She's upset about eating meat, how do I help her?

Question

My daughter has been a vegetarian for over 4 years. She is the only one in the family that is. After a long day of Christmas shopping, we went through a Taco bell drive through. I ordered her a stuffed burrito, which I specified in detail. No meat!! Beans only because my daughter is a vegetarian. When I got my order I confirmed with them that it was a special order - no meat. They said yes. We got home & began to eat. About 4 bites into the burrito, my daughter jumps up & runs to the bathroom & starts puking. I ran in to check on her & she starts crying hysterically there was meat in her burrito. I told her to calm down, its no big deal, she'll be ok. But she was crying for hours, that I don't understand. She's right I don't understand. Now this a.m., she's still upset & cant eat. What can I do to help her. I'm at a loss here. Are there any other vegetarians out there that have had this happen? How did you get over it?

Her reasons for being a vegetarian began as wanting to be healthier & her love for animals. She doesn't try to make others follow her beliefs. But when she believes in something she takes it to heart. Thats why I believe she is being so dramatic over it. By the way it was my decision to go to Taco Bell. I was just to tired to go home & cook. She lectures me on eating to much fast food. I asked her why it makes her still upset that she accidentally ate the meat. Her reply was "Mom, when I realized I ate it all I could see in my mind was a poor cow being hung & slaughtered." I mentioned she loved eating meat in the past & her answer was that was when I was to young to no better or make my own decisions. Thanks for all the answers. I am going to take her to talk to the manager this afternoon.....

Answer 1

OK Sorry, I thought long and hard on this one and I am completely changing my answer. It is terrible to see all these people write sue Taco Bell or call the newspaper. Yes, Taco Bell is owned by the evil YUM Foods empire but they are one of the few places that will allow you to have all menu items prepared vegan/vegetarian without a hassle. This is one of the reasons so many of us go to Taco Bell even though we detest YUM. If you go to McDonalds or Burger King, you will get a very limited menu with few options. Yes, Taco Bell has put meat into my food in error and I usually find out the hard way after chomping on dead animal carcass. Every time I have brought back an item that has meat in it (sometimes hours later) they are very glad to replace it and even offer a free drink and an apology from time to time. I am glad that they use cheese without rennet and beans without lard. I wonder how many times I have ordered something like a vegetarian burrito and found myself eating lard or rennet often without even knowing it. The only thing she can realisticly do is take the item back and demand a new one. Taco Bell is out to make money and if they have to keep replacing food like this, they will pay more attention. Also, everytime you go in a place like that and order vegetarian, you are voting with your dollars. If more people demand vegetarian foods in places like this, they will have to change. If your daughter really doesnt want to take any chances she will have to order stuff like the bean burrito, tostada or any other item that does not normally have meat in it. Anger is not going to solve the problem. People often respond to anger with violence or defensiveness and it does not go far. Our society is unfortunately, is sue happy and would rather solve their problems through lawsuits or legislation rather than using philosophical debate to try and appeal to more people. I think your daughters choice to be vegetarian is fantastic. She is doing something for her health, the animals and the environment at the same time. She sounds like a caring person who sticks by her morals and has found true compassion for others. You seem like a caring mom who really supports her daughter and you should be applauded as well. I dont think there is an easy answer for your daughter other than take the item back and let it go. You only have so much control and if you are doing everything you can do then it is fine. Hey if you are still Christmas shopping, get your daughter vegnews at www.vegnews.com. I love this magazine and it will help her deal with stuff like this tactfully.

Answer 2

I can relate with your daughter and I also believe that she was right in saying that you don't understand. She's been a vegetarian for as long as I have. I remember my mom telling me once that if you don't eat meat for a long time and then all of a sudden eat it you can get sick. So besides her eating the meat and thinking about the cows and such, her body could have been rejecting it. Now this happened to me once and yeah I did get a little over dramatic (seeing as I had only eating a tiny piece of meat) but I still felt a bit sick after eating it. Now when you told her that it was "no big deal" it was to her and I don't blame her to be quite honest. I would be really upset if I got a burrito in which I specified NO MEAT and then there was meat in it. I'm sorry that happened to your daughter. Just remember that she doesn't force her beliefs on you and you were forcing yours a little on her by saying "Well you used to enjoy eating meat".

Answer 3

Your daughter isn't upset with YOU about the burrito itself. She's upset because she was lied to by Taco Bell.

I'd like for you to think about something that you would never eat, and them imagine finding that item in something that you are eating, even though you've been assured that it's not there. You'd be upset, too.

Yes. she's being a bit dramatic, but is she a "drama queen" in general? If so, then that's what's happening here.

WHen your daughter lectures you about fast food, it's her way of saying that she loves you. Next time that you're out together, though, you might try looking for someplace where you can get a salad or perhaps some falafel. That's an dish that never has meat in it.

Answer 4

I know how she fells (I am a vegetarian for 6 years now ) When I was at an Air Port I had to eat at a Taco Bell there and it said Bean Burrito so I ordered it and ate 5 bites and there was Cow in it. But I did not puke I busted in the back madder than a hornet and talked right to the manager and he said "did it ever say no meat"? and I said well no but that is what you would think and he said sorry now go and get meanly so I left and have never gone back again. Be sure to tell your Daughter she has saved 400 animals from death!

