13YO “Vegan” Eats Meatloaf At Friend’s Home, His Parents Go Livid Once Finding Out About It

Some dinners just hit different—you know, the kind that make you question your diet, your morals, and maybe even your mom’s plant-based preaching. Being vegan is a lifestyle, sure, but when a perfectly golden meatloaf shows up looking like it came straight from flavor heaven, even the most loyal tofu fan might start sweating.

One Redditor thought she was just serving a cozy, no-fuss family meal, but when her son’s supposedly vegan friend took one bite and never looked back, the real heat wasn’t in the oven—it was in what came after dinner. Let’s just say, things got extra crispy.

More info: Reddit

Some people fight over parking spots, others fight over tofu and carrots

Family gathered at dinner table with teen eating pasta, highlighting parents forcing teen son to be vegan conflict.

Image credits: August de Richelieu / Pexels (not the actual photo)

One mom allows her son’s “vegan” friend to eat meat at her house when he asks for it, but his parents go ballistic and end their friendship

Text excerpt from a post about parents forcing teen son to be vegan and reacting strongly after he ate meat at a friend’s house.

Text excerpt about teen son with vegan parents and friend’s family being vegan, discussing vegan parenting conflict.

Text about limited knowledge of vegan food and common vegetable sides like buttered corn, broccoli with cheese, carrots, and mixed veggies.

Close-up of fresh yellow corn on the cob, representing vegan food choices related to parents forcing teen son to be vegan.

Image credits: NEOSiAM 2024 / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The woman’s son invites his friend over, but he ends up staying for dinner as his parents are running late for pickup

Text excerpt showing a teen's parents forcing him to be vegan and reacting strongly when he ate meat at a friend's house.

Text excerpt discussing vegan diet requirements for a teen at a friend's house due to parents' strict rules.

Text excerpt discussing difficulties preparing vegan food after parents forced teen son to be vegan.

Text excerpt about meatloaf night with mashed potatoes and buttered corn related to parents forcing teen son to be vegan.

Meat dish with boiled egg center served on wooden board with a side of roasted potatoes, highlighting teen son eating meat.

Image credits: Zoltan Istella / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The woman informs the parents she doesn’t have many veggies in the house, but the parents tell her to just cook anything plant-based

Text excerpt showing a teen discussing eating meat at school despite parents forcing him to be vegan.

Text from a social media post discussing parents reacting angrily when their teen son ate meat despite being forced to be vegan.

Text excerpt discussing teen son’s choice to eat meat despite parents forcing vegan diet and resulting family conflict.

Teen boy in black and white shirt overhears parents arguing indoors about his vegan diet and eating meat at a friend’s house.

Image credits: cottonbro studio / Pexels (not the actual photo)

The mom offers to cook some roasted potatoes for the teen, but he asks to have some meatloaf instead, which she agrees to

Text excerpt about parents upset and son heartbroken after teen ate meat at friend's house, causing conflict over vegan rules.

Text discussing parents forcing teen son to be vegan and reactions when they discover he ate meat at a friend’s house.

Text discussing a teen’s choice to eat meat despite parents forcing him to be vegan, questioning who is wrong.

Image credits: DazzlingCatation

The teen’s parents go ballistic over their “vegan” son eating meat, accusing the mom of being “a bad influence” and banning their son from seeing his friend

The OP’s (original poster) 13-year-old son invited a friend over, and the plan was simple: keep it casual, hang out, and share a meal. But the kid’s family is vegan. So, when the teen asked if he could stay for dinner, they reminded the OP to serve something vegan-friendly.

Our meat-lover OP was honest with the parents, telling them veganism isn’t really in her culinary wheelhouse, unless you count buttered corn and cheese-smothered broccoli as plant-based options. Still, she offered to whip up some roasted carrots and potato wedges for the teen.

But when he saw the juicy meatloaf, buttery mashed potatoes, and buttered corn on the table, he waved goodbye to tofu and said, “I’ll have what you’re having.” Apparently, this wasn’t a one-time meat lapse either. The kid casually dropped that he already eats meat at school. So, the OP figured, hey, if he wants it, we’re good, right? Wrong. So, so wrong.

