How do you all feel about dating vegetarians and vegans?

[veggirl]

I'm a vegetarian, my boyfriend isn't. Never been a problem, ever. It's not a big deal, some of you are very dramatic. Ftr, he's totally into grilling and cooking. Still never been an issue.

[123321]

I'm a vegetarian, my boyfriend isn't. Never been a problem, ever. It's not a big deal, some of you are very dramatic. Ftr, he's totally into grilling and cooking. Still never been an issue.

 

Yeah, I like a reduced meat diet myself, it's the quasi-religious nature of being a vegan I can't stand. Note that "conforming to a vegan diet" is not the same as being a vegan.

[Jane2011]

If you don't like the food he cooks, just tell him you'd rather cook for yourself. No big deal, I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

 

I like the food he cooks. I love rice, veggies, eggplant. I just also like meat. Sooo....that's what the deal is.

[Jane2011]

I am assuming the OP is female. It would be hard for a woman who eats meat to date a man who doesn't assuming she is not a picky eater.

 

Yes, I'm female. And it's not really all that hard to date a guy who's a vegetarian. He's pretty easy to please, food-wise, and eats almost everything that isn't meat. In fact, I'm surprised he isn't really fat because he's always eating, eating, eating. He eats eggs and just lots of other things. I technically might be more picky than he is, even though I do eat meat. I don't eat much bread or pasta or just lots of other things.

 

I don't think it's truly tough dating vegetarians. It's more that I'm just a big complainer, lol.

[Jane2011]

Not to mention my complaint wasn't about what he eats, but about his failure to include a portion of meat for me when he cooks masterful meals for me. I think I will just eat a small portion of meat before I go to his place for the other food he cooks for me.

[Cypress25]

I like the food he cooks. I love rice, veggies, eggplant. I just also like meat. Sooo....that's what the deal is.

 

Then cook a side dish of meat for yourself, to complement his meal. No reason the two of you can't cook together.

 

In fact, I'm surprised he isn't really fat because he's always eating, eating, eating.

 

Men. They can eat anything and never gain weight.

[iris219]

Wow. So some of you are saying that if you met a person who you were crazy about and they were perfect in almost every way, you wouldn't date them if they didn't eat meat? That's crazy.

 

I would have no problem dating a vegetarian or a vegan. I would be impressed by someone who realized the impact our food choices have, and cared enough about it to try and make it better.

[Nexus One]

It's no problem for me, as I'm vegetarian myself. Have been so for 10 years now and it's really not such a hard lifestyle as I expected it to be. Most supermarkets these days sell simulated meats made out of soy or fungus based ingredients. (tastes better than it sounds)

I've followed the development of these products over the last decade as I ate them and they've gotten progressively better. There are now "simulated" meats out there that you can't separate from their actual meat counterparts once you've prepared them for dinner.

 

I no longer tell people in my direct environment I'm vegetarian unless I know them well, since I've only had negative reactions on it so far, even from people I've known for a few years. They either think you're some kind of hypocrite or most commonly they start to argue counter arguments against you as if I was trying to convince them to become vegetarians, something I never do. I actually don't know any other vegetarian guys besides myself. I've found that compared to women, vegetarian men are a fairly rare breed.

 

As far as preparing meals. I can either do it myself or she can cook whatever she likes and I'll simply not eat the meat part of the meal. Since most people in society aren't vegetarian and I do eat together with others, I'm used to eating bland meals without the meat. Nobody has to go out of their way to cook a special meal for me, I don't want to burden anyone with that.

 

Neither do I try to convince other people to become vegetarians, it's an ideal that has to come from within yourself. Nobody ever convinced me to become vegetarian, I was inspired by finding out some other people I looked up to turned out to be vegetarians, which made me think about the ethics of it.

 

Initially I thought it was going to be VERY hard, I thought I was going to crave for meat like crazy. I was one of those guys that used to say: "I can't live without meat, I love it too much, I want to eat meat. I'll probably never be a vegetarian."

