Vegetarians: do you have family or friends that share your non-meat-eating ways?

Question

Or are you alone (amongst those close to you) in your resolve?

I'm just curious to see how many people are like me, a sole vegetarian in a sea of carnivores, struggling to hold up my beliefs... or are lucky enough to have a veggie buddy/family member!

I wonder how much of a difference it makes to have people with similar habits close by.

Answer 1

I am the only person I know that doesn't eat meat :[ I've only met a couple others that didn't eat meat. It makes it hard sometimes...not that I would ever want to eat meat, just the criticism I get for it.

Answer 2

Well..my husband does for the most part as we only cook vegetarian meals.  If he wants meat, he makes it himself on the side.  My friends all are understanding and supportive although they are all meat eaters.

Answer 3

My mother is also a vegetarian, my grandmother doesn't eat most meat, and my husband eats a limited amount of meat since I do all the cooking and I don't cook meat.

Answer 4

It was just me at first but, after learning the truth about where meat comes from, four of my family members stopped eating meat (two of them stopped eating dairy too) and several others cut down on meat dramatically.

Learning about the factory farm animals and giving up meat helped open their minds quite a bit, so I have several open-minded, intelligent people around me most of the time.

We share ideas on how we can get others to stop eating animals, as well as nutritional information and recipes.

They're much more pleasant to be around than my meat-eating relatives.

And, of course, it's quite convenient that we all eat the same food.

Answer 5

No one else who lives in my house is vegetarian.

But some grandparents and cousins and uncles and people like that are.

Answer 6

My husband and I are vegetarians...and my 2 sons are vegetarians.

Answer 7

I'm a little alone in this.

I've met a few vegetarians but I'm not extremely close to them. Sometimes people will start talking to me when we have that in common though

I had a best friend who became a vegetarian with influence from me once. I felt like she did it to feel cool or something though, because whenever we stopped being friends she ate meat again.

Sometimes it seems difficult to be the only vegetarian in a southern family.

My family doesn't mind though, they make sure there's something for me to eat at gatherings and stuff.

Answer 8

When I became vegan nearly 2 years ago, I didn't know anyone who was vegetarian.  I did have a friend who claimed she was veg but she ate fish, so I don't count her.

Now, my best friend is vegan and another friend of mine is as well.  I have an aunt and cousin in another part of the US who became vegan recently because my aunt's rheumatologist suggested it was good for her arthritis condition.  So now I know 4 vegans, 5 including me.  

My relationship with my best friend hasn't changed much, but now we get to cook in the kitchen together, which is a nice change from cooking by myself.  

It's amazing the power of multiplication that happens.  I didn't know anyone and now I know 5 vegans and 1 ovo-lacto veg.  Just wait a while, the people around you might just catch on down the road.

Hang in there, you'll meet people, especially if you put yourself out there.  Go to vegetarian events, meetups, or potlucks in your area.  

Good Luck to you.

Answer 9

now that i'm a little older, i've found a lot more vegs.  especially in college i was thrilled to see that i was not the only one.  my family has caught onto the health aspect of vegetarianism and often asks me for tips and started eating much less meat.  my bf (After many years lol) is catching on too and usually eats meat free now.  but i remember when i went veg at around 13 i was definately the only one and it was very difficult.  for many people i was the first veg they'd heard of. there weren't a lot of alternatives and people in general weren't very sympathetic towards it.  now that i've proven it's not a "phase" and there's so many more people catching on it's much easier and i can share my lifestyle with others much easier.  

Answer 10

I am vegan, my mom is vegan, my sister and her husband have started a vegan diet. One person can make a huge difference! History shows us that this is the way movements get started.

Answer 11

were not carnivores were omnivores...why dont vegetarians get that into thier head...we dont call you herbivores