I eat too much: My attempt at vegetarianism at home

I know there are people who hate vegetables, probably most people do or at least most Americans do but I never thought that I would have to live with a veggie-hater! I live with a man, my soon-to-be-husband, who thinks that I should give him a medal every time he eats the lettuce and tomatoes, vegetables he calls, in his burger. Can you just see my eyes widen as I say this? Or perhaps you think I am crazy for making such a big fuss. Elitist? Dumb vegetable lover? With the 101 things that enter into my mind every day, realizations of what I potentially have to live with forever, this has been on the top of my list recently. How can I live with a man who has to eat meat every single meal? More importantly, how can I eat meat every single meal?! 

It was only recently that I realized how diverse my food options were growing up. My friend, Nikki, who I have known since first or second grade and who I recently met up with after more than 10 years of separation, reminded me of how much of a spread my lunch box was when we were little. Even at home, we always had a meat, a fish, and a vegetable dish and, when it was only me and my mom who would eat at home, we would scarf down two pounds of plain green vegetables, as if it were fried chicken or something. Of course, I only know what I know from how I grew up and vegetables are part of my normal. I need to accept and understand that for my boyfriend vegetables are just not part of his. From a guy who grew up on steak tips (I still don’t know what are steak tips) and, according to him, have never seen his mom chop a vegetable, not even an onion, in his life, I should really reward him for anything green that he puts in his mouth.

But because I am selfish and a fatalist (how can I live life without vegetables?!?!?!?!), I decided to enforce my normal on him even for just once a week. Yesterday, I began Vegetarian Mondays at home. I cooked up a chow mein dish (I made a successful version last week, but with flank steak and peppers) this time with lots of mushrooms and some brocollini. His poo-poo face was more pitiful than our dog’s when we deprive her of a treat. But like a trooper, he at least ate one bowl. When I asked him if he was going to get his usual seconds, he grumbled an insincere “maybe.” Probing him for a confession, he finally revealed that, for him, vegetables are an appetizer and not a main course. I had to make a batch of banana nut muffins just to gain back the points that I lost.

As for me, I stuffed myself with the rest of the chow mein those vegetarian banana pecan muffins, too, maybe because I was feeling so depressed about my situation. (I’m not going to lie. I’m a big chomper, too.) My first Vegetarian Mondays was a disaster and, if I continued to lobby this idea, I prophesy hearing things like “I’m too busy to eat at home” or “I have a business meeting” in future Mondays. I mean all I want is for us to eat a healthy diet. We have already converted to eating local organic produce as much as possible. The next logical step is to eat less meat. 

How do you reconcile the opposing diets of two lovers especially when food is at the center of both of our lives? What are my options? Eat the way he does? Cook a different meal for myself? Sneak in veggies to our meals as if he were a 10 year old? When I’m not with my fiance, I try and tend to eat vegetarian. I can’t help but think that, in some ways, it’s kind of like shielding a part of who I am from him like listening to jazz, reading poetry, or philosophizing about feelings. Stuff that I want to share with him. Wow, this post about being vegetarian for a day just became sad. For now, Vegetarian Mondays is on-hold. I’m going to try that sneak-the-vegetables-in thing or just take the extra time and effort to make a vegetable side dish that he could get in to.

Do you share a similar experience with your significant other?