'AITA for cooking vegan to make one niece happy, and not making meat for the other?'

The holidays are for getting together and, mostly, arguing. In the Simpsons, you might have Lisa advocating for a no-meat Thanksgiving. But today's dinner story brings a novel twist. On Reddit's AITA, OP asks:

AITA for not accommodating my non vegan niece? (or, to put it another way: AITA for accommdating my vegan niece?)

One of my nieces Ara(15) is vegan. She is very sensitive and hates animal cruelty which is why she turned vegan a few years ago. She even hates watching people eat animal products.

So I was hosting my entire family and I decided to look up some new vegan recipes that I haven't tried before. I admit the food didn't taste very good because it was my first time making it but Ara was very happy that everything was vegan.

Then my other niece Olivia(14) tried the food and she looked pissed. She asked if there is anything non vegan that she can eat? I said no I'm afraid everything is vegan here.

Olivia then started angrily asking whether it would kill Ara to be near some meat or cheese and whether it would kill me to make one non vegan option for her.

I told her to be polite and she told me to go f myself. She decided not to eat her food and asked her parents to take her home early. Now her parents are calling me an asshole saying "I always favor Ara and I should have accomodated Olivia as well"

Here's how the top comments interpreted the situation. (Yes, they ate it up.)

WelcomeToKuzcotopia0

So the food was not even good!

Sorry, but you could accomodate both nieces. And Ara hate to watch people eating animal products is her problem to deal. She have the right to eat vegan food the same way people have the right to eat animal products.

And at least Olivia tried the food, but, by your own admission, it was not good.

YTA

EDIT: ESH because I do not agree with OP and also think Olivia cross the line by cursing her uncle/aunt.

Coffeedemon

The 14 yo kid tells their aunt/uncle to go fuck themselves over being asked not to be a shit complaining about the meal and you think OP is the asshole here.

"Not good" could come down to the texture and presentation as much as taste.

Helen_A_Handbasket

For future reference, TACOS.

Tacos can be made to fit all the major food allergies and also meat eaters, vegans, vegetarians, and this with celiac disease.

It's easily done because people assemble their own tacos and can pick and choose ingredients. Vegan refried beans for the people who don't eat meat, corn tortillas for the celiac sufferers, and a large variety of veg, cheese, and salsa to put on them and suddenly you're able to feed pretty much anyone.

YTA for not accommodating both girls.

Violetvenus-21

YTA its great that you want to accommodate for Ara in a large gathering but you shouldn’t feed the whole family food that doesn’t taste good just to accommodate for one person.

i don’t get why having a few vegan options next to non vegan food wasn’t your go-to set up as this wouldve been much easier, which is what would make the whole family automatically assume that you favor Ara over Olivia and everyone else.

Its best if you try to show Olivia that you care for her or do a special gesture for her like you did for Ara since this is clearly something that hurts her feelings.

Thecatisright

YTA. Because you admitted yourself - the vegan food didn't taste good. And as it shouldn't be a problem accommodating vegans at a meal it shouldn't be a problem to include some non vegan options. Especially if you haven't mastered the art of vegan cuisine. Accommodation food preferences goes both ways.

Now let the downvotes come in

Jess1ca1467

NTA although I'm guessing people will say otherwise here. It won't harm someone to not have animal products for one meal. A 14 year old should not be telling their host to go fuck themselves either.

OwlInDaWoods

It took way to long to scroll to find this. Every year I host a thanksgiving and two of the 6 guests I invite are vegetarian. So the very first year, we requested only vegetarian food so that every dish brought could be enjoyed by all.

It was a huge hit! Everyone loved it and weve kept the vegetarian tradition ever since.

You dont need to eat meat and animal byproducts for every meal. Being "non-vegan" is not a food restriction. Generally, when you gather and someone has a dietary restriction, everyone tries to accomodate it. Even if its just one person.

OP is not the asshole. She should have tried to make some of these recipes beforehand and picked some good ones. Theres ton of delicious vegan food and recipes out there, but NTA for accomodating someone.

The meat eaters are the AHs for acting like its the end of the world to not eat meat for a meal.

MikeMac80

NTA if I had a kid who told my sibling to go F themselves because they didnt like the food they were served I would ground them fo life lol.

Also if my kid dared to insult the food offerings to the host face, I would ground them for life. Those parents are AH for raising and supporting an entitled shit.

Business_Divide_5679

NTA, everyone acts entitled. Nobody will die from not eating meat for few hours. The parents should apologise on how their daughter acted.

I almost don't believe it, because its so unlikely that parents would call you to tell you off after their 14yo told you to F off.

It was a nice gesture of you. It's not a big deal to not eat your favourite food at every single gathering. As long as you can eat anything and not be hungry its fine.

SirDaeltanFernagdor

YTA. If the vegan food was comfortable and good quality for everyone, she would have been t a, not you. But since she was forced to eat food that, as you personally admitted, didn't taste so good - well, you're clearly favouring, for whatever reason, her sister.

For most teenagers, seeing people giving special attention to one's sibling, while not giving the same attention to them, is very hurtful, and while you spent lots of time trying new recipes in order to accomodate her sister, you did not spend the same amount of time, or energy, or thought for her.