I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 15. But I never ate chicken or fish – in my life. If you are a vegetarian then I know how hard it can be to eat with other people including your family, friends, and strangers that invite you over for supper! Believe me, my mother-in-law is Italian and the first supper I ate there was a catastrophe because she thought fish and hamburger was vegetarian!

The first thing you have to do is be honest about your diet. If you tell them that they can make anything then you should expect anything. They need to know what type of vegetarian diet you are following, and you have to be honest.

It’s not embarrassing or silly to be a vegetarian, or to not eat certain foods – even though people who eat everything under the sun may view it like that. You should be proud that you are aware of what’s going into your body, and you take consideration into your nutritional health by eating a diet that suits you.

So scream it from the rooftops! I’M A VEGETARIAN! Or at least let people know you are one when you are going to eat with them.

The second thing you have to realize is that as long as you tell them how to eat a vegetarian diet, and let them know that you are fine as long as there is some meatless things on the plate, then you shouldn’t feel guilty if they serve all meat dishes and a side of salad. Even if they try to make you feel guilty!

I know this guilt well. “I worked so hard to make you something to eat and you don’t even want to eat it!” This normally happens when they put eggs in the meal that they don’t think is considered vegetarian, or even when they put ‘a little’ fish into the meal – which surely is how vegetarians eat right?

As long as you make it clear how to eat a vegetarian diet to them – like no meat, no eggs, no fish (if that’s the type of vegetarian you are) then they should have a good guideline to make you a supper.

And remember, it gets better!

Even my Italian mother-in-law is starting to get the hint (even though eggs are still vegetarian food to her). But she makes her pasta sauces vegetarian and she has a pretty good grasp on how to eat a vegetarian diet now.

And MY parents? They used to force me to sit and the dinner table until I ate all my meat when I was a kid. Needless to say I would be there until bedtime.

But now they make dinners like vegetarian chilli – and I’m talking good vegetarian chilli. They have become so good at cooking vegetarian that I’m surprised they still eat meat!

So have hope – and head out into the world and let your dinner guests know how to eat a vegetarian diet, and hopefully they will spread the word.