As a vegetarian, I regularly find myself in a conversation about my diet. Like it or not, this seems to come with the territory of being a plant-based eater. I’ve been a vegetarian for a while now. I raised two children who have never eaten meat + am married to a life-long vegetarian. Needless to say, I’ve got lots of experience talking to meat eaters about being a vegetarian + it can get kind of uncomfortable. I’m not one to initiate the conversation, but, when the topic comes up, it can feel like an interrogation about what I do or don’t eat. To all my vegetarian friends, I know you have been in this situation. Today, I’ve got a few quick + lighthearted tips to keep handy when you just can’t figure out how to talk to the meat eaters.
Tara’s Tuesday Tips:
How to Talk to Meat Eaters
Sometimes what I want to say is, I’m sorry if you are offended by my decision to eat things that grow in gardens over those that have once walked the planet. Ooooops, don’t say that. Try one of these tips instead:
Tip #1: What to Say When Asked “Why Don’t You Eat Meat?”
For most of us, this is a very personal choice and often difficult to put into words. My personal answer is: I choose not to eat meat because I don’t feel that anything should have to lose its life for me to eat. Feel free to use mine or perhaps one of these work for you: “I think it is the right thing to do for the planet/environment/animals/my health”.
Remember, you are not obligated to justify your choices so keep it friendly + take the path that avoids getting into a heated debate about global warming or LDL cholesterol.
Tip #2: You Are Out to Lunch + Your Meat-Eating Friend Says, “can’t you just take the meat off and still eat the salad?”
No.
Probably not a good enough answer, let’s elaborate just in case this actually happens to you with a salad or perhaps a sandwich or a pizza.
An example of what you can say is, “To me, animals are not food. So, the bacon on top of my salad has contaminated my lunch and I will not eat it. Maybe we can go somewhere else that offers food that both of us can enjoy”. Easy + non-confrontational.
Tip #3: You Get Invited Out to a Sushi Restaurant + Your Co-Worker Says, “you are vegetarian, so you eat fish, right?”
No.
This is a VERY common one. Lots of people mistake vegetarians for pescatarians. Politely tell your co-worker no, and that you don’t eat fish or other animals. Keep it simple, be ready to answer questions over lunch about the different types of vegetarians, and enjoy some tofu + rice while talking her into going to get veggie burgers on your next outing.
Tip #4: How to React When Someone Says, “vegetarian food is disgusting”
As a vegetarian recipe developer, blogger, host of many plant-based parties, a plant-powered athlete, and mom of healthy young adults that have never eaten meat, our food is FAR from disgusting. But, for some reason, I regularly am faced with a meat eater that will not eat a vegan cookie or salad dressing or pizza that I make because it is meatless. Let’s start by not judging each other’s plates based on the disgusting scale. Remember, you can’t change everyone’s mind about plant-forward foods. The best thing you can do is keep a positive attitude, offer for them to try your food, and don’t let them make you feel ashamed of your food choices.
Tip#5: Put Yourself in Their Shoes
Most people don’t actually know what an animal goes through before it reaches their plate. Even more people choose to not pay attention to (or care) how it got there. They likely grew up eating meat + never even thought to question it. No one likes feeling judged or pressured and being around a vegetarian can sometimes make them feel that way. Be mindful of accepting their food choices, answer their questions about your food and your food choices, keep it simple and lighthearted, and try to keep the conversation in territory where you agree not disagree.
Food for Thought
While people think that we vegetarians always want to talk about being a vegetarian, I am here to tell you, we don’t! So many of us are not sure how to talk to the meat eaters and would feel better not talking about it at all. Keep in mind, most people are not in favor of animal cruelty or promoting global environmental issues. In actuality, they are just trying to do the best they can in their day-to-day lives feeding their families the best they know how.
Our choice to prioritize the preservation of animal life, our health, and the planet, can intimidate others. You don’t need to be a walking google search for reasons to go vegetarian, rattling off facts to your friends. In the same token, don’t close off the conversation. Trust that they will have questions about your food habits. You may not always have the best answers but do your best to keep the conversation going in a positive direction. Above all, share your food, feed them and they will see. Enjoy good conversation + good food in the company of good people, even the meat eaters.
All the best,
Tara 💚👩🏻🍳🐮🌱
A Few Other Tips to Help You Figure Out How to Talk to Meat Eaters
What To Do When Your Child Wants To Be A Vegetarian
How To Be Vegetarian When Your Family Is Not
How to Handle a Vegetarian Coming to Thanksgiving Dinner
What To Eat On Thanksgiving If You Don’t Eat Turkey
Signs That You Should Go Plant-Based
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