We have a lot of choices in what we can eat nowadays. All sorts of diets are becoming more and more popular, from paleo to carnivore. It’s no wonder, then, that people are gradually becoming more selective about their diets, putting in a great deal of effort to be sure what they put into their body.

With this in mind, we’ll be talking about a man who is very particular about his meat-eating habits, becoming extremely upset after he was given a delicious, albeit vegan, sandwich.

More info: Reddit

Addressing both persons’ dietary requirements and wants when you’re a couple may seem easy, but it’s far from it

Image credits: Jonathan Borba (not the actual photo)

A man took it online to figure out whether he was a jerk for “trying to make his husband vegan” by making him a sandwich with imitation pulled pork

Image credits: TheActual_Idiot

Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio (not the actual photo)

They usually cook for themselves, but it was the one occasion where the poster tried making a fancy dinner

Image credits: TheActual_Idiot

He made some vegan sandwiches and invited his husband, who lapped them up, even complimenting the poster on how good they were

Image credits: TheActual_Idiot

But when the partner found out that the pulled pork wasn’t real, he flipped, refusing to talk with his husband for hours

If you’ve ever had roommates or even cooked for your family members, you know how difficult it is coordinating a meal so everyone enjoys it. One person doesn’t like mushrooms, the other onions, and someone’s watching their diet… 

It’s difficult not to give into temptation of simply making chicken nuggets or a freezer pizza in these cases.

I tip my hats to all stay-at-home moms and dads who make sure their kids and spouses have something to eat when they come home from school and work, because that really is a Tour de France in culinary endurance.

If you’re a fan of these kinds of stories, you’ve probably heard more than once that couples get into rows specifically because of these kinds of reasons. Eating habits may seem like a non-issue at the start, but if you need the classic 3 meals per day to stay bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, you can begin to see that cooking together makes life much easier. 

Luckily enough, the couple from the original poster’s (OP) story has that sorted. Since they work different hours, they cook for themselves. Shared meals are very sporadic and occasional, but with one of them being a meat-eater and the other vegan – it works. 

The OP would even be willing to cook something with meat in it, despite the fact that he’d rather avoid handling it. In my opinion, that’s an expression of true love, if ever there was one.

Image credits: Kampus Production (not the actual photo)

Considering all that, it’s quite sad that jackfruit in the style of pulled pork would create a conflict as big as the one in OP’s text. So far there has been no update to the story, so we’re unsure if they’ve worked through it, but fingers crossed!

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I don’t like getting all armchair psychologist at the best of times, but perhaps this conflict is the partner lashing out at OP for something else? Maybe he’s gotten fed up making his own meals or the poster’s vegan cooking, could be anything. Could also be nothing, so take that with a grain of salt.

Perhaps all of this talk of imitation meats has got you interested in healthier alternatives to red meats, and let me tell you, there are so many options for you to try out. 

First of all, according to OP and the internet, BBQ jackfruit pulled pork is a very convincing and delicious alternative to the real deal, so that’s one thing to try.

Tofu is another thing to try. Don’t be wrong, it won’t really taste like meat. It’s still gonna be tofu, but it absorbs spices and aromas very well, plus it’s a fairly good source of protein.

If you’re looking for that meaty taste and texture, some people swear up and down that seitan is the thing. It’s made from wheat in a way that removes the starch, so you’re left with something that has a meaty texture and takes on flavor very well. It’s also quite dense in protein, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Your best bet is buying it pre-made, but you can also make it yourself, if you’re feeling in a culinary mood.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things! I’d certainly agree that meat tastes great, but if you’re a self proclaimed “meativore”, all you’re doing is missing out on far too many tastes, textures, and experiences. 

Bored Panda also reached out to an expert in vegan cooking to hear her perspective and get some tips for all the up-and-coming vegans out there

In order to get hear a fresh perspective and land some bonafide delicious recipes to boot, Bored Panda reached out to Sam Turnbull, a vegan recipe blogger, and 3-time best-selling cookbook author. Sam runs her website – It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken – full of attractive and vegan recipes to satisfy any and every craving you may have. 

Sam has gone on a really amazing and frankly inspiring culinary journey of going from an avid meat eater to a reluctant vegan to where she is now. You can read all of it in depth on her about page.

For a start, we asked Sam what she thought about the situation at hand, and this is what she had to say:

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“Personally, I think the husband overreacted. Their partner made them a lovely meal and they enjoyed it. What’s the problem? Thank them for making such a lovely meal. If the husband wants to cook the next meal, they can cook whatever they want. Just as no one should (or can be) forced to be vegan, no one should be forced to cook a meal they don’t want to prepare. So if the partner wants to cook vegan one night then they should do that. If the husband wants to cook the next night, they can cook whatever it is they want to eat.”

For anyone that’s also a reluctant vegan or struggling to bring something to various parties with a non-vegan crowd, Sam has that worked out to a T.

“When I first went vegan (over 10 years ago), many people didn’t even know what vegan meant or how to pronounce the word, so some family members were a bit hesitant to try my food. But when they realized my dishes were made up of all the same ingredients they already consume—vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, and spices—they became interested to try my dishes. Now, anytime I make a meal, everyone is eager to try it, and usually loves it. There are no complaints, just a lot of compliments! As long as the dishes are tasty and satisfying, everyone is happy. Now as a 3 x bestselling vegan cookbook author, my dishes are often the star of the show, and everyone wants to taste my latest creation. I also love when my non-vegan friends and family make special vegan dishes to share with me, it really makes you feel loved and cared for.”

Image credits: Geraud pfeiffer (not the actual photo)

Finally, in a similar vein to me, but with much more experience and, most importantly – taste, Sam gives suggestions for recipes that are worth trying out.

“Whenever I’m serving non-vegan friends, I love making a huge taco spread. Everybody loves tacos! Put out dishes of all your favorite taco fillings, and then everyone can pick and choose the toppings they like. It’s always a hit! Try my Tofu Taco Crumbles and Jackfruit Tacos. And for dessert, try my 10 minute Vegan Lemon Curd which is fantastic on top of homemade vanilla cashew ice cream. Learn my technique to make ice cream in a blender here.”

For the cherry on top, Sam Turnbull shares some insides about her upcoming cookbook:

“I believe that food is all about balancing flavor and texture such as crispy, salty, fatty, silky, chewy, sweet, and sour… if you make food that satisfies those cravings, everyone will love it (vegan or not). That’s why I wrote my latest cookbook Craving Vegan which is hitting shelves October 24, 2023. The book is divided into cravings so whether you’ve got a hankering for something eggy, carby, cheesy, creamy, crunchy, spicy, meaty, chocolatey, or sugary, I’ve got recipes that will satisfy your cravings the plant-based way.”

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So, once again, if you’re attempting to go down the vegan road or would simply like to spice up your repertoire with healthy, nutritious, and plant-based dishes, be sure to visit Sam’s website or check out her book!

The poster’s story has collected over 16k upvotes, with a whopping 12k comments. The commenters, many of whom were meat eaters, all said that they simply can’t comprehend the poster’s husband, who decided to flip out only after eating the finger-licking good sandwich. Because of this, the community judged him to be the jerk, absolving OP.

Share your own thoughts about this story in the comments!

The community judged the husband who got upset at the sandwiches to be the true jerk of the day

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