Resentment of Vegetarians

[Guest guest]

I am working towards a vegetarian diet at this point.  However, in my teens I

was a strict vegetarian for a few years before caving to peer pressure.  I had

quite a bit of pressure to eat meat and was considered " a little strange " for

liking things like yoga, medetation, vegetarian foods, natural remedies, and

being VERY aware of my carbon footprint.  Yes, I encountered much hostility by

people when I was, and even now that I'm on the path I encounter it all the

time.  Fortunatly not from my family either my own or my in-laws.  In fact 2 of

my husbands siblings are vegetarians now and I believe his oldest younger

brother (he is the oldest) if not a vegetarian is not much of a carnivore.  My

mother is a nurse and she knows the benefits now though she was concerned when I

was younger.  She is all for it and has invited me to help her in her fall and

spring gardens this year.  (She has lukemia and needs the help even though she

is in remission, she

still tires easily, and since she's in her mid 60's and still lugs around 300lb

patients in the recovery room that's hardly a shock. Can I say she's my hero?

lol)  Now my family in FL is big on seafood (a major weakness I admit) and being

a vegetarian in deep south backwoods rural FL is an oddity, but they have gotten

used to my " oddities " .  lol  My cousins are for it, but they are " citified "

living in Tallahasse. lol  Ok, in summary of this book, yes I do get comments,

and stares from some people when I mention I'm working towards a vegetarian

diet, even from a few well meaning close friends, but I have the support of my

family,  my carnivore hubby (who " doesn't mind as long as it tastes good " ),  and

even my 3 boys " as long as we can still have them vegetarian corndogs mom!

YUM! " . lol (They are pretty good. lol)  Anyway, stiff upper lip and all that, I

have my support and that's all I need.  When I'm confronted now I respond

basically in the way I was approached.  If I am asked politely why I don't have

any meat I tell them and am polite back, when people get ugly I was raised by a

VERY NASTY man.  I get ugly back, but being southern I smoother it all in honey

and bat my eyes prettily while I tell them where they can go, bless their

hearts.  

 

~Tee (who is struggling!! this pregnancy has me unable to cook without getting

sick!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I have had people resent my vegetarian diet.  One time I ordered a veggie patty

from Subway, and the person working there really had a sneering attitude about

it.  I was surprised because usually they are very polite at Subway.  I decided

that it was about him and not about me.  If he  wants to sneer, let him.  I am

still sticking to my vegetarian diet!

 

Take care,

Addy

--- On Sat, 8/22/09, groundedandrooted <groundedandrooted wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Doesn't surprise me. The day of the " customer is always right " is LONG gone.

Nancy C.

East Texas

[Guest guest]

 

That kinda shocks me too as I've never had a problem at subway, ever. I love the

veggie subs and order them frequently.

~Tee

 

[Guest guest]

Much depends on where one lives I think. As an example, around college

and university towns one finds more vegetarians and vegans, because of

the students. Same with communities with more SDA (Seventh Day

Adventist). Here in California, in Hawaii and Florida, as an example we

have known vegetarians going back to the 1950's even in the Seattle

area. Had a friend who after accepting a job in Indiana in 2001, moved

back to California within six months because he couldn't find the fresh

fruits and vegetables he was fond of that we have year round here in

California. Now that's a serious vegetarian (smiling).

 

Have had friends who have said that moving to the Midwest and meat and

potato areas, was very very hard. In my view I think some people feel

one is being critical of them, if one is vegetarian much less vegan.

People may feel uneasy because they are so stuck in their average

American food choices that when they encounter someone who is non meat

eating, they realize they have led a sheltered life so to speak. Heck I

am hearing from friends who have large vegetable gardens, who can,

dehydrate and freeze what they grow, who used to get comments about how

old fashioned they were, until this past year when all of a sudden the

naysayers are all of a sudden 'best friends'.

 

And as a vegetarian or vegan we need to remember to be thoughtful when

dealing with those who still eat meat. I had friends who kept kosher,

friends from India and Thailand who ate very spicy foods, and friends

who didn't think a day was worth living without some meat. So I tend to

feel blessed with such variety.

