On Being Vegetarian
I have never liked going to dinner at other people's houses. As a kid, I don't think I ever ate at my friends' houses, mainly because I'm a shy person. Being a vegetarian for almost 8 years has compounded that dislike. Going to eat at a restaurant is not as much of an issue; i can order what I want, but going to eat at someone's house, not so much.
Most people in this country have meat as a major part of their meals, so having a vegetarian over for dinner can cause "problems". The vegetarian can either tell the host that they're vegetarian ahead of time or not. Both of these can be problematic.
By not telling the host ahead of time, I am left with two options: Pretending to eat meat that is served....
...or refusing to eat meat that is served, which can be awkward. Last summer, I ended up not going to two dinners, because I knew that meat would be a big part of both them. One was a barbecue, and I was told later that I missed the great burgers that were served. I can't say I did.
By telling the host ahead of time, they feel obligated to alter their menu, either by changing a portion of what they were going to serve, or by creating some small dish for me. I don't really like putting hosts in this position as it creates more work for them, and I feel like I become somewhat of a burden.
Everyone says how open the food industry is to vegetarians these days; you can get a veggie burger at Burger King, and there are vegetarian restaurants all over the place. While I think that's true, I don't think the average person's home-made dinner is very open to vegetarians. I can't tell you how many times I've been put in a situation (even at restaurants) where someone says "I'm sure they'll have stuff for you to eat", and I leave the dinner eating a small salad.
Why have I been going on about this? Two reasons. I realized last night that I've been a vegetarian for almost 8 years and it blows my mind because I never thought a 3-week bet would become a lifestyle. Also, I've been invited to dinner at someone's house and, because I don't eat meat, I can't say I'm looking forward to it.
Most people in this country have meat as a major part of their meals, so having a vegetarian over for dinner can cause "problems". The vegetarian can either tell the host that they're vegetarian ahead of time or not. Both of these can be problematic.
By not telling the host ahead of time, I am left with two options: Pretending to eat meat that is served....
...or refusing to eat meat that is served, which can be awkward. Last summer, I ended up not going to two dinners, because I knew that meat would be a big part of both them. One was a barbecue, and I was told later that I missed the great burgers that were served. I can't say I did.
By telling the host ahead of time, they feel obligated to alter their menu, either by changing a portion of what they were going to serve, or by creating some small dish for me. I don't really like putting hosts in this position as it creates more work for them, and I feel like I become somewhat of a burden.
Everyone says how open the food industry is to vegetarians these days; you can get a veggie burger at Burger King, and there are vegetarian restaurants all over the place. While I think that's true, I don't think the average person's home-made dinner is very open to vegetarians. I can't tell you how many times I've been put in a situation (even at restaurants) where someone says "I'm sure they'll have stuff for you to eat", and I leave the dinner eating a small salad.
Why have I been going on about this? Two reasons. I realized last night that I've been a vegetarian for almost 8 years and it blows my mind because I never thought a 3-week bet would become a lifestyle. Also, I've been invited to dinner at someone's house and, because I don't eat meat, I can't say I'm looking forward to it.
posted by Jefferson at 8:01 AM
2 Comments:
Hi, first time reader from San Jose. I'd have to agree with you on not looking forward to dinner parties. I'm a vegan so my options usually end up being a dinner salad or something similar as well. The best way I've learned to cope with the situation,'meat' my friends in the middle, and avoid burdening the host is by offering to bring a dish or two of my own. Most people seem to appreciate it. Its a great way to introduce your non-veggie friends to yummy alternatives and most of all, enjoy the party because you're not hungry or deprived :) Good luck!
I understand that people have a hard time with vegetarians. What I hate is when people constantly invite you to their bbq bash and stupid keggers. I know that you must get invited to those too. I find that it's easier to just avoid going.
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