Parents Just Don't Understand (New Veg Diet)

saileeney · Aug 21, 2006

My husband and I reciently started eating more healthfully. We cut out meat and processed foods and replaced it with lots of fruits, veggies, beans, and whole grains. 
We feel great and so excited about our new lifstyle, but of course, his mother is less than supportive. She has made a few comments "you're lucky you have time to cook all day" (I am a stay-at-home-mom) and she said it's impossible to keep going with this when school starts "when the kids go back to school and your busy with sports and driving them around all day it will be too hard to resist the drive-thru." She said it's not "realistic" to think we can keep this going long-term. 
WTF!!? This from a woman who has a heart condition and triglycerides 3x the normal level because of her bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyle. She is a heart attack waiting to happen. 
Why is it so hard for her to support us and be happy we are doing something good for ourselves? Why do I even care what she thinks? We'll see who's laughing when she comes over for Thanksgiving this year and there's no turkey or pork stuffing!! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/broccoli.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":bobo:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/carrot.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":vebo:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/broccoli.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":bobo:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/carrot.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":vebo:"> 
Wow you made it through my whole rant? I love U! Bye!

zoebird · Aug 21, 2006

she's probably unhappy with it because she is assuming judgement upon herself. easier to lash out at you and try to get you to be more like her, than try to change her own habits--no? 
why do you care? ah, well, i can't answer that one. but probably because yu want people to celebrate with you.

ReginaCeltarum · Aug 21, 2006

Try teaching her about healthier eating. Say that you are concerned about her health, and you want your kids to have their grandma around for a long time. If she is a "heart attack waiting to happen" she needs your help. Sure she will be resistant, but do what you know is right. she'd thank you in the end.

jeezycreezy · Aug 21, 2006

Great. Now I have a DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince stuck in my head. Thank you SO much for that! Hmpf! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> 
Most people react badly when they're reminded of their own inferiority. Why should your parents be any different? Hopefully the longer they're exposed to your veg*nism the more they'll accept it. The older people get the less they seem inclined to be open to new things. Give them time. 
(I don't know them, but if your post is any indication, you seem very nice. So they can't be all bad, yeah? <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/wink3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

">) 
And congrats on the positive changes. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"> 
Cheers, 
TJ

froggythefrog · Aug 21, 2006

She's probably angry with you because she knows she should change her own eating habits but knows she is unwilling to.

ReginaCeltarum · Aug 21, 2006

Exactly. encouragement and a loving invitation might be the key.

zoebird · Aug 21, 2006

or saying "i'm not judging you for what you are eating; please don't judge me."

saileeney · Aug 22, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by jeezycreezy <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
Great. Now I have a DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince stuck in my head. Thank you SO much for that! Hmpf! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"></div>
</div>
 
Thanks TJ, I wasn't sure if anyone would get that.... <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/rockon.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":rockon:"> 
I might use that one Zoe! Thanks!

Tofu-N-Sprouts · Aug 22, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by saileeney <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
... she said it's impossible to keep going with this when school starts "when the kids go back to school and your busy with sports and driving them around all day it will be too hard to resist the drive-thru." She said it's not "realistic" to think we can keep this going long-term....</div>
</div>
 
Just a note of encouragement - It IS possible. 
I am NOT a 'stay-at-home' Mom and I DO have an insane schedule: three kids at three different schools, soccer/band/choir/drama club/horseback riding lessons/karate/ballet/art class and OTHER after-school activities...<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/dizzy2.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":dizzy:"> 
I've been feeding my kids healthfully and vegetarian (I'm vegan, they're not quite) for the last 15+ years... if that's not "long term" I don't know what is. 
Yes, we have learned to make a lot of "quick" meals, we use the crock-pot and depend on the advance timer on the rice-cooker and oven a LOT - and we DO do Taco Bell once or twice a month. But it CAN work for any family, regardless of their lifestyle and schedule. 
As far as your Mother-in-law goes? I can sympathize with that too. Been there. 
How about not saying anything and just setting a great example, that's usually the best (only) thing that will make much of an impact. Guilt isn't gonna do it. 
Maybe try inviting her for dinner or offering to make occasional meals that you could drop off for her (if they don't live too far away?). 
Make everything you serve her REALLY yummy and as hassle-free as possible, you might be suprised how fast you'll win her over - or at least mellow her thinking a bit.

saileeney · Aug 22, 2006

Thank you T n' S !!! Your words are very encouraging. It sounds like you have alot going on (alot more than I do!) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/notworthy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":wayne:"> 
What kind of "quick" meals do you make for your family? My kids aren't picky eaters and will try pretty much anything . I'm always on the lookout for new ideas for supper. 
Thanks!