Answer 5

I can understand being upset, but it does seem that she's taking it just a tad bit over the top. It was no doubt an accident on Taco Bell's part. . .this IS a very busy time of year for everyone, including fast food places.

She's going to face a lot worse situations in this world and come to terms with them, so she needs to find a positive way to deal with this. Talking to the manager is a good start, and I hope he does the right thing by apologizing for their mistake and making some kind of restitution. But he's not apt to take her very seriously if she goes off on a hysterical crying jag.

I think she also needs to consider the fact that she "represents" the vegetarian community, as we all do. We're already ridiculed by a lot of people as a bunch of hysterical tree-huggers. If she presents her argument calmly and intelligently, she'll score points for the vegetarian lifestyle as well as her own case.

It's good that she has compassion for animals, but she probably needs to think about things from the viewpoint of a tired, overworked fast food employee who made a mistake. They deserve some understanding, too.

Edit: So what all these thumbs-downs are saying is that it's OK for the kid to pitch a biatch fit because of her "love for animals," but she doesn't need to show any compassion for the tired and overworked employee who made a mistake during the roughest time of year? I am now beginning to understand why meat eaters think that we vegetarians have our priorities bassackwards.

It's a damned shame that we can't extend the same understanding and consideration to our fellow humans as we do to animals.

Answer 6

I think I know EXACTLY what she's going through.
I converted to vegetarianism when I was about 13 and initially the same thing happened to me. My reason for turning vegetarian was similar to that of your daughter and I cannot tell you the agony I suffered when I once realized, that i had bitten into meat (it was a pizza that was supposed to be veggie). I puked too and was driven to a fit of fury. Nothing that my mom said could console me. It's a feeling of guilt more than anything else.

The reaction...the puking is more like an attempt to undo what's been done. She might even feel like she was somehow 'tricked' into eating meat...by fate...by conspiracy...whatever...the feeling of guilt numbs logical thinking.It's also like she feels she let herself down somehow. I know how the feeling lingers for days.
Those of you who have not experienced this feeling will not understand why she reacts this way.
If you do want to talk to her,do not say 'it's no big deal' It is a huge deal for her. It stands for something she strongly believes in. Just
keep reassuring her that you respect her decision.
But the best that you can do is let her take her own time. Try not to mention the incident in her presence. She would not like to be reminded of it.
As for me, I got over the black mood after brooding over the incident for a few days.
Hope things will sort themselves out in her mind soon.
Happy Holidays

Answer 7

I guess this is a case of "out of sight, out of mind". Because if you think about it, even stuff that doesn't have meat might have been prepared with some animal based product. To be honest, as a meat eater even I don't trust Taco bell to put real meat in there let alone not use any animal based products.

I hope to God's she not being a vegetarian because she thinks it's cool. I mean, if I was one, Taco Bell would be the farthest thing from my mind.

The best thing to do would probably ask her why she's so upset. If she can't logically explain it, she doesn't understand why she freaked out either.

Answer 8

yes, this has happened to me. I have never eaten meat except for accidentally like this and it was traumatic because I do see meat as animals ground up....not as food. I asked at the window each time to be sure it was no meat but they still get mixed up sometimes. When I order I make sure to yell out..."make sure there is no meat" instead of just saying what kind of burrito. I would not tell her to get over it or that it doesnt matter because that will not help. Maybe tell her you will check the order yourself next time and really do that. It is also a trust issue. If she is still not eating maybe ask her if you can try one of her vegetarian dishes .....have her make it and she would have to eat with you then. Good luck....just take her seriously!

Answer 9

im not vegitarian myself, but i do think it is a healthier lifestyle and have seriously considered going vegitarian when i move out and start to make my own meals!
not eating meat is very important to ur daughter. it was wrong for them, and the other answerers to demean what she holds to be important. what if it had been a person whose religion forbade them to eat cow meat, everyone would be outraged! Just because soemthing may not be persoanly significant to u, doesn't mean u shouldnt respect what other people find important.
tell your daughter she did nothing wrong, she did not knowingly eat meat and did not go against her principles. You should have a good talking to with the manager about respecting the wishes of the customer, and how important it is to be careful about food orders since many people can have serious allergies.
Good luck, i hope she feels better soon. ♥

Answer 10

once you spot answer solutions mutually with "chimps are vegetarians" (No they do no longer seem to be, besides to searching monkeys and different primates for foodstuff, chimpanzees additionally are cannibals) and "people are no longer geared up to consume meat" (sure they're, people are no longer hebivores, no longer carnivores, yet OMNIVORES) and "people do no longer could consume meat to stay to tell the story" (sure they do. maximum people don't have the thoughts afforded western societies as maximum people do no longer stay interior the west. next time, attempt to work out how something of the international lives instead of staying interior that cocoon)then you certainly can see what form of people you're dealing with. there are lots of path who understand greater useful, are greater considerate and could no longer impose or pontificate approximately their ideals. yet then you certainly get the toddlers, the switched over followers, or the in basic terms ignorant foodstuff faddist ( the i'm vegetarian, i'm cool!!) whose in basic terms useful source of infomation is a YouTube or PETA video. those are the flies. You forget approximately approximately them, or shoo them away. enormously quickly, they are going to discover yet another reason to have faith in and could go away you on my own.