When The Menu Falls Short: 35+ Times Vegetarians Craved For More Dining Options

People become vegetarians or go completely vegan for different reasons. Some choose these options because of their social, political, or ecological views, while others have dietary restrictions that only a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle accommodates correctly. Either way, in these situations, people know how hard it is to navigate our society regarding different eating habits. Despite all the progress made in the last couple of decades, it still is hard to find places that have good vegetarian options available! Worse yet, some restaurants advertise vegan or vegetarian dishes, but the food doesn’t fit the description. They are either underwhelming or not vegan at all. No, fish isn’t vegetarian. Cheese and eggs aren’t vegan. Want to read more about all these fails? Here are 40 Food Crimes Against Vegetarians!

Veggie spring rolls

When we say people don’t understand what goes into a vegan diet, we mean it and have lots of evidence to support this theory. This person ordered what they thought was safe, as-advertised veggie spring rolls, only to find chicken inside.

While it’s true most of us know fried rice is made with eggs, we wouldn’t know that if we were used to cooking for ourselves and staying loyal to our favorite vegan food blogger’s recipes. We imagine this person went back to the safety of their kitchen for a while.

Sad burgers

No matter how much we explain vegetarianism to people, some of them don’t get it. While it is frustrating to keep correcting people on their wrong perceptions, it is even more frustrating when they don’t seem to try at all.

No, vegetarianism is not about adding vegetables to dishes with meat. Most of us know there are tons of options, like soy burgers, bean burgers, and lentil burgers. Ironically, this school did not do its research very well at all.

A literal veggie dog

As the name suggests, veggie dogs are the vegan alternative to hot dogs. Instead of your average sausage, which is made out of the undesirable bits from animals such as pigs and cows, veggie links are made out of tofu.

It takes a while to cook them properly, so they have a similar texture and taste to the real thing, and the list of ingredients can get quite long if you want to make something fancy. That’s why some places simply don’t bother with them and will just toss a carrot at you.

Mother’s Day dinner

Some food joints haven’t jumped on the vegan-friendly menu bandwagon. It can be a bit risky to go out to eat with your family or friends if you don’t pick the place yourself. It’s almost like there’s an unspoken divide between restaurants.

Now imagine the frustration of arriving somewhere and discovering the only option is a salad that is clearly not a popular item. Not only that but on Mother’s Day, when it’s supposed to be a day of family bonding and good times.

Interesting breakfast

When you go on vacation to an organic farm community, you would expect to feel at home as a vegan. But apparently, nowhere is safe if you have a diet different than the majority, as this family came to realize.

There are some delicious vegan breakfast dishes out there; even bread is vegan most of the time. Mushrooms and sprouts were definitely a positive start, but it sounds like the plate was a little bare. Maybe toss some sourdough on there at least?

The meat deadlock

Some people think that going to fancy restaurants means you will find, at minimum, a few vegetarian options available. That wasn’t the case here. The person went to a business dinner and immediately got into a deadlock with a stubborn waiter.

Eventually, they found a solution, but what a frustrating and strange experience. We can just imagine the scene taking place in the kitchen. We’re super glad we’ve never had to deal with this and our favorite restaurants have tons of options.

Healthy, balanced meal

School meals aren’t known to be the best food around. At least, that’s what people are used to expecting. But things get pretty complicated when you have different dietary needs, especially when it comes to occasions like the one below.

Listen, we’re not fans of iceberg lettuce either, that’s for sure. Even so, when a school says they’re bringing in a catered meal, this is exactly what we would expect. We’re jaded and out of school, but we still understand the disappointment.

The vegan pizza

One of the hardest things to find once you become a vegan is vegan-friendly comfort food. Most of the typical dishes have some sort of meat or other animal product in it. That’s why a pizza joint that has vegan options is a rare find!

Fortunately for these friends, they found a place with options on the menu that would cater to them both. Unfortunately, the restaurant’s definition of vegan did not match the poster’s. Maybe it was ignorance, maybe it was an accident, but either way, it was a bummer.

Military ball

Even this far into the 21st century, people are still confused between vegetarian and vegan. For example, it’s pretty standard for people to think vegans eat eggs and milk and that vegetarians eat fish. Maybe one day, it will get cleared up.

