I'm the only vegetarian. I gave up meat as a teenager and just ate what everyone else was having on the side with a lump of cheese while I was living at home. Shortly before he died my Dad said when I stopped eating meat he'd had a little chuckle to himself and wondered how long I'd last and he told me he was really proud of me for having stayed with it. He was very much an animal lover but just thought he couldn't manage it himself. Since he died my Mum has mostly been eating vegetarian although she'll have meat with company. Knowing her lack of cooking skills I imagine she now lives almost entirely on salad, cheese and yoghurt! I taught myself to cook when I moved out and my late ex-hubby was happy to eat veggie at home although he also ate meat in company.

While my kids have always eaten vegetarian at home it will always be their decision elsewhere. My son decided to be vegetarian shortly before he was six and managed to keep it up for a few months but he went back to eating meat sometimes because there isn't always a vegetarian meal left for school dinners if he goes in to the hall late. I love that he's started thinking about it so young, his little sister isn't so much of a thinker!

My boyfriend is an omni. He's quite soft-hearted though and doesn't seem too comfortable with it. When we move in together I'll encourage him to think more about it ;D

I am the only vegetarian (almost vegan) in the family. Sadly, quite a few people in my family have no problems killing a chicken themselves. And out of those who have no problem killing chickens, some would probably have no problems killing a pig either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jduck9 

I'm the only vegan in my family because it was a choice I made on my own..and I was just wondering if it's like this for anyone else?



It gets REALLY hard sometimes because I feel like I don't belong anymore. And when I make a single comment about my diet, my brother lashes out at me and they all chime in! I don't think they understand, no matter how many times I've tried explaining it to them...They can say how gross it is for me to be a vegan, but I never say anything about wanted to upchuck my meals when my Dad's eating hamburgers...! Help?

Kind of. I live in a different country so it does not really affect me on daily basis. My mother has always eaten more veggies than meat, my brother has a compassion for animals, but he still consumes meat. And my father is a devoted life-long hunter. They have a country house in the middle of the forest and that always gave my dad even more of a chance to go hunting. He set up a tiny hunters house in a tree (kind of like those forts you usually build for kids), started feeding wild hogs in a nearby field until they came there on regular basis not knowing what awaits them. Once they were used to their new food source, he started killing them off. As long as I remember myself their freezer has been always stocked with the ''game''. It is sad and frustrating, but I do not think he will change at his age anymore and there is not much I can do about it, especially since we really do not have much of a relationship these days.

What concerns me more is that my partner refuses to go veggie. We have established an agreement that at least we won't keep any meat in the house and I certainly won't prepare it for him. So when he does eat meat, it is usually on lunch breaks or when we eat out/order in. At least I have been able to somehow limit his meat consumption, however it is still frustrating to know that he hasn't stopped completely. It is often a source of many arguments.

I have a vegetarian half sister, a vegetarian sister that passed away, a vegetarian mother-in-law and sister-in-law.  But my parents are definitely meat eaters and that will likely never be vegetarian.  But I'm lucky to at least have some family that are.

Hi guys!

I was the first in my family, but my mom turned vegetarian a couple of years after me! There's hope everywhere!

My brother-in-law and I are Vegan, and my hubby has no problem eating Vegan at home and when we go out (but he also eats meat and dairy).

My entire family are very supportive of my choice, and are accommodating and considerate both at home and when we go out to eat together 

Hubby's family on the other hand, have not accepted my brother-in-law (their son!) or my choice easily.  My father-in-law (keep in mind this man is far from the pinnacle of physical fitness), really got on his high horse about how ridiculous and unintelligent a vegetarian/vegan diet was and how it was not helping the world in any way, shape or form.  He tries to argue like he is a dietician every single meal.  

My mother-in-law goes back and forth between proudly telling everyone how she cooked a Vegan meal (usually with some cream or cheese or something that makes it not Vegan) and how she's trying to give up meat and then the next day telling me how she could never give up cheese or a good steak  I don't know which in-law is worse... 

^^ if anyone has some tips to help this situation (or even to help me be more patient with it) they would be greatly appreciated 

Mum has been a vegetarian since before I was born, although she's kind of become a "flexitarian" this past year or two (though she won't admit it). She tends to make excuses for eating the odd bit of meat and act like she had no 'choice'.

I think her boyfriends sister is a vegetarian too, but I've only met her once.

Aside from that, I'm surrounded by Omni's. My boyf was being quite supportive of me becoming vegan, he stuck up for veg*ns in an argument with his mother, then he had a go at me for not eating cheese and said if I was going to be that "extreme" I have to buy all new toiletries and clothes .... He didn't know what to say when I told him that they were already vegan.

@Lissy      Have you asked your father in-law why it bothers him so much? Personally I try and stay out of arguments                  with omni's and explain to them that I'm not judging them, it's my ethics and my choice.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JessAndreia 
 

I am the only vegetarian (almost vegan) in the family. Sadly, quite a few people in my family have no problems killing a chicken themselves. And out of those who have no problem killing chickens, some would probably have no problems killing a pig either.

Interesting way of thinking about it.  I actually have less against someone that is willing to/has slaughtered their own meat than someone that would never do that but still eats meat. It's one thing to eat meat when you know what it takes to get that meat to the table it's a whole different ballgame when you shove your head in the sand and ignore what's going on.  Being vegetarian is a new decision for me and I'm incredibly surprised that I made it considering I have slaughtered and eaten animals that have been raised by my family and myself.  Consider that maybe that same willingness might make them more open to your lifestyle.

I'm the only vegetarian in my family.  It's sooooo tough when I visit my family.  They eat super unhealthy, they eat lots of meat, and they eat lots of dairy.  Luckily I live with my boyfriend and we are both veg and healthy eaters.  But my family makes the most ridiculous comments about my diet ... it's so crazy.

I just found out my brother-in-law is a vegan and my sister is a vegetarian :)

I'm the only vegan in my family.

My baby sister said that she was going vegetarian about a year ago, though I don't know if she stuck to it.