Diet Choice

A flyer for a new menu at a local pub dropped thought my door. I have never had the opportunity to go to this place before, even though I drive past it quite frequently, so I was curious to see what they offered.

The menu started off well with two starters marked as suitable for vegetarians and so my hopes were raised. And that is where it ended. I looked and looked again. Burgers, Mains, Specials, Desserts – not a vegetarian offering in sight,

In the small print at the bottom were the words ”Please discuss any dietary requirements with us”. So a glimmer of hope that they could muster up a vegetarian/vegan option if you rang them (and asked nicely).

I fail to understand why you would indicate vegetarian friendly starters and then provide no mains. The onus is now on me to phone and have THAT conversation, and then feel easily identifiable an slightly awkward when I turn up to eat.

From a marketing perspective is this not a fail from the outset? A flyer is meant to entice people to spend their money with you. It is also an expensive form of marketing. With more people turning to a meat free diet every day, by not advertising meat free options you are excluding 2% of the population.

As teenagers make up the highest proportion of vegetarians you are now excluding/making it difficult for the family trade, which is also a lucrative part of the market.

So a plea to menu planners: double check where your meatless offering starts and stops. Are you happy with it? And who will you be stopping visiting your establishment? Can you afford to do this?

Once the initial ‘So you’re vegetarian? – you don’t look like a vegetarian’ comments are done I can guarantee that in 98% of cases the next sentence is ‘I don’t each much meat these days’.

To be honest, I don’t care. I am not here to make judgement on your eating habits, unless they are causing you health problems. I’m much more interested in you – who you are, what you do and your interests. Remarks like these make me feel that the person is trying to justify their diet choice.

Mention of meat consumption always comes before any mention of animal cruelty, or the understanding of where food comes from. The journey from farm to shelf seems to be completely overlooked. I do not wade in there and check their understanding of this process, and that they are at peace with their choice.

Blinkered Businessman

It’s the remaining 2% of ‘I could never give up eating meat’ respondents who I sometimes have fun with. This often happens at a buffet where they are enjoying eating the veggie options before the meat ones. Most of the time I just say ‘fair enough’. This flummoxes them as I think they are expecting a fight. It is their choice. I understand that – as much a being vegetarian is my choice.

It’s the people who quiz me further, then reveal that they don’t want to know where their food comes from who make me angry. Its as though as long as it tastes good and is packaged nicely they will eat anything. Which to me is wrong.

Whatever your diet choice you should always be fully aware of what you are putting into your body – where it has come from, how it is processed and what, if anything, is added to it. Are you happy with every element of this process? Just don’t feel you need me to justify it for you.

ravenousveggie

Thoughts on veggie food, work, play and life in general

Category

Flyer to Nowhere

So You’re Vegetarian Part 2