I ate chicken and I am sad.

When you first become a vegetarian, there's a hard going of it at times. The people around you, especially the people who have known for you a long time, have to transition as much as you do. My boyfriend and I were at his mother's house this week, and she made dinner; she had heard that we stopped eating meat, but wasn't sure if that extended to chicken, so she made a tray of chicken taquitos along with some cheese enchiladas and a salad. I saw Bobby pick up some taquitos and I raised my eyebrow; after a quick and hushed discussion--Should we eat them? They're going to go to waste if we don't.. but then again, if we do, she might think that we eat chicken and make them again sometime for us--we decided to eat the taquitos. It's not something I really wanted to do, but I also didn't want to hurt her feelings after she went to the trouble to fix dinner for us.

So where do you draw the line when it comes to eating meat that others have prepared?

Three times since I became a vegetarian not long ago, I have eaten meat. Not because I wanted to, either--I honestly could not have cared less if I ate meat or not. Once because my manager ordered the wrong sandwich from the deli (he thought it was grilled cheese; it ended up grilled cheese and ham), once because the same manager brought me some leftovers (I ate it because he seemed really, really proud of the dish that he'd made), and, of course, the taquitos. It is awkward to turn down someone's offer of food, the ultimate in hospitality. Then again, standing up for your principles is equally as important as being a grateful guest or recipient.

I've decided that I am not going to beat myself up over it. I have eaten a lot less meat than usual, and I will continue in the same vein. They say that every little bit helps; for a meat-eater to stop eating meat almost altogether, I am going to declare myself 'helpful.' I even resisted fried chicken at a buffet--that's how committed I truly am. ^^

This week, I will review Tofurky deli slices, Smart Choice (I think) ground 'hamburger,' and probably some other stuff. Also, recipes!