Amy SF · Aug 22, 2006

Tesseract just recently posted this in her Tip of the Day Thread. <a href="http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showpost.php?p=1343532&postcount=75" target="_blank">http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/s...2&postcount=75</a>

Tesseract · Aug 22, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by jeezycreezy <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
Great. Now I have a DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince stuck in my head. Thank you SO much for that! Hmpf! <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

"></div>
</div>
 
You and me both. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/whack.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":whack:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/tongue3.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

">

CaptainPlanet · Aug 22, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Tofu-N-Sprouts <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
Just a note of encouragement - It IS possible. 
I am NOT a 'stay-at-home' Mom and I DO have an insane schedule...<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/dizzy2.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":dizzy:"> </div>
</div>
 
It's definitely possible. I'm the sole vegetarian in my family, but my mom works full time and cooks balanced (omni) food for 5 kids. We rarely eat out. It's expensive to get take-out for 7, and it's not healthy. I'm glad there are other families here who can avoid the drive thru. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/dancingbanana.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":nana:">

Amy SF · Aug 22, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Parents Just Don't Understand Lyrics 
You know parents are the same 
No matter time nor place 
They don't understand that us kids 
Are going to make some mistakes 
So to you, all the kids all across the land 
There's no need to argue 
Parents just don't understand 
I remember one year 
My mom took me school shopping 
It was me, my brother, my mom, oh, my pop, and my little sister 
All hopped in the car 
We headed downtown to the Gallery Mall 
My mom started bugging with the clothes she chose 
I didn't say nothing at first 
I just turned up my nose 
She said, "What's wrong? This shirt cost $20" 
I said, "Mom, this shirt is plaid with a butterfly collar!" 
The next half hour was the same old thing 
My mother buying me clothes from 1963 
And then she lost her mind and did the ultimate 
I asked her for Adidas and she bought me Zips! 
I said, "Mom, what are you doing, you're ruining my rep" 
She said, "You're only sixteen, you don't have a rep yet" 
I said, "Mom, let's put these clothes back, please" 
She said "no, you go to school to learn not for a fashion show" 
I said, "This isn't Sha Na Na, come on Mom, I'm not Bowzer 
Mom, please put back the bell-bottom Brady Bunch trousers 
But if you don't want to I can live with that but 
You gotta put back the double-knit reversible slacks" 
She wasn't moved - everything stayed the same 
Inevitably the first day of school came 
I thought I could get over, I tried to play sick 
But my mom said, "No, no way, uh-uh, forget it" 
There was nothing I could do, I tried to relax 
I got dressed up in those ancient artifacts 
And when I walked into school, it was just as I thought 
The kids were cracking up laughing at the clothes Mom bought 
And those who weren't laughing still had a ball 
Because they were pointing and whispering 
As I walked down the hall 
I got home and told my Mom how my day went 
She said, "If they were laughing you don't need them, 
"Cause they're not good friends" 
For the next six hours I tried to explain to my Mom 
That I was gonna have to go through this about 200 more times 
So to you all the kids all across the land 
There's no need to argue 
Parents just don't understand</div>
</div>
 <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/laugh.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":lol:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sneaky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":shifty:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/evil.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":evil:">

jeezycreezy · Aug 22, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by Amy SF <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/laugh.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":lol:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/sneaky.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":shifty:"><img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/evil.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":evil:"></div>
</div>
 
UR<img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/devil.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":devil:">

froggythefrog · Aug 22, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by saileeney <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
Thank you T n' S !!! Your words are very encouraging. It sounds like you have alot going on (alot more than I do!) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/notworthy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":wayne:"> 
What kind of "quick" meals do you make for your family? My kids aren't picky eaters and will try pretty much anything . I'm always on the lookout for new ideas for supper. 
Thanks!</div>
</div>
 
I don't want to speak for her, but I remember some things she mentioned: 
She does a lot of dried beans in the crockpot and makes refried beans for dishes like tacos and burritos. 
A quick morning meal (or in her house it seems, an almost any time meal) is a tofu scramble complete with black salt (if you have it), a little turmeric, and some nutritional yeast. 
This is just off the top of my head... I'll let her tell you... <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/smiley.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="

