Is this virtue signalling or is it genuine consideration?

In the context of a programme about one’s family, I don’t think expressing pride in what one’s children have done is necessarily virtue-signalling.
To me the issue is what Jada Pinkett-Smith was proud of.
If she was proud of her daughter doing something to help the homeless, that’s justified.
Being proud of being vegan isn’t. It’s just a dietary choice and other choices are just as valid, and possibly more ethical than veganism.

I’m reading Raynor Winn’s book ‘the Salt Path’. Homeless, she and her husband walked the South-west Coast Path on a very limited income. They existed on rice, noodles and mars bars mainly. They would have been grateful for anything given to them.

I bought a reduced price vegan beef wellington at Waitrose, where they often reduce food and a lot of it is vegan. Beef wellington? It was just like a beetroot in pastry. I hate beetroot.
It put me off vegan food. I eat vegetarian meals from time to time though.

I didn’t see the show so can’t tell whether either Willow or her mother was virtue-signalling. I am wary, though, of celebrities ‘showing their children off’ - it seems exploitative. I think the vegan thing is a side issue - I know a lot of vegans, many of whom have the zeal of the converted, and it can be easy to feel defensive about being an omnivore. That’s what makes it sound like virtue-signalling. But there’s no need for any of the rest of us to respond to the signals if we don’t want to.m, and I’ve learned to realise that there’s no requirement for me to defend myself. It may or may not be intended as virtue-signalling in this case, and as I said I don’t know which of them brought the topic up. But Willow wouldn’t have been on camera at all if her mother hadn’t been famous (I’m assuming she is - I’ve never heard of her). The moral issue here is how people treat their children.

It’s virtue signalling of the worst order
Why tell the whole world?
Only to show how ‘right on’ she is

It's virtue signalling; it's also bad form to boast about your children. What does it say in the Bible about charity: never let your left hand know what your right hand is doing ( or something to that effect). Someone once admired a new jacket I was wearing. An acquaintance in the group commented," I buy all MY clothes at the charity shop. I felt like saying, " What do you want, a medal."

It you were that hungry you wouldn't care what is was you were eating . I think ethics goes out of the window , when you don't know were your next meal is coming from . You'll be grateful for anything .

One way of getting their eighteen year old daughter into the limelight.

I don't think its a 'moral dilemma', but when I chose to put something in the local food bank hopper, I put something I myself WOULD use/eat - not the cheapest if I know the cheapest is not fit for purpose IYCWIM.

The point is, surely, that she's "doing something good" whilst going out of her way to make sure that everyone knows it.

So yes, virtue signalling of a rather preachy kind.

People help the homeless every day, ffs, and never seek publicity, recognition or appreciation.

I didn't hear or see the original so feel unable to comment on that. Often the answer is in the way something is said, tone of voice and gesture.

Stansgran is concerned about the nutritional aspects - well yes, a vegan diet (like all other diets) can be rich or poor in vitamins and minerals but you do need to think about it. You can't just take out whole food groups without careful replacements. In this context though I would think it was at most a few meals. I think a diet of just sandwiches or baked potatoes or sausages or whatever is ultimately no better. As someone said earlier, people living on the streets have less choices regarding what they eat. Sometimes no choice at all.

Regarding food "gifts" to homeless people, I can't remember the details but remember hearing from someone on the streets that they were never given food with much in the way of vegetables in.
They missed it.
I suppose that's obvious really as the "easy" things to give are sandwiches and "fast food" such as sausage rolls/pizza slices etc as they are not too expensive, easily available, perceived to be filling and generally acceptable.

I think a vegetable-based dish would be quite a change. Might not suit everyone though I suppose.

Ideally we would work harder to prevent homelessness. That's the real issue here I think. The UK should adopt the "Housing First" model that is having success elsewhere... but as it's more expensive initially (though much cheaper longer term), I expect we won't.

An amusing conflation in the OP's original post of vegan with ethical. I should have thought it was pretty much the opposite.

Sorry, but I think use of the term “virtue signalling” is mean and nasty. It’s far too often used against anyone advocating doing something good. I’m glad that people care about the cruel exploitation of farm animals. It’s good to be upset about how many people in our wealthy society are destitute. Maybe motives are mixed, but let’s look at the positives and encourage people to try to do good.

Plenty of protein in vegan food.
Where do you think the cows and sheep you eat get their protein from?

On a cold night my dd once bought a Big Mac for someone with a 'homeless and hungry' placard.
He told her to eff off.
Maybe he'd have preferred a quinoa and beetroot salad.

(Just kidding - all he wanted was money, of course.)

And yes, OP, I do think it was virtue signalling, of a decidedly cringe-making variety.

Vile, but not surprising chewbacca.

This is a bit old news now but, back in 2017, Kim Kardashian took her 2 children -on a photo opportunity-- to offer food to the homeless in Los Angeles. It was whilst she was smiling broadly to the just happened to be in the area- cameras that it was noticed that she and her children were all wearing protective gloves.

This has certainly been an interesting discussion!

I buy a guy in our town a vegan sausage roll on a Friday, never asked if he is vegan, but I am, so I just buy what I will eat if he happens not to be there one day!! Only happened once, they are quite nice?

I agree, Gaunt, about the publicity stunt angle.

Why did the fact that it was vegan food Willow was taking to hungry people have to be mentioned? There is nothing virtuous or ethical about being vegan.

She did a good thing taking food to hungry people.

Oh come on Beckett you can’t go with a menu to the homeless if they have an allergy they won’t eat it
They aren’t talking about feeding one homeless person it was the daughter taking food to ‘the homeless’ I think it’s perfectly acceptable that if she’s a vegan herself she takes vegan food just as a vegetarian would not take a chicken
Whether it’s bragging or not I m not sure The mother may have been genuinely proud of her daughter thinking of others or it could have been gain g brownie points I supposed you’d only know if you knew the family personally

These sorts of disclosures by 'celebrities' usually coincide with the launch of a record or a film or a new make up range. It's why I used to love Wallace and Grommit - you never saw them littering talk shows when one of their films came out!!

Always ask what a homeless person would like to eat. Homeless people can have allergies too.

I would have thought the fact they actually ate the vegan food showed how desperate they were.

Only joking

Call me a cynic but why are these " certain acts of kindness " always filmed/recorded ??
Genuine kindness is never recognised !!