However, once I stopped eating meat the craving for it never occurred, which surprised me. There were maybe two or three occasions in the last 10 years where I craved for it, but those were fleeting moments. Other than that I haven't missed it at all. With those new products out there I don't even think about real meat. To be honest, after getting used to not eating meat my sensation of taste became more intense and my smell too. Remarkably, after a few months without meat I started to dislike the smell of it, as it suddenly smelled like rotting muscle tissue from a carcass to me. (I kid you not)

 

As a vegetarian you'll miss out on certain types of vitamins and fats, but those vitamins can be supplemented and for the fats there are non-meat alternatives.

 

Anyways, so far so good.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Nexus One

[Jane2011]

In an earlier post you stated you only eat a portion of meat 3 or so times a week. Why do you need meat before going to his place when you don't eat it most other days?

 

I don't, really. But sometimes I want meat at the time he happens to have cooked a meal. It's not entirely predictable.

[Art_Critic]

It would only work for me if the person who was the vegan/vegetarian didn't try and change the way I eat merely because it isn't the same way they eat..

 

There are many many ways to eat healthy and they don't all mean removing meat from your diet.

There isn't anything wrong with expanding one's pallet and adding meatless meals to the diet, my wife will on occasion make meatless meals but those are just part of what we eat..

 

Hello.... Prime Rib... and Steaks.. ummmm good....

[RecordProducer]

If you don't like the food he cooks, just tell him you'd rather cook for yourself. No big deal, I'm sure he wouldn't mind.

"Jeremy, I'd rather cook for myself."

"But.. you don't know how to cook..."

"I'd rather learn."

"But, you're too busy with your med school."

"I'd rather quit med school."

 

You don't need blow jobs to have passion in your life.

You don't. But your partner does!

As a woman I prefer a man who is not picky. Picky men even who eat meat are complete turn offs.

I concur. I want a man who will beat up the dragon with his bare hands - not a fragile, silky bubble.

 

I take my celery bloody

I like it raw - I'm such an animal!

 

he's totally into grilling and cooking. Still never been an issue.

Mmmmm... nothing like grilled celery...

 

(Do not try this at home: it does not taste good).

 

I'm not a vegetarian, but I'm appalled by the disdain for them. We are lucky to have them because there's not enough land for all of us to be meat eaters. It takes 40 times more land to produce a pound of meat than a pound of grain.

You know, all those animals should be grateful to us meat eaters for many of them would not have been born if it weren't for us.

[Art_Critic]

Not to mention my complaint wasn't about what he eats, but about his failure to include a portion of meat for me when he cooks masterful meals for me. I think I will just eat a small portion of meat before I go to his place for the other food he cooks for me.

 

Jane.. have you had this talk with him ?

If you aren't getting a good meal that you enjoy then maybe mention that you would like him to throw some chicken in your salad or make you some healthy meal that has meat in it...

 

I think you should simply talk to him.. I'd bet he would accomadate you.. or I would hope he would..

 

I don't drink Alcohol but I have always bought wine for dinners or a bottle of Bailey's on occasion for my wife, and when I was dating I always included Alcohol in the meal if they wished...

[Jane2011]

Then cook a side dish of meat for yourself, to complement his meal. No reason the two of you can't cook together.

 

That's true. To be honest, he's been pretty open-minded. I previously made mention to him that I have a good recipe for this curry chicken dish, and I ended with a light, "But you don't eat meat, so..."

 

He said, "Well, I will eat it every once in a while."

 

And that's pretty much his position. He is "mostly vegetarian." But he would veer from it -- either simply because he wants to, or else so as not to seem overly-rigid to a new girlfriend. But I wouldn't make him do that. I wouldn't even want to.

[Jane2011]

Jane.. have you had this talk with him ?

If you aren't getting a good meal that you enjoy then maybe mention that you would like him to throw some chicken in your salad or make you some healthy meal that has meat in it...

 

I think you should simply talk to him.. I'd bet he would accomadate you.. or I would hope he would..

 

I don't drink Alcohol but I have always bought wine for dinners or a bottle of Bailey's on occasion for my wife, and when I was dating I always included Alcohol in the meal if they wished...

