Being a new vegetarian can sometimes cause some people to be overzealous in their new way of eating. In their zest with their new knowledge, they can come across as being rude without even knowing it. This Factoid is about being excited without being rude: vegetarian etiquette.
This is mainly for new vegetarians but some long-time vegetarians sometimes forget their etiquette. As a new vegetarian you are excited about everything you learned. Every new book you read about health and changing your diet seemed to address and answer all of your health questions about why you might feel so bad every day. It is exciting to actually read stories about others who have the same health problems you do and exciting to read that simply changing your diet can help you feel better. When you change your diet and actually feel better, you want to tell everyone around you. At first that is fine. But if you’re not careful, it can turn into a sermon.
You might get invited to a dinner or party and as a vegetarian you might be concerned if there will be anything you can eat. Many times a host of a dinner or party will wonder if anyone invited is a vegetarian. If asked, don’t be bashful about saying yes-you-are, and then leave it at that. That is not an opening for you to preach about the values of a vegetarian diet.
The worst thing you can do is to push your newfound knowledge on others just because they enjoy eating meat. If you’re invited to lunch and your friend is eating a hamburger, it is very rude to sit there and tell your friend all about the history of that hamburger and feedlot conditions. It will not only be rude but also sounds disgusting–while they’re eating. You could very well lose a friend because of that; at least this friend won’t be inviting you to lunch again.
Once you start eating this new way, and you really do start feeling better than you thought possible, you will want to tell everyone. I have found it best not to say anything unless asked. I had a friend who was always complaining of a stomachache. He ate the typical American diet. I mentioned it could be what he ate that caused his pain and left it at that. If he wanted my opinion further, he would have asked me. Let others ask, and if they are really interested in the reasons you changed your diet, explain it to them.
Everyone is different. Some people are very healthy eating a meat-based diet, and you need to be careful whom you talk down to just because they eat meat. Another friend of mine who eats nothing but meat is very healthy. There are differences from the norm: the meat he eats isn’t the feedlot store-bought meat, and he doesn’t eat much processed or junk food. If I were to even consider telling him he should switch to a vegetarian diet, he could easily make me look foolish. All he would have to do is challenge me to a 10-mile run to see who would finish first. I probably couldn’t even finish the race, since I don’t run. He runs 10 miles every day and is also 15 years older than I am; yet he eats a diet consisting of mainly red meat. So think twice before telling someone they are unhealthy because they eat a meat-based diet.
Continue learning about health and healing through diet without forcing it on others. If someone asks you for your help or opinions, you will be ready. It is much more calming to not concern yourself with other peoples’ diets, unless they are a family member or a loved one whose health you worry about. You can discuss and even debate with someone who is interested, but try not to preach to someone who is happy with how he or she feels and their way of eating. If you feel that a friend or loved one is interested in your diet but might feel awkward about asking or someone you really feel could benefit from a change in diet, think about giving them a book on the subject. That way they can read it in their own time. A good author on the subject is Dr. John McDougall; the first book I read on the subject of diet and health was by Dr. McDougall with the title of12 Days to Dynamic Health.
You can start your own blog and write all about your new vegetarian diet and why you changed and how it makes you feel. A blog is the perfect place to preach if you want to tell the world. Sitting across the table at lunch or dinner with someone is usually not the right place. It is easy to get carried away, so always remember your vegetarian etiquette.
