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A couple weeks ago in a comment,Celine asked, “how do you handle meals with family when meat is consumed at the diner table?” This is something that most vegetarians have to deal with at least every once in a while, especially around the holidays at big family dinners and other get-togethers.
For me personally, while I’d certainly prefer to be sitting at a meat-free table, I’m used to other people eating meat around me. Even my husband eats meat pretty regularly when we go out (although our home is pretty much completely vegetarian). So I’ve basically learned to ignore it. And since I live thousands of miles away from the rest of my family, I really don’t end up at large meat-based family dinners very often. I can put up with the sights and smells of a turkey carcass once every couple years, as long as nobody expects me to eat it (which, after 17 years, no one does).
How do you deal with family meals that involve meat?
Good point, madeinalaska. The biohazard-like nature of raw meat definitely freaks me out. I am happy that I don’t have to deal with scrubbing down cutting boards, etc., while worrying about whether they’ll give me salmonella or something like that.
Frederick – I hope you made it through the company holiday meat-fest OK. :)
What grosses me out more then meat on the table is the icky bacteria involved in the prep.. this thanksgiving my mom flew to my house and yes, SHE cooked a turkey but, she got turkey juice everywhere!! ewwweewww!
The only real time I was bothered by meat at the table was when a group of girls went to eat on a parked cruise ship (fundraiser) and well they had three options one veggie one steak and one fish. of the 7 people I went w/ 6 got the steak and man when they brought them to the table the steaming rare steaks to the table it smelled so gross!
First, I love this blog.
Second.. I will answer this question by saying I am at work right now and felt compelled to look for Vegetarian blogs because our companies holiday meal is mostly meat. Feeling upset and like an outcast because everyone knows how I feel, I am on the computer venting in my own way.
Normally I can handle it pretty well when its people who don’t know me, but when its friends I get a little uptight, but I ALWAYS HIDE MY FEELINGS.
Alicia – congrats on surviving your first vegetarian Thanksgiving! :)
I meant to say, “I DID get a tad bit nervous.” :)
1604 days ago
[...] over at Veggie Chic asked whether meat on the table bothers you, which mirrored a discussion at Veggieboards. This is a common discussion point, both within [...]
So far (I’ve only been meat-free since July 4th, 2007) it doesn’t bother me. I knew no one was going to hop on this bandwagon with me, my family and friends, much less the rest of the world, so I guess I never even felt the need to prepare myself for meat at the dinner table (or anywhere else). I guess, subconsciously, I knew it was always going to be around.
Oh, but once Thanksgiving started drawing near, I didn’t get a tad bit nervous, wondering whether or not I’d be tempted. I passed with flying colors. Didn’t even have the smallest desire to eat turkey. Yay!