 

~Beth~

[Guest guest]

I think I have only dealt with some confusion. When visiting my mom, my cousins

invited us to dinner. After they invited us they were very frustrated trying to

find something to feed all of us. My mom is gluten intolerant, my son and I are

lactose intolerant and I was vegetarian (now vegan). My cousins wife is a

gourmet cook and tries very hard to accomodate my mom but we threw a big monkey

wrench into the whole meal planning when we showed up! She said between my mom

and my children and I we couldn't eat anything. My mom and I gave her lots of

suggestions for things we could all that they probably already like. She was

fine then.

 

Michelle in NV

[Guest guest]

Michelle, Your post is an excellent example of how we need to know more

recipes than those that please just us. We do lots of pot lucks and

with people with diabetes, celiac disease, cholesterol concerns, and

vegan and vegetarian , or from other cultures and we make a serious

effort to make sure everyone has something they can eat.

 

Guess that is why I find being a big fruit, salad and vegetable person

is a blessing. In our family we love all foods and starting from the

get go we knew how to steam or stir fry vegetables so the kids loved

them. Often its how vegetables have been cooked in the past that turned

kids off, until someone made them well and it was like WOW this is

great!!

 

~Beth~

[Guest guest]

Hi Nancy, we just came back from East Texas, Victoria and Houston,

specifically. My husband and I, along with two friends were there for over

two weeks both seeing my husband's family in Victoria and participating in

yoga classes and a conscious living workshop in Houston.

 

We stayed with wonderful Indian families, and I'm now trying to learn Indian

cooking. Our host gave us lessons every day. Everything was vegetarian, of

course, one of the requirements for the yoga classes. In the workshops we

ate strictly vegetarian and a sattvic diet based on aryuvedic principles.

 

My appetite has lessened quite a bit since we've been back. Our teacher

said a lot of our cravings would fall away.

 

I'm really surprised my husband wanted to do this - both the vegetarianism

and the yoga. Before he ate vegetarian at home and sometimes meat at lunch

during work. He has now gone strictly vegetarian. I'm pretty certain that

we are the only two vegetarians in our small community in Eastern KY.

 

We volunteer for an organization here. It seems like every function

involves food. They have been really good about making sure there is

something vegetarian for me, although sometimes a few of them tease and try

to get me to eat meat. I think they are going to be surprised that Chris

(my husband) is now vegetarian too.

 

Jerri

http://justjera.wordpress.com/

 

 

 

, " nancy curtis " <nancihank

wrote:

>

> Doesn't surprise me. The day of the " customer is always right " is LONG

gone.

> Nancy C.

> East Texas

>

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

My mil keeps trying to slip my husband dairy products knowing that we are vegan.

She gets very frustrated. She is almost 70 and has a hard time with change- the

thought of not being able to spoil us with food is very hard on her.

Blessings, Debra

http://veganfamilystyle.blogspot.com

[Guest guest]

At 70..........yes, I would imagine it is....bless her heart.

Nancy C.

[Guest guest]

I have gotten to the point where I think I just need to send the hubby with a

healthy treat to share with everyone. :-) I am sorry she feels bad about this

but I can't deviate- she thinks that we should be able to have a little treat

now and again- she doesn't understand when I say that it would set us back and

our 14 year old is allergic to dairy. I don't need the whole family to go

through getting over those cravings again just to please grammy.

Blessings, Debra

http://veganfamilystyle.blogspot.com

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

FWIW, my mom is 74 and an excellent Southern cook -- very meat-based,

along with lots of fat, salt and sugar. But she's been very good about

my vegan diet. Lucky me!

 

Just wanted to offer some support to the golden years. Elderly doesn't

necessarily mean resistant to change ;-)

 

Cheers,

 

Trish

[Guest guest]

My mom and I live together, she is 79. I just cook my meatless meal, to coincide

with whatever I'm cooking. She said she didn't care how I ate, and the only one

who thinks it's gross, is my 18 year old son. (Except for the fried bananas

today, and when I said I cooked them, he wanted some,but they were part of my

lunch.) I use the cookbook Jump UP and Kiss Me, and it's spicey vegetarian food.

I make fried bananas, and it's an odd combination that works. I don't hink he'd

care for them. My mom said I used to not eat vegetables, not true...I won't eat

beets or pickles, lol.

 

I make sure we have broccoli once a day. (I watched Dr. Oz the otheday, and he

said that, so I've incorporated it into my daily meals). My friends, who I hang

around with are cool with it.

 

--Rhonda