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Dietary Breakups: “It’s Not You—It’s The Meat”

Posted February 19, 2008 at 12:00 PM by James Flesher

Section: In The News, His Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health, His Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Diets, Vegetarian / Vegan

On February 13th the New York Times published an outstanding article entitled “I love you, but you love meat,” which profiles a number of couples whose dietary differences have played a significant role in their relationship. 

Despite the title, the article not only drew on relationships between vegetarians and/or vegans (together abbreviated as veg*ns) and they’re omnivorous partners, but also couples with issues such as gluten allergy and keeping kosher law as prescribed by the Torah and other Jewish texts.

Regarding veg*nism, the article profiled one couple in which the husband choose to give up meat after seven years and his wife compromised by cooking vegetarian dinners, while she packed lunches for herself and her daughter that continued to contain meat. 

In another instance, a woman decided to end a budding romance despite her then-boyfriend’s willingness to include vegan burgers when he was in the backyard grilling. 

I have to say, I can’t disagree with her choice.  For me, veganism is as much a political statement as it is a healthy lifestyle. I don’t imagine I could date a meat eater any more than I could a Republican, and I certainly will not buy or prepare non-vegan food or tolerate the smell (or stench, if it’s red meat in particular) of cooking it in my home.

Whether you are a new couple with different dietary requirements, be they ethical, medical or religious, or an established couple in which one partner has elected to make a drastic change in his or her diet, the bottom line is a need for open communication, and, if appropriate, compromise. 

The article also told the story of one couple who compromised—a vegetarian woman and her kosher boyfriend.  He kept separate kosher dishes and utensils at her apartment, and she found vegetarian options at kosher restaurants with him.  For them, this was a compromise that worked; for others, compromise may not be possible. 

In much the same way as we seek a partner who is interested in health and fitness, food choices can be a crucial issue to determining a couple’s compatibility.  Whether couples decide to compromise or are able to find another like minded individual, the key is that they find common meals which they can prepare and enjoy together.

Research sources and for more information: [NY Times]; [picture]

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Tags: beef, cooking, couples, dietary breakups, family cooking, fitness, gluten allergy, health, healthy eating, kosher, meat, men, mens health, new york times, nutrition, ny times, relationships, vegan, vegetarian

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