“Meatless Day” by Sarah Einstein is a short story about a family tradition where meat is not consumed on Mondays, known as Meatless Day. It focuses on themes of guilt, responsibility, and ethical considerations surrounding food consumption. Comparing it to “sati,” a historical practice where widows immolated themselves on their husband’s funeral pyre, would be quite a stretch. While both involve rituals and societal norms surrounding food or actions related to it, the contexts and implications are vastly different. Sati was a practice rooted in patriarchal and religious beliefs, while Meatless Day is a contemporary family tradition reflecting ethical and dietary choices.