What did your family say...

[danakscully64]

...when you told them you were going vegetarian?

I decided to start my vegetarian lifestyle on Friday, November 5th 2004. My Mom said not to expect her to cook vegetarian meals for me (not that she cooks anyway)... My sister, Kristin, made it a point to tell everyone and anything that I was becoming a vegetarian in a not-so-funny joking way. She stopped laughing when 2 months into it, I had lost 13 pounds and was in a size 3. She still continued to tease me about meat and I'd just ignore her (Can you believe that she's actually older?) My brother, Tim, made a few jokes, but was completely cool with it after a few months. I can't remember what my dad or other sister said. My extended family didn't know what to make of it. To this day, people still make jokes, but I always have a good comeback.

Sometimes what I say back isn't the nicest thing, but being teased for 2+ years (it's less now, but still happens) doesn't make me the most positive person sometimes.

So what about you?

[SeaSiren]

Not too much, I have always done what I wanted and they knew I was looking to fight my family's health history. Occassionally they'll make a crack, but I'm healthy and none of them are.

[danakscully64]

I think age plays a huge role in how your family treats you and your veg diet. How old were you when you decided to cut out meat? I was 18 and still living at home. I've always done my own thing, but cutting out meat was the weirdest thing to my family (for some strange reason).

[SeaSiren]

Living under their roof can def. have an impact. I was living on my own when I came to my decision.

[danakscully64]

I was living at home, but I was also buying my own food and preparing my own meals. Maybe it's because I'm the youngest in my family... they need something to pick on me about...

[evilvegan]

I was still living at home when I went veg the first time, was called an idiot by family, and had meat actually shoved down my throat. So, after being a closet veg, I moved out and have never felt better. The family still does not like it, but they are used to it. I only get jokes at family reunions, from people who think I haven't heard every stupid vegetarian joke out there.

[danakscully64]

Had meat shoved down your throat? Literally? Call the cops!

Because I've always had evidence supporting the idea that vegetarianism is healthy, I've always had comebacks to everything my family said. After a while, the comments got meaner though (from me). It gets old quick.

[Pescas]

My brother hates it, hes a hunter, and shoves meat in my face, throws meat on my plate, ect. When hes in a good mood he wont say anything at dinner.

My mum cooks vegetarian for me every day! I get my own dinner.
My dad thinks its stupid that I dont eat fish but he adores me so hes fine (im a daddys girl)

[snownose]

My mom said that she wasn't surprised at all, and that she knew I would become vegetarian sooner or later. Luckily she was and still is willing to support me and make my meals with mock meat. Infact, I've heard her defending my vegetarianism to friends and family.

[Pharsti]

When I was old enough to learn and understand where meat came from (guessing age 6 or 7), I was very reluctant to continue eating meat. My parents would constantly worry about how much protein/iron I was getting, often forcefed me beef/fish/chicken/etc. while I'd spit it out or hide it in my cheeks or under my tongue to spit it out later, and always had doctors take my blood to check my iron levels. They were always fine. :lol: As time went on, they'd still bother me about it and encourage me to eat meat because I'd avoid any meat dishes they prepared or I'd pick out the pasta/veggie parts that I wanted. Most of my ailments were blamed on lack of protein or iron from not wanting to eat meat. Now that I'm an adult, and that I've reassured them that I can still get the nutrients I need without meat or dairy, they don't harass me about it as much. They've been more supportive, and I've gotten them to try a few vegan dishes and foods. And they liked them! My brother was actually snacking on raw vegetables last night...something he normally wouldn't do. I was surprised.

[SummerSn0ws]

A couple months before I went vegetarian, I told my husband, "I think I'm going to be vegetarian, I can feel it coming."

His response: "How can you do this to me?"

LOL. This was about a year ago, and now he's still an omni, but he prefers vegetarian over omni food, and he can argue the benefits of being vegetarian better than I can.

Pescas and snownose, your moms sound really cool :)

[evilvegan]

Wow. I forgot to mention that I had an engagement called off, because I was no longer the "life sucks just deal with it" sort of person. Instead I wanted to change things for the better. Oh well. There's more soybeans in the field :)

[Engelsman]

Mum: *Laughs* *Sarcasm* "Yeah... Ok..." An hour later she starts talking to me about it and asking me what i can and cant eat. The next day she went out and bought the largest amount of vegetables i'd ever seen.

Dad: "Yeah, sure... go for it"

Sister: "Are you crazy?" Few months of teasing but now she's cool with it.


-Engelsman

[isowish]

My grandma said, "if there ever was a girl doomed to become a vegetarian, it was you".
Doomed? Really?! :lol:

[KatherineLynn]

My mom: If I make pot roast will you still eat it?
Brother: It's just a phase.
Brother's friend: You NEED meat to survive.

