When I told my parents I was going vegetarian in my last year of high school, they thought I was crazy. No one had ever been a vegetarian in my family. In fact, my parents had never even known a vegetarian.
Needless to say, they didn’t quite take me seriously initially. With my mom being the chef of the household, despite my continued veggie persistence, I’d often appallingly discover a piece of meat or chicken in my food, which brought a very speedy end to mealtimes for me.
On supporting science journalism
If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.
“You need the protein!” my mom would say.
“It’s just one little piece.”
“I thought I separated it all out.”
I eventually boycotted almost everything she made. Now, I feel some guilt over causing her any stress. It wasn't her responsibility to become a short-order cook and cater to each of our food whims.
But because of my persistence, she eventually realized that I was serious about vegetarianism and gave up trying to “trick me.”
Now, I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years, and I’ve learned a few things along the way.
