I'm tired of feeling like I'm being punished for being vegan.
It all started with salad bar day. Last week, it was obvious that all of the guests with special dietary needs had gone home. Usually when there is at least one other guest with a special diet, I have no problem finding something to eat (see my post about the brownies). But last week, the pickings were slim. Luckily, there were a few jewels hidden away in the kitchen and all hope was restored. This week, not so much. The dressings of choice were all cream based and there was hardly anything on the salad bar that was vegetarian, much less vegan. On a Mexican-themed salad bar, that left me eating 1 corn tortilla filled with beans, corn, and salsa. No cheesy stuffed peppers for me! Talk about feeling low on the totem pole... (Yes, I do understand how hard it must be to prepare one separate meal or dish when you're preparing meals for 50+ and I'm lucky for the opportunity to enjoy these meals on a daily basis. But still -- frustrated.)
Today was probably the icing on the cake. My parents were in town visiting, which was such a special treat! Mom & I headed out for breakfast this morning. Stopped by the hotel continental breakfast which was too much of a non-vegan overload for me and decided to head to a local cafe. I had heard great things about the place -- and I'm sure it's delicious -- but I wasn't about to rack up a bill from the a la carte menu when the only things I could eat there were available at the hotel. So, back to the hotel we went for a breakfast of a bagel, peanut butter, and a banana.
For lunch, we ended up at Fuddrucker's because it was close, and that was OK with me because I knew they had veggie burgers. Little did I know that I would end up with a veggie burger stuffed with bits of cheese and a bun slathered in butter and grilled. WHY?! Sometimes I feel like such a diva complaining or making special requests or shutting down where someone wants to eat. After all, I chose to have a "restricted" diet. But I also chose a healthy lifestyle for me, and when I remember that statement, I remember that I have a right to be frustrated about this! I heard someone here say once "I try to eat as close to the ground as possible and if I don't know what's in it, why eat it?". I have begun to adopt this way of thinking because it's good for me & it's good for the environment. (On a somewhat related tangent, I have discovered that Oreos are completely vegan and there is nothing creamy about that classic "cream" filling! Good for me in the event I ever have a craving, but terribly sad in the way of, "If it's not cream, what is it?". And more than once, I've heard "Well why would you be eating Oreos if you're vegan?". Being vegan doesn't mean I'm perfect, people! Yes, even I have flaws. I do love eating healthfully, but I do enjoy "junk food" every now & then, just like you -- don't judge.) Everyone else may think veganism is stupid, and that's ok, too. But I deserve just as many food choices as the number of pattied options at Fuddrucker's.
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