So what do you do if you're at someone elses house and they offer you dinner and it has meat in it?

I was at my friends the other day, and my friends mother brought dinner in for both of us, tottally unexpected, so I couldn't even say that I was vegetarian. So anyway, it a rice meal with chicken, I just ate the whole lot as I didn't want to be rude and I really did appreciate that she had made us dinner like that.

If I had previously explained that I was vegetarian and someone made me a meal with meat in it, I think that would be rather rude and perhaps I would not eat it, but my friends mother just didn't know and I felt that it would be rude for me to not have it.

So anyway, if you've ever been in that situation, what have you done?

I've been in that situation, and I've done the same as you. I was at my aunts place, she made a lasagna, and she had a separate smaller lasagna in the oven so I assumed that it was a vegetarian one, but it turned out it wasn't, it was meant for my cousin who would arrive later. So, at te point that the lasagna was served at te table, I really didn't feel comfortable saying that I didn't want any, especialy since my aunt took a lot of time preparing the food, and was also very likely to feel insulted if I refused...

So, at that time, I ate the meat, but I'm not sure what I would do in different circumstances. I don't want to insult people, and sometimes I assume they now about me being a vegetarian, and it turnes out they didn't know, or forgot or something...

We sometimes share food with another family, who are big meat eaters. I've cut most meat from my diet, but when they give us food with meat, I still eat it because I feel it would be rude not to, and undercut the gift economy we're working on.

We sometimes share food with another family, who are big meat eaters. I've cut most meat from my diet, but when they give us food with meat, I still eat it because I feel it would be rude not to, and undercut the gift economy we're working on.



HHHHMMM!

Goettling "hmmm" doesn't tell me a lot. What does "hmmmm" mean?

I make it known to everyone around me that I'm vegan to avoid such situations. However, I'm wondering if my parents really understand what it is. Despite the fact that I don't celebrate Xmas, they do, so there is always an exchange of gifts...plus, my birthday is next month. I'm thinking I will probably give them some links to sites like veganessentials, pangea, etc. and tell them to choose freely from there. They're not likely to get upset (unless they already got me something) as we usually exchange website addresses and even direct links around various gift giving time. Makes shopping when you are an ocean apart much easier.

In that situation, I would say something like, "Oh, thanks, that was so thoughtful! Actually, I'm vegetarian, so I'll just have the rice."

Eating meat's one thing I don't compromise. I don't think it's "wrong" to, but I just don't.

In that situation, I would say something like, "Oh, thanks, that was so thoughtful! Actually, I'm vegetarian, so I'll just have the rice."

Eating meat's one thing I don't compromise. I don't think it's "wrong" to, but I just don't.


I would do the same (be very gracious) but in all honestly I would'nt have compromised my beliefs to avoid MAYBE hurting someones feelings a little bit.

I would politely say "no thank you" if I was offered meat. I just couldn't stomach it. After four years without meat, it isn't food anymore.

Luckily for me, all my friends and family know I'm vegetarian, so this situation never happens.

In that situation, I would say something like, "Oh, thanks, that was so thoughtful! Actually, I'm vegetarian, so I'll just have the rice."

Eating meat's one thing I don't compromise. I don't think it's "wrong" to, but I just don't.

I would do the same if possible, but with some foods (like the previously mentioned lasagna) the meat is completely mixed with the other ingredients, so in that case, just leaving out the meat dish isn't possible. Hmmmm... I think those situations are difficult, I don't like to compromise the meat eating think, but I hate too hurt other peoples feelings if they really worked hard to prepare the food. Maybe Im just tóo soft:)

In that situation, I would say something like, "Oh, thanks, that was so thoughtful! Actually, I'm vegetarian, so I'll just have the rice."

Eating meat's one thing I don't compromise. I don't think it's "wrong" to, but I just don't.

Agreed, no meat for me, I have picked meat out of food in a situation like that but that was right after I became a vegetarian and I wouldn't do it again. It really creeped me out.

I'd thank them for thinking of me, and then tell them I'm a vegan and don't eat meat. It's not rude to not eat something that goes against your ethics. I definitely wouldn't eat the meat though, there's absolutely no question. I wouldn't eat a piece of chicken leg any sooner than I'd eat a piece of a human leg.

I've been in that situation. My aunt and uncle invited me over to their house for dinner and she told me that she was making vegetable soup. I got excited until she served the soup and it has hamburger in it (don't ask). Even though I have told her before that I am a vegetarian, I didn't want to hurt her feelings so I ate around the meat as best I could. It was one meal and really not that big of a deal. I felt a bit sick the rest of the evening because some meat slipped in (I haven't eaten red meat for about 13 years), but it didn't kill me and I got to spend some quality time with my aunt and uncle.

And now when you tell anyone who knows about this that you dont eat meat theyre going to forever slap you in the face that you did it once, so whats the big deal of doing it again.

Its always best to speak your mind and get it over with right away.

