Woman threatens vegan sister; 'I won't remodel your home UNLESS you feed me meat!' AITA?

When this woman is upset with her sister, she asks the internet:

"AITA for telling my vegan sister that I will not remodel her home anymore if she doesn’t serve me meat?

My sister bought a home and it needs a lot of work. I told her that I would be willing to do it if she provided food and the materials.

I am anemic and fainted a lot as a child. Almost all of my meals have some type of meat in them or are very heavy on protein.

This is the problem, the meals my sister have been serving have left me hungry and light headed. The work is labor intensive and me working in the morning to late afternoon usally makes me feel awful by the end of the day.

I brought my own food one day and it wasn't an issue, so I asked she tot make heavier meals that have more protein in them. It hasn't been working.

Yesterday I fainted and after I informed her that I need her to make meals with meat in them or I will not be remodeling things anymore.

She thinks I am a huge jerk for asking this one her and I am standing firm on this. I am also not willing to bring my own food since I am going her a huge favor already to remodeled her home. AITA?

Readers were VERY torn about OP's dilemma:

dagh7 writes:

NTA for requiring meals with meat, but a very very light YTA for saying she needs to make meals with meat in them (vs providing meals with meat).

Most vegans I know do it for ethical reasons and while they wouldn’t be eating the meat, they also don’t want to be cooking it because it goes against their core beliefs.

Personally, as a meat eater, I wouldn’t really want someone who doesn’t eat the food they’re making to make me the food, more due to the fact that it probably won’t taste great if they can’t taste it while cooking.

Would you be happy if your sister ordered food for you or provided daily money to order food yourself? Also, iron supplements go a long way for anemia.

fainag writes:

ESH. It's not clear whether she asked you for this favor or you simply volunteered. In any case, it is unreasonable to expect her to cook meat if she is a vegan. However, it is not unreasonable to expect that she will provide what you need to do your work.

The fact that the two of you can't seem to solve this when there are so many solutions in 2024 is why I think everyone sucks. Doordash, Uber eats exist. Or she can give you money for your meals.

Also, I suspect both of you knew you'd be at this point given that you asked for food. Seems asking for some money upfront would have solved a lot of issues.

fffaaavvv writes:

YTA. The vegan lifestyle is not just about a diet, it’s centered in moral beliefs/ ethics. Asking someone to directly go against their moral belief system is wrong. She didn’t make a rule saying that you can’t bring meat into her home, you can pack your own lunch. Especially if she’s paying you.

She shouldn’t have to directly fund or support that when it goes against her beliefs. There are many people that are vegan who are also anemic, I’m an example of having done that for a period of time, it was just hard to keep up with.

It’s not that you “can’t” skip meat, maybe the food she’s providing you with is not high enough in protein, but there’s no way that’s why you’re fainting, you are iron deficient. Skipping meat at lunch will not cause fainting.

So pack your own lunch, problem solved. She should pay you the amount of money for your daily lunch. Also contact a doctor since you’re fainting, you probably need to be on some sort of supplements.

It seems like you have a weird grudge against either your sister or veganism and that’s why you won’t compromise and even feel comfortable demanding that.

megshad writes:

YTA. There’s a whole world of compromise between her making meals with meat=work and no making meals with meat=no work.

She can pay you so you buy your own food of whatever kind you want. She can feed you high protein not-meat foods from skyr to black beans to tofu or seitan. She can feed you meat she buys but doesn’t cook. You can limit your work time to an hour or two a day so it doesn’t make you faint.

If you don’t want to do the work, or don’t want to do the work without meat, fine, don’t. But those Aren’t your only two options.

BYW, if you’re anemic you need Iron, not protein. Your doc should have you on supplements if you’re so anemic you faint. Meat won’t fix that in a half hour meal.

And do you think the only meat is red muscle? That is One source of iron, yes. But there are many other meats and many non meat iron sources.

benbeverrr writes:

I’m vegetarian. I have no problems with people eating meat. They’re free to eat what they want, in my home, at my table. But I will not buy and prepare meat for them. This is against my beliefs/principles.

In this case, that makes YTA. You abuse a medical condition to try and make her do things against her will. Again YTA.

There is a very simple solution too. Bring your own meal. Or order food. She can pay for it. You don’t HAVE to eat what she serves. You know what food you like best and what gives you energy.