Cheese is an animal product, as we all know. And we highly doubt it was vegan soy cheese, and where were the little veggie cups you usually see at these things? This is another case of people not getting their information straight and a sad ballgoer leaving hungry.

Meat eaters

Going to parties as a vegetarian can be a pretty frustrating experience. Sometimes, you have nothing to eat except chips and some cherry tomatoes. Other times, you need to be super quick, or the one veggie tray is going to get ravaged.

That wouldn’t be a problem if the other people were vegetarians like you, of course. Still, we’ve all seen those beautiful vegetarian dishes that do indeed look better than burgers and chicken wings. We must remember not to be the person who takes it all for themselves.

Hidden ham

If you haven’t eaten in a particular pizza place yet, it’s almost impossible to know if they have vegetarian options available and if those options are the real deal. If someone orders a cheese pizza, that’s what they expect to get.

Another classic tale of mixed-up orders. It happens, but in cases like this, it’s really unfortunate. Al least the person quickly realized the problem, though, and managed to spit it all out before swallowing. Knowing pizza places, they were offered a new piece on the house, but they probably rejected it.

Sibling love

Siblings love pranking each other; it is an unwritten household rule that the older sibling will make the life of the younger one a little nightmare. That’s basically what happened here when this sister decided to prank her little brother.

Despite being very young, her brother was already a vegan, so she played a rather mean joke on him. Unfortunately for her, when he realized what had happened, he got his revenge by dumping his ramen bowl on her head. Classic.

Trust issues in the house

It’s sad being a vegetarian if you have to deal with all sorts of harassment, especially when it comes to your family. It’s okay not to understand why your son became a vegetarian, but sneaking meat into his dishes? That’s too far, man.

We haven’t mastered dad humor, so we’re struggling to figure out how and why this would be funny. This kid, though, takes the measures he needs to ensure he’s not going against his principles. Kinda annoying he has to do that.

Tricky mom

No one is tougher than protective mothers who just want their kids to eat well. For some, being vegan or vegetarian equals having poor diets and not meeting their dietary needs because where in the world will they get their protein and calcium?!

That’s probably the case here, although some would argue the mom in this story was just being a little mischievous and maybe even pulling a prank on her son. Either way, what kind of salad dressing has bacon in it? Asking for a friend…

Sad meal

Ah, our wedding day! One of the very few days in our life where nothing is supposed to go wrong, and everything is rainbows and ponies. It’s definitely a day that the bride should get what she wants and feel happy and excited.

Now, we’re taking a moment to applaud this woman for not turning into a bridezilla over this. It was her special day, and her family made a disappointing move. She doesn’t even sound mad, which in a way, makes it sound like she almost expected this.

School lunch fail

Many recent scientific studies show that, for kids to learn well, they must eat properly. That’s why lunch programs are so important. They allow kids that otherwise wouldn’t have anything to eat a chance to have a proper meal in the day.

But what happens if the kid is vegetarian? On paper, the school should accommodate them by having vegetarian options available, and many do. We bet this kid learned out to make some righteous lunches that were way better than what was offered.

The rabbit

It’s hard for some people to understand that vegans do not eat just lettuce, carrots, and tomatoes! They are not rabbits, and do cook plenty of delicious, filling foods. And what about Oreos? Yeah, they are a vegan-friendly snack, y’all!

Things get even worse when you’re out on a gig and don’t have control over what’s being offered for the day. In these situations, it’s impossible to know if you’ll have a rabbit day or get to feast like a queen.

Local Mexican restaurant

Some people don’t know, but for the food to be considered vegan or vegetarian, not only must it not contain animal products, but it also can’t be prepared using animal additives, like chicken broth or pig fat, for example.

These misunderstandings can lead to some pretty uncomfortable and even dangerous situations for the vegetarian in the group since they will get sick from the food even if it is fresh. Next time, remember to ask. And when you go to a banquet, sneak snacks inside.

Bacon salad

If you eat meat, there’s nothing better than spruce up your dish with a little bit of bacon, especially if the other food is some salad. It’s essential to pay attention to what you’re doing, though, especially if you have vegetarians over!

This dad didn’t pay much attention, which could happen to all of us. Have you ever tried those crunchy “facon” bits? Those are pescatarian-approved, but in this case, it was the real thing. At least it was an accident this time!

