What do others do around family while being vegetarian?!
my husbands family (mother, father, sisters) have known for a while that i am vegetarian!. it has always been kind of a sore spot i guess!. my father-in-law just rolls his eyes at it and my mother-in-law kind of acts stupid every time she makes something when i come over!. i have never asked them to cater to me and have never scowled at anything they have made!. i just think it has been pretty clear that when they make food, i will eat everything that doesn't have meat in it or i will pick the meat out!. it is irritating that i have to feel bad for being healthy!. i am going to their house for thanksgiving and was wondering what others do and say to their family when this subject comes up!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
My family has never been like that but I always make something to bring with so I'm sure to have something I like!. They make an effort to cook things I can eat but I come from one of those "well it just has a tiny piece of pork cooked in it, you can eat that can't you!?" kind of families!.
It's different at work though-a lot of my coworkers think nothing is good except meat (which is weird since I work in the hospital and we do 4-6 cardiac bypasses a week)!. Whenever we decide to get pizza I usually have to get a whole small one just for me so I can have some!. Just tonight a friend repeatedly offered me meat until I finally said "what part of I don't eat meat didn't you understand!?"
I just try not to let it bother me!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
It's different at work though-a lot of my coworkers think nothing is good except meat (which is weird since I work in the hospital and we do 4-6 cardiac bypasses a week)!. Whenever we decide to get pizza I usually have to get a whole small one just for me so I can have some!. Just tonight a friend repeatedly offered me meat until I finally said "what part of I don't eat meat didn't you understand!?"
I just try not to let it bother me!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
This is where meat substitutes come in!.
I always get some Realeat fake turkey slices for Yule, and have a pack of veggie sausages in the freezer for when the family come round - when I go to theirs I offer to take summat!.
Otherwise, when the kids come to us my hubby cooks a big carnivorous meal, be it curry or casserole; I make a dhal or just a huge salad, and - guess what!
I have to make a really big one cos the kids love mine just as much!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I always get some Realeat fake turkey slices for Yule, and have a pack of veggie sausages in the freezer for when the family come round - when I go to theirs I offer to take summat!.
Otherwise, when the kids come to us my hubby cooks a big carnivorous meal, be it curry or casserole; I make a dhal or just a huge salad, and - guess what!
I have to make a really big one cos the kids love mine just as much!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I'm surprised that you've never tried Chrissi's idea!. Anytime I go to someone's home, be it a family member, family member of a friend, or a friend, I bring my own food so I can make a meal!. Like you, I don't expect them to cater to me, but that doesn't mean that I'm just going to sit there and take it!. I'm a vegan, so I don't eat dairy or eggs, so I'll take a serving of veggies or boiled potatoes before they start loading it up with butter!. I buy and make my own main dish, and usually help myself to the salad at the table!.
Since it's your husband's family, you can't exactly tell them how you feel (unless you've been married for a while, but even then, it's iffy) so ask your husband to do it for you!. I'm the only vegan I know and even though my guy likes to joke about it, he still makes sure that I have something to eat!. "Well, what is Hannibal going to have!? Remember, she's a vegan, she can't have that stuff!." That's what he says to his mom when she's cooking!.
As for T-day, I personally find it rude when people don't bring a dish and expect the host/hostess to cook and provide all the food!. I grew up where each family that came to the house brought one or two dishes to share, even if it was store-bought!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
Since it's your husband's family, you can't exactly tell them how you feel (unless you've been married for a while, but even then, it's iffy) so ask your husband to do it for you!. I'm the only vegan I know and even though my guy likes to joke about it, he still makes sure that I have something to eat!. "Well, what is Hannibal going to have!? Remember, she's a vegan, she can't have that stuff!." That's what he says to his mom when she's cooking!.
As for T-day, I personally find it rude when people don't bring a dish and expect the host/hostess to cook and provide all the food!. I grew up where each family that came to the house brought one or two dishes to share, even if it was store-bought!. Www@FoodAQ@Com
Ask these:
"Would you feed a diabetic a double helping of dessert!?"
"How about someone that is severely allergic to nuts!? Would they feed him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!?"
"My friend is Jewish--give him a double helping of ham!"
These examples illustrate a set of people that cannot indulge in those foods for their very life or from thier religious beliefs!. It's okay to draw the comparison!. Your in-laws won't get it but, maybe it will plant a seed of thought!.
I have lost the will to defend myself!. I abstain from the so-called "family" holidays for this reason!. I volunteer an extra shift at work and just avoid the hassle altogether!.
The older I have gotten, the less I care to be on the defensive all the time!. I hope things work out for you, I really do!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
"Would you feed a diabetic a double helping of dessert!?"
"How about someone that is severely allergic to nuts!? Would they feed him a peanut butter and jelly sandwich!?"
"My friend is Jewish--give him a double helping of ham!"
These examples illustrate a set of people that cannot indulge in those foods for their very life or from thier religious beliefs!. It's okay to draw the comparison!. Your in-laws won't get it but, maybe it will plant a seed of thought!.
I have lost the will to defend myself!. I abstain from the so-called "family" holidays for this reason!. I volunteer an extra shift at work and just avoid the hassle altogether!.
The older I have gotten, the less I care to be on the defensive all the time!. I hope things work out for you, I really do!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I have the same problem whenever I go to my best friend's house!. I became vegetarian a year ago, and still, everytime I go to their house, her mom lectures me!. also, when I first became vegetarian, it was kind of hard because my dad was upset about it!. Now, he got used to it because he knows I'm serious about it, and he's become supportive!. Just don't let it get to you and let them know that it's an important thing for you!. YOU know it's healthy and good for the animals!. After a while they will start to respect your decisions, or just not bug you anymore!. Good luck!Www@FoodAQ@Com
When I was vegetarian (for 10 years) I would remind people that it's my own diet choice and it doesn't affect them!. That I won't try to "convert" them - I'm happy eating what I want to eat while they eat what they want to eat!.
Sometimes people are more sympathetic to you if you say you "don't like meat" or "don't want to eat meat" or "don't like the taste"!.!.!. not saying you should lie but whatever, it helps sometimes depending on the person!.
Are you happy eating only the food that doesn't have meat in it!? For my family that's always only things like mashed potatoes and steamed veggies!.!.!. and even then sometimes not because the potatoes might have gravy and etc!.!.!. you deserve to be satisfied the same as everyone else, maybe you should consider volunteering to bring a delicious vegetarian dish!. Think it up beforehand and test it out on your own family before serving it up over there, so you can make sure it's delicious and possibly check if meat-eaters enjoy it as well!.
If you did the veggie dish idea you could try to get a non-vegetarian to say they brought it and made it so people will eat it and won't go "ew it's a hippie dish"!. Then later you can have the person who brought it say that you made it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Sometimes people are more sympathetic to you if you say you "don't like meat" or "don't want to eat meat" or "don't like the taste"!.!.!. not saying you should lie but whatever, it helps sometimes depending on the person!.
Are you happy eating only the food that doesn't have meat in it!? For my family that's always only things like mashed potatoes and steamed veggies!.!.!. and even then sometimes not because the potatoes might have gravy and etc!.!.!. you deserve to be satisfied the same as everyone else, maybe you should consider volunteering to bring a delicious vegetarian dish!. Think it up beforehand and test it out on your own family before serving it up over there, so you can make sure it's delicious and possibly check if meat-eaters enjoy it as well!.
If you did the veggie dish idea you could try to get a non-vegetarian to say they brought it and made it so people will eat it and won't go "ew it's a hippie dish"!. Then later you can have the person who brought it say that you made it!.Www@FoodAQ@Com