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Do you think universities should ban meat from their menus?

Reply 40

22

Original post

by Zarek

It just might open a few minds that it is possible to have a good meat free diet. And anyway taking some decisive action is better than listening forever to arguments why every change will be counterproductive

But what about people who have genuine reasons for not being able to go meat-free? (Medical reasons (needs iron, recovering, tried going meat-free before it had negative health effects) or being a picky eater (due to factors beyond their reasonable control)).

Reply 41

StriderHort

21

Original post

by Zarek

It just might open a few minds that it is possible to have a good meat free diet. And anyway taking some decisive action is better than listening forever to arguments why every change will be counterproductive

I honestly think you need better than 'might just' to go messing with peoples diets with such policies and I think I disagree in general, taking action that actually impacts the problem at source is what needed rather than pushing ahead with heavily flawed ideas for the sake of doing something, especially when that idea might genuinely make the problem worse,

I suspect your average meat eater beyond the general idea is largely ignorant of the true cost of their burger, it's the businesses that knowingly and willfully make these choices from an educated & informed position re land use, biomass, chemicals, emissions etc, these are the people literally signing these resources away, and until you make that less profitable for them one way or another it won't change. Just my opinion obv.

Reply 42

Zarek

21

Original post

by Talkative Toad

But what about people who have genuine reasons for not being able to go meat-free? (Medical reasons (needs iron, recovering, tried going meat-free before it had negative health effects) or being a picky eater (due to factors beyond their reasonable control)).

Every nutrient can be derived from plants or synthesised and picky eaters would adapt to plant based choices. And as others have noted, in the foreseeable future , you could get meat elsewhere

Reply 43

StriderHort

21

Original post

by Zarek

Every nutrient can be derived from plants or synthesised and picky eaters would adapt to plant based choices. And as others have noted, in the foreseeable future , you could get meat elsewhere

'picky eaters would adapt' sounds close to telling people with EDs to just eat better, or people with depression to go for a run and get over it, and expecting that to happen. It sounds like just being determined to make them fit rather than considering the impact on them.

(Picky eater here, seriously, just telling me adapt wouldn't cut it, I'll go somewhere that serves better options)

Reply 44

Zarek

21

Original post

by StriderHort

'picky eaters would adapt' sounds close to telling people with EDs to just eat better, or people with depression to go for a run and get over it, and expecting that to happen. It sounds like just being determined to make them fit rather than considering the impact on them.
(Picky eater here, seriously, just telling me adapt wouldn't cut it, I'll go somewhere that serves better options)

Ultimately people are going to have to adapt to some changes in things we’re used to, to achieve the result. Agree that the actions of businesses will also need to be addressed by sensible policies

Reply 45

Talkative Toad

22

Original post

by Zarek

Every nutrient can be derived from plants or synthesised and picky eaters would adapt to plant based choices. And as others have noted, in the foreseeable future , you could get meat elsewhere

I don't "adapt" as strider says, that's the point, in most cases I'd be better off not eating at the canteen at all if there's nothing that I like, I'd rather skip the meal all together or use my feet to buy somewhere else.

Not that eat the meat at my uni canteen because I'm stubborn to try it, but that's beside the point.

And there's people out here who aren't simply picky or neurodivergent who might have legitimate reasons for not being able to go meat-free, do we just tell them sorry lad you'll just have to adapt/eat elsewhere?

Reply 46

StriderHort

21

Original post

by Zarek

Ultimately people are going to have to adapt to some changes in things we’re used to, to achieve the result. Agree that the actions of businesses will also need to be addressed by sensible policies

Ultimately I agree, as things will change one way or another whether we like it or not, but dropping that on consumers will always be delicate and fraught with pushback. I genuinely feel we need to set our sights higher to the money people as until we remove their motivation to supply this demand, coercive measures like location specific consumer bans will mostly just move the problems laterally to another retailer or postcode, possibly with even less oversight.

Reply 47

Talkative Toad

22

Original post

by Talkative Toad

I don't "adapt" as strider says, that's the point, in most cases I'd be better off not eating at the canteen at all if there's nothing that I like, I'd rather skip the meal all together or use my feet to buy somewhere else.

Not that eat the meat at my uni canteen because I'm stubborn to try it, but that's beside the point.

And there's people out here who aren't simply picky or neurodivergent who might have legitimate reasons for not being able to go meat-free, do we just tell them sorry lad you'll just have to adapt/eat elsewhere?

I didn't adapt in Sixth Form for example, I skipped the meal (and that was with asking for (having) special permission to use main canteen as it had way more options than the sixth form one).

Reply 48

StriderHort

21

Original post

by Talkative Toad

I didn't adapt in Sixth Form for example, I skipped the meal (and that was with asking for (having) special permission to use main canteen as it had way fewer options than the sixth form one).

Exactly, you'll inconvenience consumers at the ground floor who will either go elsewhere and move the same problem elsewhere, or will go without which although might please a number ticker for the policy, causes issues and anxiety for the person who was left out.

Reply 49

Talkative Toad

22

Original post

by StriderHort

Exactly, you'll inconvenience consumers at the ground floor who will either go elsewhere and move the same problem elsewhere, or will go without which although might please a number ticker for the policy, causes issues and anxiety for the person who was left out.

I don't if it caused anxiety, but it annoyed me compared to Y7-Y11.

What: I originally wanted to post in that other post:

Yeah, in Sixth Form (unlike the rest of secondary school), there was nothing that I liked in the canteen half of the time. What did I do? Not eat, I skipped lunch.

It didn't help either that the menu wasn't listed in advance nor was it listed accurately like it was in my old school, so I couldn't fully plan whether I was going to have the school dinner or whether I needed to get off my backside and make myself a pack lunch.

Russian Roulette.

In Y7-Y11 this never happened (skipping meals), I liked the lunch (and if I didn't then I ate at break), the food was good, accurate menu written in advance, heck I could even predict the menu (as there was a pattern).

So I don't think that banning meat is the way to go (maybe if it's a phased ban the sure maybe but even then).

Reply 50

1582

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

22

Against because it doesn't accommodate the different dietary needs of all students.

•

There are people with food sensory disorders who are already very limited in what they can eat when they go into public spaces. Remove meat from the menu and you make it even harder for them to find something they can actually eat. Aside from it meaning that some people might not be able to eat anything it is also worth considering how this can be embarrassing for the individual and can cause them to shy away from social events where people are eating. Considering many people who experience food sensory disorders are also neurodivergent this can be quite isolating.

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There are people with blood-related disorders, some of the most common being iron and folate deficiency anaemia, who are encouraged to increase their intake of meat. Removing meat from the menu doesn't support their dietary needs.

(edited 2 years ago)

Do you think universities should ban meat from their menus?

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