Healthy Vegan Pressured To Eat Meat and Dairy

Question For Savvy Vegetarian:

I've been Vegetarian for about three years and I'm happy and very healthy. I recently became vegan and I still have a very healthy diet and don't feel deprived. I actually experiment more with food and eat more exotic things. However, my family tries to get me to eat meat and dairy and assume I have an eating disorder (which is clearly not true since I love food and never miss a hearty meal!!) How do I get them to leave me alone and stop pressuring me? - O.K.

Savvy Veg Advice

Dear O.K.,

Yes, there is so much variety possible on a vegetarian diet - any diet, really, but people get stuck in their boxes - eg. big slab of meat, potato & frozen veg on the side - and never think about what else they could eat. Becoming veg breaks you out of the box.

Re: your family trying to get you to eat meat. It is exasperating, when you're doing great, and why can't they see that? Try to understand where they're coming from.

They love you, and they're concerned about your welfare. People have been conditioned for the last century or more to believe that you must eat lots of meat and dairy or you'll have various nutritional deficiencies, especially protein, with unimaginably horrible results. They don't see what's really happening with you. They just see that you're not eating meat and dairy, and in their minds, that means you're malnourished.

The best thing to do is try to gently educate them, without blaming them, and trying to get them to change. Sound impossible? It's a hard, thankless task, but somebody's gotta do it!

Instead of being defensive, turn the meat offers and questions back on your relatives. When someone offers you meat, say, "I feel good with my diet - how come you keep offering me meat?" Then their fears will (hopefully) come out in the open, and you can give them some information that will reassure them.

Here's the link to an SV article on vegetarian protein, which should give you some ideas what to tell them: Vegetarian Protein - Myth and Reality

Keep it simple and brief - you don't want to give them more information than they can take in and process at one time. If your family isn't receptive, there's not a lot you can do, but to keep reassuring them that you're fine, with humor and kindness, remembering that they love you.

Please let me know how it goes, and if you have any more questions.

All the best, Judy Kingsbury, Savvy Veg

Health Disclaimer:

Savvy Vegetarian provides education and support to individuals who want to become vegetarian, or improve their diet. We don't advocate any particular vegetarian diet. We don't claim to be health care professionals, or nutritionists, nor do we treat any illness. Any changes that you make to your diet, or results of those changes, are your decision and responsibility. For your protection, we ask you to be completely open with us about your health, and we may recommend a medical exam before changing your diet. We reserve the right to refuse or to end a client relationship if we believe the client's actions may endanger his or her health.

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