Vegetarian Neighbors Unknowingly Eat Animal Byproducts, So Their Neighbor Debates Whether To Ruin It For Them
by Diana Whelan
A vegetarian family with strict dietary rules might unknowingly be indulging in some very non-vegetarian treats.
Their well-meaning neighbor knows, but should they say something or let the family keep enjoying their favorite snacks in blissful ignorance?
Read on to find out what Reddit thinks.
WIBTA if I tell my vegetarian neighbors they are eating animal byproducts?
My neighbors are vegetarian for religious reasons.
I do know that they weren’t always vegetarian and only chose to be more strict about their diet in the last few years.
I am also a vegetarian but just as a personal choice. They are raising their daughter as a vegetarian as well while my daughter and husband both eat any meat products they want.
My daughter likes to go to their house to play and will regularly come home with things like gummy bears and marshmallow treats that are made with pork gelatin.
Hmm, veggie at home, gelatin rebel next door.
They also get pizza from a place near us that uses cheeses made with calf renet. There are a few other small examples like that.
When we first moved to the neighborhood there was a big block party. My neighbor offered me jello from the table and I told her I don’t eat it because it contains pork.
She was genuinely surprised that it was made with pork.
I didn’t say anything about gelatin just the Jello so i don’t know if she knows to look for that.
So they’re vegetarian…except when pizza and Jello enters the chat.
It’s all small things that most people don’t even know are made from a life. It’s all very easy to overlook.
My husband thinks I should just leave it and let ignorance be bliss for them but again, he’s not a vegetarian so it wouldn’t bother him.
He thinks I would be an a****le because it would be ruining their daughters favorite snacks and I shouldn’t do that to a kid.
I mean…if the shoe fits.
I just feel like if it’s important enough for you to raise your whole family in accordance with a certain lifestyle them you maybe would want a heads up that something is slipping through the cracks.
All of these things have very similar vegetarian alternatives (Except the marshmallows. They suck.) so it would be an easy fix but since it’s tied to their belief system, I’m worried I would be unnecessarily causing guilt.
So WIBTA if I said something or should I just leave it and mind my own business?
On one hand, there’s the moral dilemma of letting someone slip up on a lifestyle they value.
On the other, the risk of ruining a kid’s snack stash and possibly sparking unnecessary guilt.
Ultimately, Reddit says she is the AH.
This person says they can decide what’s best.
This person says it’s dependent upon how it’s approached.
This person, even being a vegetarian, says don’t ruin it for the kiddos.
Is it worth bursting their vegetarian bubble, or should ignorance stay as sweet as those marshmallows?
It’s a tough call.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.
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