Equality? Vegetarian type question?!


Question: Equality!? Vegetarian type question!?
Just curious!.
When doing a meal, we take our vegetarian friends into consideration and do not serve them mean!.
Yet when eating at a vegetarians house, no meat is served for those of us that eat it!.
Why!?

Every eat out place has "Vegetarian" meals but why is it that vegetarian places don't have "meat eaters" meals!?

As I say, just curious!.Www@FoodAQ@Com


Answers:
This question comes up every couple of months and I'm never sure whether the askers really don't understand or are just being mischievous!.

If a meat-eater with any sensitivity or just plain good manners invites a vegan or vegetarian to their home with the express purpose of sharing a meal with them, they provide a meal which their vegetarian or vegan guest will be able to eat - that is, a vegetarian or vegan meal!. Thank you, we appreciate it!.

If a meat-eater with any sensitivity or just plain old good manners is invited to the home of a vegetarian or vegan for a meal, they will realise that it is most unlikely that their host will be providing meat and, as they are not carnivorous - that is living on a diet exclusively of meat - there will be nothing served at the meal which they cannot eat!.

If there is a meat-eater too set in his/her ways or too unadventurous to be prepared to go without meat for one meal, then I assume they would politely decline the invitation to eat at a vegetarian's home!.

If you had Muslim friends you would provide them with a meal without pork if they ate at your house!. When you ate at theirs, would you expect them to return the favour and cook you pork!? Or would you be sensible, respect their beliefs and eat the meal they provided!?

I wish all restaurants DID have a vegetarian option - where do you live!?

Vegetarian restaurants don't offer meat meals for the same reason Indian restaurants don't offer Chinese food - they wouldn't be vegetarian restaurants if they did!.

EDIT: Timmy, I'd be more than happy to answer the email you sent me on this issue, but I can't unless you unblock me!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

First they would not have meat in there house, They don't even want it in the frig!. They don't cook meat and they know that it's bad for you so they would not want to do something they know is bad for you!. Some will cook a substance that tastes like meat but won't clog your arteries and help you live longer even if you don't know what your doing when eating meat!. I don't use vegetable oil for cooking because it to contains soluble fats and at the age of thirty I had a 35 % clogged artery from fat build up even though I'm not fat!. So I use pam to cook with and eat raw veggies and fruits grains and nuts!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Do you have deeply held ethical beliefs that preclude you from eating meatless meals!? Of course not!. Good on you for respecting your vegetarian friends and feeding them something they can eat!. But when they feed you a delicious meal made without slaughter, they are doing the same thing for you: feeding you something you can eat!. A true friend would not require their loved one to compromise their ethics to feed them!.

Same thing for vegetarian restaurants!. If you don't like any restaurant's menu, you just don't go there!. But you don't have ethical or spiritual convictions that prevent you from eating meatless meals, so you don't *need* a restaurant (that is probably run by people who find meat morally repugnant) to offer you meat to meet your needs!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

It is indeed just how it is!.

Vegetarianism is a restriction on diet based on their beliefs, be they moral or religious etc!. Based on these they cannot stand to cook meat let alone eat it!.

Meat eaters are more open and have no restrictions on diet!. Even as a meat eater it is near impossible to completely cut out vegetables or fruit without having a very unhealthy gut!.

Regardless, the mentality is "they DO eat meat, yes, but who is to say they do not eat vegetarian food also!?"Www@FoodAQ@Com

It's all about someone's personal belief system!.

If you invited a Jewish person to your home you probably wouldn't serve pork out of respect, right!?

Now, would you want them to serve you pork if you went to their house!?

Of course you wouldn't!. You know it goes against what they feel about swine!.

Similarly, many veg*ns feel strongly about animals!. Just because it doesn't have a religious or spiritual connotation to it doesn't meant it shouldn't be taken as seriously as the aforementioned example!.

also, if a veg*n prepares meatless food, meat-eaters can still eat it!. If a meat-eater only prepares meat dishes, a veg*n cannot eat!. It's like, meat-eaters can eat either way, but we cannot!.

I hope that makes sense!
:-DWww@FoodAQ@Com

If you invited a vegetarian to your home for a meal, it would be expected for you to serve something they can eat!. If a vegetarian invited a person who eats meat over for a meal, most likely a vegetarian meal would be served!.!.which a meat eater can also eat!. In other words!.!.everyone can eat and enjoy a vegetarian meal but not everyone can eat and enjoy a meal made with meat!.

I entertain a lot and never have meat at meals or parties!. It's never missed by my mostly meat eating friends!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

As a vegetarian with a meat eating husband I always provide meat meals for my husband (when it's my turn to cook!) and our non-vege friends when they come round for dinner!. Just because it's my choice to be vegetarian doesn't mean that everyone else should change their ways when around me!. Similarly, they don't expect me to change my ways when I'm with them!.

