If you were in a relationship with another vegetarian/vegan and your partner decided to eat omnivorously again?!
Assume that this is a serious relationship and that nothing else (only choosing to begin eating meat, eggs, and dairy) has changed.
Answers:
My life partner moved with me to a pure low-fat whole plant based diet. We are both enjoying more vigor and health than we've had in many years. However, it can be a real challenge when there are two eating styles in a relationship. It is difficult when you know that omnivores suffer more frequently with heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes, and obesity. It would be a huge problem for me if my wife chose to eat an unhealthy diet. Even a small amount of drinking (alcohol) is an issue for me because of clear health consequences. Perhaps the two of you could work out a compromise.
If it's early in the relationship, perhaps it is better to avoid the future problems associated with the standard American diet (SAD). However, I think you need to assess the whole relationship. For objectivity, I strongly suggest you engage the help of a professional/experienced marriage counselor who can help you both work through what needs to happen next in the relationship.
Don't become too attached to any outcome at this point. Just focus on the process of working through this issue.
Hmm. That depends. I have typically dated mostly omnivores, so that's not a problem for me. However, I am indeed bothered by the smell of cooking meat and I want to raise my kids vegetarian, so lately I am looking at more vegetarians. If I made a commitment to a vegetarian and he started to eat meat again, I can see that it would be a problem only if he insisted on having meat in the house or feeding the kids meat. It's just like any other issue about housekeeping or child-rearing. If we had come to a mutual agreement prior to making the arrangements, I would expect any change to be mutual as well.
Basically, it's like other things. If the person I was dating started to smoke (blech), I probably wouldn't break up with him. However, I would seriously question the relationship if he refused to not smoke in the house, or wanted to smoke in front of/around the kids.
If he suddenly developed an interest in woodworking? No problem. However, I'd not be happy if I found huge piles of wood shavings and sanded-off paint in my living room.
Basically, if his choice to eat meat didn't force me to "compromise" on a previously agreed-upon rule, it would be no problem, but if he expected me to start buying meat and cooking it for him, I would say that more has changed than simply his diet and it would be grounds for questioning the relationship. A man who asks me to compromise my values to accommodate his is not a man who I think I'd like to be with long-term.
I wouldn't even consider ending the relationship. I don't think most people fall in love with people because of their diets,etc. If this happened to me, I think I'd be slightly disappointed, but as long as we talked about it then I'd be fine and would support the change. Because you're supposed to support your significant others no matter what (...or dump them if it bugs you THAT much, I guess).
Right now I live with my omnivore boyfriend and we just split the fridge and freezer down the middle. I also have a seperate cupboard. We could mix, but I like keeping it seperate because I'm just meticulous about things like that. We make seperate meals most of the time and only eat something vegan together a few times a month. So it would be similar in your purposed situation for me as well. As long as there is respect from both sides, it's not a big deal.
Vegan
Of course not! How, if you love someone, could you possibly stop loving that person so easily? It shouldn't make any difference. It's a choice. And it's certainly not difficult to fix both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals. Just respect each other's choices, and embrace the differences.
No way! So long as they were still ok with me being a vegan, nothing would change. I would support them in their endeavor if it was what they wanted. I've never been the type to let diet get in the way if I like or love someone. It's just not something that bothers me enough to let it stop me.
Hi. I don't think this would change anything for me; I would hope that I had more in common the person than just our diets!
As long as they weren't going to start trying to make me change too it wouldn't be an issue.
X
Yes, ending the relationship between me and vegetarianism.
If it's a real relationship, food preferences shouldn't get in the way.
Makes no odds to me what someone else eats. It's not my place to dictate to others. So long as they didn't expect me to change, why should I expect them to?
just make him/her brush his teeth before kissing you or anything and you will be good. I pretty much have that rule with any girl I might go out with. emphasis on might haha
Of course not. That would be ridiculous.
Nope.
Of course not!