Originally Posted by
TheEvilJester
I have to admit, I've always been interested about that myself. I've always been curious if/how vegan or vegetarian folks manage to have relationships with non-vegan/vegetarians. I mean, on the surface you would think people's diet shouldn't necessarily be a huge factor in whether or not they'll date each other. ....But if you think about it, how would they ever eat together? And would the vegan person in the relationship be okay with living with somebody who eats meat? Imagine if the relationship goes well and they get married. Are they going to have to prepare essentially two meals every night, one for the vegan and one for the person who eats meat? Would the vegan in the relationship be okay with that?
I've always been kind of curious about that for a number of reasons. First off, I LOVE animals and wish so badly that I COULD be a vegetarian or vegan.... but I've just eaten meat since I was little and my parents fed it to me. I've been eating it since long before I was even old enough to understand the arguments behind why maybe some don't want to eat meat. And, the fact is, I love meat. Most of my favorite foods involve meat. I don't think I ever COULD be a vegetarian/vegan. So, I always wondered if I met somebody great.... but she was a vegan, would that work or would she not be willing to be with somebody who eats meat?
Anyways, sorry, bit of a semi-related tangent there. I can't offer you any insight from somebody who HAS had this experience. However, the one thing I can tell you is that you should definitely NOT share any of your favorite meals with her without consulting with her first. Usually when somebody is a vegan/vegetarian, it is a very conscious and deliberate decision. Meaning they are a vegan because they very much WANT to be. In other words, she probably won't want to eat meat, no matter how much it may be your favorite dish. It wouldn't be meant as any offense to you, it is just that it probably goes against her personal beliefs.
So, you DEFINITELY shouldn't feed her something and not tell her it is meat. But, I would even go further to say you shouldn't even prepare a meal without first asking her about it. It would be one thing if you didn't know she was a vegan, and you prepared the dish. Then that is an honest mistake on your part. She still shouldn't have to eat it (again, it is going against her beliefs) but she at least shouldn't be offended since you didn't know. But you DO know she is a vegan, so to expect her to eat a dish with meat would be insensitive on your part.
Now, that doesn't mean you can't at least ask. Maybe something like "Hey, I kind of wanted to share one of my favorite dishes with you, but it DOES have meat. Do you not eat meat at all, or is that still something you might try? I definitely understand either way, but I thought I'd at least offer."
I guess whether or not you two would work out in a relationship sort of depends on just how adamant she is in her beliefs that led her to be vegan. In other words, it seems unlikely she'll change her own mind.... but the deciding factor would be how accepting she is of people who aren't vegan/vegetarian. Of people who DO eat meat. I am sure there are some vegans/vegetarians out there who simply couldn't be with somebody who eats meat, just as I am sure there are some who wouldn't care if their partner eats meat just as long as they don't have to.
So, I suppose it really comes down to that. You can't force her to change her beliefs, but at the same time she can't expect you to stop eating meat either unless you actually want to stop anyway. I will say, though, I'm hoping some others here actually DO have experience with a vegan dating a non-vegan because I've always been curious how that works out.