A Blended Family in more ways than one
I have created a new phrase for myself “Vegon.” Let me explain:
I have been a Vegetarian since the age of 18 and was a Vegan for a year before my husband and I started dating in 2001. He was and still is a carnivore and when we decided to move in together and later get married I made a compromise. I stopped being Vegan on my own accord, it never crossed his mind for me to change, I just thought it would make things easier to be Vegetarian. Along the way we added two boys to our ready made family (my DH came with a 4 year old son) and we made the decision that our boys would be raised Vegetarian until such time that they were old enough and could understand the choice they would be making. We have successfully blended our families and eating choices nicely I might say. He has his pans, I have mine. He has his half of the BBQ and I have mine. He is so very respectful to cook his food away from mine or after mine; i.e. cooking his bacon after I make our Tofu Scramble. My DH has never pressured me to eat his way even though I often feel sorry for him, not being able to go to his style restaurants with his family, or have to defend us to the Neanderthals he comes into contact with. It was never an issue to have the boys grow up Vegetarian and he even let me call his food ‘ca-ca” to the boys when they were/are little to understand they can’t eat Daddy’s food. I bring this up because as of Thanksgiving, I have gone Vegon.
I call myself Vegon because I am not a liar and will not call myself a Vegan, because I am not. I no longer use or consume dairy products (cheese, eggs milk) or cook with them for myself, but it would be impossible fiscally and physically to go without whey, casein etc. I currently make two meals when I cook, sometimes it’s just the Veg “main dish” and the sides while H makes his carnage. When we make dinners like lasagna, enchiladas I make two separate dishes, I can’t make three. I have a full time job and the rest of my life so this will be the compromise within the compromise. I will try to avoid the pre-mentioned as often as I can but for now I will live by my Vegonism lifestyle and I can deal with that.
Oh and I forgot to mention how super supportive my DH is of this change. Last night as I made Vegan English muffin pizzas he said “You are really into this Vegan thing arent’ you?” My DH is a man of very few words and this spoke volumes! He supports me and is willing to try whatever I make and 75% of the time he loves it. He may make jokes at what I cook like when I made cheeseless pizza and he said “It’s good, it just needs cheese!” but teasing in our relationship is a form of love and endearment.
