How a Vegetarian Bride can Adjust in a Non-vegetarian Family

A Tamil Brahmin, Nehha Krishnan, fell in love with Sandeep Kakkar, a hard-core Punjabi boy, and the only problem she thought that the couple would face was that of the North-South divide. On the other hand, when Nikki Chawla tied the knot with Arjun Arora, she did not have anything like that to worry about, as both belonged to Punjabi families.

But, what these two brides did not see coming was that they both were vegetarians, and their new families were non-vegetarians to the core.

After the blissful days of being a newly married bride are over, you are expected to enter the kitchen and whip up some amazing meals to impress your in-laws. It just sounds easy, right? But what if your in-laws and husband are non-vegetarians and you abhor meat? Let us find out what a vegetarian bride can do to please and adjust in her non-vegetarian family.

Never be judgmental

Firstly, choosing to be a vegetarian or non-vegetarian is a matter of personal choice. Never judge anyone for their eating habits. Don’t make a face when your family is relishing their meal. Though you may want to create (or have ‘created’) a few boundaries, never let those break you away from your family.

Also, never preach or force your opinions on your family members. Many brides make the mistake of pointing out how her new family is being 'cruel' to animals or how non-veg food is unhealthy or an unreligious path. If you do this, your family might start "avoiding" you (at least, at the dinner time), and start maintaining a distance from you. Food should never be a point of contention in your family. 

Separate utensils

Always try to create a middle ground rather than throwing tantrums. One of the simplest (and smartest) things that you can do for your peace of mind is cook veg and non-veg meals separately. Having separate vessels will ensure that you don’t have to give up on your beliefs. This is a common practice that many joint families follow these days, where people of different beliefs and habits live under one roof.

Cook cleverly

One of the biggest grouses that brides have is that they have to cook two separate meals for their family and this can be a time-consuming deal. So, how do you get past this barrier? Learn how to cook cleverly.

You can make makhanwala gravy, and put it in two separate containers. Add paneer for yourself and chicken for the rest of your family. Similarly, while making biryani, keep some aside for yourself before adding mutton to the rest. You can learn newer cooking techniques, which will help you cook veg and non-veg meals without any fuss at all. You can also encourage your family to eat vegetarian meals with you once in a while. Well as it is, have you ever seen a non-vegetarian, who ‘abhors’ vegetarian food?

Live and let live

Many brides don’t wish to touch meat products, and create a lot of fuss when they see meat stored alongside vegetables. What’s more? Many brides make a fuss about the non-vegetarian family members, digging their spoons in their ‘vegetarian’ dishes. You need to understand that before you came along your family was accustomed to a certain way of living. Don’t expect them to change overnight.

What you should do

As we said before, it is about creating a few ground rules. Here are a few ways how you can aim to make a better adjustment in your new family.

• Take your husband and mother-in-law in confidence and tell them that you are uncomfortable about certain things. It is important for you to explain to them, what all things you are uncomfortable with, and to what extent.
• Chalk out a plan together, and create a separate place for storage of meat and veggies. If possible, invest in a mini fridge to store your food, if you have a lot of problem with the two being stored together.
• When you go out with your family for an outing, always go to a place that serves both vegetarian and non-vegetarian meals.
  Your in-laws and husband will definitely appreciate your gesture of making attempts at adjusting with their lifestyle. And, next time around they might especially go to vegetarian restaurant just to make you feel comfortable, or even decide to keep a few days of the week aside for a complete vegetarian meal. Now, doesn't this sound like something you would like to see happening?
  Remember, a relationship is a two-way street, you have to be accommodating and understanding, to make your family happily reciprocate your efforts. If you have any other tips that can be useful for a vegetarian bride, who is entering a non-vegetarian family, then do share those by leaving your comments below.