How To
By
eHow Culture & Society Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Tell your host in advance that you don't eat meat. Do not assume that they know.
Step2
Outline exactly what you will eat. For example, if you are vegan, let them know you will be bypassing the Sunday brunch of french toast and cheese omelets.
Step3
Make sure that your host will be able to accommodate you before you go.
Step4
Figure out how much of a problem your veggie habits will be. This depends largely on your relationship with your guests, how many meals you will be eating together, etc.
Step5
Offer to cook some meals. Die-hard carnivores are often unaware how much diversity and delicious foods makes up a vegetarian diet.
Step6
Introduce some of your favorite dishes. Your hosts may turn up their noses at tofu, but they might enjoy pasta primavera.
Step7
Avoid offering advice and criticism about the diet of your hosts. You may find eating meat unhealthy and unspiritual, but you are, after all, a guest at their house. Defend your eating habits only if the subject comes up.
Step8
Do some of the shopping. Buy foods that you will eat. Again, this depends on your relationship with the host. If you're staying with your parents, for example, your mother may have a fit if you do your own shopping.
Step9
Bring food with you. For example, if you like to have cereal with soy milk for breakfast, that's easy and convenient to pack. Plus it will make life easier for your host.
Step10
Consider how important it is for you to be a house guest if it appears that your eating habits will cause a major upset. Perhaps there is someone else you can stay with, or perhaps consider a nearby hotel.
Comments
said
on 11/22/2005 My advice to vegans who get questioned about their diet when at relatives' houses: don't do it at dinner. You'll get put on the spot, and most people just want to antagonise you. You don't have to defend your reasons for being vegetarian to anyone.