Would you date a vegan?

I don't actually identify as vegan because that's an ethical stance and it has all sorts of connotations. However, I do eat "vegan" diet. Specifically it's a starch-based (potatoes, corn, brown rice, beans etc) diet with some fruits and vegetables. This is the diet recommended by Dr. John McDougall in "The Starch Solution." I don't eat any animal products or oil. I do this purely for health reasons and it has improved my health and fitness considerably. But it can be a challenge in social situations.

Anyway, I'm single, trying to get back in the dating game. As you may imagine my diet can be tough in social situations. I may make a rare exception on special occasions but I really try not to as that can trigger cravings and derail me.

So, my question is: would you date someone with such a narrow diet? I don't necessarily want to go on "vegan" dating sites (if they exist) because like I say I don't identify as vegan. Although I think my diet is also kind I don't feel any sort of moral superiority to meat eaters and I'm not interested in dating someone who does. I just eat the way I do to be healthy, but I worry it could limit my dating prospects.

Would watching her chow down a rare 8 oz porterhouse trigger your cravings?

Would watching her chow down a rare 8 oz porterhouse trigger your cravings?

A little but not more than I could handle.

Would watching her chow down a rare 8 oz porterhouse trigger your cravings?

LOL exactly.

Would you date a meat-eating omnivore?

To answer your question, sure I'd date a vegan, as long as they kept their opinions to themselves, as I would too.

Thing is, these days, you really can find enough to eat for just about any diet, anywhere. Even a steakhouse will offer a veggie platter. If you're ok watching her eat her 6 oz. filet mignon (that's me!!!), and she's ok watching you eat your veggie platter, it's all good. Hey, at least you can share the wine.

Would watching her chow down a rare 8 oz porterhouse trigger your cravings?

lololololololol

my daughter is a vegan and you are right about it being hard to eat out , but it is not impossible and you need to check ahead to make sure there is a vegan option .

I can't imagine anyone actually put off on that alone .

I will tell you what is the turn off ....when they are ramming it down your throat ( every pun intended ) ...

Same as a meat eater waving half a cow on their fork at a vegan ...

It is only those that make such a fuss that find they run into problems .

LOL exactly.

 

Would you date a meat-eating omnivore?

 

To answer your question, sure I'd date a vegan, as long as they kept their opinions to themselves, as I would too.

 

Thing is, these days, you really can find enough to eat for just about any diet, anywhere. Even a steakhouse will offer a veggie platter. If you're ok watching her eat her 6 oz. filet mignon (that's me!!!), and she's ok watching you eat your veggie platter, it's all good. Hey, at least you can share the wine.

Steakhouses are actually good because you can get baked potatoes and baked sweet potatoes. I would starve just eating a veggie platter.

I'm currently with a dude who does alternate day fasting, so he only eats every other day. It took a little getting used to. But that didn't slow down my affection for him. I'm also a handful to try and eat out with. I'm a vegetarian who is allergic to peppers... I think you'll find that most folks have a odd diet. Sometimes that can get in the way but if someone likes you it shouldn't be a problem. If you are nervous about first dates I would try and scope out a couple places where you know you can find food that works for you.

If it isn't a restriction on what your date can and can't eat (I have a vegan friend who will start to cry at a BBQ) it really shouldn't be an issue.

Not completely analogous, but I once dated a full-time fitness coach who was all about some of the more niche nutritional aspects and "healthy foods." At the time, I was eating one Little Caesars Hot-n-Ready per day while I was putting on muscle. 2200 calories and pretty much the perfect balance of macronutrients and for $5 ( tried to get Lil C's to sponsor my efforts but they declined ). It was a no-brainer! In any case, that triggered her to no end. I eventually got fed up with the lectures and ended it. I never once had an issue with her quinoa or kale centered meals, though. I couldn't care less about her making sure she got enough Lilac extract in her Chai tea. I even let her rattle off about whatever random psuedo-science article she read that week.

But I digress. As long as it's not meth, you put whatever you want in your body. So long as you accept the fact there are weeks and can and in fact will eat pizza every day, we're cool. Even if you're vegan.

Steakhouses are actually good because you can get baked potatoes and baked sweet potatoes. I would starve just eating a veggie platter.

You could eat at a mexican place. Easy to find corn tortillas, beans, rice, and veggie dishes. You could just ask to hold the cheese.

Yeah and I seem to end up in relationships with them. Lol . Even montanas has a good veg burger! My current is lactose intolerant ( would be hell for me) and doesn't like to eat meat, so he just eats vegan for simplicity. We've adapted well at home and eating out ( helps I don't find veganism that complicated and am used to it).

I eat almost anything, but was a vegetarian for a good many years, and food restrictions are no big deal to me... so long as you share my passion for food . I couldn't handle the chicken fingers every night guy or ketchup on everything guy. And don't ask for something gluten free AND vegan out of my kitchen -

something gluten free AND vegan

I think, by definition, that is no longer even food.

Yes it is. Because it's an orange.

One of my closest friends is a higher end food snob (like me, actually). She'll eat at the trendiest places, the trendiest foods, the most exclusive (we dine out a lot!). Her husband of 20 years is a mac & cheese, Coke-drinking guy. One night, several of us went out to the trendiest place in town, and that's exactly what he ordered: a plate full of mac & cheese, and a Coke. He didn't like the mac & cheese, because it had truffles and gruyere, lol.