And in case you hadnt guessed, I wouldnt eat it.

I would do the same (be very gracious) but in all honestly I would'nt have compromised my beliefs to avoid MAYBE hurting someones feelings a little bit.


Exactly, how I feel!


Paula

I used to just eat around the meat when that situation presented itself which wasn't often. Now everyone in my circle knows I'm vegetarian and this generally doesn't come up. But when it has I've learned to have no problem with saying, "You know, that looks wonderful but I'm vegetarian, so I'll just have some bread." I don't personally think it's rude because I'm a pretty nice person. But I also think it depends on your comfort level...and there is something very nice about eating someone else's cooking...cooking/eating is a very social activity. In many traditional cultures it would be very insulting to refuse food that was offered. I know the year I spent in Korea, if you were at a Korean person's house, and food was offered, you ate it. Many people there are poor...the food they are offering you is the best that they have, and for one to refuse their food is an insult on their household...meaning their food is not good enough for you. I think this happens also with some sub-cultures within our own country. When I go home to Mississippi for holidays, I never ask if there is chicken broth or dairy in the mashed potatoes. I eat the 'vegetables'...and don't ask questions.

B

I would have very politely declined and explained that I'm a vegetarian.

Me too. I used to get all kinds of flack from my omni friend when I first went vegetarian. She said her other friend was a vegetarian but ate meat when offered it at someone's house. That is not a vegetarian.

I would simply have said, "No thank you. I'm a vegetarian." :)

Hmm, I can't remember the last time I ate a meal at someone else's house other than my mother's, and my mother would never cook me meat. My strategy is to simply avoid the situation as much as possible, and apparently it's working! If someone invited me to dinner, I'd promptly let them know that I'm a vegetarian, and if they don't feel comfortable cooking for a vegetarian, maybe I should have them over to dinner!

PS: I can't remember ever being in a situation where someone cooked food just for me, so I wouldn't feel bad about refusing a dish with meat in it. I don't think I could physically do it anyway, regardless of how rude it might be.

At this point in my life everyone who knows me knows I’m a vegetarian and does not offer me meat. The times that this has happened in the past I have always declined politely, and thanked them for their generosity.

Once in my twenties I was working for an environmental group and protesting the development of an incinerator in a very poor area in Indiana. The people in the community came up with a variety of foods all of which had meat. I politely declined and told them I was a vegetarian and they got me a cheese sandwich. There did not seem to be an issue.

I would politely say "no thank you" if I was offered meat. I just couldn't stomach it. After four years without meat, it isn't food anymore.

Luckily for me, all my friends and family know I'm vegetarian, so this situation never happens.

Same here.....I wouldn't eat the meat. It's no different really, if I was allergic to peanuts, and somebody made me something with peanut sauce, I would have to decline, no matter how much effort they put into making it. It's not rude to stand firm on your ethical beliefs. In the past, I've declined food many times because it contained meat.

Me too. I used to get all kinds of flack from my omni friend when I first went vegetarian. She said her other friend was a vegetarian but ate meat when offered it at someone's house. That is not a vegetarian.

I would simply have said, "No thank you. I'm a vegetarian." :)


I would have asked if they mind me vomiting on the table if they expected me to eat meat.
I find when I say "no thanks, I'm a vegan" I always hear "that's fine, we made chicken/fish/mac& cheese just for you".:confused:

I wish people wouldn't go around saying they are vegetarians who eat meat or vegans who eat dairy/eggs. Makes life harder for the real vegans/veggies.

BTW I tend to bring my own food if I am eating at someone else's place, except my bf, who always stocks up on Tofurkey slices, veggie dogs, soy yogurt & other vegan staples before my visits.:smitten:

I don't normally eat dairy & eggs; but there are some situation where I've eaten it to avoid seeming rude or ungrateful, or even to avoid drawing attention to myself (and eh... sometimes because it tastes good too. :p).

Meat, on the other hand, I will not eat. I'd simply explain that I am a vegetarian, and decline as politely as I can. :)

I'd thank them for thinking of me, and then tell them I'm a vegan and don't eat meat. It's not rude to not eat something that goes against your ethics. I definitely wouldn't eat the meat though, there's absolutely no question. I wouldn't eat a piece of chicken leg any sooner than I'd eat a piece of a human leg.

I feel exactly the same. Eating meat isn't in the realm of possibility for me anymore. I'd apologize profusely and probably feel a little uncomfortable, but no, I wouldn't eat it.

I would have asked if they mind me vomiting on the table if they expected me to eat meat.


Which would of course improve their view of vegetarians and vegans.

The situation that I was in, was at my indian friends and I don't think that they are very well off financially, sure it wouldn't have ruined them if I refused, but I felt that it would have been rude after all the effort. I had not been expecting anything to eat, my friends mother just brought food in. So I didn't have a chance to really say before that I was vegetarian, I didn't want to be rude.