vegans and my parents... advice?
Hi!
I'm a college student, and I'm about to graduate. I'm going home to PA for a month or two before moving to Boston. At school now, I'm mostly vegan and want to make it official and go fully vegan. It's easy to be vegan at my college, and it will be easy once I move to Boston. I'm considering whether to insist on being vegan for the month at home or just wait til I'm in Boston. I've been ovo-lacto vegetarian for 8 years and my parents are fine with it, but they think veganism is pretty weird. Also, my mom has celiac, so we're already dealing with significant dietary restrictions being gluten free and vegetarian. I cook and could just cook for myself (or for all of us), but I'm worried about my parents being upset or feeling judged. They also tend to think that some of my food is "weird." Whenever I cook vegan food for them they say things like "This is good, but would be better with cheese." I know that this isn't the end of the world and at some point they'll just have to deal with it and it'll be fine, but I'd like to deal with this as smoothly as possible. Do any of you have any advice?
Laura
Let them eat the cheese, and cook your own food because you are a big girl. Also, cook something for them fairly often.
I grew up SE of Harrisburg. ;)b The last time I was back was 6 yrs ago and unless things have changed a lot, you will need to bring any "unusual" ingredients with you. If I were you, I would cook for myself, invite them to share things as much as they are willing (let them add cheese if they want) and make sure I cleaned up all my own dishes and maybe theirs as well for them letting me come home for the month.
Good luck and enjoy your time with your family.
I like food. :)>>>
I always give my parents the excuse that it hurts my stomach to have milk or dairy. Mom's don't say anything if it hurts your tummy!! Also if you haven't had any of these items for a good while, it will make you sick. Both myself and my brother are stricked at home because they eat so poorly. It's easy to have cheese on food, get the vegicheese. I bet they don't even notice the difference.
Let them eat the cheese, and cook your own food because you are a big girl. Also, cook something for them fairly often.
This. Tell em if they think it would be better with cheese, to put some on their portion and stick it in the microwave to melt it.
If you take on a lot of the food prep they won't see it as a burden because you're pulling the weight.
Make something for you with whole foods (i.e., no vegan analogues) that naturally doesn't have animal - like a bean and corn salad or spring rolls or something like that. If they want to add cheese, they can do what they want, but it's a tasty stand-alone dish.
I've been ovo-lacto vegetarian for 8 years and my parents are fine with it, but they think veganism is pretty weird. Also, my mom has celiac, so we're already dealing with significant dietary restrictions being gluten free and vegetarian. I cook and could just cook for myself (or for all of us), but I'm worried about my parents being upset or feeling judged. They also tend to think that some of my food is "weird." Whenever I cook vegan food for them they say things like "This is good, but would be better with cheese."
Laura
Okay, so your parents think veganism is weird...they're free to have that opinion. Personally, if my daughter were coming home from college and was willing to cook me dinner for a whole fricking month I don't think I'd say a damn word about it. BUT, if they do, I'd just say something bland in response, like "That's an interesting thought," or "We can agree to disagree," or "Get out of my kitchen" "I see things differently," or something along those lines.
"Thank you for your input" is a good one.
i would definitely not give up veganism because of your parents. GF and vegan is actually super easy.. both my husband and i do it. PLus we eat low fat, too.
If someone says to me veganism is weird I say, "No problem more for me".