So perhaps you’re new to Veganism and you’re wondering how liming with your friends (and being Vegan) will turn out to be.
Take a deep breath; you don’t have to stop liming with your non-Vegan friends just because you decided to change your lifestyle!
We all love to spend time with loved ones, family or friends. We laugh, we catch up with what is going in their lives and yes, we love to eat!
The following are some of the rules I came up for myself in order to be comfortable in my own skin. I am also sharing some tips that I think could be useful for all of you dear friends.
COME OUT OF THE CLOSET ALREADY!
If you decided to go Vegan and you are convinced of this lifestyle, you should break the news to family and friends. Why? Well, first of all because it is an incredible step. Second, so there are no expectations and no offense is taken on either part.
Remember, they have known you all these years as a meat and dairy eater so it might take a time for everyone to adjust.
I am convinced that if you’re serious about this lifestyle, people will quickly come around and respect it without major issues. But if you’re not very serious, they won’t respect you or the lifestyle.
PLAN AHEAD
If you know, you are going out to eat with friends make sure to be an active participant in the discussion.
You can make a few phone calls or contact restaurants in advance and find out what are their Vegan options available or if they will be willing to accommodate a Vegan.
There are many menu items that can be easily “veganize” once the restaurant is willing to make the effort. In this way, you will be able to present these names as possible places to enjoy lunch or dinner.
DO NOT COMPROMISE VEGANISM
No one wants to go by Auntie and be rude. She might think it is rude to kindly refuse the macaroni pie she just took the time to prepare because you don’t eat the eggs and cheese.
Food is one of those topics that people are very sensitive about. You can talk about politics, religion, exercising and most people will reach some sort of compromise but touch food…and boy, everyone loses their mind. lol
Whatever you do, do not choose to consume animal products out of social/family pressure or because you might not want to offend someone.
Just remember why you are Vegan and try to kindly express to your loved ones how important this is for you and how much it means to you if they respect it.
This means, you are NOT expecting any special accommodation on their part and that you will be glad to bring a dish that you could eat and share with family and/or friends.
BEACH LIME
If you go down Maracas and everyone is having bake & shark, you can have the exact same thing minus the shark. I fill my bake with lots of veggies and the Vegan condiments they might offer and I am great!
Shhhh, I eat at least two of those. However, most of the time I will carry my own food such as lots of fruits, granola or simply sandwiches.
BBQ LIMES
Just because you’re Vegan, doesn’t mean you cannot have a BBQ lime with friends.
Even though, I feel particularly icky about being around a meat-eater BBQ pit (and observing my poor animal friends being cooked) if planned properly, you can pull it off.
If you choose to go ahead, you can bring your own Vegan products to BBQ such as Vegan burgers or sausages. You will have to ensure they cook yours first, so you don’t end up with rest of blood/juices of meat in your veggie burger.
You can make an amazing potato salad to go with it and some grilled veggies as well.
EAT BEFOREHAND
I have done this many times and I don’t regret it. I have been in situations where I couldn’t find a good, healthy Vegan meal. It was very frustrating to spend money and eat something I wasn’t very happy about!
So if you know, you will not be able to eat anything outside make sure to have a meal in advance. I realized that as time passes, I enjoy eating homemade food more than anything else!
Hope these tips can be helpful when liming with your friends and please let me know how it turns out! 😉
Thank you for the tips Maria 🙂
You’re welcome Sally, thanks for stopping by. 🙂