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You Don't Eat Meat?!
Handling Vegetarian Criticism
By Felicia Hodges
Meyer and Wilson say that most of their family and friends don't mind them bringing a dish to a party. Meyer says that she always brings veggie burgers to barbecues just in case there is nothing there she can eat.
"I find that my friends are sensitive to my eating habits and are open to my bringing a dish," Wilson says. "It helps them if they just don't know what to cook for me!"
Wilson says that it is often more difficult to bring a dish when she is invited to someone's house that she doesn't know very well. "Not only are they more likely to be offended, you run a greater chance of getting served something that is non-vegetarian because the host didn't understand," she says.
Meyer suggests buying a good vegetarian cookbook or taking friends to natural and health food stores when shopping. "That way they can get an idea of what you do and don't eat," she says. "Good friends want to know what you eat. And if they are at a loss, they might even encourage you to bring your own dish."
"I think the key is not to make a huge issue of it," Wilson says. "Decide ahead of time what exceptions, if any, you are going to make on your path to full-time vegetarianism and stick to it!"
"Try and use some humor when it comes to those carcass eaters," Meyer says with a laugh. "If you've already decided that vegetarianism is the right choice for you, then see it through, no matter how much pasta and veggies they serve you!"
