"You Don't Want No Meats?!?"

A few years ago I was having breakfast with a vegetarian co-worker. Whenever he went to order his breakfast without the usual side of sausage or bacon he was struck with this puzzled, yet typical Southern response, "You mean, you don't want no meats??"  His response was a lot more comical than mine would have been, when he replied, "Ummm... yes.  I don't want- no meats."  

For years we have joked about this- and today I think it is still as funny as it was then.  However, when you are eating at a restaurant and are constantly asked, in one way or another, "you don't want no meats?" the situation becomes less than amusing.  

Now, I hardly ever dedicate any of my blogs to vegetarianism because I try to appeal to a wide variety of readers, and for some reason people get really defensive whenever you talk about taking away their meat.  Now this is fine- I'm not asking anyone else to be a vegetarian, I'm just asking for people to respect my choices and not tell me what to eat... after all- I am not telling you what to eat.  And also- to have a few vegetarian options at a restaurant would be nice too.  

A few weeks ago, at my dismay, I went to a family dinner at a chain restaurant.  Now, usually there is at least something that I can eat.  More times than not- it is a salad- or just pasta with no topping (yuck!).  However, at this particular restaurant even the salads had meat or fish on them... and most of them had more than one meat in them.  Even some of the salad dressings were infused with bacon.  This was almost the last straw for me... but because I realized that this dinner was about more than just food- but about spending time with family- I put on a smile and ordered a salad exactly how I wanted it- even though there was nothing even similar to what I ordered on the menu.  And, OF COURSE, the waitress looked at me like I was insane when I "designed my own salad" and refused to eat the minestrone because it was made with beef broth.  In fact, she even tried to talk me into eating it.  I'm not really sure where she was going with it- but I politely declined pretending that I didn't notice the irritation in her voice as she took down my order.

This is just one of many, MANY issues that I have had eating at restaurants, which is partially why I suggest eating at home most of the time.  BUT, you can't live in a cave, and sometimes you want to get out with your family and friends to enjoy some time together.  

I usually share these stories with my boyfriend and sometimes a friend or family member, but I have decided that complaining about things isn't going to do anything.  I am convincing people who are already convinced.  I am preaching to the wrong people.  So I have decided that I am going to start making a move.  As I have been visiting restaurants I have been jotting down the information of where to e-mail comments to (all restaurants have these, sometimes right there on their menu), and I am going to start e-mailing them comments and suggestions about how to make their menus more vegetarian friendly.

I have left restaurants and vowed to never go back because they do not offer me a variety (2 or 3) HEALTHY vegetarian choices (a vegetarian choice is not onion rings, or fettuccine alfredo). I have lived in other cities that are MUCH more vegetarian friendly than my current city, Tulsa, so I know this is a change these restaurants can make! I have also seen restaurants begin to adapt to a vegetarian lifestyle. As I discussed in my past blog Using Your Vote, your food choices matter to companies, and if we are all just sitting at home wishing something would change- nothing ever will.  So let's do something together!  

Over the next few months I will begin posting different restaurants that I am writing to- and give the information to you, and if this is something that you are interested in, I want you to write them too.  And just as a side note- I want these to be productive, pleasant e-mails that are constructively trying to help these businesses, and us.  Maybe no one will ever even read our e-mails, but maybe someone will, and maybe something will change because of us!  

Remember: We live in a world where we can make anything happen, you just have to stand up for what you believe in.