O/T... Vegetarianism in the workplace...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51529207

What do people think? Given the article states that much of the workforce work away a lot expenses regarding subsistence - particularly meals in hotels/restaurants etc often form a reasonable proportion of overall remuneration package. I know little about employment law, and this is relatively new territory, but would this not be considered discriminatory for those who are not vegetarian who cannot claim back meal expenses? If you work away for weeks on end (as I once did) you are faced with the choice of going veggie or seeing your remuneration drop considerably .

The same article contained a more worrying element,for me, of a new 'free school' providing only vegetarian meals. Given we are often told it is the only square meal some children from poorer families get and many dieticians and doctors state there is growing evidence that, particularly for developing children, vegetarianism and veganism lack a number of vital minerals that can only be obtained in meat or supplements.

I have no problem whatsoever with people who choose to no longer eat meat or fish, but enforcing this in schools and the workplace is a worrying development. I accept global warming but have not fully bought into the claims that raising livestock and farting cows are significantly contributing towards it nor taking up valuable space (after all) many sheep/ lambs are raised in areas like salt marshes and on land unsuitable for arable farming.

This article clearly has a positive slant but then the BBC has been publishing almost daily articles promoting veganism and vegetarianism and this is just the latest

 

In relation to the article: I absolutely hate the idea but then again, if it actually is good for the environment, then things have to be forced on people that they don’t like as they would never choose it themselves so people not liking it isn’t enough of an argument. Vegetarian food does exist and is perfectly fine to have for a meal whilst on a work trip so they are meeting requirements to provide their employees with food. They haven’t banned meat from being eaten, just said they won’t pay for it which seems fair enough (I would hope that they would make sensible exceptions for people who have dietary medical needs though). I’d definitely be fuming if I worked there though! I hate all veggie food pretty much as it always seems to involve a weird cheese plus I’m incredibly picky as it is.

As for banning it at schools, I agree with your comment about that being the only meal some kids have all day and so I think a meat option should be available, at least some days a week.

 

To be honest though, a meal at work may be the only meal an adult has all day too. I know that is true for some people I know or is true the opposite way round with no meals eaten at work and just one at home. So if the one funded meal is the only meal they too will eat all day shouldn't they be allowed meat?

On the good for environment argument I'm sure I read somewhere that a recent study has found that eating meat is actually better for the environment than going totally vegetarian. Something to do with it's fine if a few do it but if we all go vegetarian it's too much demand and the correct way to utilise the earth's resources is a mixed diet. With that in mind it sort of negates their whole argument and simply comes down to what appears to be this one woman forcing her personal beliefs on everyone

 

When I did my Wild Yorkshire Way walk last spring, I ended up one evening in the Old Silent Inn, near Ponden in Brontë country. I got talking to a couple walking the Pennine Way. They were vegetarians and were stopping mainly in youth hostels, where the guests usually cooked their own food in a communal kitchen. They thought that cooking with meat should not be allowed, as they couldn't help seeing it and found it repulsive. They asked me what I thought, and I told them we could all cook/eat what we want but not force our views on others. They admitted that they often ate out with non-vegetarians, it was the food preparation they had a problem with. They were angered by my views and went to sit somewhere else.

 

I’m very sceptical about the whole vegan/vegetarian angle at the minute. I can see how it would help if people cut back but I don’t think everyone giving it up is the solution either. I guess I think this is annoying but maybe fair enough as it’s up to work what they want to pay for. It’s their money at the end of the day and they can decide what it can or can’t be spent on expenses wise. Every company has rules of how much and what items do or don’t qualify so this is just her rule and they did at least have a vote. It’s just the same as a canteen deciding what food to sell. I’d either eat the free veggie option or split the bill so I’d pay for the sandwich or whatever separate and then bill for the snacks/drinks (which I would be spending the maximum amount on and saving any extras for later).

 

I will always cook meals for my family containing meat as part of a balanced diet. We should all be wary of our actions regarding the environment but imagine if tomorrow everyone in Britain turned vegan, how long would it be before we ran out of food and had to import the balance via plane, boat, truck etc.
I’m all for positive initiatives but please don’t take us for a set of fuckwits.

 

I've been cutting back on red meat for a long time. Mostly for health reasons TBH. Chicken is far more sustainable than most types of fish & there are many vegetarian foods that contain palm oil & other things that are non sustainable. I wouldn't dream of telling people that work for my agency what to eat. Often I get food on the rider when i'm away & I tend not to be too specific about what I ask for as I don't want people to think i'm an ass hole.

 

Reckon it's a way to cut expenses if I'm being cynical

 

You can bet your life that if I had to spend £3 on my own sandwich I’d be spending their £3 on something else, just on principle if nothing else.

 

I'm not a vegetarian or vegan, but you can find everything you need for human growth in a vegetarian diet, the only thing I'd add in would be fish oils as a suplement.

It's harder with veganism, as a chicken or ducks egg can provide most of the 'non-meat' goodies our bodies need in a nice neat package.

 

If everyone went vegetarian or vegan would it be sustainable, personally I dont think it would be, the thing with especially vegans is they do themselves absolutely no favours by carrying out pathetic funerals in supermarkets over a packet of smokey bacon or a leg of lamb whilst people are trying to shop, I would have tried it but them loons have made me adamant that I will carry on eating flesh.

 

If everyone suddenly went veggie tomorrow then no, we obviously aren't equipped for that. But if there is a slow trend towards it then we can gradually adapt, and it would benefit the planet.

I don't understand your point regarding activists - why judge a whole group by the extreme fringes? If you adopted that as a general approach you'd hate absolutely everything.

I must caveat all the above by saying that I fvcking love meat. I understand the arguments for giving up, but it just tastes too good.

 

Thing about this though is that everyone turning vegan tomorrow won't happen, and nobody including vegans or these people thinks that it will.

It's going to be a long, slow process of less demand for meat and more demand for alternatives, and it has begun already. Look in the supermarket for the number of options that have sprung up over the last few years.

The amount of the earth's resources used for raising animals is absolutely staggering - there's capacity there for everyone to go vegan, eventually, when production shifts to different crops.

 

Quite a few schools I work in have adopted a meat free Monday - does give children chance to try things they wouldn't normally try. One school does the best cauliflower cheese I have ever had but don't think the meat free menu should be the norm

 

Very much doubt that. Vegetarian food is normally more expensive

 

Steak or nut roast?!

 

Spot on, this

I'm absolutely the same on loving meat mate - but honestly, give some alternatives a try!

Quorn southern fried bites, the beyond burger. the subway vegan meatballs - all really, really good. It gets so much easier once you try subbing a few things in.

 

99% of jobs have limits on expenses anyway though. Most places is something like £15 for lunch and £30 for dinner. You would have to be very lucky to get reimbursed for a £30 steak as part of a meal

 

Quorn Crispy nuggets n sprouts ,mmmmmmmmmmm.

 

Just reminded how childish I am. Nut roast. Gets me every time