I'm seriously considering transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle. I am already semi-vegetarian when I am on my own (I eat dairy and eggs), but I do eat small quantities of meat when someone else cooks it for me.

For the past 3 weeks I've been on my own while bf is visiting family. I haven't eaten or cooked any meat at all. I feel good and quite happy with this lifestyle. The only thing that will make this difficult is the fact that my much-loved boyfriend does most of the cooking and is most definitely a meat-eater. I think that this will be fine once we get over the initial hurt feelings (You won't eat it? But I cooked it especially for you!). I actually think that he may be willing to convert with me, if not fully, then for the most part. I already have him eating WAY more veggies than he used to. Anyhow, I'll have a fresh pot of African yam and peanut soup (YUMMY if anyone wants the recipe!) waiting for him when I pick him up from the airport next week.

Anyway, no real questions yet. Just wanted to post and make it quasi-official. I'm really feeling excited about this! :hamster:

Welcome Random!

I hope you make the choice to go veg. It's really not that hard, especially if you keep dairy and eggs (I'm a vegan but I was lacto-ovo for several months first). Like all major lifestyle changes, it should be done gradually. Most recipes are very easy to vegetarianize, there are SO many meat subsitutes out there (my favs are Tofurky Italian Sausage and Hickory-Smoked Deli Slices), but you can also cook with your BF and just make yourself a "main" dish. That's what we do at my house, and it works.

Yay, bully for you! :hamster:

Hi Random! :hi:

One thing you can do is get a vegetarian cookbook and show your BF how easy it is to make vegetarian meals. There are certain kinds of dishes which are veg-friendly already, such as pasta with marinara or cheese sauce. These recipes are easily converted to vegetarian recipes, as meat substitutes can be used in place of animal flesh. You can even prepare meals together, for that special bonding experience. :D

Just from the sound of your post, your boyfriend already seems understanding. Perhaps you should let him know what your plans are. Realize that his initial reaction may not be a positive one, and you may need to reassure him. It's also probably best if you decide to let what he eats be his decision and just tell him that you're not going to try to convert him, but if he wants to, he's more than welcome.

Oh, didn't need advice? Shutting up now! Welcome to VB! :hamster:

YAY! Good luck!!
The above ideas and advice are all great!

It sounds like you're a good cook too, maybe you guys can trade off cooking? Maybe you'll have to figure out something else when he cooks and the main dish is meat based, but there are many creative ways to work around it, and it sounds like you're thinking of ways to do so with as little upset as possible...

Welcome! It's always good to have more veg. people on the planet!!

Thanks for the posts! Advice is always good! :)

Yep, my bf is pretty understanding. He actually quite likes vegetarian food and is happy to eat it if I cook it...he just prefers having some meat and definitely makes some when he's cooking. So I could see us eating a lot of stir-fries or pasta dishes with shrimp or chicken on the side that he can add to his plate.

As of yesterday, I've decided to try out being lacto-ovo. I don't think it will be very difficult. Today I made a big pot of yummy yam soup and also a huge pot of a very odd concoction of beans, veggies, quinoa and tofu. The bean dish isn't delicious (I'm new to cooking beans!), but it's edible and it'll provide me with something to add to my plate on days that he cooks meat, at least for the first week. This will make the transition easier for both of us, I think. I'll learn as I go.

Thanks again for all the support!

Cheers,
R

I'm seriously considering transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle. I am already semi-vegetarian when I am on my own (I eat dairy and eggs), but I do eat small quantities of meat when someone else cooks it for me.

For the past 3 weeks I've been on my own while bf is visiting family. I haven't eaten or cooked any meat at all. I feel good and quite happy with this lifestyle. The only thing that will make this difficult is the fact that my much-loved boyfriend does most of the cooking and is most definitely a meat-eater. I think that this will be fine once we get over the initial hurt feelings (You won't eat it? But I cooked it especially for you!). I actually think that he may be willing to convert with me, if not fully, then for the most part. I already have him eating WAY more veggies than he used to. Anyhow, I'll have a fresh pot of African yam and peanut soup (YUMMY if anyone wants the recipe!) waiting for him when I pick him up from the airport next week.

Anyway, no real questions yet. Just wanted to post and make it quasi-official. I'm really feeling excited about this! :hamster:


Well, your story sounds a lot like mine, beginning as a 'semi vegetarian', and a helpfull boyfriend. I still can't get him to eat beans though. I'm sure there won't be any hurt feelings if you inform him before the cooking instead of during dinner time, that should prevent the 'but I cooked it for you' moment easily.

My boyfriend doesn't mind meals without meat, but he likes to have it now and then, so in those cases we cook a separate piece of meat for him and something like a quorn burger for me, and the other times we just leave the meat out, and cook everything for both of us. This works great for both of us.