So this happened quite a while ago during a work trip to Manchester. I was there with 6 friends, and I was the only non-vegetarian in the group. Everyone knew that I was really excited to try beef for the first time during that trip, and I was pretty much only eating meat the entire time.
One day, we were out sightseeing near our hotel, and I bought a packet of beef-flavored chips (they had a picture of a cow on the front and “beef chips” written in small print). I ate about half the pack, but since I didn’t have a bag with me, I asked one of my friends if she could hold it in her bag. She agreed, and I went to the restroom.
When I came back, I asked her for the chips, and she casually told me that two of our other friends had eaten the rest.
I was kind of shocked and slightly amused—mostly because of how obvious the packaging was. I asked them if they knew what flavor it was, and they said no, but it tasted really good.
That’s when I told them it was beef-flavored. They both immediately freaked out. One started gagging, and the other looked like they were about to throw up. They got really mad at me and said I should have told them.
For context, we all come from the same cultural/religious background, where eating meat (especially beef) is against our religious beliefs. I personally don’t follow that restriction, but they do. That said, I never offered the chips to anyone—they took it themselves from my friend’s bag while I was away.
So now I’m wondering—AITA for not telling them the chips were beef flavored, even though I didn’t offer them and they took it without asking?
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So this happened quite a while ago during a work trip to Manchester. I was there with 6 friends, and I was the only non-vegetarian in the group. Everyone knew that I was really excited to try beef for the first time during that trip, and I was pretty much only eating meat the entire time.
One day, we were out sightseeing near our hotel, and I bought a packet of beef-flavored chips (they had a picture of a cow on the front and “beef chips” written in small print). I ate about half the pack, but since I didn’t have a bag with me, I asked one of my friends if she could hold it in her bag. She agreed, and I went to the restroom.
When I came back, I asked her for the chips, and she casually told me that two of our other friends had eaten the rest.
I was kind of shocked and slightly amused—mostly because of how obvious the packaging was. I asked them if they knew what flavor it was, and they said no, but it tasted really good.
That’s when I told them it was beef-flavored. They both immediately freaked out. One started gagging, and the other looked like they were about to throw up. They got really mad at me and said I should have told them.
For context, we all come from the same cultural/religious background, where eating meat (especially beef) is against our religious beliefs. I personally don’t follow that restriction, but they do. That said, I never offered the chips to anyone—they took it themselves from my friend’s bag while I was away.
So now I’m wondering—AITA for not telling them the chips were beef flavored, even though I didn’t offer them and they took it without asking?
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OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> So they called me and asshole because I know that they follow a strict rules of not eating meat and I did not told them that it was not meat , but they did not asked me either , so I am conflicted that I might be an asshole
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
Ha ha they got whar they deserved! NTA
Most “steak” and meat-flavored crisps don’t even contain meat. Did you check the ingredients? I was nuts for these when I went vegetarian: FLAME GRILLED STEAK – McCoys
They ate your chips without asking and while you were away. NTA. They created their own problem
NTA , if you have any food restrictions or allergies, it’s on you to check the ingredients before partaking. Plus, it has a picture of a cow on the front; that’s a pretty good clue about at least one of the possible ingredients.
>They got really mad at me and said I should have told them.
When should you have told them? When you purchased them for your personal consumption? When you asked a friend to look after the open bag for a few minutes? When they asked if they could try some-
Hey, wait, that didn’t happen did it. You didn’t need their permission to eat crisps in their presence, and they didn’t seek your permission to try some of your food.
NTA.
But…I’m still intrigued what brand you were eating and whether they really weren’t vegetation. After all, meat flavoured crisps are usually flavoured through the seasoning and additives, not actual meat products. It is harder to get milk free crisps, because milk or lactose can be added ingredients in crisps.
NTA. They took food without knowing what it was exactly. It’s not on you that they couldn’t be bothered to check what flavour chips they were eating. Hopefully this will be a lesson to them about asking first.
NTA – They can do two things: 1) read the ingredients and 2) Not take other people’s food. Also, beef flavour doesn’t necessarily mean there will have been beef in the ingredients. You can easily look that up online.
‘Beef chips’? In the UK? It definitely wouldn’t have referred the them as that on the packet.
NTA
I’m really baffled by how many AITA posts revolve around foods : people whining about foods they ate, didnt eat, had to share, were not allowed to taste in someone else’s plate, etc.
NTA
It was on the bag, and they didn’t ask – FAAFO.
Although, ironically, some UK brands of beef flavour crisps are suitable for vegetarians inasmuch as they contain no meat, it’s all flavourings (Walkers beef & onion, Monster Munch beef for a start)
If it was beef flavoured crisps in the UK then highly unlikely they have any meat in them. Generally the flavour is from assorted vegetable proteins.
Nta. They were your crisps. You didn’t offer them out, you asked someone to hold the bag while you went to the loo. They shouldn’t have eaten them without asking. Also, who tf just eats half a bag of crisps without looking at the flavour!?
BTW, beef flavoured crisps in the UK are pretty unlikely to actually contain any beef. They’re often vegetarian.
NTA beef crisps do not actually contain any beef, it’s just a flavouring that makes it taste like beef. They are suitable for vegetarians. Most importantly, what vegetarian or vegan just eats stuff out of a packet without checking the ingredients?? That sounds very unusual and lazy on their part
I am literally eating a pack of flame grill steak flavour McCoys which has a vegetarian symbol on the packaging
NTA
I assume they can all read and they didn’t eat meet anyway do what is the problem?
Well….the problem is that you have greedy friends who help themselves to your food and are too lazy to check what they are eating.
If it happened to me I’d be quoting Bart Simpson at them “Don’t have a cow man!”
Did the crisps actually have beef in them? Most meat flavoured crisps are vegetarian.
Vegetarian here – your friends are completely at fault. Firstly they shouldn’t be eating your food without your permission, secondly do they not read packaging on food they eat? I always double check food is vegetarian before I eat it. Thirdly it’s ridiculous of them to expect you to have told them in advance. Absolutely NTA.
in uk crisps or chips as you americans say normally say the flavour clearly nta they should have checked before taking some
NTA.
It would have taken a second to glance at the packet to see the flavour. You did not trick them into eating your crisps. They took advantage of your absence to steal the remainder of your crisps. Yes, steal because they did not have your permission to take and consume those crisps. The thieves were caught out by their own greed.
NTA if they helped themselves without asking. I follow a vegetarian/kosher diet, and I would never just eat something without checking first.
NTA
Who eats someone else’s food without asking?
But there was almost certainly no beef in them. The ingredients usually just have artificial beef flavour or something.
Those crisps won’t have been anywhere near a cow; a lab is far more likely.
To be fair, most of the flavoured crisps (chips) in the UK are vegetarian so to your defence, it’s a non issue