7.9.10

The one where everyone was surprised...

I am not a vegetarian.

I have been, for about a month, but it’s not for me. Fair do’s to those of you that are. I know many reasons why I should be a vegetarian, kindness to animals, saving the planet, health etc etc. But I am not one. My teeth and my gut as designed for an omnivore, I enjoy meat. I have killed animals with my bare hands (yes really) and I have visited slaughterhouses, and battery chicken sheds (yes really). I try to ensure my meat is as ethically sourced as possible, but I don’t do without it.

Just ask a chimp! Fruit and leaves are all very well but there is nothing like a freshly ripped apart colobus monkey, still twitching and bleeding, to really get the old saliva flowing! (I haven’t actually ever eaten colobus, just to keep things straight and true )

(Warning disturbing images)

Any way now you know the background.

This lunchtime I did the unforgiveable (and the predictable) and tweeted what I had for lunch. I had no idea it would provoke such a flurry (ha ha McFlurry?) of replies.

Here is the tweet

“had the vegetarian option at mcdonalds. i've never done that before”

Now the main reaction was surprise, not surprise that I’d chosen it (though given what you now know about me you may find that surprising) but surprise that McDonald’s even had a vege option.(I am based in the UK BTW – no idea if other countries have a similar menu)

For years I’ve visited the Wimpy bar and been a fan of the Spicy Bean Burger- first served in 1985 - (no where near as much fun as odering a Bender in a Bun though), and lots of other burger places have a vege burger option, either Quorn or bean based, so it was now my turn to be amazed, amazed that so many vegetarians seemed not to know of the option.

@fashionpony said “Is there a vegetarian option? Who knew”

@linedwards said “what's the veg option....?”

@thinkbabytweets said “there's a vegetarian option at mcdonalds?!?”

So a discussion ensued.

Now it may be that due to the way this junk food is cooked, no part of it (even the fries) is really ’vegetarian’; as there is mixing up of the products before, during and after cooking, but at least it’s a start. Maybe as consumers vegetarians should CHOOSE to eat at places that don’t seemt to cater well for them, demand what you want, show theses places that there is MONEY to be made from vegetarian consumers. Stop preaching (and no not specifically you dear reader, but pressure groups and the like) and start buying!!

And now, what was the Deli of the day actually like? Well it was bean based (not Quorn or Soya based) but very tasty. Crispy crumb coating covering a “spicy veggie patty made from a blend of chickpeas with coriander and cumin,” served in a bun with lettuce etc. It was really not bad, considering there was no colobus.

NB apparently the Vege option at McDonalds is “Not available in the Tyne Tees or Anglia regions.” I wonder why? Get in there and start asking!!

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