New Vegetarian

Do most of you have boyfriends/girlfriends who are vegetarians? I'm currently single, and don't know if I should date someone who is a carnivore? If you do have a significant other who is a carnivore, do you find it difficult eating together?

My husband eats meat and I'm a vegetarian. But we almost never have any meat in the house and he eats a 95% vegetarian diet (the 5% being that he sometimes gets meat when we eat out). We have no problems eating together.

Why would you say you don't know if you SHOULD date a "carnivore"? If you meet a person that you really like and get along with, would you really let that stand between you and a good relationship? 

My husband and I are both vegetarians, but it is pretty rare thing for a guy (around here at least) so I would not make that a requirement for dating or you might end up really lonely! 

I have several GF's who are also veg but are dating/married to omnis.  It's generally not a problem.  After all, he can eat everything you can eat.  If you go out to eat, he can order his own meal, including meat if he so chooses, and you can order yours without meat - no problem!  If you are cooking, you would have to decide if you would be OK with cooking meat for him ( I know some people that do this) or if you just want to make a vegetarian meal... and he can be Ok with that or if he wants meat he can make it himself.  One of my friend's husbands eats meat 1-2 times per week and he just grills it, while she prepares the rest of the vegetarian meal for both of them.  He eats the meat and veggies, she just eats the veggies, and they are both happy.  For the other meals he eats vegetarian.

You just need to look for someone who will respect you and not ridicule your choices or try to convince you or trick you into eating meat.  On the flip side you should not do the opposite to him either.... at least not until you have been together for a while, heh heh heh.  :)

My husband and I both are. He sometimes talks about going back to being an omnivore, but I'm going to be really annoyed. Grocery shopping is easy because we both are, the problem is he's doing it for health, and I'm doing it for health and moral reasons.

Diet is such a small part of who a person is, so I would never not date someone for eating meat. My ex (we broke up for totally non-diet related reasons) was an omni when I went vegetarian and it didn't bother me. The thing is some omni's have a problem with veg's so it goes both ways. That's something a lot of people don't think about. I was on another vegetarian forum and this same question popped up so much they made it a sticky on the front page lol But I'm sure there are plenty of omni's that ask "Would you date a vegetarian/vegan?" So yea, it goes both ways. As long as there's love and patience you can do it. I'm sure sometimes it would get annoying but everyone has a choice as to what they want to eat and you have to respect them for it.

Honestly, it's no problem at all.

I'm a vegetarian, and my boyfriend only likes two vegetables (sweet corn and carrot). We are total opposites in food; he  has a killer metabolism so he eats fast food, peanut butter, meat, chocolate... while I eat low fat everything and lots of fruit and vegetables.

It's good to have some similarities though; if you both like pasta / tortillas / rice etc etc (just any meal base sort of thing) then you can just add different sauces. My boyfriend might have bolognese while I have a vegetarian pasta sauce.

If you like the person, don't let food get in the way :P

For me, that's like asking if I'd date a rapist or a murderer.. but I seem to be in the minority here.

Original Post by ribcaged:

For me, that's like asking if I'd date a rapist or a murderer.. but I seem to be in the minority here.

 Thank God you are in the minority.

I really don't have a problem eating with friends & family who choose to eat meat. I know it’s their choice & not mine. I also don't try to lecture them on what choices they’ve made, because I know I don’t like it when omnivores ridicule me for my morals. However, I will give them info when they do ask. I think having a relationship with someone who chooses to eat meat will be complex at first, but I don’t plan on excluding and making that a decisive decision. I was just wondering how your daily lives were in that situation.

I have been a vegetarian for 6 years and in that time have never dated a fellow vegetarian. If asked, I will explain why I don't eat meat,  but I have never tried to force my beliefs on someone else (and hope they have the same respect for me). I think the big thing is finding someone who respects your beliefs. And, of course if it works out, setting up clear expectations for food preparation. :-)

Hi, I've always been vegetarian, and my partners not. He says at first it bothered him but it never bothered me. generally we dont eat meat, like spagetti we use Quorn mince, which he prefer to beef, as it isnt full of hard fatty bit (yuck). but then other time we'll have sausage n chip n ill have veggi sausages and he'll have meat ones, or he'll have cottage pie n veg n i'll have mash n veg n mayb a meat alt something. It becomes quite easy to eat similar thing at least most of the time, just takes a little more thing about and a little extra room in the freezer lol x hope you get on ok

I decided to practice being a vegetarian a year after me and my partner started dating. Prior to that, I ate meat. It's been two years and we're still together. The fact that I don't eat meat was never a problem in the relationship.

Original Post by ribcaged:

For me, that's like asking if I'd date a rapist or a murderer.. but I seem to be in the minority here.

Most people don't view someone eating meat (like they did only a few years ago) as a crime.

Omni's I've dated or hung out with seem to have no problem with my Vegetarian eating, and a lot of my friends like for me to cook for them, even in their own home.  the only 'problem' I had was a boy friend callign it rabbit food when I ate a salad. I think if you like someone, their/your eating habits shouldn't stand between you.