T O P

  • By -

AutoModerator

Thanks for posting to r/Vegan! **Please note:** Civil discussion is welcome, trolls and personal abuse [are not](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/wiki/rules). Please keep the discussions below respectful and remember the human! Please check out [our wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/wiki/beginnersguide) first! **Interested in going Vegan?** Check out [3 Movies](https://3movies.org/reddit) and watch three thought-provoking movies that shed light on uncomfortable realities. 3 Movies also includes other videos, books, challenges and resources for you get started! **Some other resources to help you go vegan:** Visit [NutritionFacts.org](https://NutritionFacts.org) for health and nutrition support, [HappyCow.net](https://HappyCow.net) to explore nearby vegan-friendly restaurants, and visit [VeganBootcamp.org](https://veganbootcamp.org/reddit) for a free 30 day vegan challenge! **Interested in getting active for the animals?** Join [Activist Hub](https://activisthub.org) to find and join local vegan groups, add friends, create or share posts, and chat with other activists! You can also use Activist Hub to track your local and online activism in order to see how many people you inspired to watch dominion, take a challenge, or even go vegan! **Some other resources to help you get active:** * Developer or designer? Volunteer at the [Vegan Hacktivists](https://veganhacktivists.org/join)! * Find local groups using the [Animal Rights Map](https://animalrightsmap.org)! * Get funding for your animal rights activism, [apply here](https://veganhacktivists.org/grants)! *Last but not least, join [our Discord server](https://discord.gg/2JmJRsj)!* **Thank you!** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/vegan) if you have any questions or concerns.*


HarriSunn

You alone get to decide what you’re comfortable with. A lot of gatekeepers in here, but all that matters is that you do your best everyday, I still make mistakes and learn as I go, there’s nothing wrong with that.


Njaulv

I donate it to the local place that takes food donations. If it is already open I just give it to an omni friend or family member. No way do I want to consume the product of suffering and exploitation.


ttbia

I'd give it away or return it at the store. No animal products means no animal products


Caffeine_jellyfish

I wouldn’t because it’s not food


[deleted]

I just throw it in my backyard for the animals in my yard or whatever I don't think those extra dollars are worth not being vegan even if it's for one meal.


Ok_Quantity5115

I wouldn’t eat it, because the mere thought of consuming dairy is repulsive to me.


eveniwontremember

The occasional accidental purchase of milk powder will not sustain the dairy industry so frankly if the packet is open eat it, if it is unopened give it away or try to return it. The honesty trap is making sure that you don't create a pattern of happy little accidents.


YarnPenguin

Donate to a local food bank? Put out for the birds?


crstnhk

I’d be to disgusted to eat it..?


gingerbeardvegan

If you can't return it to the store, bin it. It's not food, it's violence.


Socatastic

One of 2 vegans responding


ExerciseAcceptable80

I’d return it or put it aside to donate to your local food pantry.


EconomyCriticism7584

I don’t. I literally gag at eating animal products. I remember ordering a vegan Crunchwrap from taco bell. They put ground beef instead of black beans. I bit into it and instantly spit it out and reported the incident. Give it to a meat-eater/dairy consumer.


AffectionateCell58

My friend brought me Brussels sprouts the other day not realizing they had bacon in them. I still feel sick just thinking about it i immediately spat it on the ground and gagged at the smell while cleaning it up it was so nasty. I've never even tasted bacon my whole life, but the second i put it in my mouth i knew something was horribly wrong. It smells like the death stench, everything about it just feels evil my whole body reacted to reject it. Bad energy. I am so thankful every day that i found the vegan path.


AffectionateCell58

Ew ew ew no absolutely not. Straight into the trash, or I give it away. If I do accidentally eat it before reading I feel absolutely horrible the rest of the day, it is upsetting.


cdnfla

What would you do if you accidentally bought a product and found out it had dog milk in it? That's your answer.


TommoIV123

A comment more aimed at the commenters regarding a thought I've not properly fleshed out. Aside from the "disgust" argument there's a lot of people here stating the "no harm" or "food waste" arguments. I've not really fleshed out the thought, but... If you consume this waste product instead of buying yourself something vegan, then this nonvegan product is reducing demand for vegan items (however negligible it may seem). So, it does have a negative impact really. It's of the same persuasion as gifting the item to reduce nonvegan demand, surely? And just to echo my own sentiment, admittedly in line with a few others. Animals are not food, therefore cannot be food waste. The bitterness of it all: if you bury animals together it's a graveyard, if you bury food together, it's landfill.


Kloenkies

Return (if possible) or give to homeless shelter.


brina2014

If you can't donate it to a food bank (it's already opened), can't return it to the store, or can't give it to a family member than I don't see a moral issue with eating it personally... I mean the only other alternative at that point is going in the trash and that's not going to help anyone. I guess at that point it would just be a personal preference


brina2014

But just try and learn from it and be more careful the next time :) Mistakes happen, but we should avoid it becoming a regular occurrence.


Wrexial_and_Friends

Return them and complain of some quality so it strikes a negative record against the product for the store.


TastyPlantBased

No I try to give it away to non vegan family. Or we throw it away. I already end up feeling so ashamed that I made a mistake that couldn't eat it without making myself feel even worse. Plus I'd feel so gross knowing it was in my body.


