When did this change?

mumps

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Sounds like a shame your son and her broke up:(. C'est la vie....

Ah well, it was sad but they are both happily settled now so it wasn't to be. I will always be glad to have known her, still vaguely in touch but wouldn't want DIL to feel odd about it.

mumps

Lizling wrote: »

I'm veggie and have often asked for just the veg and yorkshire puddings that everyone else is having rather than have anything separate. I've always thought those are the best bits anyway! I'm not keen on meat substitutes so I wouldn't want anyone to go to the trouble of buying one for me.

I was very disappointed when I wanted the roast dinner bits at a pub recently and they said it was fine then bought me a plate of mushroom risotto with a small garnish of the veg and no yorkshire I know they thought they were being nice by going to the trouble of making something 'proper' but I wished they hadn't bothered.

You aren't my sons ex are you? You sound alike :T

thriftwizard

DD2, our resident veggie, eats the roast spuds, roasted & steamed veg medleys and roast squash when we're having our Sunday roast; half a squash fills her plate up & I just cook everything except the meat in vegetable oil. She's no great fan of meat substitutes either. And most meals she'll have something similar; tonight's tea included Bombay potatoes (using leftover cooked spuds from earlier in the week) & that was her main dish. She can whip up falafels or chick-pea burgers in a couple of minutes, which she'll eat with whatever veg/salad we're all having, or failing that, a couple of poached home-laid eggs.

Catering for vegetarians doesn't have to be hard or expensive, which is why I find it surprising that I get paid more for having vegetarian students. However I'd be in a total panic if I had to cater for vegans...

nuatha

thriftwizard wrote: »

Catering for vegetarians doesn't have to be hard or expensive, which is why I find it surprising that I get paid more for having vegetarian students. However I'd be in a total panic if I had to cater for vegans...

I find it amusing that they pay more for vegetarian students - perhaps whoever worked out the budgets had priced meat substitutes at H&B?
Vegan is easy, the hardest part is remembering to let coffee or tea cool for a few minutes before adding soya milk. Your DD2's Bombay potatoes, falafels or chick-pea burgers would probably be the ideal starting points.
Living long term as a vegan is a little more difficult, learning something about nutrition is useful, but if you get a vegan student for a week or three its fairly straight forward (and cheap) if you ignore the fancy meat and dairy substitutes.

nuatha

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

I find it difficult to understand why people wouldn't click that "no dairy" means exactly that - ie nothing with milk in, though guess that's part of the general thing that I sometimes wonder how many people "skate through life" not knowing the most basic things.

I can understand why someone wouldn't necessarily realise that there are sometimes the most unexpected things in some foods (eg I wouldn't have realised a can of baked beans might have dairy in either and that's something that might have caught me out - except I'm an avid ingredient reader of things anyway - in order to avoid chemicals/sugar/g.m. products).

And its a constantly changing field.
I remember a family gathering which had three boxes of the same brand of after dinner mints, the otherwise identical boxes turned out to be one vegan, one lacto-vegetarian and one containing gelatine - I'm a compulsive reader, in this case thankfully as the family includes vegan and vegetarians.

Nuatha - I've had that stunt pulled on me before now - ie of the host thinking I would eat the exact same fixed meal as everyone else, but minus some parts of it (and I didn't get any warning this would happen). I complained strongly that part of my meal had been missing (as I hadn't been given any alternative instead). That meal still constitutes part of the reason I have the opinion I do of the people who organised the meal - ie when I started distrusting them. The meal that upset me so much is now quite some years ago, so I'm surprised anyone is still being such an inconsiderate host these days.

I've recently heard several people express opinions on the lines of "why should I do anything different because they're veggie, they wouldn't cook me meat" and even one comment about "I don't care if he's a rabbi, in this house he'll eat pork or lump it" - unfortunately there's a lot of people who see things differently to the way I do.

I must confess that, as regards that meal you have been invited to, I would feel grateful I had at least been told in advance that was what would happen - and would explain that when I declined the invitation (I'm guessing yours is a family occasion too?....).

The most recent was a now ex-friend, who had invited mutual friends to a meal, knowing they were vegetarian and served them with plates already containing meat - the mutual friends and I left at that point.

That is naughty of them to treat you that way - when I think you go well "above and beyond" the call of duty with how you cater for other people (that list of varied requirements you catered for at your wedding made my mind boggle..).

