Vegan Shaming :(

I recently hosted a 12 person dinner party with the following Vegan Menu:

Appetizers– Tomato salsa, guacamole, organic blue corn chips, olives, crackers w vegan cream cheese topped with Seaweed Roe and Habanero salsa, grapes strawberries, popcorn, dark chocolate almonds

Main Dish – Homemade vegan burgers with these side dishes: Eggplant Moju, Pumpkin Curry and Kale-coconut Sambol

Dessert -Vegan Strawberry chocolate cake (Whole Foods) w coconut ice cream

So shocked to be subjected to these negative comments from some of the guests:

1. It’s not enough protein for me
2. I can’t live without my red meat
3. I love red meat
4. Who cares about getting Alzheimer, I will be comfortable in a nursing home
5. Cows and global warming it’s fake news
6. I have fatigue when I do not eat meat
7. Too many pesticides in vegetables. Organic is fake
8. No human studies to show pesticides, GMO are bad for us. So what if bad for animals
9. Something was wrong with me (the host) bc I only ate plants

Wow. One person starts a negative comment and then others feel they have permission to join in. Herd mentality. Next thing you know everyone is making fun of people who eat a plant based diet. I felt like everyone was ganging up on me, the person who spent hours preparing a homemade meal. Rude. Is this what it is like in the school yard when a kid who is different gets bullied? Have people lost their sense of grace? Sense of appreciation? What was their intention? Lucky, I am grounded enough not to let this phase me.

I am not sure how these people were brought up, but I teach my kids this: Always be a great guest, no matter how much you disagree with something or someone. Find something positive to say. Be grateful that you were invited and thankful for friendship. Appreciate the work your host put into the dinner.  Go out of your comfort zone and try something new and different. Practice giving positive compliments. If you don’t, you might not have another chance because likely you will not be invited back.

It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green…Kermit

“Roe” from Ikea and so are the quality of these directions 😉