Family gatherings

[scarletboo]

When you go to out of town family gatherings in what ways do you prepare in advance for meals knowing that everyone around you eats animal products?

[ceryna]

The last time I traveled to visit family (for Thanksgiving), I packed Luna Bars, drank a lot of water, ate a LOT of cranberry sauce, and I managed to grab some salad greens during an outing to Super Wal-Mart. At that point, I wasn't trying to go vegan, so little bits of eggs or dairy here or there didn't bother me, and I ate a lot of bread, too. (During the six days I was there, lunch was usually cranberry sauce spread on leftover rolls. )

If your family is open-minded about your veg*ism, you might be able to politely share with them some of the foods you eat, so that you won't have to take too much with you. If they aren't, maybe you can find some non-perishable items that travel well, like dried fruit, the little cups of dehydrated soups (Fantastic Foods, I think?) and so on.

Good luck. ^_^

[soilman]

The Fantastic Food dehydrated soup cups I tried was revolting. there is no way I could hold down even a few tablespoons full. I think it was lentil soup. Aak.

[Michael]

The one I had was really good, the vegetarian chicken noodle.

[ceryna]

Soilman, I think I tried the same one, and I wasn't that impressed with it, either. Out of all the flavors, I only like about five of them. I don't eat them often, but I find it helpful to have a few lying around in case I need them.

[mushroom]

scarletboo, do you mean that you will be bothered by the meat?
I just try to focus on what I am eating and try not to think about how much pain they have caused by their food choices.

I also try to bring some delicious vegan food to share, to show them that food can be tasty without dead animals in it.

[scarletboo]

Thanks for the advice. I am contemplating if I should try being a vegan again. Last summer, I was a vegan at a family reunion. And I found it really hard to eat food without animal products in it.

[magates]

I have yet to experience holiday time as a vegan in a omni-home. I can't wait (sarcastic). Its going to be so much fun watching a giagantic turkey being carved right in front of me where i have no choice but to eat with them. I love my family but I am not looking forward to holiday meals. However, it is not even somthing that would begin to decide wehter I am vegan or not. Thats a choice of much greater weight the one or two awkward/revolting situations.

[scarletboo]

Magates, what were the reasons why you decided to be a vegan? How long have you been one?

[Astarte]

I've found some of those dehydrated soup cups that were labelled chicken and beef, but when I checked the ingredients, they didn't have anything even remotely resembling chicken *or* beef in them. They were vegan in fact... isn't it odd?

[Meo]

Actually, I've been vegetarian for almost a month now, and Spring Break (around Easter) will be the first family gathering I've been at since. I'm a little nervous, especially since all my relatives are big meat eaters (and my uncles do a lot of sport hunting). So I don't really know what I'm going to do yet.

[inkie]

My family celebrates all of the birthdays 3 times a year plus Easter, Fourth Of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas et cetra. Since my mom and I are vegan, we try to have them here at our house, but if we can't we either both take plates of food already cooked or two or three dishes that we know we can fill up on. My family knows we are vegan (I think. :) ) I know it was mentioned once or twice before, but that means nothing. When my birthday comes around, I am just going to make my own little cake, and people hopefully won't say much. I don't want to offend my grandma who usually makes the cake though, so any suggestions? Should I just tell her that I am not eating dairy or eggs any more or just not say anything unless she asks?

[punkmommy]

My family dosen't live far away (sometimes a little too close!) so I'm able to bring an entire meal. My in-laws always have vegan holidays (usually a tofu loaf, vegan stuffing, veggies,ect) and my mother in law is a great vegan cook. We just made vegan easter candies for my son. My side of family is Italian, so there is always pasta which my grandmom will make with olive oil and garlic for me. I always bring a dessert that's vegan, especially for my son who's 3 so he dosen't feel left out (although he's usually too busy playing to care).

[dk_art]

My only time yet at a family meal was at christmas. Last thanksgiving, my parents were packing up their stuff for mocing so we missed that ...hehe.

Anyway, at x-mas, I cooked all the veggies at my parents place, made the gravy and made the mashed potatoes (used soy milk in it too ... mwahaha).

And they looked after their roast.

I'm actually considering asking if they would mind not having a turkey at thanksgiving many months from now. I just feel the birds get the worst treatment no matter where you are (ie , like in my small province, in summer , cows are in fields eating and look like they're living alright at least then ... also one cow will make many roasts so it seems better that way too) ... I doubt they'd mind and sometimes they had other things anyway for thanksgiving (eg, roast). What's people's opinions on that (it's not a huge get together ... just parents and brother really)

[pickletatertot]

Well, traveling with a three year old and a one year old, I always bring my little cooler along anyway. I like to have lots of snacks on hand for the kids. We traveled with my family over Thanksgiving and I made a vegan sweet potato casserole and a cake. My mom and SIL are both vegetarian and my mom is a great cook but she uses lots of dairy. I'm not vegan but I try not to eat much dairy. My cooler is always stocked with soy yogurt, soy milk, fruit, raw veggies. I also brought some pita and soy deli slices. I usually bring a canvas bag along with cereal and snacks for my girls too. We stopped at a grocery store in town and picked up stuff to make a big salad. My family knows I'm vegetarian and they respect that but I never ask anyone to change their eating habits to accomodate me/my family.