 

Thanks for the advice. It's fine, though. This is really not a big issue for me. I made the thread just to see how other people feel about the eating situation of their couplehood. I think others have mentioned that with there being such a large variety of food in the world and in restaurants, it's hard not to be compatible with a person's eating. He may not eat meat, and I may eat meat, but there is still a HUGE amount of overlap in what we eat.

 

And yeah, he buys wine for me even though he doesn't drink. I didn't used to drink, myself, but in the past year or two I've become a social drinker. He bought a bunch of wine for me. He's really nice.

[Nexus One]

I previously made mention to him that I have a good recipe for this curry chicken dish, and I ended with a light, "But you don't eat meat, so..."

 

Practical tip:

 

For things like curry chicken dish you could for example have two separate pans, one for the meat version and one for the soy based version. Since the meat is the only difference between the two pans, it's almost like cooking one and the same meal, but in two pans instead of just one.

 

Pieces of chicken can be simulated so well these days that even non-vegetarians would not notice the difference. Granted though, it takes a while trying out different brands before figuring out which ones taste most like the actual thing. But overall, pretty much all brands have been getting better over the years.

Edited December 12, 2011 by Nexus One

[MaxNoob]

 

You know, all those animals should be grateful to us meat eaters for many of them would not have been born if it weren't for us.

 

Oh yeah, those chickens should be so grateful that they got to live a life in complete darkness, in cages that are too small for them to even stretch their wings, all designed so that they expend as little energy as possible.

[carhill]

In my area, meaning around my house, chickens, turkeys, cows (mainly dairy) and pigs supply an important commodity that vegetarians who eat commercially purchased vegetable products might be interested in, namely their poop. If not for the animals and their cheap source of fertilizer components, agriculture would be far different here and the products far more expensive. That's another reason it would be a tough go for me with a vegetarian, since my livelihood depends on this synergy between man, animal and the earth. That said, I'd heartily encourage all vegetarians to grow their own food whenever possible, to ensure complete control over the components in it. Antibiotics and hormones from animal sources have been found in crops grown with animal-based or amended fertilizers. Plants fix nutrients and elements from the soils they grow in. Sometimes that's good and sometimes not so good, depending on one's POV.

 

BTW, most of the poultry houses in my area (mainly turkey) are quite open, airy, climate controlled and pretty darn clean for the stock which inhabits them. I work on the irrigation and effluent (that's shyte) pumps so am around them occasionally. The only time I've personally seen them caged is when they load them on the trailers to go to the processor/slaughterhouse. Even then, the cages are open-air, meaning if I follow too close, I get feathered.

[carhill]

I generally eat 'local' stuff, meaning from our local slaughterhouse; the place my neighbors call when they pop a cow or pig, or from my customers. There is a McD's and Burger King in town but I've never eaten there in 23 years. No need. That's for city folk. I did indulge back in the 60's and 70's when a child but haven't much as an adult.

 

OP, if you're still reading, what's your take on this? The thread responses represent a variety of viewpoints on the topic and, as you can see, some pretty strong feelings regarding the food products themselves. How would you use that information?

[thatone]

Perhaps. 60 million chickens grown cages are slaughtered in ther USA each week. About half that in turkeys were slaughtered for Thanksgiving. If you eat at KFC, Mcdonalds, any processed food,etc. then you are eating animals raised in despicable circumstances.

 

My principal reason for being a vegetarian is animal abuse. I'm healthier for it but animal abuse is front and center.

 

in my wise old attorney friend's words...

 

"if hogs knew they tasted so good, they'd run faster"

 

if there were no meat in my fridge i'd starve.

 

i'm not particular about the meat in question, i eat pork, beef, poultry and seafood regularly. i'm particularly partial to softshell crab here lately. but meat at every meal, yes.

 

speaking of softshell crab, if they were not harvested most of them would die or be maimed. crabs are cannibalistic, and when a crab sheds its shell it's helpless for a while until the new shell hardens. so a lot of those crabs who got harvested while they were soft were goners anyway .