They have one of the best marriages I know. Just don't put a plate of sashimi in front of him.

Yes it is. Because it's an orange.

I think, by definition, that is no longer even food.

They wanted baked goods without gluten and vegan. That's why half the vegan baking out there tastes like poop or is ball form. Mini rant over. 😀

I think I would find it hard because I do like meat.

You could eat at a mexican place. Easy to find corn tortillas, beans, rice, and veggie dishes. You could just ask to hold the cheese.

Mexican as well as Chinese can be good places. The real pain in the butt about my diet though is the no oil thing. They put oil in everything.

Mexican as well as Chinese can be good places. The real pain in the butt about my diet though is the no oil thing. They put oil in everything.

And have you noticed the amount of food that has milk or eggs in it ..this is what I struggle with shopping for my daughter , even some crisps ( think you call them chips ) have milk in . I have to look out for that and honey .

Nope, been there, done that and never again. Dating and restaurants are the least of your problems, dealing with too extreme dietary differences on a daily basis when you are in a relationship can become a real pita. Even without attitudes, just practical realities of daily life.

You don't have to look for another vegan, but consider that there are plenty of vegetarians out there. Also, many people have dietary restrictions similar to yours, so it's not like you are that limited in your options. I'd just probably not get too attached to dedicated meat eaters.

Not completely analogous, but I once dated a full-time fitness coach who was all about some of the more niche nutritional aspects and "healthy foods." At the time, I was eating one Little Caesars Hot-n-Ready per day while I was putting on muscle. 2200 calories and pretty much the perfect balance of macronutrients and for $5 ( tried to get Lil C's to sponsor my efforts but they declined ). It was a no-brainer! In any case, that triggered her to no end. I eventually got fed up with the lectures and ended it. I never once had an issue with her quinoa or kale centered meals, though. I couldn't care less about her making sure she got enough Lilac extract in her Chai tea. I even let her rattle off about whatever random psuedo-science article she read that week.

 

But I digress. As long as it's not meth, you put whatever you want in your body. So long as you accept the fact there are weeks and can and in fact will eat pizza every day, we're cool. Even if you're vegan.

If you can believe it I've put on muscle eating a macro ratio of about 80% carbs, 12% protein, and 8% fat.

The one thing I have to watch out for is thay I can start lecturing people and being kind of a know-it-all about how to eat healthy, knowing full well how annoying I'm being. That would probably drive potential girlfriends away.

For me I would understand far more if it was an allergy or food sensitivity then just a lifestyle decision . I’m not saying that lifestyle decisions are not valid because they are . I just might have less tolerance for it.

I have a mini version of food restriction with my son . He’s autistic and has an extremely limited diet . So he has many food aversions so we are very limited in what we get to eat anyway .

No. I have been with someone that had a food intolerance and also an allergy, and all sorts of hangups with food. I am done worrying about it.

I eat healthy, I eat well, and sometimes I like to eat my junk (pizza and w/e else) and I like to be with someone that is like minded - will eat healthy 80% of the time, but is cool to eat an ice cream with Baileys now and then...

just practical realities of daily life.

Personally I follow a "strict" (some would say) and very simple(not elaborate meals) diet. What does this has to do with anything?

Like?

 

Personally I follow a "strict" (some would say) and very simple(not elaborate meals) diet. What does this has to do with anything?

Like... (Obviously I would not be this rude... but just giving you the idea of how MANY of my married evenings went, and the massive PITA it was):

Ex Says: "I am hungry..."

I say: "Okay, then eat"

Ex Says: "There is nothing to eat"

I say: "Here is some bread + there are some eggs in the fridge - fry the eggs, put it in the bread - grab a glass of milk - eat"

Ex Says: "You know that I can't eat bread...."

I say: "Eat the eggs then and drink some milk"

Ex: "I want a meal, not just eggs and milk"

I say: "Here are the car keys, go get some food"

Ex: "But I am hungry and tired - you obviously don't care about me... if you were a good husband you would provide for your wife and not leave her starving"...

I think: "FML"

So yeah...

Like... (Obviously I would not be this rude... but just giving you the idea of how MANY of my married evenings went, and the massive PITA it was):

 

Ex Says: "I am hungry..."

I say: "Okay, then eat"

Ex Says: "There is nothing to eat"

I say: "Here is some bread + there are some eggs in the fridge - fry the eggs, put it in the bread - grab a glass of milk - eat"

Ex Says: "You know that I can't eat bread...."

I say: "Eat the eggs then and drink some milk"

Ex: "I want a meal, not just eggs and milk"

I say: "Here are the car keys, go get some food"

Ex: "But I am hungry and tired - you obviously don't care about me... if you were a good husband you would provide for your wife and not leave her starving"...

 

I think: "FML"

 

So yeah...

In my case I always have plenty of food to eat. I batch cook and freeze stuff like bean soup, chili, mashed sweet potatoes, etc. Otherwise I just boil some potatoes or make whole wheat pasta. So that wouldn't be an issue. Going out to eat would be more difficult though.

It sounds more like your ex had an issue with her personality than her diet.