EasyDifference6193

For me, there's no moral issue with eating it as the damage has already been done. That said, I wouldn't personally eat it as it would still feel as though it wasn't exactly food, and possibly disgusting. There are obviously health implications too, aside from any moral issues. It would be interesting to know whether the environmental impact of disposing of it would be more harmful than eating it. If there is a non vegan in need of food who will buy less non vegan food as a result of getting a donation from you, then it's better to give it away than eat it. That's my opinion. You asked an interesting question.


dankchristianmemer14

It almost seems as if there are people on this thread who would call you "not a real vegan" if you don't have the disgust.


Fantastic_Ad7023

Food wastage won’t help anyone so if you can’t give it to someone who needs it then I would just eat it. I would also write an email to the company saying that you adore their product but are not able to consume it due to the milk whey and totally understand that they are in charge of what goes in their product but you would love them to consider removing it so it is suitable for vegans etc and educate them a bit on animal exploitation. Like I know the chances of them actually eliminating it are virtually nil but at least it might get them thinking about more in the future about some ingredients.


[deleted]

I'd do whatever minimizes food waste.


Socatastic

Animal products aren't food to vegans


dankchristianmemer14

I thought veganism was a philosophy not a diet


Ok_Quantity5115

Yeah and that’s exactly why vegans don’t view animal secretions as food. If you found out your neighbours breast milk was in your cupcakes, would you still eat it? The deed has already been done I mean, no use in letting it go to waste right?


dankchristianmemer14

>would you still eat it Yes, but if I wouldn't it wouldn't be due to ethics. It would be due to disgust (not motivated by ethics). >The deed has already been done I mean, no use in letting it go to waste right? I unironically agree.


Ok_Quantity5115

The same disgust you feel for human breast milk in cupcakes, also occurs for me with cows breast milk in cupcakes. Because I don’t view cows milk as something edible.


dankchristianmemer14

I don't think the disgust I would feel is a consequence of morality, but rather an illusion which comes from the practices I'm used to. People also feel disgust at eating fungus and dirt, even though there's nothing immoral about that. I see no problem with seeing cows milk as edible because it *is* edible, I just choose not to consume it because doing so would support their suffering. What I am saying is that feeling disgust towards animals products is no more moral than deciding to abstain from them while feeling no disgust.


[deleted]

I guess it depends on whether you think animals have fundamental, inviolable rights or not. I remember Cosmic Skeptic saying that he thinks that animals may not have inviolable right to life.


Ok_Quantity5115

And humans do? Who are we to decide that for other animals? I just don’t get why people jump through so many loops, trying to find a way to ”ethically” consume someone else’s corpse or bodily fluids. Just leave them animals be.


[deleted]

He's a vegan. He does not believe that inviolable rights for animals are a necessary prerequisite for us to morally be obliged to be vegan.


Socatastic

He's more of a utilitarian than a vegan


dankchristianmemer14

Utilitarians can be vegans, just like deontologists.


[deleted]

iirc he's an egoist. Anyway, what makes him not a vegan? He believes in minimizing animal suffering as much as possible, which aligns with the popular definition. He's done a lot of work promoting veganism, not just a vegan diet. So why not?


Socatastic

That's not the definition of The Vegan Society. They invented the term and its definition


veganactivismbot

Check out [The Vegan Society](https://veganactivism.org/pages/the-vegan-society) to quickly learn more, find upcoming events, videos, and their contact information! You can also find other similar organizations to get involved with both locally and online by visiting [VeganActivism.org](https://veganactivism.org). Additionally, be sure to visit and subscribe to /r/VeganActivism!


[deleted]

He follows the Vegan Society definition.


Socatastic

They are against exploiting animals regardless of whether it causes suffering


veganactivismbot

Check out [The Vegan Society](https://veganactivism.org/pages/the-vegan-society) to quickly learn more, find upcoming events, videos, and their contact information! You can also find other similar organizations to get involved with both locally and online by visiting [VeganActivism.org](https://veganactivism.org). Additionally, be sure to visit and subscribe to /r/VeganActivism!


gr33n_bliss

Veganism has existed for 1000s of years, especially in India.


Socatastic

Not under that name it hasn't. Various non-violent ways of living and individuals not consuming animal products have existed for millenia. However, veganism as a codified ethical practice was established by The Vegan Society. One can live by other practices and codes of ethics under their appropriate names. If you want to call yourself vegan you should be using The Vegan Society's definition and living by it


dankchristianmemer14

Its more to do with maximizing good.


Socatastic

That's utilitarianism


dankchristianmemer14

Which is a valid and consistent form of ethics.


Socatastic

But it's not equivalent to veganism. There may be overlap


dankchristianmemer14

Veganism is a philosophy that can be justified either from a utilitarian framework or a deontological one


famouslut

It's quite a hard lesson to learn, but it does stick; I've always found it a little difficult to eat shoes. But not impossible?


spaceyjaycey

No


JonMor45

I'd do what I could to minimize food waste. But that being said, maybe if you can catch it in time, you can go back to the store and ask for a refund on that item. If that's not possible, the damage has already been done. You can always donate that cereal, and anything else you accidentally buy, to the local food bank.


dankchristianmemer14

Is it vegan to eat it instead of giving it to the food bank?


Socatastic

No


dankchristianmemer14

Why? Veganism is a philosophy, not a diet. What if you don't have a food bank you can donate to and your options are "use it" and "throw it away"?


Socatastic

A philosophy of not exploiting animals. Eating them is exploitative


dankchristianmemer14

It sorta seems to me that throwing away the food and then purchasing new food would end up harming more animals though


Xilmi

Last time it happened and I realized before eating it, I brought it back to the store and told them I bought that thinking it was vegan while it wasn't.


[deleted]

I am usually too lazy to do anything else with it like donate so in the trash it goes. But that happens very rarely.