Now my mom is very accepting of my decision. It helps that I bought soy dogs, Boca burgers, veggie lasagna, and things that my mom (or I) can quickly cook as an alternative if the rest of the family is having meat for dinner.

[bekajoi]

I remember my mom rolled her eyes and called it a phase. Ha.

*ETA* That was.... oh, 9.5 years ago ;) Phase? Still? Hmmmm.... (I did revert to my omni ways while pregnant/nursing, as I read/recieved misinformation about the pregnant/lactating woman and vegetarianism. Once I read differently, I came right back, and am now shooting for veganism... still working at it!)

[Iria]

I was so scared to tell my parents that I wrote them an e-mail to tell them.

My mom took it in stride. She never said a word about it to me, but she started making more of the side dishes when she cooked meals.

My dad? "So are you going fishing with me?" He thought that going vegetarian meant I was going to be eating fish at every meal! :lol:

My maternal grandmother is an animal-lover and probably would be a vegetarian if she'd grown up in a different era. She's worried about my health, but understands completely.

I have yet to tell my dad's family. There are a bunch of hunters in that group. :sealed:

Judging from the stories I hear on VB, I'm very lucky. I made this decision about three months before I left for college, though, so I never really had to deal with it while living under my parents' roof.

[GanyGreenBean]

My mom just asked "Did you do any research?"

My sister and I of course did do plenty of research and figured out how to make healthy food.

She is happy for us, in fact on the day before Thanksgiving she said to us, "You two look so healthy and pink. You actually are glowing!"

She even tried our Tofurkey and told us it was "really decent!"

She is a great mom. My Dad even is ok with it. He sometimes jokes about it.. like "Aww man, I was gonna make tons of thick steaks!" But in truth he doesn't have enough money for that. He lives off rice. lol.

Now my ex thought it was a form of punishment to him. That's why he got dumped. He didn't take me seriously at all.

YATTA!

[Vegi Chik]

Mom: "Okay, whatever. But I'm not cooking separate meals for you."

Dad: "Yeah right!"

Grandma (Mom's side): "Oh, hahahahaha!"

Grandpa (Mom's side): "Well yes dear, but you must understand that meat is a natural side of human life. The Bible refers to a meaty lifestyle. You are supposed to eat meat. That is what God intended animals for. Meat is very healthy, but you are not supposed to eat too much of it. Only the size of a deck of cards, twice a day." (And he went on like this for about 10 minutes. He's not even religious)

Nannie (Dad's side) "Well, what are you going to eat then?"

Poppa (Dad's side): "Well, technically cows are vegetables. Cows eat grass, so it turns them into grass so they are plants."

Lorri (Dad's girlfriend) "Hahaha, you're crazy girl!"

Brothers: "You're weird."

Yeah. That's basically it. I live with carnivores :wall:

[hotcranberry]

I went veg just about 6 weeks ago. I was kind of expecting my family to make smart comments about it since they eat a diet heavy in meat. But they were fine and everytime my Mom has cooked for me since, she's made sure to accomodate me. I think age does have a bit to do with it. I'm 28 and living away from home. I think if you're 15, your family may not take you seriously or they may see it as rebellion. :rockon:

[s0ad]

My parents, like your mom, said not to expect separate meals, but that they'd buy me food (which they already did anyway). My brother calls me a dirty hippie. When I told my dad I was going vegan he got very upset & angry and said I was going to die. :(

[pheniox]

Since everyone else is doing it this way.

Older brother: Well you've been cooking my vegan meals since you were 8, I'm pretty sure you'll do fine.

Cousin: Are you sure you don't want to go raw with me? I know you love raw fruits.

Dad: Ok kiddio, just make sure you take care of yourself.

Mother: I knew letting you move in with your cousin was a bad idea. A vegetarian how could you do this to me!

Aunt on my moms side: I knew when you went to your fathers *makes quotation marks in the air* religion, that you would do something radical like this. Why can't you be a normal girl?

Thank goodness I've told never told my aunt I was genderqueer, I'm afraid my little cousin would be left an orphan. XD

[Tuffenoughtoroc]

My mom quit talking to me for a day. My dad didn't mind at all. He just joked about it. I still don't understand why my mom made such a big deal about it. It's like sorry mom I'm trying to save lives and live a healthier lifestyle!

[Keelin]

"You'll have to be sure to eat a lot of fish!"

:wall:

[luv4all]

Mum: 'You're gonna die!'
Dad: 'You're gonna die!'
Little brother: 'You're gonna die! I disown you!'

Then, when I was eating a meal with no meat

Little brother: 'look, dad, she's eating no meat!'
Dad: 'Fine, let her die.'

No joke.