What’s in your mouth challenge

Some siblings just don’t know how to play with each other nicely. We remember playing these games with our siblings, but, of course, we were perfect angels and never would have put roasted beef in our vegetarian brother’s mouth!

Nothing good would have come out of it. But in this case, this sister felt pretty terrible about what she did. Judging from the kind of relationship they had, the nice gift she gave him probably fixed everything between them just fine.

Potato soup

Who doesn’t love potatoes? It doesn’t matter if they are fried, mashed, or even made into soup; any way you prepare them, they are delicious! Potatoes are also a great, safe thing for vegans to eat most of the time. Or so we thought.

This person went to a restaurant and ordered a potato soup, thinking there was nothing safer for them on the menu. The opposite was true. No wonder they freaked out. It sounds like this person had been a vegetarian or vegan for a long time.

Homemade perogies

It’s impossible to explain to your family you’re not eating meat anymore and decided to go vegetarian if your family is very traditional and set in its ways. It gets even more complicated when it comes to grandmas and their unstoppable desire to feed us.

This person certainly knows that! Despite being vegetarian for years, their grandma still (allegedly) tried to trick them into eating meat. This time, it was through a little switcharoo with a bag of frozen perogies. At least the person took it all in good humor.

Organic meatballs

Sometimes, when it comes to vegetarianism or veganism, people make genuine mistakes. Maybe they didn’t have the time to research it properly; perhaps they never really thought about it. One thing is to be malicious, and the other is to not know what you’re doing and try your best.

Unfortunately for this dad, and his son, there is a big difference between organic and vegetarian! But for people who do not live a vegetarian lifestyle themselves, what an easy mistake to make! Organic sounds like it’s made of vegetables, right? Totally.

Hard to understand

As we have said before, people don’t always have bad intentions when they make food for vegetarians; they just don’t understand exactly what vegetarianism is all about. The post below showcases what is probably the most common misconception about vegetarianism.

Sometimes, things can get complicated when the family comes from different cultures or ways of life that don’t really incorporate vegetarianism in their diets. It’s up to the vegetarian in the house to decide if this is a battle they want to fight or if they can adapt.

Ruined thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest holidays you celebrate if you’re American. Usually, families get together and spend the day cooking and enjoying each other’s company so they can have a nice feast at night. But what happens to the vegans on Turkey Day?

We all know turkey is the centerpiece of this holiday, but the real thing is not necessary to celebrate this occasion properly. Forgetting not to put butter on all the rolls is one thing, but teasing someone about their food is just uncool.

Hummus surprise!

If you’re not familiar with it, hummus is a creamy paste made from chickpeas, garlic, and olive oil. It is the perfect dip for your pita bread or sliced vegetables and an easy-to-make option if you’re a vegan looking to expand your menu!

It’s one of a restaurant’s safest options for those who don’t eat meat. Unfortunately for the person above, humans are prone to errors, and accidents happen. That’s how their hummus ended up with a bunch of chicken bits in it.

Birthday surprise

It’s hard being a kid, mainly because people tend not to take you seriously. Now, imagine being a ten-year-old who’s a vegetarian! You’re probably going to have a hard time convincing people that you chose this way of life and not your parents.

But the worst part is that the whole celebration, such as your birthday, can turn into a bummer when people don’t take your dietary restrictions seriously. The parents probably assumed the park would provide decent food. We bet the next birthday meal was top-notch.

Not really a lasagna, is it?

It doesn’t matter your age, gender, or creed; lasagna is the kind of comfort food that everybody loves. And what makes a good lasagna? Layers and more layers of noodles, sauce, meat, and cheese! Even the vegetarian version warms the heart.

What was advertised as a vegetarian lasagna turned out to be just a bunch of overcooked vegetables stacked together, without noodles. To play devil’s advocate, maybe they thought the person was vegan and the noodles had egg in them? Just throwing it out there.

Adding insult to injury

We all know breakups are tough to take, especially if you’ve been in a relationship for a long time, and even more so if you got married. So, it’s understandable that you’d like to take time for yourself and forget about your troubles.

Restaurants are an excellent place for that – if you go to the right place, that is. Imagine being sad about your relationship falling apart and not even being able to enjoy being treated to dinner. Talk about adding insult to injury.

Casino’s buffet

Being vegetarian is hard, but being one on the road is even more difficult. You never know if you’ll be able to find a restaurant that caters to you. It’s even harder for an athlete traveling for a competition because people assume athletes eat a lot of meat.

