What is Vegan food?

Hog

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  1. Vegan newbie
First, I would like the forum members who ruined my life. I was happily going about my life eating $1 Large McDonald's. Ignorance truly is bliss. Then tragically certain evil forum members advised me that they are not vegan. NOTE: McDonald's french fries are probably the most emotionally healthy food in existence. Thus, in the interest of animals, I am compelled to give up this dining option. (I hate all of you.)

Here is your opportunity to make up for your past sins. My son stated that his school frequently gives out leftover pizza from lunch at the end of the lunch period. He could bring home the pizza for the family to eat. The pizza contains cheese. Still, if someone does not eat pizza, they throw it away. This seems like a senseless waste of food. Is it vegan if my son brings the pizza home for the family to eat?
 
First, I would like the forum members who ruined my life. I was happily going about my life eating $1 Large McDonald's. Ignorance truly is bliss. Then tragically certain evil forum members advised me that they are not vegan. NOTE: McDonald's french fries are probably the most emotionally healthy food in existence. Thus, in the interest of animals, I am compelled to give up this dining option. (I hate all of you.)

Here is your opportunity to make up for your past sins. My son stated that his school frequently gives out leftover pizza from lunch at the end of the lunch period. He could bring home the pizza for the family to eat. The pizza contains cheese. Still, if someone does not eat pizza, they throw it away. This seems like a senseless waste of food. Is it vegan if my son brings the pizza home for the family to eat?
This is a controversial subject and one that has a lot of facets. It also quickly goes into various philosophical areas.

My default position is that it is always up to you do decide what is right. Of course, you should gather information to make an informed decision. In this case, there isn't much concrete or objective data that would inform your decision. But perhaps smarter people than you or I have thought on this and write about it.

Below I've included two links that I think does a pretty good job of explaining Freeganism.
Now you won't be rooting around in dumpsters but you are still eating things that are destined for the garbage.

However if the school doesn't actually waste any pizza because there are lots of students taking it home the whole "waste not" part of the argument falls out.

Also if you can afford higher quality food - one wonders if eating school cafeteria pizza is just creating health issues downstream. I'm thinking of obesity, diabetes, heart disease.


 
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@ Lou - In hindsight, I subconsciously realized that this is a controversial topic.

In my opinion, the welfare of the animal comes first. I am fairly confident that the food would otherwise be thrown away. Thus, from this standpoint, it would be beneficial to eat it rather than throwing it away from an environmental standpoint. In addition, I do not think that an animal would be harmed because I am not creating a demand for the product by purchasing it.

I have always believed that eating roadkill is vegan. It might not be safe and healthy. But, it is vegan. Similarly, the pizza probably is not the best tasting or healthy. But, it seems like it would be vegan. At least from a logical standpoint, it is vegan.

From an emotional standpoint, eating pizza that would otherwise be thrown away feels totally wrong. Here is the closest parallel that I can think of. Suppose that I was stranded on a remote isolated island with my wife. My wife dies. Then I am faced with a choice. I can eat my wife's remains or I can starve to death. My wife would not want me to die. She would want me to eat her remains. But, I would feel guilty. I would have preferred to die first so that she could eat my remains.

Nevertheless, the whole affair seems grotesque. I wonder how many people at this forum feel sick at the thought of eating sliced ham or whole milk.
 
You analogy is pretty strained but I do understand the point you are making.

If I was hungry, and it was me or the garbage, and it was a good slice a pizza - I would eat it.
but I don't think I would be very tempted with typical school cafeteria pizza.
However feeding a family pizza can be expensive - so maybe free pizza is a viable alternative.
 
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IMHO:
Vegan means you don't feel anyone should be used against their will for the benefit of others
There's a very wide range of what this means
I give a far broader range to a family with children who can barely pay their living expenses
I give far more range to those in areas where food choices are limited
Far broader range to those who choices are not in their control---being hospitalized, in prison, or having medical conditions that limits what they can use
A well paid single person in a city doesn't get much leeway!

If a family is struggling and that pizza will be a meal that they might otherwise have skipped, than I have no problem with putting it under that clause of vegan.
If it's just under the idea of someone liking free food and an excuse to eat cheese without guilt, well, I feel they should feel guilty, because that's NOT vegan

Look at the bigger picture here and make your own choices, and think how those choices impact the feelings of others. I have eaten food I knew wasn't quite vegan that people went out of their way to serve so I would be included. I waited to bring it up after the event, not to chastise or complain, but just to say how much it was appreciated, but to let them know so they would know. Does that make me an vegan apologist? Of well, I find that better than leaving people feel like nothing is good enough for vegans so why bother

When the day comes where plant based foods are as accesible as those of animals then I'll be more strict, but that day is not now
 
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I loved your response Lou.

"If I was hungry, and it was me or the garbage, and it was a good slice a pizza - I would eat it.
but I don't think I would be very tempted with typical school cafeteria pizza."

Silva seems to get to the heart of the matter when she says:

"If a family is struggling and that pizza will be a meal that they might otherwise have skipped, than I have no problem with putting it under that clause of vegan."

=======

Lou - How did you know that school cafeteria food is still nasty? It has obviously been a while since you were last in school.
 
There's probably someone else who could use the pizza more, people who don't know when or how they can get their next meal.
From what I remembered school pizza is awful, I would not choose to eat it unless I had to.
Its a good guess that school pizza is still bad, it has to be affordable for the school to feed many children. Cheap pizza is not good.
It would make Little Ceasars pizza sound tasty, and I hated that too. Hurts the roof of my mouth, not enough sauce.
If I were non vegan, I still would not be interested in having school lunch for dinner.
 
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I don't see them suddenly changing it. They're a school, not a pizza store, lol.
I really did hate school lunch growing up. I think it is safe to assume that prison, hospital and school food all suck. With maybe some exceptions.
 
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In my book, any food that comes out of a dumpster is vegan. I have so much respect for individuals who dumpster dive. There is so much that I could learn from them.


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"If a family is struggling and that pizza will be a meal that they might otherwise have skipped, then I have no problem with putting it under that clause of vegan. If it's just under the idea of someone liking free food and an excuse to eat cheese without guilt, well, I feel they should feel guilty, because that's NOT vegan." - Silva

I thought more about what you said. I need to make sure that I do not look for excuses to eat cheese guilt-free. That could take me down the slippery slope of not being vegan. Still, this line of reasoning might not apply to some individuals with more moral fortitude than myself.

Thank you very much for your moral guidance on this issue. I appreciate it.
 
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Here is your opportunity to make up for your past sins. My son stated that his school frequently gives out leftover pizza from lunch at the end of the lunch period. He could bring home the pizza for the family to eat. The pizza contains cheese. Still, if someone does not eat pizza, they throw it away. This seems like a senseless waste of food. Is it vegan if my son brings the pizza home for the family to eat?
I have always believed that eating roadkill is vegan. It might not be safe and healthy. But, it is vegan. Similarly, the pizza probably is not the best tasting or healthy. But, it seems like it would be vegan. At least from a logical standpoint, it is vegan.

How amusing. Am I walking over a bridge?
 
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