As for the vegetarian restaurant part of your question!.!.!.!.it wouldn't be a vegetarian restaurant if they served meat meals too! They'd be another 'normal' restaurant!Www@FoodAQ@Com

it is a matter of belief and compassion and you wouldn't want animals suffering if you were vegetarian!. think about it this way: people don't have to have meat all the time and most people will appreciate nice food even when it doesn't contain meat!.
i think it's wrong to think of vegetarian diet as something second class - it's simply cooking without meat!. there are wonderful dishes that don't have meat in them!. unfortunately, as soon as they're labelled "vegetarian" people start thinking they're somehow inferior!.
i often have to bring my own food to people's houses and just think it is my problem that i don't eat meat and don't try to impose anything on anybody!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

well!.!.!. vegetarians not only don't eat meat, but don't buy it and don't cook it either, because this would go against their beliefs, as they are supporting a cause here!.
also, people who eat meat don't eat ONLY meat!. they are omnivores, and can still eat veggies and stuff aside from meat!. i don't think meat is eaten every single day, generally speaking!. so you can afford to eat a meal without meat in it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

why does the omnivore have to be respectful in both circumstances yet the vegetarians doesnt!.!.!.

would a vegetarian cook me meat if i expressly believed in having meat with my meals!?

no they would say sod off

so why cant an omnivore say sod off if the veggie doesnt want meat!?

its all about give and take!.!.!.but i can garuntee any amount of money that if i developed a belief in having meat with every meal!.!.!.no vegetarian would accomodate my choice

AND WITH THE RESTURAUNT!.!.!.!.WHY THE HELL SHOULD VEGETARIANS DEMAND A VEGETARIAN OPTION IN EVERY RESTURAUNT AND SAY ITS INSENSITIVE IF THEY DONT!.!.!.BUT DONT SEEM TO MIND WHEN THERE IS NO MEAT OPTION IN A VEGGIE RESTURAUNT!.!.!.A MEAN THEY EVEN HAVE VEGGIE OPTIONS IN STEAK HOUSES!.!.!.THE NAME SAYS IT ALL BUT YOU STILL WANT A VEGGIE OPTION SO WHY CANT WE HAVE OUR MEAT OPTIONWww@FoodAQ@Com

because as a meat eater you have the option to eat meat and non-meat sources!.!.!.
as a veg you only have the non-meat options!.!.!.!.

you can eat a veg meal, a veg can't eat a meat meal!.!.!.

and it doesn't hurt you to cook both meat and non meat items!.!.!. someone morally opposed to meat would not want to cook it and then just not eat it!.!.!. might as well eat it too then!.!.!. we dont' want to cook it or do anything with it!.!.!.
Www@FoodAQ@Com

just one sentence:

meat eaters will happily eat veggie food but vegetarians wont touch or eat meat!.!.!.

so how is it fair !? to expect the person who does not eat meat (for whatever reason) to cook meat for someone who can easily skip meat for one meal and eat something different that his / her friend has made for them !?!?!?!?!?!?

or is that too much to ask !?Www@FoodAQ@Com

I have a vegetarian friend who hates the smell of cooking meat, she refuses point blank to touch it so when we go to her house we get given what she makes and then thank god that we don't die from it (her cooking is abysmal, but I love her)

Best
Kez xWww@FoodAQ@Com

You can get ice cream at a vegetarian restaurant, but you can't get a vegetarian meal at an ice cream parlour!. I guess that's the same!

There was a vegetarian restaurant in our town, but it went bust because there was no call for it here!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Becuz it is a vegetarian's promise not to consume meat!.!.!.!.!.a vegatarian can't buy meat!.Why would a vegetarian buy meat but never eat it,even if it meant there were carnivores over!?!?

Think about it :)Www@FoodAQ@Com

because most people are vegetarian cus they don't like the fact animals are killed for food!.!.!. so they wouldn't serve it because that would be against their beliefs!
i have two Vegetarian sisters but we still cook meat too! Www@FoodAQ@Com

It would be like going to a recovering alcoholic's house and expecting them to serve alcohol!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

vegetarians hate to BUY meat!. That's the main reason!. When meat is bought, they need more to replace it so they kill more animals!. So yah!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

I've been veggie since I was a teenager, so I can't guarantee that I know how to cook meat! I could poison you!Www@FoodAQ@Com

because the smell of cooked flesh is disgusting!.!.!.
Www@FoodAQ@Com

I haven't read through everyone's answers yet to see if they've touched on the perspective I have but here it is:

If you did not like onions or bell peppers I would not cook you a meal with those ingredients (and I do ask when I invite because I am taking you into consideration even if you are not a vegetarian)!.

