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Yes, I was a vegetarian for awhile. And my parents and grandparents taught me that when the host offers you food that you don't like, you say, simply, "no thanks." If they continue offering you different dishes that you don't like, you say, simply, "no thanks" to each offer. That was considered polite, and good manners as a guest. Good manners as a host would be to not offer each dish individually, but instead provide the food, and let the guest ask for what he wants.
Or, to pass each dish down the table from one seat to the next, and allow each guest to pick out what he wants and pass the dish down to the next person without comment.
Yes, I was a vegetarian for awhile. And my parents and grandparents taught me that when the host offers you food that you don't like, you say, simply, "no thanks." If they continue offering you different dishes that you don't like, you say, simply, "no thanks" to each offer. That was considered polite, and good manners as a guest. Good manners as a host would be to not offer each dish individually, but instead provide the food, and let the guest ask for what he wants.
Or, to pass each dish down the table from one seat to the next, and allow each guest to pick out what he wants and pass the dish down to the next person without comment.
That just wouldn't work for me. I need for hosts to know what I won't be eating. I need to know if that vegetable soup was made with vegetable stock or meat stock. I consider it polite to let people know before I go to their home that I'm vegan.I think it would be terribly rude of me to come for dinner and they've made me a steak, mashed potatoes with milk etc. It would be awkward and I'd feel bad. For me, telling people beforehand has worked out well. I would certainly appreciate knowing if there were particular food items that my guest couldn't/wouldn't eat. In my experience if I just say I don't eat meat, dairy or eggs, the first question I get asked is "why"? If I say I'm vegan most people don't bother asking probably because they have some idea why and they don't want to get into it.
LBF---if you don't care why someone is a vegetarian and you don't know anyone who is and you aren't one, why does this section of CD interest you? Of course you have the right to read anything and write anything on the forum---just curious as to why you even read this thread if vegetarianism holds no interest. I'm sure there are lots of worthwhile posts on the Nebraska forum, but since I've never been there, don't know anyone from there, and am likely never to go there, I don't read or post on the thread.
(And not meaning any offense to Nebraskans---don't know why I came up with that state...)
I saw the thread lisyed on the main page as the last topic posted in and the title interested me. This is not a forum I regularly read and I don't think I've ever visited it before?
I also might add that assuming people feel guilty if they ask why you are a vegan is somewhat holier than thou to me. They may just be interested as to why you made that choice. I don't feel a bit guilty when I bite into a nice juicy medium rare steak.
I also might add that assuming people feel guilty if they ask why you are a vegan is somewhat holier than thou to me. They may just be interested as to why you made that choice. I don't feel a bit guilty when I bite into a nice juicy medium rare steak.
I don't automatically assume that people feel guilty about eating meat---if more people felt guilty, there would be more vegetarians. I think most people have that disconnect about animals being slaughtered so they can appear on their plates for their dining pleasure. But when people become argumentative and demeaning about it, I do sometimes think maybe it's their guilt. I've had some people who acknowledge that they are hypocrites---that they love animals but also love eating meat. If it's not guilt, then why the lack of acceptance? Are they afraid I am going to faint from the lack of protein (a common misperception) or mad that I am not supporting the beef/poultry/
pig industry? Or just that some of us don't conform to the standard American diet?
I overstand. Where I work, you can count the number of non meat eaters on less than one hand. They have catered luncheons at least once a week with of course meat products s the main item.
I just dread the holiday seasons the most - food everywhere loaded with white sugar and lots of meats.
Many meat eaters are addicted to the taste, and habit. I have found vegan alternatives that make some of my meat eating friends quite happy. Quik Burger from Cedar Lake. I can't convert, but I can educate. It has to be a matter of conscience to stop eating animal corpses. Quik Burger to the rescue. They make the best "neatballs" "slobby joes" spaghetti "beef" and of course, burgers. And they taste good. No cardboard taste. All vegan. oh, and tacos, enchaladas....
I used to work at a physician's group with 10 or 11 doctors and 150 employees. Nearly all the docs and at least half of the employees were vegetarian. Company lunches and dinners were great.......almost all the food was vegetarian. The only concession for the meat eaters would be a small plate of fish
It was interesting to hear the meat eaters explaining why they ate meat rather than the way it usually is, where vegetarians are questioned about why they don't eat meat.
I eat lunch at the same place nearly every day during the work week. (It's a cafeteria style place with many food lines) Early on a worker there found out I was vegetarian when she offered me something meat based and i said no. She immediately said "Are you vegetarian?" and I said yes. No big deal.
Well, every day I saw her after that, she couldn't speak to me without bringing up my diet somehow. Asking questions like "So, what made you decide to be vegetarian?" "How long?" "Do you miss eating meat?" "What kinds of things do you eat the most?" and on and on. (my reasons are personal, really) I understand she works in the food industry and was probably genuinely interested and I was happy to answer her questions...for awhile. But eventually it got to be very tiresome, and I felt like I wasn't a person who was getting some lunch anymore, but "that vegetarian." I wanted to have a meal without having to discuss my diet. I got to the point where I avoided that worker as much as possible. Sometimes she would see me on other lines and have to announce to the worker there "She's a vegetarian, so make sure you don't offer her any meat!'
I don't understand it. I imagine in her mind she was being friendly and helpful, but after awhile I just preferred to be annoymous. I never heard her announce that another customer was "A meat-eater" or question someone else why they eat meat.
Another common thing is people say "If you don't eat meat, what DO you eat?" My answer, "Everything else?"
Another example. Years ago I saw a coworker at a restaurant. it was one of those steakhouse places with the endless buffet. I was there for the buffet that consisted of rows upon rows of salad, veggies, sides, fruit, breads, desserts, etc. She commented that she was suprised to see me there and even said "I'm suprised you could find anything to eat there since it's a steak house." (she said this in the middle of the place while we were surrounded by all the non-meat buffet items ) Yes, it's true they served steaks, but in reality 90% of the food they had there was NOT steak. I said that I was suprised that she was suprised.
I don't announce I am vegetarian, I don't try to convert other people to my way of eating. But for some reason I will always find someone who thinks it is weird or is uncomfortable with it. I've had people ask permission to eat meat in front of me, and I never understand the comment "Oh, I never knew you were a vegetarian!" Like I should be wearing a big badge or a lighted sign of some sort stating the fact.
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