Thoughts on the vegetarian meal celebration for daughter...

[Guest guest]

I would  like to offer some thoughts here about the proposed guests who want to

bring something non-vegetarian.  I don't think they are truly being " defiant " of

the hosts, though maybe SOME might be.  It wouldn't be my FIRST assumption,

unless I knew them to be of an argumentative bent in the first place.

 

Having been on the " other " side of it before now, I can remember a time when

someone saying, " I'm vegetarian " or " we're vegetarian " would have elicited a

response from me like, " Oh, that's nice... " --but I would have NO CLUE if I had

to bring some kind of food to a potluck or dinner for vegetarian-only eaters. 

 

Of course, it seems like a no-brainer to you who have been " lifers " in this, but

for the un-initiated, it is baffling.  Non-vegetarians do not have the

" m**t-ingredient consciousness " that most of you-all have.  (Like, knowing that

" jello " has animal protein in the base or marshmallows have some of the

same...or that " broth " MUST be made only of vegetables...or that " fake " crab

meat is not really " fake " and contains fish.)  This does not automatically

register in their consciousness--one has to be sort of brought into the

knowledge base that is part of vegetarianism.

 

It is sad that non-vegetarians usually (though not always) have the mental image

of a " meal " as having some kind of meat as the " star " ingredient.  They can't

imagine a meal of only vegetable foods as being " healthy " --maybe that's all they

know!  When they eat a meal at the home of a vegetarian and LIKE food that has

no m**t in it, they are usually pleasantly surprised and wonder, " Do they have

GOOD food like this all the time? "   It's a little like discovering there is a

whole new world out there that they knew nothing about when that happens!

 

I myself have not made a full transition, but I am so often just amazed that

GOOD food does NOT have to have any m**t component!  My DH, I think, is even

more amazed, as he wasn't raised to eat much of any kinds of vegetables.  We

have meals day after day that have no animal component and we are perfectly

satisfied--and not BORED with them.  Taste and variety is the best part of

trying this and shifting to more and more all-veg eating. 

 

The friends who want to bring their own might also be fearful of not having

something familiar...some may also be (I dislike the thought, but they do exist)

very picky eaters who want their " own " kind of food, no matter what.  I have

some relatives like that...dear me!  They are hard to cook for, veg or not!  LET

them bring their " own " --put it on a separate table, if that makes it seem easier

to handle, and they can eat " their " food anyway.  If the gathering is a

celebration of daughter's achievement, the MAIN thing is to enjoy one another's

company and rejoice in her accomplishment! 

 

I wish you a wonderful celebration, however you do it, and " Congratulations! " in

advance to your daughter!

 

Peace!

--Laura B., in Illinois

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

This makes sense to me, Laura. If the tables were turned and I was invited to a

meat-eaters celebration and I was to bring a meat dish I wouldn't have a clue

where to start because I have never ever cooked meat. I wondered if it might be

possible to suggest dishes for them to bring, or even to provide them with

recipes if necessary and if they were interested.

Christie

 

, " L.B. " <elbee577 wrote:

>

> I would  like to offer some thoughts here about the proposed guests who want

to bring something non-vegetarian.  I don't think they are truly being " defiant "

of the hosts, though maybe SOME might be.  It wouldn't be my FIRST assumption,

unless I knew them to be of an argumentative bent in the first place.

>  

> Having been on the " other " side of it before now, I can remember a time when

someone saying, " I'm vegetarian " or " we're vegetarian " would have elicited a

response from me like, " Oh, that's nice... " --but I would have NO CLUE if I had

to bring some kind of food to a potluck or dinner for vegetarian-only eaters. 

>  

> Of course, it seems like a no-brainer to you who have been " lifers " in this,

but for the un-initiated, it is baffling.  Non-vegetarians do not have the

" m**t-ingredient consciousness " that most of you-all have.  (Like, knowing that

" jello " has animal protein in the base or marshmallows have some of the

same...or that " broth " MUST be made only of vegetables...or that " fake " crab

meat is not really " fake " and contains fish.)  This does not automatically

register in their consciousness--one has to be sort of brought into the

knowledge base that is part of vegetarianism.

>  

> It is sad that non-vegetarians usually (though not always) have the mental

image of a " meal " as having some kind of meat as the " star " ingredient.  They

can't imagine a meal of only vegetable foods as being " healthy " --maybe that's

all they know!  When they eat a meal at the home of a vegetarian and LIKE food

that has no m**t in it, they are usually pleasantly surprised and wonder, " Do

they have GOOD food like this all the time? "   It's a little like discovering

there is a whole new world out there that they knew nothing about when that

happens!

>  

> I myself have not made a full transition, but I am so often just amazed that

GOOD food does NOT have to have any m**t component!  My DH, I think, is even

more amazed, as he wasn't raised to eat much of any kinds of vegetables.  We

have meals day after day that have no animal component and we are perfectly

satisfied--and not BORED with them.  Taste and variety is the best part of

trying this and shifting to more and more all-veg eating. 

>  

> The friends who want to bring their own might also be fearful of not having

something familiar...some may also be (I dislike the thought, but they do exist)

very picky eaters who want their " own " kind of food, no matter what.  I have

some relatives like that...dear me!  They are hard to cook for, veg or not!  LET

them bring their " own " --put it on a separate table, if that makes it seem easier

to handle, and they can eat " their " food anyway.  If the gathering is a

celebration of daughter's achievement, the MAIN thing is to enjoy one another's

company and rejoice in her accomplishment! 

>  

> I wish you a wonderful celebration, however you do it, and " Congratulations! "

in advance to your daughter!

>  

> Peace!

> --Laura B., in Illinois

>