Dear Jennifer, I've been a vegetarian for three years and I really believe it's a healthier way of life. My boyfriend eats meat and not only do I think it's bad for him, I just can't believe he doesn't care about the inhumane way they treat these animals. I tell him all the time that he should be a vegetarian but he doesn't listen. How can I get him to stop eating meat? Laura
Dear Laura,
Ah, the age old question of how can I change my man? It's interesting that so many women will meet a man, fall in love with that man and then instantly try to change everything about that man. The first step in turning your boyfriend into a vegetarian would be to stop nagging and hounding him about it. By constantly telling him that his choices are wrong or bad, he'll just continue this behavior as an act of defiance against you. He's already heard your rant about the cruelty to animals and health benefits of not eating meat. Give it a rest. What you can do is introduce him to tasty vegetarian options that will make him forget all about eating meat. Don't make a big deal about his preference for eating meat. Just show him, not tell him, that he actually likes eating vegetarian dishes. The next time you're chowing down on a juicy portabella mushroom sandwich, give him a bite and let him decide for himself if he likes it. The next time you cook dinner, whip up a super delicious veggie lasagna that is so scrumptious he doesn't even realize that meat is not an ingredient. If you show him that there are plenty of just as tasty vegetarian options that he can order at restaurants or make for himself, he'll be more inclined to choose veggies instead of meat. Becoming a vegetarian is a personal choice and no matter how strongly you feel about it, you should let him make the choice for himself.
Yours truly,
Jennifer
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