Yesterday I went to Easter Brunch Buffet with family...I figured I would go and not make a fuss and eat what i can find... I made the mistake of relying on my mom's boyfriend (a man who believes potato's are better straight from the box) to check to make sure they would have salad on the buffet... well in his defense i suppose they did have a small bowl of wilted greens amongst all the other mayonnaise infested salads... i did find a cucumber tomato onion salad nestled in and then the french owner came up and i asked if the steamed veg were in butter... he said "but of course I'm french" later at the table they brought me some pollenta and a black bean cake which i really didn't want or even ask for but felt sort of guilty to eat and everyone was making such a fuss about what i was and was not eating... mostly i was being made fun of ... how their food taste so much better... the owner even came up to me and told me i was gonna die if i kept eating this way... funny i don't remember dr's telling anyone to eat less fruits and veg for their heath... when i tried to defend myself my grandma said this conversation is boring and changed the topic to her recent knee replacement surgery. I was quiet for the rest of the meal I didn't complain about anything but i felt like people were goading me to argue... I'm just tired of having to explain and defend myself and being made fun of... heck even if i don't say anything... I'm made fun of... I'm venting and i appreciate it if you've gotten this far... what is so wrong with wanting simple raw fruits and vegetables?????

love laugh and dream

It's not the food so much as the fact that you are not following the sheeple. Those who march to their own drummer always are magnets for abuse because they threaten the status quo and highlight that what THEY are doing might not be right! Personally, I don't like to either rely or require anyone to make me special stuff. Why not just quietly bring your own stuff. When you say that thing about the guy who thinks boxed potatoes are the bee's knees, he is immediately disqualified from being taken seriously about anything regarding food! Consider the source, honey...

far better to discuss your Granny's knee op than talk about food.

I think, in these situations you either go, knowing you can cope - OR just don't go. I don't think you can expect any other response than the one you got in most circles. Don't expect fresh unadulterated food - it's not going to happen unless you live in very alternative places.

Don't explain and defend yourself - most people love to talk about themselves - so turn the question back. How are you? - how's your angina? oh dear etc etc

luvyuu,
People can be very funny about food. I learned that before ever trying raw. I never really liked most dips, vinegar or salty things. I remember packing a simple tomato and avocado combination and having that as part of lunch. Someone said 'thats it?' no dressing? Like it was very strange, like almost rude not to put something else on it.

I personally don't get it. Its not like I was making any demands of anyone else NOT to put anything on their food. But I can see how someone might think its a subtle message something like that.

Everyone knows that certain foods are not good, but nobody seems to like being reminded. thats what is probably the issue.

Its a bit extreme for someone to say your gonna die if you ate only raw foods. If its only pathetic wilted greens covered in mayo thats probably true. That person must have had a different idea completely.

I remember at at work place I used to work, one coworker was trying to loose weight. Pretty much all I saw her eat was salad and diet coke. Poor wilted, brown cracked iceburg lettuce, with a few cherry tomatoes, sliced carrots and light dressing. She avoided fruit and nuts like the plague because those had 'too much sugar, fat and calories'.

Later I found out that at home she had some small portions of very conventional foods, like rice and fish. But at the time I remember thinking she was really strange, and a little over the top about loosing weight. I got the impression that all she was eating was lettuce.

I imagine that a lot of people might think raw foods was about loosing weight only, and eating only iceberg lettuce, without any further information, or change of perception.

Claim your power and know you will outlive them all!

before I went raw, I craved all kinds of bad stuff. After I stopped lacking something, who knows what because even at my worst chronic fatigue days the doctor said on paper I lacked nothing, I stopped craving. So we can't expect people to stop stuffing themselves trying satisfy a nutrition deficit. When they are ready, they will go looking for answers, and there u will be! I think the best advertisement for this lifestyle is looking younger than your peers, thick beautiful hair, and be svelte with lots of energy

My video to keep me inspired on my health quest: [www.youtube.com]

I think banana who got it right on... you are making them feel insecure about their own health issues and the way they choose to eat. They probably don't recognize it on a conscious level, but that is what it is.

I've dealt with this a lot so I understand. Not so much in recent years because over time I attracted friends who "get it" (and not just about diet but about a lot of things) but back when I was a SAD vegetarian I was given crap constantly by the group of friends I had at the time. They were all chain smokers who ate nothing but fast food and drank all the time, and always made fun of me. And if I caught a cold or something they'd always put me down and say things like "See? Vegetarians get sick more" blah blah...

It's hard when it's family and you can't exactly escape them. I am lucky that my family is into health and although they don't eat raw they think it's pretty cool.

Just keep doing what you feel is right in your heart. The most bad ass people in human history were the ones who didn't follow the herd.

I view all SAD eating people as addicts and myself as a former addict (right now addicted to dates). The SAD food is much more than just food - it is a drug, way of life, culture - a lot of things are going on when you sit to eat with people. Imagine going with former drinking buddies, but now as a teetotaler. You don't belong any more.

This is, in my opinion, a serious problem, but I like my new self and I am willing to sacrifice parts of social life that don't fit any more.

I suggest having dinner parties with these types of people, where you present them with awesome and delicious raw food items so they can see and understand that this isn't some sort of starvation diet.

Sorry this happened, luvyuu. Maybe call ahead next time and explain that you MUST have such and such fresh foods because of your health, and if they're competent restaurateurs, they'll acede to your requests happily. Mocking the diners is always a bad business model

Tamukha,
Yes, I agree being critical of customers requests is usually not the right way to go. I had that happen to me in the town I used to live in. He started making some very wonderful raw dishes that were very healthy. Its strange when I started ordering them he seemed recentful for some reason.

He then went on a rant about his OWN dietary issues and experiments in the past. How it made HIM neurotic! I thought how odd. Well, he did go out of business. It makes me wonder how many other people he lectured at the table.

His real complaint was that he couldn't be all things to all people. And that raw foods were more difficult to do because it required more sanitation and more loss of product, as you can't recyle food like you can with some items that are cooked. The general clients in the area wanted cooked food of the worst type,and they wanted it cheap. So I guess that is why he was frustrated.

From now on I don't expect any resturant to understand any particular needs I might have, and fully expect them to stay with the general theme and style of foods that they produce. Some may humor a raw foodist with a special salad, but pretty much figure that is about all they can realistically do.

I don't know if came across some pretty accommodating chefs in my time who are willing to go the extra mile for the sale. Most of these in smaller restaurants rather than the big ones who often are so busy that they couldn't care if you cant pick something off the menu sadly.

[www.vegankingdom.co.uk]

Mislu Wrote:
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And that raw foods were more
> difficult to do because it required more
> sanitation and more loss of product, as you can't
> recyle food like you can with some items that are
> cooked.



Uhh... RECYCLE food???? :O

well, recyling food. They take bread from the breadbasket and toast them, killing germs in theory and then use them as croutons in salads. Butter from bread and butter is used to saute in a fry pan. The heat in theory kills any germs. Those are the only items really I can think of right now. but I think there are a few more like items that are sometimes reused after being served.

Its rather icky really. Even just the bread and butter thing.

I forgot, if too much food is made (but not served) it can be frozen and thawed for later use. or put away and reheated. I imagine only low end resturants can get away with that. At least I hope. The deli downstairs gack...I think should be shut down for some practices. I don't know what he does but it smells awful. My mother in law orders food from time to time, and I tasted a little a few times...awful. I think he makes large batches and freezes them, and reheats them, and otherwise puts things into long term storage in the fridge.

Ew! I never knew restaurants did that. Disturbing. I mean I'm not a fan of wasting food or anything... but blech.

most people will be very respectful of your food choices etc.
if you display confidence in who you are

i find this to be generally true in all aspects of life ( not just food)

Restaurants SHOULDN'T recycle food--it's against health laws in most counties!

what tam said ^ although many still do...

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Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

those same laws .. are what send thousands of pounds of perfectly good food into the garbage while people on the street are starving

havng been homeless at a time myself .. i would have been happy to finish off someones meal or had it recycled into a stew or something

perhaps its the law thats absurd and not the idea of recycled food

...Jodi, the banana eating buddhist

if you remember how often people used to get food poisoning from places be4 these laws where enacted,compared to now, you may feel differently,lol... sure if it was thrown into some sort of stew that was cooked at a high heat to kill anything bad, and given away to the homeless, thats great, and safe, but unfortunately its usually not that sort of thing... some things they do are really gross to anyone, lol... homeless shelter in my hometown almost got shut down cause their food "recycling" was filling bellies...and hospital wards...

