How to Cohabit With a Vegetarian Partner

By eHow Health Editor

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Cohabiting with a vegetarian can be simple or difficult. It depends on the flexibility of both parties and on their expectations.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Vegan Cookbooks
Vegetarian Cookbook

Step1

Avoid entering the relationship with the expectation that one of you will change. It usually doesn't happen.

Step2

Discuss the division of labor beforehand. Who will cook? Who will clean up? Many vegetarians will not buy, cook or clean up meat dishes.

Step3

Be open-minded. Yes, people do survive quite well without eating meat, eggs, fish or any other animal-derived food items.

Step4

Respect your partner's dietary decision. If you don't respect that, then you have no respect for your partner.

Step5

Avoid trying to "get" him or her to eat meat. A vegetarian becomes a vegetarian because of certain convictions.

Step6

Eat a meatless meal together once a week. It will bring more harmony to your relationship as well as benefit to your health.

Step7

Expect that nothing will change. If your partner said that he or she will not cook you meat dishes, don't expect your partner to change.

Step8

Avoid becoming angry if your partner refuses to alter his or her habits. Being a vegetarian or vegan is part of their identity.

Step9

Find restaurants that offer menus that both of you can enjoy.

Step10

Explore ethnic restaurants, especially Asian and Italian ones. They offer great food for both carnivores and vegetarians.

Step11

Buy a vegetarian or vegan cookbook. Prepare a delicious vegetarian feast for the two of you.

Step12

Defend your partner's food choices at family gatherings if the topic is brought up.

Step13

Assess how important the issue is. Assess how important it is to your partner. If you are locking horns and neither is willing to give a little, your relationship may be in trouble.

Tips & Warnings

Just as people of two different religions can make a relationship work, so can a vegetarian and nonvegetarian. Both partners have to be willing to be somewhat flexible and have respect for each other.

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Comments

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on 11/22/2005 Try cooking vegetarian meals, and letting your non-vegetarian partner cook sausages for non-vegetarian guests. It simplifies things greatly. I don't cook or eat meat, my husband does. Making French toast or eggs and having him make sausages on the side keeps me from having to refuse to cook it, but lets him enjoy as he wishes.

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on 11/22/2005 If you are the vegetarian in the relationship, be willing to cook more often. Bring out all your best recipes. Show your partner that vegan or vegetarian dishes can be easy and delicious! My husband drinks milk at home and occasionally orders meat dishes in restaurants, but at home we only cook vegan meals and no one feels deprived.