Some of my grandma’s favorite stories to tell me are of the dinner parties she used to throw and attend when she was of college age. Friends, friends of friends, significant others and sometimes a stranger gathering together to share a good ‘ol-fashioned Texan dinner. The communality of sharing a meal, space and calories, along with stories, laughter and bottles of wine, sounds like a perfect evening for someone of any generation. But with all the dietary restrictions of my friends, colleagues and neighbors, how could I hope to recreate these idyllic evenings my grandmother treasures so much, even 40 years later?
First off, I’m a pescetarian. I have been since I was 14 and realized how shitty most meats made me feel. Believe me, a good steak is not worth hours and hours of debilitating stomach pains. My partner is your run-of-the-mill omnivore who loves a good steak but also sees the deliciousness of eggplant parmesan. Then there are my various vegan friends, ranging in stereotypes from the food-conscious healthy vegan to the vegans who cringe whenever they have to sit on a leather car seat. But no, it doesn’t end there.There’s that guy down the street who’s obsessed with the Paleo Diet and its claims of increasing muscle mass and starving fat cells. One of my friends now swears by a monthly juice cleanse, and there are tons of people I know who are gluten-intolerant, lactose-intolerant or are trying out a raw lifestyle.
You may think that I’m exaggerating, but I know at least one person with each of these dietary restrictions — either for health or by choice — and a lot of people who are somewhere in between. My grandma never mentioned any problems like this when she was growing up (have you ever tried to explain a meat-free diet to a Texan?), but this sudden explosion of alternative dietary lifestyles can’t just be a thing of the 21st century. And I doubt it is. My partner’s mom enjoys telling me about her hippie macrobiotic days in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and I know that religious folks have made conscious dietary choices for generations. Yet I worry that the overwhelming influx of diet fads, size-zero models and normalized plastic surgery may contribute to some people’s desire to break out of the omnivore’s dilemma into an entirely different brave new world.
Some words of wisdom for those of you thinking about taking something out of your diet that you haven’t tried before: First, patience is key. Slowly start changing your diet, and pay strict attention to how each new day makes your body feel. If you suddenly go from eating hamburgers and grilled chicken every night to a diet of raw veggies and fruits, your body is most likely going to freak out. Try keeping a food journal for a few weeks to document your food intake and how you feel throughout the day. Not only will this remind you of your commitment to your new dietary excursion, but it will empower you to see the control you’re exercising over your body.
Second, do your research. If you think that vegetarianism, veganism or a Paleo diet is right for you, take the time to figure out how this dietary lifestyle is going to affect your food habits. Replacing meat and dairy with cereal, soy milk and veggie chips isn’t going to make you feel better, and you’ll probably see a change in your waistline more than anywhere else. Changing from an omnivore diet to a more selective one usually requires more time to prepare your food than you’re used to, so embrace it. Learn how to stir-fry, spice up your salads and have fun with the experience of making food. It will make it taste so much better in the end.
Finally, listen to your body. There are several signs you have to watch for to ensure that you’re taking care of your body and not starving it of the nutrients it needs. Make sure you’re getting complete proteins if you’re removing meat or dairy from your diet, and take a multivitamin if you don’t think you’re getting enough vitamins or minerals as you experiment with your diet. If you start developing acne or are constantly starving or exhausted, then your body is probably unhappy. Respond by trying different kinds of food or by going to a doctor or a nutritionist. Most people try these alternative diets to get healthier or to regain control of their food choices in a more meaningful way. No matter your intent, make sure you’re being thoughtful about your food choices, and never believe that there is no such thing as a healthy and conscious omnivore. Food is one of the few areas in our lives that we have complete control over, so take the time, no matter your diet, to ensure that you’re eating food you can believe in.
My friends and acquaintances have chosen to adapt their diets to reflect their health needs or moral or ethical beliefs. This probably means I won’t be able to have the same kind of relationship with communal food my grandmother did, but it doesn’t mean that I won’t be able to share a fun meal with the people I care about. Trying new foods, being conscious of others’ dietary restrictions and pushing our food limits isn’t always easy, but no matter what food is on our plates, the fun and memories will last much longer than the food itself.
Contact Carli Baker at [email protected].