Vegetarian / Non-Vegetarian Relationships?!
Vegetarian / Non-Vegetarian Relationships?
Does anyone find it diffiuclt to have a serious relationship with someone because they are a vegetarian, or because you are and your spouse/partner is not??
I mean I am starting to cut back my meat intake but find it hard because my boyfriend wants meat or when I cook he wants chicken or steak etc.... how does this work out?? Because I can't convince himt o do something he doesn't want to do (stop eating meat) - but we always have meals together....any suggestions on how to mesh these 2 lifestyles without having to cook 2 separate meals every night??
Answers:
I really like "xandra242002's" idea of cooking 1 meal: with your veggie choice and his with his meat choice in two separate pans, and both of you have the same side dish. (ie: you have a veggie burger while he has a hamburger, and you both have a baked potato or corn with it, etc.) This way you are just using one extra pan and it becomes a whole meal instead of 2 meals.
However, this is not a meal you are going to have every night and will need to plan the meals out better. Spaghetti and meatballs are easy, just eliminate the meatballs from your plate, and the sauce. He can still enjoy meatballs in the meal. But it will even go further than this. The more complex meal you are making, the less choices you will have available to accommodate the both of you, which is where you really need to sit down and talk about what will work best for you both and reach a happy medium, or middle of the road, so to speak, on your meals.
Like you said in your question, you will not be able to change his desire for foods and neither will he be able to turn you back if you are losing desire for meat. The desire for meat becoming less is usually due to a physical change in that we are becoming lighter and eating healthier to compensate for these physiological changes. It is better for the digestive tract too, and I feel that eventually everyone is going to be lightening up their meat intake (but that's just my opinion).
If you are able to also tolerate the smell and the idea of the meat in the pan or at the same table with you then that would be helpful to consider. I know many vegans and vegetarians who would not be able to do that, as they have become very sensitive to the smells and even the lower energy that it emits.
I think that if he is willing to pitch in with you and make his part of the meal, while you are doing your part, you can both work as a team to accomplish a healthy meal plan to satisfy both your dietary needs.
Best of luck to you both and happy cooking!
Eve