new vegetarian
Okay, so I've been trying to do the vegetarian thing for a bout a week and a half and I've already run into problems.The first is my family, I brought up the vegetarian thing with them and was immediatly put down.My mom and sister dont even like the idea of soy and tofu in the house. They don't like me being the only one with this diet and they sure wont do it.My main problem is affording it. The only income is what I make Babysitting and our money is tight right now,so we can't realy plan around two menus.Does anyone have any ideas for Cheap and tasty food option that I can cook for all of us but not upset the meat eaters in my family?I love to cook and maybe I can find a way to get them to let me try my recipes without them knowing that it is vegetarian.Thanks-Gwenn
Welcome to vegetaria, gwenn! If you pull up the message on this board (on a previous page) titled "Need help feeding a crowd!" you will find several "cheap and cheerful" recipes. You may have to cut them in half if it's just the three of you. Or make the full amount and freeze half for next week...saves on the cooking and planning.
Look on this site for pasta, soup, casseroles etc...things that don't shout "Here I am!" when it comes to so-called "odd" vegetarian dishes. I mean, chili is Supposed to have beans in it, right? LOL If you can find textured soy protien (TVP) in stores there, it is cheap and if you use it in chili or other highly-flavoured dishes such as sloppy joes, no one need know it isn't beef. I'm quite sure that in many of our highschool and college cafeteria meals that's what we were getting, anyway.
I know how tough it can be, but consult posts here on "argument" etc, and resist the temptation to "explain" or "justify" your decision. Just soldier on and when they see you looking and feeling great they may get the point. They'll get used to it. All the best!
not that i necessarily advise it, but you could go my rout and start off by sneaking vegan foods into the main meal scheme until the rest of the household gives up and realizes that veggie foods dont harm anything ^^;
at first my family was the same way. nobody else here was at all interested in vegetarianism, much less veganism. when i went vegetarian two years ago it was a huge deal for them to accept that i wouldnt eat half of most of their meals. when i went vegan and stopped drinking the same milk, eating the same cheese, buying the same bread...im sure you can imagine ^^;;
just hang in there. if they are at all like my family, they will probably try to give you a hard time for a while, to see if they can get you to drop the idea. once they figure out that you have your heart set on vegetarianism, things will likely die down.
-canned veggies are relatively cheap, and can be added to virtually anything as well. hey, our parents all used to bother us about eating our vegetables, so really, they should be overjoyed that you have become more enthusiastic about them
-rice is pretty cheap too, and is another one of those good neutral foods that can be added to almost everything, if just to give it more substance--if you only have a limited number of fresh veggies to work with, stir-fry with rice makes them go that much farther
-tofu is a magical thing. you can crumble it, fry it, bake it, BBQ it...and you dont even necessarily have to cook it. what this means? any dish that your family prepares can easily be supplemented with tofu (yummy soy protein ^.~d) and tofu itself is not too terribly expensive, at least at my supermarket. why, just this morning i made veggie and rice stir-fry for breakfast, added crumbled up tofu, and what do you know? not one of them noticed the addition! indeed, they who would not eat mashed potatoes made with soy milk unknowingly ate tofu *smirk*
-boca-burger is right up there with tofu in terms of convenience and versitility. my brother is a proud meat eater, and even he could not help but admit that their chik'n patties taste frighteningly like the real thing. the first time i had one of their veggie burgers, i honestly wondered for a second whether or not it was vegan after all ;)
well, best of luck!!