Hello, little over 3 weeks of flirting now.  Bad easter.  Feel absolutley horrible!  I guess I know why now I want to be a superhero!  Need some ideas on how to get my husband and 6 kids on my decision that I am making.  Honestly I am getting alot of eye rolling.  I know that I have truly been feeling much better already and it is starting to roll into other things that are in my everyday life.  Guess I just need someone everyone once in a while to check up on me and keep me going!

Christina, I am right there with you. I am also a flirt working hard to figure out how I will manage with all others in the house being meat eaters. Some are protesting (my youngest daughter) and others that are more willing (My oldest daughter) but I worry how they will get the necessary nutrition since she is so picky. Then there is my husband whom has always been a challenge trying to cook for, but I normally cook separately for him anyway since he eats mostly traditional African food; he did say he will totally support me in my choices.
Maybe we can help to support each other.

Don't worry, it will get better!  My family is all omnivores, so they eat everything, and there was a lot of resistance 8 months ago when I went vegan.  It has gotten easier and easier, now they don't even expect me to cook meat for them at home, they know they can get it out at a restaurant once a week and eat veg the rest of the time.  My hubby, raised in TX and a big meat and taters guy, even did the PCRM.com vegan kickstart with me in March and he loved it.  He has gone back to most of his bad habits again, but now he says he feels horrible after he eats meat and dairy (hee hee).  And he has verbally supported me to the kids when they occasionally complain, telling them to be grateful that Momma wants to take good care of them and feed them the healthiest way possible.  6 months ago he was the loudest whiner at the table!
Don't give up!!!
xoxoxo
Donna

I am there with you as well. I have a lot of eye rolling in my house too. It is hard when you are the only non-carnivore in the house. We should check in on each other to get through this! Good luck.

Hello, I just picked up the Kind Diet at the library. I brought it home and began reading it. The reactions I received from my family were immediate. I had barely cracked it open when I heard, " it's  impossibe", "its expensive" and "are you crazy?" My family are avid meat eaters and honestly I have been too. I always thought vegetarians and vegans were crazy (no offense) and I never really looked into the thought processes behind the lifestyle. I read Alicia's book and must admit I am tempted to flirt but scared at the idea of going it alone. Are there any suggestions for starting? In the book it suggests buying 10 items but even that seems overwhelming. If there were four basic items to start with what would they be. Are there any suggestions?

First step would be to fall in love with whole grains and fresh veggies, if you have not already.  Start giving up processed foods and eat real foods.  Give up meat just maybe two or three days a week and surprise yourself with how many great meatless foods there are.  (and how much less expensive veggie meals are compared to meat/dairy meals)
Four things?  Brown rice, fresh veggies, Upton's naturals seitan, and maybe tempeh. If you are already using some of these, then try a new whole grain, or a new seasoning.
And Alicia's recipes are delicious but many are Asian inspired, so if that is not your thing you can try one that seems more 'normal' to you.  Or checkout another vegan cookbook, like Veganomicon or Vegan Soul Kitchen, which have more recognizable things for beginning veggie experiments.
I highly recommend that you watch Food Inc, which was not produced by vegetarians, because it is very educational about what the standard american diet is doing to people and the environment, and has practical solutions for families that eat meat.  This movie really impressed my hubby, though he hated admitting it!  ;o)

I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble called The Supermarket Vegan (I think that is the title but it's not right in front of me).  And I've been finding some good things in it.  Purists won't like using as much canned, packaged, and soy/fake products, but to me it has been a way to get started.

Just looked it up and ordered it--Supermarket Vegan is the title, and it answers my question as well! I just started all this a few weeks ago after seeing Oprah, then watching all of Food, Inc.  I'm not having trouble avoiding meat (especially chicken--yuck!), just having a hard time finding vegan-esque food in my backwoods grocery stores. We have more restaraunts per capita than just about anywhere in the world, 4th most obese community in the US, and no tofu to be found! Go figure.

I am three weeks vegan and have two teenage boys and my husband who all roll their eyes as well.  I will not push them one way or the other.  I make their dinner (their meat) and my sides and I eat the sides as my meal and they eat what they want.  My husband now has asked me to only make brown rice and he and my one son love my baked Kale chips.  They will see the positive changes in you and begin to stop rolling their eyes and adopt some things gradually.  Teach by example.  I have not added the soy and tempeh....I have found enough fresh whle food to eat without dipping into that arena, yet.  I would suggest to get comforatable yourself, first....learn what you like and do not like and then see where everyone is.

Thank you to everyone with all the great support and ideas!  I really appreciate it.  The books are a good idea to look into.  And I have decided when they roll their eyes at me I will just roll them back at them.  Thanks again.

Thank you to everyone with all the great support and ideas!  I really appreciate it.  The books are a good idea to look into.  And I have decided when they roll their eyes at me I will just roll them back at them.  Thanks again.

Things have been going great with my family after 6 weeks!  My three men vary in their support of my new eating.  At first I cooked meat for them, and something else for me but that got old!!  I then transitioned with some soy foods - they loved the soy meatballs and meat crumbles for our old spaghetti and meatballs or tacos.  Other days they get to try my new dishes like white beans and kale or sweet potato lentil stew.  When we eat out the boys get what they want, but lately my husband's been ordering veggie stuff!!  My 16 year old son is the last main hold out, my 14 year old is only eating fish very occassionally.  Hang in there and try to make a slow transition!  Since my 16 year old was so resistant, I fixed about four tofu meals before I told him it wasn't hamburger.  Good luck!

Hey Everyone,
Thank you for all the ideas and the support. I will definitely check out  Food Inc  and those other cookbooks. Flirting doesn't seem impossible now that I know there are other people in the same situation and others willing to help.  Checking in with each other is a great idea.  Thanks again.

If you can, plant a garden and get your kiddos involved! This was the major turning point for me - I got the eye-rolls, too until I made them help. From planting to tending to harvesting and then cooking something with what they grew - my kids were hooked. It's good for kids to learn where their food comes from, and I swear....everything tastes better when you work hard for it ;)

another thought for those who are just flirting or who are feeding their families their old crappy diet due to insurmountable resistance - check out Barbara Kingsolvers book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle - its not about being vegan or vegetarian, its about eating local whole foods and why you should do it.  So maybe even if your kids or spouse is still insisting on meat, you could take a big BIG step by only getting meat that is from a local small farm and raised without antibiotics etc....and veggies grown nearer to your home (especially now that summer approaches this is a great time to eat locally)it may not be getting them on board with being veg yet, but you still will be doing so much to help their health and start making them eat consciously, which I believe is the first step toward going veg -