I've learned that as a vegetarian people feel like they can comment on whatever you eat. For example, when I was a meat eater I could order 2 value meals at McDonald's with double meat (as I so often did) and no one would say a word. In fact, sometimes they'd throw in a happy meal prize if I ate it all. Now I order a salad without chicken and I get looked at like I'm a crazy person followed by "No chicken?" and an eye roll. Then they just seem pissed as they write down my order, like writing "no chicken" hurts them personally. It's almost as if I killed their pet chicken, fried it up and then decided not to eat it. Worse, I went for their pet head of lettuce instead.
Ugly looks and mean sneers aside, I'm sticking with being a vegetarian. Lettuce has never rolled its eyes at me. Mostly because it doesn't have a face. Also, it tastes a lot better with salad dressing on it than a hamburger. Consequently, melting cheese on lettuce and smashing it between two pieces of bread and dipping it in ketchup isn't all that bad either.
11 comments:
How about when you order something without the meat on it, and the waiter/waitress immediately gets defensive and tells you they can't give you a discount? Um...okay, I'm not cheap, I'm just a vegetarian. I'll pay full price, just make it like I want it!
oh no! I'm not a vegetarian, but it sucks that people are so weird about it :/.
i stopped into a jerky outlet on my way from michigan to ohio with my at-the-time girlfriend, who's a vegetarian. the proprietor struck up a conversation with her, and her vegetarianism came up. the jerkysellers were floored. "no meat? what do you eat? i don't know what i'd eat. just potatos, i guess. i couldn't do it. gotta have some meat. if you ate meat you probably wouldn't be so skinny." it was kind of hilarious. i got ostrich and deer jerky, which i didn't get to eat until i was out of then-gf's line of sight.
When I was doing the vegetarian thing I'd order a "grilled cheese" from my favorite fast food place (only in my state, or I'd recommend it to you!) and it was lettuce, thousand island dressing, and melted american cheese on a soft bun... and it was DELICIOUS! I didn't miss the hamburger patty at all.
Not eating meat isn't as hard as I thought it would be... What I can't imagine is going vegan. No cheese? I don't want to live in world like that.
Someday you should join us on the vegan side! A bunch of hippies + Alicia Silverstone can't be wrong.
I dabbled in vegetarian diets on and off for years, then finally made the decision to go vegan three years ago. (I even had a vegan blog for a little while, until life got too distracting.) I feel great, and my cooking has never been better or more interesting.
I thought I would miss cheese, but I don't. Now every time I want something fatty and creamy and yummy, I eat an avocado instead.
Good for you for sticking to your guns Kendi! I get funny looks too when I ask for dishes sans meat, or I'm asked, "Is that IT??!," like I'm attempting to starve myself. Gah. I'd roll my eyes right back at the waitresses/waiters if I wasn't afraid of getting a giant ball of spit in my chickenless salad.
Ohhh, ok, so 3 comments in a day = stalkerish.
But you are a veggie too!!! It's always great to "meat... er... meet" others. It is pleasing to know that there will be one less person in the world who looks at me and says, "But dont you miss the the duhlllllicious taste of bacon???"
xTL
www.hippyhappytink.blogspot.com
My husbands assistant is a vegetarian and has been her entire life so she doesn't know what bacon tastes like so my husband always tries to get her to eat it. My husband has always eaten meat and has never eaten tofu so his assistant always tries to get him to eat tofu.
It works out well. Any other time they don't give each other crap about food, must about bacon and tofu! :)
A friend just sent me the link to your blog and I can't tell you how much I appreciate this post. As a vegetarian, people are constantly making comments/jokes/snide remarks about my food. The worst is when I walk in to the break room at work and all of the men ask..."Do you want any of my chicken. Hahaha!" This happens every day...every single day. Man, are they clever.;)
Anyway, I totally feel your pain. I'm looking forward to following your blog. :)
Courtney
One of the many joys of being a vegetarian huh? I like to think their anger is really feelings of guilt and shame!
this is hilarious, and so true. ...but as my favorite grungy-basement-punk-rock-college band said, "it's not a sacrifice; it's the right thing to do."
somehow, that line gives me a giant helping of patience when i'm in those situations...
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