When the boy’s parents picked him up and asked what he had for dinner, he didn’t lie. And let’s just say… it wasn’t a happy meal moment. They were furious and accused the OP of corrupting their child, sabotaging their beliefs, and practically throwing tofu into the garbage disposal of morality.

And, to add extra salt to the meatloaf, they’ve even banned their son from hanging out with OP’s son. Punishing the kids by pulling the plug on their friendship just because a 13-year-old wants a slice of meat? Now that’s just cruel. Veganism should be a choice, not a duty.

To find out more about the pros and cons of vegan nutrition, Bored Panda reached out to Amy Reed, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, for some comments.  She told us that a lot of people transitioning to a vegan lifestyle tend to underestimate how much protein they need or limit themselves to only a few protein-rich foods.

According to Reed, there’s a wide variety of plant-based protein options out there—like tofu, tempeh, lentils, beans, nuts, seeds, and nut butters—but people often stick to just one or two and miss out on the rest.

Stressed woman rubbing her eyes holding glasses, representing parents upset over teen son eating meat at friend’s house.

Image credits: Kaboompics.com / Pexels (not the actual photo)

We wanted to know if a vegan diet can provide enough protein and iron without relying on supplements. Reed explains that with proper planning, a vegan diet can supply sufficient amounts of both protein and iron. She points out that plant-based iron—called non-heme iron—is found in foods like tofu, beans, and leafy greens such as spinach.

We asked Reed if a well-planned vegan diet is safe and nutritionally adequate for young children and teens. She believes that children can absolutely thrive on a vegan diet, provided it’s diverse and well-balanced. However, the expert also recommends that families considering a vegan diet for their children work closely with a registered dietitian.

“It is possible that a vegan diet may not be appropriate for all children, depending upon other health issues, and any concerns for growth need to be discussed with a primary care provider before starting or continuing a vegan diet on a young child,” Reed explained.

We wanted to know what nutrients parents should pay close attention to when feeding their child a vegan diet. Reed highlights that parents should focus on making sure their children get enough plant-based protein and healthy fats. She also points to several important micronutrients to monitor, including iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and potentially calcium and vitamin D.

Finally, we asked Reed what the long-term health benefits (or risks) of vegan nutrition are. The expert shares that well-structured vegan diets are linked to a lower risk of heart disease. She attributes this to the high intake of fiber from fruits, vegetables, and legumes that are common in vegan eating patterns.

However, she cautions that a poorly planned vegan diet can fall short on key nutrients—especially those typically found in animal products, like vitamin B12 and DHA (an omega-3 fatty acid). Thankfully, there are vegan-friendly supplements available to help fill those nutritional gaps when needed.

So, dear readers, what do you think of this story? Would you have served the meatloaf or stuck to the carrots? Drop your thoughts and comments below!

Netizens side with the woman, saying she is not a jerk for feeding her son’s vegan friend meat when he asked for it

Screenshot of online discussion where users debate parents forcing teen son to be vegan and his eating meat at friend's house.

Comment discussing a teen eating meat at a friend’s house despite parents forcing him to be vegan.

Screenshot of a social media comment reacting to parents forcing their teen son to be vegan and his meat-eating incident.

Comment discussing a teen son eating meat despite parents forcing him to be vegan, sparking conflict over diet choice.

Reddit comment discussing controversy about parents forcing teen son to be vegan and reaction to him eating meat.

Screenshot of an online comment debating a teen forced to be vegan by parents and secretly eating meat at a friend’s house.

Comment on parents forcing teen son to be vegan and his choice to eat meat at a friend's house, sparking conflict.

Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing parents forcing their teen son to be vegan and cooking green vegetables.

Commenter discusses online reactions to parents forcing teen son to be vegan and discovering he ate meat at a friend’s house.

Screenshot of a social media comment discussing parents forcing teen son to be vegan and his choice to eat meat.

Poll Question

Total votes ·

Thanks! Check out the results:

Total votes ·

Newsletter

Subscribe to Access
Exclusive Polls

Subscribe

By entering your email and clicking Subscribe, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Privacy Policy.

Thank you! You've successfully subscribed to newsletters!

Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing!

Follow Bored Panda on Google News!

Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda!