Vegetarians Don't Need You To Point Out What We Can't Eat
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Lifestyle

Vegetarians Don't Need You To Point Out Everything We Can't Eat On The Menu

"Oh look there's a salad for you to eat, oh but there's bacon in it. Looks like you can't eat it."

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No, seriously, we actually don't need you to point out that the section on the menu called "Steaks" is out of the options for us because I am pretty sure anyone who is a vegetarian can still read.

As long as I can remember, I have been a vegetarian. No, it wasn't some kind of lifestyle that was forced on me as a kid, because if you come from a Hispanic household, you already know meat is always on the menu. Around the age of 12, I decided to officially become a vegetarian and it was mostly because I just didn't really care for meat. Meat always tasted weird, it was always too chewy, too dry, or tasted gross.

Of course, I always had, like I am sure many of you have experienced, people telling me "Oh, you've never had a good steak, burger, chicken, fish...blah..blah..blah." I am sure like most of you, you've probably at some point had something that was considered to be the "best" thing and turned out it was just what you expected, just eh.

Or maybe you're not like me and you decided to stop eating meat for more of an environmental reason if so, kudos to you! Though you've still probably dealt with the majority of what anyone else has and it's only been getting worse.

More specifically with your friend group, you always have those one or two people that love to bring up how you don't eat meat. Almost as if your dietary choices are there for their entertainment or the main topic of conversation.

Which honestly is where I believe the whole "how do you know someone is a vegetarian" joke started, it was probably someone who just kept bringing it up for someone who didn't feel the need to mention it. My question to you, the people who constantly do this, is why?

As a person who is always down for a good joke, be it at my expense or not, I just don't get why bringing it up all the time is funny?

Or if it's even supposed to be a joke? Seriously, when going to a restaurant or fast food place I guarantee you the person who has a certain dietary restriction will be able to read the menu and realize what they can and can not eat without your comments of, "Well looks like YOU can't eat anything."

I cannot tell you how many times over the years I and some of the people I know who are also on plant-based diets have had to deal with this. It makes going out with those people unenjoyable, and it's probably why if you are the person who is the offender of this "crime," you haven't been invited out.

Now I know some of you will argue that the only reason you bring it up, every time, is because you are just looking out for your friends. Sure, there are definitely people who genuinely have concerns for your ability to join in on the meal, but more likely than not, you've approached it in more of a manner of questions rather than a form of accusation.

Bottom line is when you know someone who is on a plant-based diet, if you really care about their dietary restrictions, just ask them if they need help finding anything on the menu. Or better yet, just don't say anything unless that person brings it up in concern themselves. If not, you really just seem like a meathead, and we already don't like meat, we'd hate to add you to that list too.

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