I'm omnivore, with the exception of deliberate cruelty products (eg fois gras and white veal) I eat anything. Coming from a family where one side were farmers and the other butchers I have strong ideas about welfare standards, that I aim to support and try to live within.
I also have a serious interest in cooking, the various dietary needs of my friends are a challenge I enjoy and I've catered several events that had interesting dietary challenges, though our wedding was the most extreme - and thankfully something I have no plans on repeating (the catering wasn't a problem, it being combined with everything else meant it didn't get my full attention on the day)

Communal meals are supposed to be happy social occasions that everyone can enjoy themselves at - so how could anyone be expected to feel anything other than slighted if told "You will be missing out on part of the meal - and we don't care". That is what I would feel I was being told if I had an invitation like that:cool:.

I want my guests to feel that they are special and that they are worth the care I take to offer them food they will enjoy. I can honestly say I've never had a guest walk away from my table feeling insulted and I hope that I've never had one leave hungry.

LameWolf

nuatha wrote: »

I remember a family gathering which had three boxes of the same brand of after dinner mints, the otherwise identical boxes turned out to be one vegan, one lacto-vegetarian and one containing gelatine - I'm a compulsive reader, in this case thankfully as the family includes vegan and vegetarians.

Talking of gelatine - I had a very interesting conversation with a GP some years ago; she tried to insist I had the gelatine capsule version of a particular medicine, when I already knew it was available in tablet form. Gelatine gives me fearful stomach cramps. Ironically, the medicine in question, which I'm still on, is to alleviate acid reflux....:cool:

nuatha

LameWolf wrote: »

Talking of gelatine - I had a very interesting conversation with a GP some years ago; she tried to insist I had the gelatine capsule version of a particular medicine, when I already knew it was available in tablet form. Gelatine gives me fearful stomach cramps. Ironically, the medicine in question, which I'm still on, is to alleviate acid reflux....:cool:

A Hindu friend was informed by his GP that the only effective anti malaria medication was in gelatine capsules. Thankfully his GP was wrong as the friend was planning a pilgrimage to several temples in India where malaria is a major issue.
Irony is ripe in medicine - I currently have meds to suppress the side effects of the meds to suppress the side effects of the meds that keep me alive. Some days they even work.

moneyistooshorttomention

nuatha wrote: »

The most recent was a now ex-friend, who had invited mutual friends to a meal, knowing they were vegetarian and served them with plates already containing meat - the mutual friends and I left at that point.

Shall now be wondering just what that ex-friend thought you'd all do at that point...

I admit I would have sat there highly embarrassed at not knowing quite what to do at that point (other than not eat the meat obviously). Having not witnessed that particular situation I would have been at a loss as to how its supposed to be handled.

I would say getting up and leaving at that point was probably about the only thing you could have done, as the only other alternative would have been to remove the offending item from the plate and ask for a clean plate and it would have been an uncomfortable meal to sit through and possibly still hungry at the end of it anyway.

But I would regard it as a bit odd to have a meal already "plated up" anyway - as I put everything into different dishes at communal meals and expect everyone to serve themselves from them (that way its easy to avoid items/have bigger or smaller portions of things/etc).

Teacher2

When I offer a dinner invitation I ask whether there is anything anyone won't eat and plan the meal around that. Otherwise guests can eat what they like and leave what they don't. It doesn't offend me if things are avoided as long as I don't have to listen to tedious lectures about an individual's dietary requirements. I have a violent allergy to shellfish but I don't bore people rigid about it or insist they don't eat the seafood. I think it is only good manners to refrain from showing off food pickiness.

gocurlygirl

A family member had an episode of illness,and we made a meal for them coming home,low cholesterol for her.then diabetic meal for 1,lactose free for 2,wheat free for no 3 no fish no 4.
While shopping for meal b-i-l rang-coming to visit with family.now 1 vegetarian ,one child unable to tolerate several foods due to illness,and
another on a low fat diet.-the answer a meal for 11,served in dishes so buffet style jacket potato,salad,etc enjoyed by all.
I spend a lot of time reading labels as even basic foods seem to have additives wheat,milk salt etc.
Almost forgot the child with severe peanut allergy who visits-not worth the risk of a reaction so no peanut containing food here!
I do wish the ingredient list was in larger print!:(