If you did not like onions or bell peppers would you be likely to cook me a meal with those!?

How about if you hate eggplant, or some cuisine such as Indian food!? Would you cook those for me!?

Personally I think cilantro is a vile weed so even if I made you something that often has that such as salsa, or an Indian food, I'm not likely to put it in that dish even if you love it!.

Meat is not a part of a vegetarian/vegan's life so it's not going to be a part of what they would serve you!. Because it's not a part of their life it shouldn't be in something you serve them!.

also, meat filled meals are overdone these days and really shouldn't be more than a few meals (not full days) a week at most -- for many, many reasons -- and certainly not every single meal as some people do!.

Restaurants having vegetarian meals is wonderful and something I really enjoyed even before I came to my senses!. :)

Having vegetarian meals in restaurants are not just for those who don't eat meat ever!. Lots of people have cut their consumption and having those meals allows them to try something they haven't before or don't have the ingredients for at home which can be really expensive to buy all of for an occasional meal!.

also, having vegetarian meals in restaurants allows families and friends to dine together no matter what everyone in the group does or doesn't eat!.

That you have restaurants where you live that all have options is wonderful but it's not like that in many places, especially the south and mid-west areas of the United States and many small towns in and out of those specific areas!.

Your consideration is very appreciated though!. :)

EDIT TO ADD: A link to this recent article I just found from the New York Times on the plight of a vegan frequent flier:
http://www!.nytimes!.com/2008/09/09/busine!.!.!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Because most vegetarians and vegans see that killing animals for food is immoral!.

They're not about to throw away all their morals just to satisfy your taste buds, they might as well be eating it themselves!.

You wouldn't go to a Hindu's house and demand to eat some dead cow because you would provide a dead-cow free meal, so don't expect the same of vegetarians and vegans!.

Another example: If you were a rapist and decided to abstain from abusing women while I was in your house, does that oblige me to provide women for you to assault when you enter my home!?

The similarity is far greater than most people like to imagine!. Cows are tied up to what farmers themselves call the 'rape rack' to be forcefully impregnated!. This happens before they are even adults!. It might as well be paedophilia - the animals are pure and innocent, defenceless and scarred until their bloody deaths by the abuse they are given!.Www@FoodAQ@Com

Well meat-eaters can still eat vegetarian meals!. Many meat-eaters unintentionally consume vegetarian meals all the time!. Many times I've been out to dinner with non-vegetarians or at the house of a non-vegetarian who happens to eat a vegetarian meal like pasta with tomato sauce, a salad, vegetable lasagna, a cheese sandwich, macaroni and cheese, vegetable soups, etc!. It's not like meat-eaters ONLY eat meat, they eat BOTH meat and vegetarian foods!.

So if I were to prepare a meal for non-vegetarians, I would not serve them a meat meal!. Why!? Because I don't cook meat!. I don't buy meat!. For one thing, I don't want to support the industry by buying meat!. But on a more practical note, I have NO idea how you're supposed to cook meat, and I wouldn't be able to taste it to see how I was doing!. Even if I did taste it, I have no idea how meat is supposed to taste - it's been 9 years since I've eaten meat!. So even if I didn't have a problem with cooking a meat meal, you would probably get an overcooked hunk of meat without much seasoning or with too much garlic or something!. It wouldn't be to your benefit!. Maybe my boyfriend could cook you some chicken, but I really wouldn't know where to start!.

I also just think that it's a different situation because most non-vegetarians don't mind eating a vegetarian meal every once in a while!. I wouldn't try to spring something weird on you (bulgur salad anyone!?) or give you soy meats!. I'd just make you something simple and homey like pasta, salad, and French bread or a fruit salad with baked potatoes and veggies!. If you would care to bring your own meat dish to add to the meal, that would be fine, if you really can't go without meat for a meal!.

And as for restaurants!? Well they wouldn't be vegetarian if they had meat options! And I think the point is that vegetarian restaurants still include foods that meat-eaters can eat!. It's not like they check if you're a vegetarian at the door!. One of the best restaurants in San Francisco is a vegetarian restaurant called Greens!. I went there many times with my grandparents, who love lamb chops and steaks but still appreciated the fine dining at a vegetarian place!.

And by the way, I have been to people's houses who knew I was a vegetarian but did not go out of their way to make anything for me!. Many times I have chewed on a couple lettuce leaves or waited until later to eat!. And I certainly don't mind one bit if others at a meal are eating meat or if the main dish is meat!. But if I'm invited to dinner at someone's house, it is courteous to provide something I can eat!.Www@FoodAQ@Com





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