need help or suggestions

August 17, 2006

I want to chime in on this one as well.I think it was not only rude, but very insensitive of your hostess. I would have said,*you know this really won’t work for me, can we see what else might be around for me to eat.*KathleenOn Aug 17, 2006, at 1:18 PM, Sharon Wylie wrote: I would have just said "I'm sorry, I don't eat meat." I think the rudeness was on the part of your hosts, who knew you were vegetarian and ignored that fact. If you had food allergies or ate kosher, they would never expect you to eat their food anyway. I would be especially careful the next time you visit, as you have established the unfortunate precedent that you will eat meat if it's the only thing available. Maybe the next time you chit chat or write to them, you can indicate "Well, I certainly learned my lesson letting myself eat the meat in those bell peppers! It was a delicious meal, but my stomach was upset for days. I guess my system's just not used to meat anymore. I'll be more careful in the future." I know what you mean about stomach upset, too. I accidentally ate a meat sauce in a darkened Italian restaurant years ago, and I felt like I had a knife twisting its way through my intestine for several days. Ugh. Sharon shadowedorchid <shadowedorchid wrote: Hi all, I was hoping you might have some suggestions. I travelled to North Carolina to visit some friends recently, friends who knew I was vegetarian. When I arrived, my friend Bill said that his wife was making stuffed peppers for dinner, and was that ok. I said of course, not even realizing to ask whether they'd be vegetarian (i had just driven 9 hours in a car without air-conditioning during the really hot spell). They turned out to be turkey, and the hostess asked me "whether or not it would kill me to eat them". I said no, to be polite, and I did manage to eat what was served, but I was kind of horrified, and had a horrible stomach ache for the rest of the night. I have been vegetarian for three year, vegan for two of that. My the hostess had been my roommate for a year and a half during the time I became vegetarian. I just didn't know what to think or say. I don't want to be rude, but I can't ever let that happen to me again. How do I be polite & gracious, but stand up for myself? I probably should have reiterated my food needs prior to this trip, but I have visited once before, and they went out of their way to roast vegetables on the grill for me on that occasion, and I just assumed they would know. Any suggestions would be kindly appreiated. Thanks, Tina Get on board. You're invited to try the new Mail Beta. Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.This is Grace Unfolding, we are not alone

August 18, 2006

I agree. I would have set aside some of the filling and stuffed at least one pepper with rice and beans (and cheese if I knew you ate it) if I didn't want to prepare them all vegetarian style.

One thing I've learned is to bring my own food if I'm in doubt. But you had no reason to be in doubt, since you knew this woman knew you were a vegetarian.

Allison

Kathleen DesMaisons Aug 17, 2006 1:34 PM Re: Re: need help or suggestions I want to chime in on this one as well.

I think it was not only rude, but very insensitive of your hostess. I would have said,

*you know this really won?t work for me, can we see what else might be around for me to eat.*

Kathleen

On Aug 17, 2006, at 1:18 PM, Sharon Wylie wrote:

I would have just said "I'm sorry, I don't eat meat."

I think the rudeness was on the part of your hosts, who knew you were vegetarian and ignored that fact. If you had food allergies or ate kosher, they would never expect you to eat their food anyway.

I would be especially careful the next time you visit, as you have established the unfortunate precedent that you will eat meat if it's the only thing available. Maybe the next time you chit chat or write to them, you can indicate "Well, I certainly learned my lesson letting myself eat the meat in those bell peppers! It was a delicious meal, but my stomach was upset for days. I guess my system's just not used to meat anymore. I'll be more careful in the future."

I know what you mean about stomach upset, too. I accidentally ate a meat sauce in a darkened Italian restaurant years ago, and I felt like I had a knife twisting its way through my intestine for several days. Ugh.

Sharon

shadowedorchid <shadowedorchid wrote:

Hi all, I was hoping you might have some suggestions. I travelled to North Carolina to visit some friends recently, friends who knew I was vegetarian. When I arrived, my friend Bill said that his wife was making stuffed peppers for dinner, and was that ok. I said of course, not even realizing to ask whether they'd be vegetarian (i had just driven 9 hours in a car without air-conditioning during the really hot spell). They turned out to be turkey, and the hostess asked me "whether or not it would kill me to eat them". I said no, to be polite, and I did manage to eat what was served, but I was kind of horrified, and had a horrible stomach ache for the rest of the night. I have been vegetarian for three year, vegan for two of that. My the hostess had been my roommate for a year and a half during the time I became vegetarian. I just didn't know what to think or say. I don't want to be rude, but I can't ever let that happen to me again. How do I be polite & gracious, but stand up for myself? I probably should have reiterated my food needs prior to this trip, but I have visited once before, and they went out of their way to roast vegetables on the grill for me on that occasion, and I just assumed they would know. Any suggestions would be kindly appreiated. Thanks, Tina

Get on board. You're invited to try the new Mail Beta.

Kathleen DesMaisons, Ph.D.

This is Grace Unfolding, we are not alone