Excuses & Answers - For Not Eating Vegan

The travel issue is in fact a big problem for some people. Mr. Poppy works in software sales - an industry you'd think would be more enlightened when it comes to veg*n eating than some others - what with so much of the workforce being international. However, two weeks ago he went to a company catered lunch - his company :rolleyes: - and there were two entree selections - red peppers stuffed with beef or green peppers stuffed with turkey. :( He had two sides of roasted potatoes, two side salads and a piece of cake. And Mr. Poppy's not even vegetarian - he's a pescatarian. So I imagine it can be very hard to be vegan when you travel a lot for business.
 
The travel issue is in fact a big problem for some people. Mr. Poppy works in software sales - an industry you'd think would be more enlightened when it comes to veg*n eating than some others - what with so much of the workforce being international. However, two weeks ago he went to a company catered lunch - his company :rolleyes: - and there were two entree selections - red peppers stuffed with beef or green peppers stuffed with turkey. :( He had two sides of roasted potatoes, two side salads and a piece of cake. And Mr. Poppy's not even vegetarian - he's a pescatarian. So I imagine it can be very hard to be vegan when you travel a lot for business.

Perhaps it would be a good idea to be more vocal by requesting a veg*n/pescatarian option beforehand.
 
Perhaps it would be a good idea to be more vocal by requesting a veg*n/pescatarian option beforehand.

Perhaps it would have had there been an option to do that at registration. There wasn't.

But then there's this problem: my best friend, who is vegetarian, has persuaded her company (a national property insurance company) to provide vegetarian options at company lunches - which they now do. But if she doesn't get to the meeting early, all the vegetarian options are gone by people who also eat meat but chose the vegetarian option because it looked good or seemed "healthy". So even when a company knows there are veg*n requests, its not always guaranteed you'll get it!

Companies really need to up the options for veg*ns when providing meals.
 
Perhaps it would have had there been an option to do that at registration. There wasn't.

But then there's this problem: my best friend, who is vegetarian, has persuaded her company (a national property insurance company) to provide vegetarian options at company lunches - which they now do. But if she doesn't get to the meeting early, all the vegetarian options are gone by people who also eat meat but chose the vegetarian option because it looked good or seemed "healthy". So even when a company knows there are veg*n requests, its not always guaranteed you'll get it!

Companies really need to up the options for veg*ns when providing meals.

I still think that you should make an request even if it's not an option. At my former firm they had a food truck event for lunch and the choice was between two meat dishes. I called the events planner and requested a vegan option which was
provided. Moreover it was absolutely delicious.

On long haul flights there is a choice between meat and a vegetarian option. I always ask the flight attendant to put one aside whilst they serve pre meal drinks as it isn't available once they get to the end of the plane.

I think that if more people make vegetarian/vegan requests companies et restaurants will have to oblige. This is what is happening in the UK supermarkets where there are many choices of veg food.
 
Perhaps it would have had there been an option to do that at registration. There wasn't.

But then there's this problem: my best friend, who is vegetarian, has persuaded her company (a national property insurance company) to provide vegetarian options at company lunches - which they now do. But if she doesn't get to the meeting early, all the vegetarian options are gone by people who also eat meat but chose the vegetarian option because it looked good or seemed "healthy". So even when a company knows there are veg*n requests, its not always guaranteed you'll get it!

Companies really need to up the options for veg*ns when providing meals.
How very true :rolleyes: ! Asked in advance no one else wants a vegan option-put it out and suddenly everyone wants to eat healthy! Or try something new! :mad:
 
I still think that you should make an request even if it's not an option. At my former firm they had a food truck event for lunch and the choice was between two meat dishes. I called the events planner and requested a vegan option which was
provided. Moreover it was absolutely delicious.

On long haul flights there is a choice between meat and a vegetarian option. I always ask the flight attendant to put one aside whilst they serve pre meal drinks as it isn't available once they get to the end of the plane.

I think that if more people make vegetarian/vegan requests companies et restaurants will have to oblige. This is what is happening in the UK supermarkets where there are many choices of veg food.


We've had some excellent vegan options on transcontinental flights. A tip for future travelers: Try to remember to request them at least a week in advance. :)

As for the work issue, it's probably quite easy to ask in advance for dietary restrictions to be addressed when it's a function at your home office, but when you travel to offices in cities you've never visited or internationally its more complicated - you don't the ropes: who's ordering the meals, whether they are being catered by a local company or by a chain, or if they give you a meal break where you can go and get something yourself. Believe me, it can be a challenge, despite one's best intentions.
 
We've had some excellent vegan options on transcontinental flights. A tip for future travelers: Try to remember to request them at least a week in advance. :)

As for the work issue, it's probably quite easy to ask in advance for dietary restrictions to be addressed when it's a function at your home office, but when you travel to offices in cities you've never visited or internationally its more complicated - you don't the ropes: who's ordering the meals, whether they are being catered by a local company or by a chain, or if they give you a meal break where you can go and get something yourself. Believe me, it can be a challenge, despite one's best intentions.

I understand what you mean when an event is planned at a higher level. It's the same problem with our hypermarkets. I often make requests for plant based food such as ice cream, cheese etc but they manager says that it's the head office that decides on what kind of product is made available. A major hypermarket promoted Gardein beef less Ground (mince )which they named beef in their weekly ad !!! Moreover the package was in English so customers would have had no idea that it was a plant based product !

They don't seem to take into account customers' requests. A bunch of executives seem to make decisions based on unknown facts.

We also have a choice of vegan options on all of our international flights but they are truly disappointing. I have tried all the options and have opted to have the vegetarian meal plus food that I prepare myself to bring along. Some progress has been made as only a few years ago they would serve two meat options. Snail progress, however things are changing.;)
 
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It's a copout. They act like their "afraid" to try it BECAUSE it doesn't have dead animal or even because it's actually healthy and better for you. I wasn't for healthy stuff either and that's not why I'm doing it. It was an easy choice for me. I became vegetarian on Dec 15th of 17. Although i ate fish i did that till Feb of 18 then by Sept/Oct i went Vegan the same year. You have to have a conscious, i think, about the lives being "murdered". Or even your health if NOT for the animals.