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Could you kindly remove your nose from my dinner plate?
- Jun 15, 2009 at 12:30 AM
- By
- Comments (96) Total Views (2327) Everyone can see this journal post.
You know it has been quite a while since I was a vegetarian, and now that my family and I have gone vegan I really forgot how nosy and just downright RUDE people can be about something that really isn't any of their business.
Now I don't mind answering questions AT ALL, don't get me wrong. If someone is curious about eating vegan than I love sharing what I know, have learned and am still learning. But people freaking amaze me, I'm telling you. And before you think that I'm the token preachy vegan stereotype, please know that I'm not. In fact most vegetarians and vegans that I know aren't like that at all. I learned alooooong time ago as a vegetarian to just keep my eating habits to myself lest I be regaled with stupid questions at best ("Seriously?? What DO you eat?" Nothing..I eat nothing. Meat is the only food on the planet. I eat air and toilet paper. WTF?) and nasty comments at worst ( "God hates people that don't eat meat, it says you're supposed to in the Bible!" Think I just heard a banjo.)
But so many people I know continue to make comments to me about how eating vegan is unhealthy, I'm depriving my child of things he needs, etc, so on and so forth BLART. The really funny part to me is that the majority of these people that are the ones saying things to me feed their toddlers a Happy Meal every night for dinner and think that a cherry slurpee from 7/11 constitutes a fruit serving. These are people who know me in real life and know what kind of parent I try to be, so it bothers me firstly that they would assume I would just put my child on a vegan diet without knowing his nutritional needs and what to feed him to make sure that they are being met. And secondly, ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? "Is he getting enough nutrients?" I just so badly want to say "Is YOUR kid? Do you think cheeseburgers are made out of vitamins?!" Aghh.
But I don't. I don't say that, and I won't. I'm trying to just blow people off, I think I just had forgotten how annoying this can get to deal with. But I don't want to sink to their level. Now I could care less if someone eats meat or not, it doesn't bother me and you will never in a million years catch me giving someone flack for it. Honestly it does gross me out when people feed their kids fast food on a daily basis, but it's none of my business. I'm sure as hell not going to stand in line at Burger King and poke people on the shoulder so I can lecture them for what they're feeding their families. I just want to know why if you're a vegan or a vegetarian somehow that common courtesy of keeping your nose out of other peoples business (and dinner plates) suddenly doesn't apply to you.
Tags: vegan, vegetarian, food, mind your own business before i give you a super ninja karate chop
Comments:
Your tags are always the greatest.
What's really fun is when people get all in your business when you have to address a food allergy. My mom is celiac so whenever we go somewhere she informs them and it usually makes for an interesting dining experience.
I don't see what the big deal is!! Your son and you are obviously healthy....so why would someone even bother asking about nutrients? Gee whiz. In this day and age, you would think that people are more open to things like this.
Nerdyma~ What is celiac? (if you don't mind me asking) I have not heard of that....
I just love your journals, Katie. Candid doesn't even come close to describing how you present yourself.
I'm not a vegetarian or a vegan so I don't deal with those stupid questions, but I AM smart enough to not criticize others for their kid's nutrient-deprived diet when I have a daughter who will happily chow down bread and butter five times a day if I let her. Oh yeah, and cookies. Can't forget those.
I bow to you, honestly. Healthy lifestyle choices are not easy to uphold in our fast-food, convenience-packaged society.
You know I'm totally just teasing you about changing the green tea ice cream's recipe, right? :D
I'll never go vegan, but eventually I very much want to be back to vegetarian. We also need to eat healthier altogether though. It always cracked me up when I'd go to vegan restaurants with some friends, and there was always one of the boys who would complain there was no "real" food. Yeah... like you seriously need animal products? Since when are grains, fruits, vegetables and proteins not food?
The school threatened me with CPS, because Sy doesent eat meat. I went in to the principal and said " So you want her to eat it because everyone else does, despite the fact that her Crohns disease doesent allow her to DIGEST IT? If all kids have to eat meat, then why does the CAFETERIA offer 2 vegetarian meal selections every single day?" She shut up after that.
I am noticing , now that we are eating veg, people are sticking their faces into our food more. Its annoying. Let me eat my food without you wanting to dissect it, and my reasons for eating this way please. I am not sticking my face into your KFC, please dont do it to my veg plate. We went to the smithsonian museums for Sys birthday and we packed a veggie meal , and the family at the picnic table next to us , the mom was screaming at me that I was going to kill my daughter feeding her that way. This from a woman who was feeding her toddler chips, a cheeseburger and fries, and letting him drink soda from his sippy cup.
We eat the way we want to eat, and everyone else is entitled to eat the way they want to eat. I agree , keep your nose out of my plate unless you are wanting the recipe, then I will gladly share.
BTW , did you know that Burger King serves a veggie burger? Its not half bad with the new apple fries.
I applaud you madly! I think what you're doing isn't easy, takes commitment and planning, and is super healthy for all of you. Screw all the people wanting to be in your business, how about the disdainful look and the comment "Wow, I don't think I asked for your opinion."
Also, the super-successful on top of the world Ellen Degeneres is vegan - ;)
People are rude. I'm not a vegetarian, but have always been thin and eat pretty healthy. I can't tell you how many times people have tried to insist I eat cake, cookies and other crap and tell me "dieting" isn't healthy. Uh, I'm not dieting, I just don't feel like eating cake right now!
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Blowing them off isn't nearly as fun as turning i around on them. But then you'd be labeled as the angry vegetarian who should start eating meat to regulate her temper. Yep, heard that one.