Ask the Nutritionist: How Can I End The Food Fights?
Suzanne Havala Hobbs, MS, RD I’m a vegetarian, but my boyfriend is not. Going out for dinner every night isn’t an option, and we don’t have time to make two separate meals. What advice do you have for those of us in “mixed culinary relationships”? If the issue were as simple as “he likes chunky, and I like creamy,” the answer would be easy: Keep two jars of peanut butter in the cupboard. But it’s not. If you’re a vegetarian, chances are statistically high that your significant other isn’t. You’ve already learned that people with different eating styles face challenges, only one of which is figuring out what to make for dinner. How you respond to those challenges can have a substantial effect on the health of your relationship. In your case, here are a few ideas that may help. Find the vegetarian “least common denominator.” Draft a list of entrées you can both enjoy that also happen to be vegetarian. Examples: bean burritos, pasta primavera, stuffed shells, vegetable lasagna, vegetarian
