We all have different tastes, which might make hosting a big dinner quite a challenging task; even more so if there are food-related personal beliefs or dietary restrictions involved.
Personal beliefs are the reason this redditor was voted a [jerk] by the AITA community, after he asked his vegan sister to serve more than just vegan dishes during the family reunion. Even though he said he respects her beliefs, the OP was fearful that other family members might not be too happy about it. Scroll down for the full story.
Bored Panda turned to registered dietitian-nutritionist Jane Burrell to learn more about the vegan diet, and she was kind enough to answer a few of our questions. You can find her thoughts in the text below.
Cooking for people with different tastes and dietary preferences is in no way an easy task
Image credits: bialasiewicz
This redditor asked his vegan sister not to stick to vegan food only during the family reunion she was hosting
Image credits: Alex Green (not the actual photo)
The OP provided an update answering some of the redditors’ questions
Image credits: jeffman98
Veganism seems to be picking up speed popularity wise
Veganism is a diet that has experienced a quite significant increase in popularity over the last ten years, Healthline reports. Based on not using products of animal origin because of ethical, health, or environmental reasons, this type of diet saw an increase of as much as 350% in the number of people following it in the past decade.
According to registered dietitian-nutritionist Jane Burrell, a vegan diet can be very healthy and nourishing, with some extra consideration and planning. “There are many advantages to following a plant-based diet including having rich sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and healthy unsaturated fats that are associated with lower risks of chronic disease,” she told Bored Panda in a recent interview.
“However, there are some nutrients that may be more difficult to obtain from a vegan diet including iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, omega-3 fats and sometimes protein. By selecting a variety of foods, including soy (for complete proteins), nuts and seeds (omega 3 fats) and using products fortified with iron, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12, nutrient needs can be met.”
Be that as it may, the expert pointed out that eating habits are personal and many styles of eating can be healthy. “It is important to allow for this individuality and support each other,” she said, adding that if a vegan is present at a big dinner, it might be a good idea to consider foods that are already vegan—such as salads—or swapping certain ingredients.
“Simple swaps like using a vegetable stock instead of chicken stock can be a way to keep the flavor and make a favorite dish vegan and using avocados instead of cheese can provide a creamy texture without using dairy,” she suggested.
People have different reasons for opting for a vegan diet, animal well-being reportedly being the most common one
Image credits: Nadine Primeau (not the actual photo)
Based on statistics regarding veganism, quite a few people don’t seem bothered by having to swap certain ingredients or make sure their food is nutritious enough. Veganuary—“the global organization encouraging people to try vegan in January and beyond,” as they present themselves—has reportedly reached a new height this year with more than 700,000 people signing up for their initiative for the month of January. The number, comprising individuals from 228 countries, is believed to be even higher as arguably not all people who’ve decided to take part in Veganuary signed up on the official website.
The statistics from the website’s survey revealed that the main reason for people to try going vegan was animal well-being (it was the main motivating force for roughly 40% of them), followed by personal health (21%) and the environment (18%).
Veganuary also revealed that one fourth of the participants decided to stay vegan even after January ended. Their main arguments for that were the fact that they got to learn more about veganism—something the OP’s sister hoped the family members would do after trying her vegan dishes—as well as improved health and it simply being easier than they expected.
Quite a few companies and restaurants offer vegan options nowadays
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko (not the actual photo)
It’s likely that some people didn’t find the Veganuary initiative to be too big of a challenge because of a growing choice of vegan foods out there. Take restaurants, for instance; IBIS World 2022 data shows that in the US, there has been a nearly 3% increase in the number of vegetarian and vegan eateries—currently standing at nearly 27,000—compared to only a year before.
Statistics suggest that the vegan food market in the US, worth 40.1 billion in 2022, is expected to grow to reach 91.9 billion by 2027. Such estimates are likely based on people’s interest in vegan foods, which is apparent after taking a look at Google search trends. They reveal that throughout the year 2022, Americans were the ones to look up “vegan food” online the most, followed by people from the UK and Australia.
It’s not only people that are showing interest in veganism, as more and more well-known brands introduce vegan-friendly options as well. For instance, back in 2021, the British confectionery company, Cadbury, launched their Cadbury plant-based vegan chocolate bar, while Ben & Jerry’s, the legendary ice cream manufacturer, has been making non-dairy pints since 2016.
Even some of the well-known fast food chains, such as McDonald’s or Burger King, have introduced vegan options over the years. Yet even with all sorts of vegan-friendly products out there, only a small percentage of society nowadays follows the vegan diet. According to Statista, in June of this year, 4% of Americans were living a vegan lifestyle.
Based on Veganuary’s data, it’s pretty safe to assume that people might find a vegan diet more appealing or easier to follow than they think, at least for one night. And even though the OP’s sister seemingly decided to compromise and allow family members to bring non-vegan dishes that don’t contain meat, she wasn’t willing to serve them herself.
Some people considered the redditor the [jerk] in this situation
Others believed the OP wasn’t in the wrong
Some netizens thought that no one was actually a [jerk] here