">

~Wonder · Aug 23, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by saileeney <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
I'm always on the lookout for new ideas for supper.</div>
</div>
 
Crock Pot chili over anything <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/drool.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":drool:"> 
I had some over nuked red potatoes, quick, easy, and delicious. Mmm... I think I'll go have some more. 
~Wonder <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/drool.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":drool:">

Tofu-N-Sprouts · Aug 23, 2006

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by saileeney <a href="/forum/post/0"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style=""></a> 
Thank you T n' S !!! Your words are very encouraging. It sounds like you have alot going on (alot more than I do!) <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/images/smilies/notworthy.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title=":wayne:"> 
What kind of "quick" meals do you make for your family? My kids aren't picky eaters and will try pretty much anything . I'm always on the lookout for new ideas for supper. 
Thanks!</div>
</div>
 
(As Froggy mentioned) Pinto beans, done in either the crock-pot or the pressure-cooker. I mash and season them and save them in the fridge and use them in: 
burritos, 
bean-'burgers', 
taco filling, 
baked "enchiladas" with or without cheese (I use a nutritional-yeast 'cheeze' sauce on the enchiladas). Potatoes that I bake on 'time-bake' in the oven so they're done when we walk in the door - then we top them with: 
chili, 
Boca Crumbles and mushrooms, peppers and onions, 
corn-and-black-beans and salsa, 
brocolli and 'cheeze' sauce, 
tomato-and-zucchini mixture, 
mushroom gravy, 
saurkraut and Tofutti Sour Cream, 
grilled Tofurky Suasage and onions, 
tofu-veggie scramble, 
or just margerine... Rice, or quinoa, done in the 'time-delay' cycle on the rice-cooker so it's done when we get home, then I top with: 
A quick veggie-tofu stir-fry 
black beans, 
Boca Crumble "stroganoff", 
Seitan in brown gravy, 
curry sauce of any sort usually goes together quickly, 
tofu and veggies in peanut sauce, 
pinto beans, and then make bean-and-rice burritos, 
coconut milk, lemon grass and cubed sweet potatoes, 
sweet-and-sour sauce with seitan, chinese "chai pow yu" braised gluten, tofu or tempeh. 
Then there's always pasta! It cooks super-fast and besides spaghetti, mac-n-cheese, and fettucini alfredo, theres tons of types of oriental noodles that can be cooked quick and topped with virtually anything. 
Oriental markets have lots of frozen vegetarian egg-rolls, lumpia, potstickers, spring-rolls, steamed dumplings and dim-sum. Read the labels, they are required to list all ingredients in English - and they cook up in the oven or a non-stick pan really quickly (and my kids LOVE them). 
I get loads of great ideas from that show on Food Network "30 minute Meals". I KNOW she never cooks vegetarian or even remotely vegan, but it's almost always VERY easy to modify the recipes or just use them as starter ideas to get your own imagination going.

codemonkey · Aug 23, 2006

Spagetti is quick and easy. A package of pasta and a jar of sauce. If you really want to fancy it up, throw in some cut up veggies. Bean chili is pretty popular at my house too. If you're really crunched for time, you can nuke up some boca burgers or veggie dogs and serve it with some frozen veggies. If you have no choice but the drive-thru, taco bell and buger king have vegetarian options. I've even heard that the asian salad at mcdonalds is really good without the chicken. 
I'm a busy mom too (and I work full time) and I very rarely have to hit the drive-thru.

kyliemc · Aug 24, 2006

One of my quick and easy vegan meals is from an Italian cookbook I recieved. 
Cook about a pound of spaghetti per instuctions on package. Meanwhile, saute about 10 cloves of garlic in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to garlic. Drain spaghetti when it's done (al dente) and add the garlic and any oil that was cooked with it. Stir and add fresh (or dried) parsley, chopped. Add more olive oil to coat spaghetti. Serve with garlic bread and any veggies etc. 
We have this quite a bit, especially when we are low on grocery money for the week. It costs very little as long as you have a good extra virgin olive oil on hand. 
I loove 30 minute meals and do mix up her recipes to suit our vegan diets, though it seems she always is cooking up some veal.

Parents Just Don't Understand (New Veg Diet)

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered

Registered