Pork Is Not A Veggie: Royal Mail Staffers Served Pork In Their Veggie Meal- Understandably Pissed

I'm a vegetarian and am very conscious about what I eat. When I am out, I will always ask if a particular food item has any animal products and I expect the server/chef to be honest with me. And no, fish and chicken are not vegetables, as so many people seem to think. Nor is a broth made from the flesh of an animal to be considered okay for non-meat eaters. And a vegetable dish that contains ham is NOT a vegetarian option, simply because the bulk of it is vegetable. I'm not sure why some people think that as long as it doesn't have chunks of meat, then it should be considered vegetarian. It's not, beleive me.

So when I read an article in the Birmingham mail about some Muslim Royal Mail workers who were incensed that the veggie option at their holiday celebration contained pork,
I could sympathize. For once.

Staff at Birmingham’s Aston sorting office were treated to a festive buffet for their efforts throughout the year.

But the gesture backfired when Muslim workers realised the scotch eggs contained pork.

The party food favourite was one of the options available to vegetarians and those from religious backgrounds who were unable to eat meat.

I will be the first to criticize Muslims for what I often feel is a major sense of entitlement that is wholly unjustified, but in this case if you are going to offer a meat-free option then make it meat-free. Not semi meat-free and pass it off as vegetarian. Apparently it was a "genuine mistake" and an apology and a free cup of tea was offered, but the 15 or so Muslim workers who were invited to the free Christmas buffet were angry as hell. And I can well understand their fury. There are a lot of people who don't eat meat for a variety of reasons, and vegetarian options have become standard everywhere. I would have been just as angry had I gobbled down meat in my scotch eggs.


I don't think any of us herbivores expect special treatment, I usually eat before I attend any group events, but it's always a nice gesture to have a veggie alternative, and if you are going to offer that option make sure none of the ingredients walked prior to being cooked.