families can be so complicated...
I love my family to pieces, I really do. They just make me crazy sometimes. This weekend I had 2 sisters, 2 brothers, 2 parents, 2 aunts, 2 uncles, and 2 cousins over to see my new house. I told everyone not to bring too much food, as I'd provide salad, cake, and munchies. I am of the mindset that if they want to bring something with meat and cheese, it's OK as long as they prepare it and either consume it or bring it home with them. I made hummus, tabbouleh, a gorgeous veggie tray, 2 salads, had pita chips and salsa, ginger cookies, and a beautiful homemade vegan chocolate cake. For breakfast I had pumpkin muffins, fresh fruit, oatmeal, coffee and juice.
Well, they brought enough nonvegan food to feed a nonvegan army. We're talking meatballs, salami, about 12 kinds of cheese, chips, dip, chicken wings, some other chicken thing in a crock pot, huge sugary Danishes, white bread, donuts...you get the picture. I don't have a problem with them bringing their own food, it just bothers me that:
1) I went out of my way to make healthy, tasty food that wasn't too "weird"
2) I TOLD everyone not to bring too much food
3) After 13 years of being vegan/vegetarian, I still get comments about what's in my food
4) They ALWAYS try to stick me with their leftovers and I hate it! I hate wasting food and I feel uncomfortable then pawning it off on other people (i.e. putting it in the teacher's lounge at work) because I don't believe in eating it in the first place.
Not to mention the conversation between my aunts, mother, and cousins seemed to center heavily around weight loss and health and it drives me crazy to hear them talk about that and then see what kind of food they choose to eat. I had tons of healthy food and no one ate it except for my almost vegetarian sister and me. I believe in leading by example and I don't harp on them about it, but it seems the older I get the more crazy it drives me.
I finally have my own place and JUST ONCE I would like to host a completely vegan gathering and not get drama about the food.
Grrrrr. OK. Rant over. Thanks for listening.
People, I hear your pain!
I just deleted a really long rant about my family. I have similar problems with mine.
I just bring my own food and dessert. I used to bring enough to share, but no one would eat it because it was "special". Seriously, I would bring portobello mushroom risotto, and no one would eat it! The recipe would be totally unmodified but naturally gluten free and vegan and no one wold eat it.
So, now I just bring enough for me.
I also find it funny that these people go on and on about needing/wanting to lose weight while stuffing their faces with saturated fats.
My family bugs me about my weight. They always say I'm losing more wght, I'm getting too thin.....
I'm 5'4 and 125 lbs. I do yoga regularly and have an active job. I eat 3-5 times a day. I have trimmed up since going veg*n, but I'm far from underweight!
I think it's interesting the comments that people will make when they see you following a healthier lifestyle than what they do. Especially the excuses they use to condone theirs. I don't expect everyone to go veg*n, but I do expect people to be respectful of other peoples choices.
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