Person Receives Letter From Vegan Neighbors Complaining That The 'Meaty Smells' From Their Kitchen Are Making Them Sick
It's perfectly okay to not like or eat meat, but that doesn't mean everyone else has the same opinion.
fizkes / karlisz / Shutterstock; CanvaPro As humans, we all have various pallets and food preferences. It is natural for us to have different dietary choices. Some of us cannot stand the smell of sushi while others can chow down on it 24/7.
Lucky for everyone, diet is a personal choice that is entirely up to the individual. However, there are some people who believe otherwise.
One Australian citizen, identified on Facebook as a woman named Kylie from Burns Beach, learned this after they received a harsh letter from their neighbors criticizing their cooking choices that they claimed to smell from their own house.
The neighbors were vegan and claimed that the smells of meat from the person’s kitchen were making them ‘sick’ and ‘upset.’
After the individual opened their front door and discovered a handwritten note, they decided to share it on Facebook, which sparked a heated debate on whether or not the action was appropriate.
“Hello neighbor,” the letter starts. “Could you please shut your side window when cooking, please? My family and I are vegan (we eat only plant-based foods) and the smell of the meat you cook makes us feel sick and upset. We would appreciate your understanding. Thanks.”
Photo: Hey Perth / Facebook
Some believed the letter was inappropriate, while others argued that the neighbor's request was acceptable.
People suggested alternative methods to block out the meat smell if it disgusted them, such as closing the windows. However, others were not as kind in their suggestions, adding, “I’d be cooking up bacon and steak every day and putting a fan behind it and directing it at the window!”
Those who found the neighbor's request appropriate said, “They’re simply asking for a different window to be open that isn’t adjacent to their home. This is like the nicest way they could possibly ask.” Others commented on how polite the letter was and that it's a nice thing to see respectful neighbors not shaming others for their food choices or morals.
Just like consuming meat, veganism is a deeply personal decision that one is entirely free to make on their own.
Neither is necessarily the “wrong” choice. In fact, medical experts claim that both diets are healthy when consumed in the correct doses. Meat is an excellent source of protein, iron, and zinc that can strengthen bones and improve brain function.
For those who do not eat meat or any animal-derived products, there is a wide variety of healthy substitutes that you can incorporate into your diet, including tofu, eggplant, cauliflower, and potatoes.
Photo: YARUNIV Studio / Shutterstock
Non-meat options do not always have to be bland and boring. You can certainly mix it up a little.
“Consider using hummus in place of cheese in a quesadilla, try tempeh or tofu instead of meat in a stir-fry, and enjoy beans or lentils instead of meat in a chili or taco filling,” Jackie Newgent, a registered dietician nutritionist, told NBC News.
Vegan diets can even combat arthritis pain, prevent type 2 diabetes, and enhance weight loss.
Still, even if you choose to go vegan, that does not mean you can block out the fact that some people still have animal products in their diets by closing a window, and you certainly cannot expect them to have the same opinion as you.
You do not have to agree with people's decision to consume meat. In fact, the moral complexities may even make you sad. However, you must respect their choices and realize that everyone is entitled to the right to make that decision for themselves.
Everyone has their own personal reasons for their dietary choices, whether it be related to finances, health, or simply becasue they enjoy the taste of certain foods. It is not our job as humans to change everyone else’s minds and beliefs in order to align with our own.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self, love, and relationships.