The person knew there wouldn’t be many options available, but wow, we totally understand her disappointment. At least peanut butter is high in calories, right? You’ve got your protein and fat in there too. But that’s small consolation when the rest of the team had a great meal.

The family

Sometimes, the biggest impediment we have when we decide to go on a different diet comes not from strangers but our family, especially if they are a bit stubborn. Many vegetarians have learned to take handy snack packs with them everywhere because of situations like this.

After being disappointed on four different occasions by their family members, the person above will surely start filling up beforehand, or coming prepared with their own food. It’s better than skipping every family gathering from now till doom’s day, after all.

The salty dessert

You would only expect to taste something salty in your chocolaty dessert if you got a salted caramel dish. At least, that’s what common sense tells us. Unfortunately for the friends below, common sense was off the table from the start.

Talk about salt in the wound. After some justified confusion and a brief inspection of their food, these meat detectives found bacon in the chocolate. They were on the case to discover the source of this nefarious crime, and because of their skills, it didn’t take long to uncover the truth.

Mashed potatoes and salad

There are so many things to see and do in Paris, one would probably not worry much about the place they’d have dinner. It’s Paris! So much to experience! Unfortunately, if you’re a vegetarian, you need to pay attention to those things.

The friends above were visiting the city and didn’t think much before going to a restaurant. While it was a bummer that there wasn’t a fancy dish one would expect to find when going for Parisian cuisine, the staff tried their best.

Red sauce

If we have learned nothing else, always, always ask the chef ahead of time about their vegetarian or vegan options if that’s your thing. There is nothing more frustrating than ordering a nice meal, only to discover there’s meat in it.

When we’re accustomed to a certain lifestyle, like, oh, being vegetarian for three years, we get so comfortable that we forget how diligent one needs to be sometimes. Well, after the nausea settled, this person probably got some safe, trusty cheese pizza.

The mapo tofu

For those of you who never heard of mapo tofu before, it is a traditional Chinese dish consisting of tofu, spicy sauce, fermented beans, and minced meat, like pork or beef. Of course, there are vegetarian variations out there, and that’s why this person got confused!

In a very colorful narrative, the person explains how hungry and eager to eat their mapo tofu they were. So eager, actually, that they didn’t realize something was wrong with their dish until it was too late! They were aghast!

“Vegan” dinner

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions” is a saying that means no matter how golden your heart is, the consequences of your actions may turn out to be negative. That’s certainly the case in the story below!

This person’ friend was so eager and happy to oblige their dietary restrictions. Since someone who only eats hallal would understand how hard it can be to eat out, they wanted to be as accommodating as possible. Well, at least they tried.

Good burrito, bad burrito

As stated in the story below, there aren’t many places one can go to if they are vegetarian and are craving some fast food. A taco place is a good choice, though, because you can find usually a burrito that’s all vegetables!

It was just a little bit of beef, but it was enough to make this person lose their appetite and throw the whole thing away. Making food quickly in a small, busy kitchen can definitely lead to accidents like this.

The family member

It’s not that uncommon to face judgment about your dietary choices, especially if you go vegetarian or completely vegan. Sometimes, even people close to you will say straight to your face they disagree with you; other times, though… stuff like this happens.

That’s how we know which family members really support us and which don’t. If you are planning on taking your family out for dinner, make sure everyone is taken care of. Otherwise, you might just get roasted on internet threads.

A bone to pick

Sometimes, when you’re a vegan, going out for food and drinks with your friends can be an anxiety-inducing experience. The person below certainly knows that! When ordering a burger during a night out, they surely didn’t expect what was to come.

We’ve never met a soybean with a rib bone, so there was clearly some miscommunication in the kitchen that night. Hats off to the restaurant for not charging the entire group, but we hope the poster got a decent meal afterward.

Black pudding

Everybody knows that kids can be gullible, and that’s why some parents or relatives just love pulling pranks on them. There’s really not much problem to that, as long as the prank is harmless and everybody is laughing at the end, the pranked person included.

Sometimes, though, people take pranks a little too far and end up causing discomfort and embarrassment to others, which is never okay. Take this cousin, for example, who fed an unsuspecting nine-year-old black pudding! It’s no surprise they didn’t ask for seconds.