". If I were to find myself unexpectedly about to eat with people I don't know well, I'd let them know I am vegan as soon as possible, before any food preparation has begun. Again, I'd tell them not to worry about me if they don't have anything I can eat, or that I could prepare something for myself. I can't imagine how you could end up at someone's table having a dish put in front of you without having had a chance to say you're vegan before the preparation started. But if I somehow did end up in that situation, I'd just say something like "oh, I'm sorry, but I'm vegan so can't eat that." I don't know why anyone would perceive that as being rude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanDoThis Posted July 12, 2010 Author Share Posted July 12, 2010 Thanks everyone. When you really think about it, the situation is like smoking. Cigarettes and meat are basically interchangeable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lobsteriffic Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 If you know you are going to be at someone's house for a meal then the polite thing to do (to me anyway) would be to inform them that you are vegan beforehand. If you don't how are they supposed to know that you won't eat the meal? If you told them beforehand it won't be so awkward and maybe they will prepare something you can eat or you can offer to bring something to share to show everyone how good vegan food can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Fission Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 If you know you are going to be at someone's house for a meal then the polite thing to do (to me anyway) would be to inform them that you are vegan beforehand. If you don't how are they supposed to know that you won't eat the meal? If you told them beforehand it won't be so awkward and maybe they will prepare something you can eat or you can offer to bring something to share to show everyone how good vegan food can be. I told my boss i didn't eat meat the day before he had us go to his house for a christmas party and what do you know.....even the salad had ham sauce dressing.On top of that they kept trying to give me wine when i told them i didn't drink the day i started working for them. Does it even matter if you come off rude to people like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Im Your Man Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 If you know you are going to be at someone's house for a meal then the polite thing to do (to me anyway) would be to inform them that you are vegan beforehand. If you don't how are they supposed to know that you won't eat the meal? If you told them beforehand it won't be so awkward and maybe they will prepare something you can eat or you can offer to bring something to share to show everyone how good vegan food can be. I told my boss i didn't eat meat the day before he had us go to his house for a christmas party and what do you know.....even the salad had ham sauce dressing.On top of that they kept trying to give me wine when i told them i didn't drink the day i started working for them. Does it even matter if you come off rude to people like that? lol, ham sauce dressing, I didn't even know it could exist. You should have said : "how about some dog sauce, or human sauce dressing..." . it's not polite to invite you to a dinner where there's nothing you can eat. It is different than the founder of my massage school, who invited everybody to a huge dinner; he's not even vegetarian, I was the only vegan and there was maybe 2 vegetarians out of 25 people, but all the food was vegan ! There were salads, korean rice, faux-meat like mock fish, mock shrimps, etc... The only thing that wasn't vegan was the desert, some cake with ice cream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julia Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 As all the others said, I'd tell beforehand. If it's a sponatenous thing I'd just try to get a salad (most people have a carrot and a tomato at home or sth like that..). Otherwise I often bring my own food. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanDoThis Posted July 13, 2010 Author Share Posted July 13, 2010 If you know you are going to be at someone's house for a meal then the polite thing to do (to me anyway) would be to inform them that you are vegan beforehand. If you don't how are they supposed to know that you won't eat the meal? If you told them beforehand it won't be so awkward and maybe they will prepare something you can eat or you can offer to bring something to share to show everyone how good vegan food can be. I told my boss i didn't eat meat the day before he had us go to his house for a christmas party and what do you know.....even the salad had ham sauce dressing.On top of that they kept trying to give me wine when i told them i didn't drink the day i started working for them. Does it even matter if you come off rude to people like that? I don't know what "ham sauce dressing" is and I hope I never find out. Sounds something like "chicken-fried steak". Another thing I hope I never encounter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisjs Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 I'm surprised you've encountered that many obtuse people in the NYC area. Most everyone I've encountered who I'd want to bother being around understands the whole vegan thing fairly well. I have one sister in law who doesn't get it, but she's also not someone worth being around. She has this whole follow-the-leader / groupthink mentality. Every time I see her she's a good 25 lbs heavier as well. I think she also lives by the whole "you eat what's in front of you"... Anyway. But as others said, you can be polite and still remain vegan. There's no reason you shouldn't stick to what you believe in, regardless of being their guest. Respect that they've invited you into their home or whatever by being polite...that's all you're on the hook for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan_Idaho Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 What lobsterrific said about telling them beforehand. Depends on the case. Just make your point trying not to insult them. If they don't understand as much, there's always the 'I'm not hungry' excuse.Whatever you do, don't focus too much on the food subject. Don't explain what and why on the table - noone's gonna change with the meal before them. Just find the shortest/quickest way out of not eating, then when they tell you you'll die starving say "Nah, I'm ok, I just ate" and change the subject. Then you may spend some time fighting hunger but people munching on meat around you should help your determination One thing helps in the case - as the old sumo master told his student when the student asked him how he managed to maintain his bodyweight - Never eat on an empty stomach!Be firm! With time things will change. I myself haven't been in a situation to be offered meat for ages. Well I ate a cake a couple of days ago but it was the hosts 'special cake' and they were all people aged over 50, indoctrinated to eat meat all their lives, and they had made a special effort to make the rest of the food vegan for me. It was a step forward overall! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducati Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 If you never eat on an empty stomach, then what do you do if you have an empty stomach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan_Idaho Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 If you never eat on an empty stomach, then what do you do if you have an empty stomach?You just don't get in such situations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyric Posted July 14, 2010 Share Posted July 14, 2010 I'll usually tell the host before hand that I cannot eat any meat, eggs, dairy, or honey. I'll ask if that'll cause any problems, as I can bring my own dish as well if they like. If I do all that, I get there, and there isn't anything for me to eat still, I'll politely decline, and stop by the vegan drive through on my way home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Voorhees Posted July 15, 2010 Share Posted July 15, 2010 Kill everybody Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanDoThis Posted July 15, 2010 Author Share Posted July 15, 2010 Kill everybody And dispose of the bodies in BBQ sauce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Fission Posted July 16, 2010 Share Posted July 16, 2010 Kill everybodyI like the way this guy thinks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICanDoThis Posted July 21, 2010 Author Share Posted July 21, 2010 If your enemies are as tough as nails.BECOME THE HAMMER! That's Awesome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason X Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 bring over a copy of "meet your meat" or "earthlings" with a toy story label on it for their children. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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