[Eeyore79]

I once dated a vegetarian. It was ok to begin with, I never felt pressured or lectured to, but as time passed I found it increasingly difficult to cook for us both. One of the major issues was that I have food allergies, so many foods that are staples of the vegetarian diet were simply off the menu for me. The result was that our diet became overly restrictive as it had to accommodate his vegetarianism and my allergies. We also had arguments because he would insist on cooking foods I couldn't eat or going to restaurants that couldn't accommodate me. I would say he was being selfish in his demands, as his food choices were optional but mine are compulsory, and he would say that his vegetarianism wasn't just a choice (I'm sorry, but it totally is).

 

I don't think I would reject an otherwise perfect person just because they were vegetarian or vegan. I'd like to think we'd work around it somehow. However veganism is quite restrictive, and I don't think it would fit well with the restrictions I already have. Vegetarians/vegans usually find it easier to date someone with the same diet.

 

Veganism is quite extreme, and I would imagine it would be trickier to find eating places that catered to such a diet.

There are many types of diets, not all of them optional, and it can be difficult for me to find places that can accommodate my food allergies. I'd hate to think that someone I really like would refuse to date me because I can't eat certain foods! However the sad truth is that I have been rejected for that in the past. I'm incredibly grateful that my current partner is so understanding; he happily eats the foods that are safe for me and restricts his restaurant choices when we eat out together. Maybe it's different because my restrictions are medically necessary and not the result of a personal belief which others may not agree with?

[monkey00]

I'm not exactly sure about vegan. Personally I can eat everything and veggies too. But I had an ex who was a pescetarian - meaning eating everything but land animals. It was a challenge because most of the time I would cook my own meals and she would do the same for herself.

 

Although you think the argument is that the food she cooks I could eat yeah, but I need more protein and the such than just vegetables or seafood. I'm the kind of guy that loves his meat and I need to be full at night in order to sleep well. I've gone out with girls that eat everything and it's just so much easier, from choosing restaurants, to planning meals to cook, grocery shopping, etc. Whenever I would go shopping with her, it would always feel like we're buying our own foods at the checkout because we both eat different things.

 

It can be difficult if you meet someone who doesn't eat the same as you. And it's a bigger challenge because of the clash of lifestyle, and you will have to think about the future (with kids too). But I think you'll just have to put a little extra effort into it if you really want to be with the person. Sometimes it may work, sometimes it won't.

[RecordProducer]

in my wise old attorney friend's words...

 

"if hogs knew they tasted so good, they'd run faster"

 

Is that why the Ambulance cars go so fast?

 

We also had arguments because he would insist on cooking foods I couldn't eat or going to restaurants that couldn't accommodate me. I would say he was being selfish in his demands,

All relationships are presented with challenges and some survive, some don't. If it's not food, it's his mother; if not his mother, his ex, if not his ex, his money handling...

 

I bet his selfishness showed in other aspects of your relationship, as well.

[piggyoink]

Try having some YVES products. They make all sorts of things ranging from imitation ground beef to cheese.

[in_absentia]

I've been vegan for 7 years and was veggie for 10 before that (I'm 23). I've dated guys who were omnivores and it's been ok. My current bf was toying with the idea before we met (he is quite into Buddhism), and getting together with me made him go on a vegan stretch for around 8 or 9 months I think. Then he started eating the odd non-veg thing but our apartment is vegan and he eats what I eat 99% of the time. He's also an incredibly cook and has made even more delicious vegan food than I had... nom nom.

 

Way I see it is it's upto him what he does with his body and I don't say anything when he eats something non-vegan as I ain't the vegan police and I appreciate a LOT that he eats vegan so much of the time around me, I would prefer a future with somebody with compatible beliefs to mine, due to issues living together or raising kids with wildly different values. We are both total foodies and cook fresh from scratch pretty much every day, always trying new things and learning new recipes etc.

[OliveOyl]

Dating a vegetarian would be pretty easy. Dating a vegan would be hard. I don't think I would choose to date a vegan. No products with butter, eggs, cheese, milk, or honey. It would eliminate many if not most restaurants, many of my favorite cuisines (Mexican... yum!!!) and many of my favorite meals (such as the classic Sunday-morning egg-pancake-sausage breakfast).