[Wiccanveg]

Family gatherings are pretty easy going actually. We just had passover at my dads place. My dad is a vegetarian, and so is my stepsister. There's almost always one veggie dish at family functions. Nut loaf or something along those lines. Being vegan my dad always saves some potatos before mashing them with butter and sour cream ( I veganized mine with margarine and tofurtti ) and he made BBQ seitan for those not eating brisket. I know it wasn't kosher or anything but it's the food that counts hehe.

As for my mom's side, she eats meat but never really any red meat which is kind of nice. The gross thing at her sedar was the little kids that were there who decided to play Henry the 8th and rip appart a capon with his bare hands and eat it that way in front of mine. Kids are barbarians I'm telling you..

[CaptainSwab]

I don't really have a problem at family gatherings. I usually will bring dried fruit or something to snack on and where ever we are, theres always salad and stuff for me to eat.

At Daves house, his mom will even make me noodles or rice or something of that sort extra, just so I have something to eat. :)

[jkl]

For thanksgiving at my Mom's I usually bring a package or two of tofurky and heat it up in some hot water, and a package of Hain Vegetarian Chicken style gravy, which I can make quickly in the microwave. There is usually lots of other stuff to eat. At Easter, however, I brought some fake chicken nuggets for my 2 kids (3 and 1 yr) which they munched on while demanding to know the identity of the slices of ham on my little nieces' plates. What was I to say? They're eating a pig? On St. Patrick's day I told my son the corned beef was a cow and my family almost bit my head off. I really don't want our diets to interfere with our enjoyment of family gatherings, so I think I'm going to have to be more proactive in terms of bringing extra dishes.

[zoebird]

usually, i either 1. bring my whole meal or 2 bring enough groceries to cover all of my food for the number of days that i'm going to be whereever i'm going to be.

also, most towns and such have grocery stores, and i'm often able to go grocery shopping as soon as i arrive. for instance, when i visited family in san diego, i went grocery shopping as soon as i arrived. i had more than enough to eat the whole 6 days that i was there.

[muppetcow]

My mom always makes something that I will eat and I usually take a peanut butter sandwich or something, too.

Even when we visited my aunt and uncle for a week, I didn't find it that hard. They had lots of fruit on hand and I went to the grocery store the first day I was there and bought soy milk and some organic cereal and some veggie sushi. I shared the sushi with my 11 year old cousin and he loved it. So, his mom was pleased b/c he ate more veggies while I was there.

[SallyK]

There's nothing more miserable than trying to have a nice family gathering when all of a sudden the person in charge of charring the dead flesh (my uncle) brings it right over to you on a plate, sticks it under your nose as it's still sizzling and says "Mmmmmmmm" and then laughs in your face.
This is how family gatherings are for me. I dread them.
If I want anything to eat, I bring it myself. There usually isn't one single thing that passes the vegan criteria.
At my in-laws, it's better. My mother in law usually makes something for me or at least informs me of what she's making so I can bring a vegan alternative. Then I can plan ahead and usually someone else besides me is interested in trying the vegan version of something, which makes me feel good.

[shaper]

last thanksgiving i just ate everything except the turkey & gravy and no one really even noticed or cared. i'm not vegan though so it was pretty easy, there's always lots of food on thanksgiving. my family is rather 'traditional' for thanksgiving so they're not going to go out of their way to accomodate me and i don't expect them too but they'd definitely love to try anything i brought, probably. never get around to cooking really though i did make some awesome zucchini boats for my mom on mothers day. she loved em ;) .

in the next couple months i will be finishing my transition to veganism though so that will definitely be harder at family things as while vegetarianism goes relatively unnoticed my family has made comments about veganism being extreme or whatever.. and i know my gramma is already worried about my protein/calcium intake.. :rolleyes: but no one in my family is 'super chef' enough to be offended if i don't eat something and they're pretty open to new foods (except gramma) so i'm pretty lucky that way. i'll just have to start cooking.

[zoebird]

sally:

this sounds harsh, but it works. i finally stood up to someone who used to do that to me.

he was an extended family member, very disrespectful, basicly bringing all the flesh foods on one plate under my nose. and being rude.

So, it hit the bottom of the tray r4eally hard and the food went flying. Landing on the grass (were they just let the dog poop stay where it is), no one wanted to eat it.

So, i laughed in his face and say "MMMMMM an all VEGAN meal for all of you! Aren't you lucky?"

He was really pissed and started freaking out about my wasting food etc. And i told him that if he wasn't such an asp hole making fun of me and being rude, i wouldnt' have done it. I can leave people be, if they leave me be.

Needless to say, whenever i go there for BBQ, he's never done it again. Also, they now clean up the dog poo in the back yard.

[sedim]

I would talk with your family now about your diet, and really focus on talking about the foods you can eat. Maybe provide recipes, discuss simple substitutions, offer to bring a couple of dishes (vegan pumpkin pie is always a hit in my experience!). Maybe test a few of the recipes now, and see what would work and what won't. You can also explain the benefits of the vegan substitutions-higher fiber, less fat, less cholesterol, etc... and offer to buy those special ingredients like soymilk, vegan "butter", vegetable stock, that might not be in your family's experience.

[beachgirl]

I just went to a family bbq last a few weeks ago in TEXAS (cattle country) and I just made vegetarian chilli. Of course, my husband and I were the only ones who ate it, but nobody gave us grief about the meal.

I am lucky, because the family place we go to most often is my grandma's house in Austin, and she lives across from the flagship Whole Foods, so I just shop there.