If I am a vegetarian, am I obligated to cook meat meals when I invite meat-eating friends over for dinner?

Question

I'm a vegetarian in a meat-and-potatoes community. Is it okay to cook meat free meals for my friends, or would that be considered forcing my principles upon them? I wouldn't go all out with some weird veggie-tofu lasagna (I don't eat things like that anyway) but am thinking more along the lines of cheese enchiladas.

I chose to go meat-free a number of years ago because I oppose the animal cruelty that is found in meat farms and slaughter houses.

Answer 1

I'm a vegetarian also :]
You should do what you want, as you're inviting them. If they choose to come, they will know who you are and what you like as foodwise, and they should respect that. You are obviously not obligated to cook meat meals. Invite them for a unique vegetarian meal that will intrigue their taste. If they don't like it, it's their opinion. You could either impress them w/ how good vegetarian foods are, like tofu hotdogs, those are pretty close to the real kind. It will be a nice try for them to try.

Cheese enchiladas i've tried.. THey are to die for... Go with that choice! Make them somethine divine that they haven't even tried before!

support making vegetarian meals.

Answer 2

Vegetarian means to not only not eat meat but also not contribute in cruelty towards any animal either. Like someone has mentioned a lot of really hardcore veggies would not eat at places where meat is cooked. I dont even wear leather or silk...but thats a personal choice.You have a point. This is not about vegetarian v/s non-vegetarians. Its about courtesy and respect. If a friend had gone to great lengths to prepare something vegetarian for me, then I would try and reciprocate by ordering a meat dish or two from a restaurant.

Answer 3

Mmm, cheese enchiladas sound great! These are your friends & the object is to have a pleasant time & a nice meal. I'm also vegetarian for the same reason as you & I've brought numerous veggie dishes to family gatherings & social pot-lucks, plus I serve a nice vegetarian meal to dinner guests. Enchiladas aren't overtly veggie so it's certainly not as if you're forcing your principles down anyone's throat.
So, enjoy your friends & have a lovely dinner.

Answer 4

I think it would be absurd for anyone to expect you or any vegetarian to serve meat in their home. I don't eat animal products because I believe them to be very unhealthy. There's no way in hell I'm going to serve someone poison. When I gave up artifical sweeteners for health reasons I threw them away. I didn't foist them on anyone else because that wwould be like giving someone a house with dangerous wiring or a car with faulty brakes. And if you are not eating meat for ethical reasons, well, serving it in your home seems to fly in the face of that. I can't imagine someone eating a cheese-filled meal and then complain they didn't get enough meat. I used to eat dishes that didn't have meat in them all the time when I was still an omnivore and I never even really thought about it. I doubt your guests would either.

Now, I feel compelled to tell you that if you are not eating meat because of cruelty to animals then continuing to eat dairy and eggs goes completely against that moral stance. At least cows who get slaughtered for beef get to graze for most of their life. Dairy cows spend their lives in cramped quarters. They get artificially inseminated over and over (which cuts their lives from the natural 25 years to about 5 years before their sent to slaughter and they ALWAYS get sent to slaughter). You know cows don't give milk unless they've just given birth, right? So where do you think those baby cows go? They don't get to suckle and grow up with mommy. They get shipped off to veal factories right after birth. Do you know that the veal industry was CREATED so that something could be done with the baby cow supply from the dairy industry? Dairy cows' udders become swollen and infected because of the constant lactation. Because of that there's SO many white blood cells in the milk we drink (ask the dairy council for a list of acceptable levels of white blood cells in milk and then check out what the industry standard in YOUR state is it's pretty f-ing gross). And the chickens...ugh. They're the worst. There's not the cruelty laws for birds like there are for cows and pigs. I won't even get into it. If you really care you'll do some research and find out that I've only mentioned the tip of the iceburg. But most people don't. They shove it to the back of their mind becaus they either don't care of they don't want to stop eating delicious cheese and cream...mmm. Oh, yeah, and animal products cause cancer. It's been proven. Read The China Study and draw your own conclusions. I know I sound like a whackjob, but the thing is, when I first heard these things it blew my mind. I didn't believe them so I spent hours and hours researching the claims and they were true. Every last one of them were true. Now I'm at the point where I'm discovering that you can tell other people and they don't care or they don't believe it, but worse than that, they won't even look into the claims to see if they're true. They just dismiss them and keep feeding their faces. It makes me lose faith in humanity. It really does.

Answer 5

I have served meatless meals to my unsuspecting guests. Meals such as fake steak fajitas and the fake sausage patties for breakfast. They did not know the difference! My mom even said that it was the best steak she has ever had. I am not vegetarian, but I do enjoy the occasional vegetarian and even vegan meal. When I go to my friends' homes who are vegan or vegetarian, I eat what they serve. As a good guest should. Fix something tasty that you enjoy, and they will enjoy it too.

Answer 6

If you went to their house, would they offer you a special vege meal? Out of respect for your beliefs, they might. Perhaps they might not know that you're vege, in which case, you'd eat what appeals to you and skip what doesn't - I don't think you'd go hungry.

I think the same could be said for a meat eater in a vege home - cook what you think is appropriate - they'll find something to fill up on....if you find it morally repulsive to cook meat, then don't.

Answer 7

I think that as a host, you're allowed to cook something that fits in with your dietary concerns even if your dietary choice is a political statement. I think that if you are making something like cheese enchiladas it's very easy to avoid anyone even asking, if you'll pardon the schtick, 'Where's the Beef?'

If they are your friends they should be happy to compromise.

Answer 8

I am sure you would appreciate it if they prepared a vegetarian dish for you if having you over...so why not prepare something they like? I'm sure you could handle buying an organically raised chicken or fish and preparing a meal. I bet your meat eating friends would appreciate the gesture and think of your likes and dislikes the next time they invite you to their house.

Answer 9

i think you should not cook meats just for your frends to eat, because if they know you are a veggie then they should not let you cook meats. Just ask them if they want to eat it. If not dont cook food for them, dont change your principles for them just to have ONE meat meal!

Answer 10

No. Meat-eaters eat vegetarian foods too, you know. It's not like they're meatarians who have religious restrictions against consumption of plant products.