I think a good middle ground would be nice, certain items that are known to be safe, maybe also smaller portions so people dont have much if any leftovers to begin with, and eat less,lol...i dunno, there seems to be so many different variables with that part of our culture, it would be hard enough to list them all, let alone change things to a good efficient middle ground...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Smaller portions are you crazy what would all the overeating food addicts do I think there should be a second "eat at your own risk" sitting in restaurants for those that need it and re willing to eat it. I used to work at a sorority as a cook and our policy was only reheat once and then it's trash... well i was a poor student living with a sister with 2 hungry mouths to feed so their "trash" became my left overs... i never did take it off their plates though.

anyhow... I think my biggest frustration about easter brunch was that I did go with the mindset that I was going to ask for what i need and be happy with what i get even if it is a small side salad or what not... i can always eat later if i need to... i like to join people for dinner and am tired of missing out on special occasions because of food... i was ok with it... but no one else was I do try to be assertive... but when you tell some people that you just want more vegetables they don't believe you for some reason... any how live and learn...

and who said i should make them a nice raw meal... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
maybe if i wanted to be insulted or passively aggressively placated all night ... or I suppose if i just wanted to eat alone i'll do it... cause if it ain't meat it ain't food to these people and a whole meal not cooked well what is there to eat then... i almost feel sorry for them and how they miss out on some pretty cool food... ah well i'm ranting again....

love laugh and dream

its ok, I know the type,lol... i understand

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Jgunn Wrote:
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> those same laws .. are what send thousands of
> pounds of perfectly good food into the garbage
> while people on the street are starving
>
> havng been homeless at a time myself .. i would
> have been happy to finish off someones meal or had
> it recycled into a stew or something
>
> perhaps its the law thats absurd and not the idea
> of recycled food


Yeah, they absolutely should give the un-used food away to people who need it, I agree. I hear you on all you said, I've been a hardcore dumpster diver in my day. But there is certainly a difference between making use of the food for people who need it and are willing to take it vs selling it to customers who think it is fresh.

I just remembered some use sushi that is starting to turn to make fish stew. I have heard of people using that to make a chowder.

The problem with eating thrown out food is that its really taking chances. Sometimes its rotting food, or food with bites from people who are sick. but at other times sometimes its thrown out simply because the customer didn't eat it. For instance bread thats left over in the basket. It may have not even been touched by hands. other portions on the plate may not be touched at all either.

but its just that not everyone knows how to tell what is good or not. i think some resturants sell left overs to pig farms.

I did have one friend that raised pigs that had a few deals set up with a couple restaurants... I had to stop going over to his farm though, we would both get really attached to the pigs, they where adorable, and when his dad sent them to their fate it as always sad...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

It is frustrating to go to a family gathering meal when family (or friends) eat SAD. What I usually do is bring one of my favorite dishes with enough to share (Kind of like if I were going to a potluck). That way, I know there will be something there for us to eat, as well as share, in a positive manner, how good raw/vegan food can be. I usually bring a raw dessert as well and find that some people will ask questions and are open to try. I've also learned that terms like "no-bake" are easier for non raw/vegans to be curious enough to try. I have no idea why they are turned off by the term "raw". LOL

In the end, it sucks when you are teased or made fun of, trust me, we get plenty of that with our families.. but it comes with the territory and really, in the end- you will stay healthy and vibrant while they might not. All you can do is worry about you and your body and just try to not let it bother you.

HUGS to you!

There are other ways raw veganism is offensive. Check out the David Wolfe 80/10/10 post.

david

hey luvyuu

check out how you are feeling prior to going to these dinners
usually people are animals
like dogs or whatever other creatures
they can sniff out your vibrations
and will reflect it right back at ya ( this can be good or bad depending on where u stand )

yeah.. this is good news if you are extremely happy and confident about your choices

believe me, that will be reflected right back at you
guaranteed

it is inevitable

if they sense that you are happy , confident and even joyous about your food choices, they can't but HELP to feel the same way towards you as well


then more likely than not, you will hear them say :

"geeez..i wish i could eat more like you"

some people will just go right along and even change their order and say

"i'll have a salad like her/him"

"I'll have a fruit bowl too"

just my observation