Vegetarian at a non vegetarian wedding, what do you do?

Question

I recently went a cousin of mine's wedding and at both the rehearsal dinner and the reception dinner there where almost no vegetarian options for me. The rehearsal dinner was worse, I asked for just a salad as a meal and the waiter told me that salads come with one of the four meal choices, which were pork chops, steak, catfish, or chicken. I explained to him I'm a vegetarian and he said rules are rules. I ended up just sitting in the place with a glass of water. At the reception, the only meat- free options were fruit and raw veggies, rice and the cake. I wasn't crazy about the cake, so ate just a little rice and veggies, but by the time I left I was starving again. Is this selfish? Should I have just eaten the meals regardless? What do I do in the future?

Answer 1

Next time you're invited to an event like this, let the host know you're vegetarian. When you RSVP'd to your cousin, you didn't think to say, hey, cuz, I'm vegetarian. Is there any way the kitchen can provide me a vegetarian meal?



In the nearly 15 years I've been vegetarian (vegan for most of it), I've had mixed results at family events. To be fair, at one event, I don't think anyone liked the meal the hotel provided, so my bland pasta dish (a dish of penne with no sauce and a few baby vegetables) wasn't much worse than anyone else;s dish. The best meal was about three years ago for another cousin's bar mitzvah: a roasted tomato with tofu cubes and mushrooms. I was raving to everyone about how good my food was. All the appetizers were vegan because of other family members' allergies.

Answer 2

I understand that many establishments only have one or two vegetarian options per course per night but what happened to you was beyond rude! "Rules are rules," meant you couldn't even have a salad? That's crazy! I'm not one for causing a fuss at somebody else's wedding but I would definitely asked to have spoken to the chef and if he nixed even a salad I'd complain to the management (though the latter in writing in order to spare your cousin).



Normally when a wedding is organised finding out about people's dietary needs happens after rsvping and the wedding organisers arrange to make sure that all the guests get something they can eat. I can't think of a wedding I've been to in the last 20 years that didn't ask and even made sure that there were enough vegetarian appetisers to go round because everyone likes them.

Answer 3

As a vegetarian/vegan for like 16 years, i'm pretty sure this hardly ever happens.

I don't think it has ever happened to me.

but there are some strategies that other vegans have suggested to me that you might want to keep in mind.



Before going to a "group event" where you might not have control of the food choices, eat a head of time or bring a brown bag kind of meal with you. You can leave it in the car and go out and eat it if its necessary.



speak to somebody ahead of time. sometimes its calling the caterer or restaurant and just letting them know. sometime you need to speak to your host - but if this isn't a good option then go back to plan A.



tell your waiter to leave the meat off your plate and to provide you with double sides. if he won't do it, go into the kitchen and ask someone else.



And sometimes you just might want to stop being vegan for a few hours. No one is keeping score but you. but if that isn't a reasonable alternative for you then thats ok, too. No one starves in an afternoon. Drink some water , have a cup of coffee and wander around the dining room talking to people.

Answer 4

I'm not a vegetarian.



No, I don't think you are being selfish. Frankly I think it is ridiculous that, in the 21st century at least one vegetarian option was provided. Vegetarianism is not some kind of crank, minority diet - lots of people are vegetarin and plenty of non-vegetarians might choose a vegetarian meal.



In the future, if I was you I would be tempted to explain I couldn't accept invitations like that unless I was to be catered for too.

Answer 5

Next time, let them know you're a vegetarian well in advance (when you send back your RSVP) and ask if there is a vegetarian option. If a kitchen/wedding venue knows in advance they can put something together. Asking for it on the day when they're dealing with logistics of feeding people puts them in a difficult spot because they typically only portion out what they're going to need.

Answer 6

Do what you want. There is no vegetarian high council you need to answer to. The waiter is an idiot though. I'm POSITIVE that you would have been allowed to have just the salad. If not, I would have said a random meat and then just not touched it if I didn't want to eat it. No rule says I have to eat what is given! As for the wedding, just eat later. It's not that big of a deal.

Answer 7

The last time I was in that situation, I just filled up on the sides (roasted potatoes and vegetables), bread, and wine, which was totally fine with me! Of course it's so much better when there is an actual vegan option available, but it doesn't bother me too much, as long as there is something to tide me over until I get home. Next time maybe stash a protein bar or some trail mix in your bag, in the case of desperation.

Answer 8

Vegetarian at a non vegetarian wedding, what do you do?



Go into the kitchen and help myself to whatever is there.

Answer 9

You should stop being a baby and throw some nuts or granola bars in your bag so you'll always have something to eat when you are in situations like that.



You could have taken the salad and when the main dish came, just ignored it or eaten the side veggies.

Answer 10

Hmmmmmm....maybe you do it different where you live but where I come from the usual thing to do is to inform the kitchen of your dietary needs. This is usually done via the bride and groom who prior to the reception will ask those invited if they want meat or are vegetarian or vegan etc.

Answer 11

A low-fat diet often results in a host brain problems- such as a lowered IQ, impaired logical ability, short term memory loss, lack of long term decision making and general lack of ability to see future consequences, and in some cases, brain cancer or other serious illnesses. Since people started eating low-fat diets, brain problems have skyrocketed.



A lot of vegans and vegetarians are obsessed with the low-fat diet craze, and at any rate, they avoid meat, which has critical fats necessary to brain health and brain development.



This explains why the vast majority of vegans are liberals.



https://authoritynutrition.com/7-ways-the-low-fat-diet-destroys-your-health/



http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-20584/why-low-fat-diets-wreck-your-brain-health-what-to-do-about-it.html



http://www.faim.org/do-low-fat-diets-cause-alzheimers

Source(s):

Sometimes the truth hurts, but hey

Answer 12

You could have ordered the salad and removed the meat. My husband and I used to go to my company's annual Christmas dinner. Meal was always the same - salad, filet mignon, baked potato, green beans and dessert. We made a deal with our meat eating friends. We got their potatoes and they got our filets. Worked great!

Answer 13

We all make sacrifices for our beliefs and our lifestyles. If situations occur when you have to stay true to yourself or bend your own rules, you should judge yourself on your decisions and not others. You should feel proud of your choice and not feel like a victim. I'm sure they did not intentionally set you up to fail.

Answer 14

*You should have just ordered the full meal and given the meat to one of the other guests - there is always some willing to have seconds. You don't eat meat doesn't mean you can't order it and leave it on your plate if necessary.

Answer 15

if i'm going somewhere i'm not sure i'll have eating options, i'll eat a little bit before and make sure i have a snack in my car or my coat or wherever just in case.

Answer 16

Order the whole meal and take the meat home to your dog, or your neighbors dog. But there really should be the option to only take the salad.

Answer 17

You should let the people in charge know that you're a veggie.

Answer 18

get the meat on the side. You can eat meat but instead you chose to make a spectacle of yourself by being rude

Answer 19

so there were NO sides? ONLY salad and meat? No dinner rolls, potato side or pasta side?

Answer 20

Eat the meals regardless

Answer 21

You grow up

Answer 22

grow up . eat the food offered. be grateful there is food.

Answer 23

huh

Answer 24

Get drunk