You met an amazing girl, probably the girl of your dreams and everything is perfect! You dream of telling your future children how you met their mother. You couldn't be happier. Then, one day you take her out for a romantic dinner to the best restaurant in town. As you recommend her the Chef's Special - Chicken Cafreal, she tells you she is a vegetarian. Taken by surprise? You are a hardcore meat-eater. Now what? Would you have to give up your food eating habits to save your love? Sacrifice meat for love? Don't get too dramatic. You don't have to give up on anything because I am going to guide you about how to date a veggie. This is not the first time in history that a vegetarian is dating a meat-eater. I have never had a vegetarian date (okay, until last week). In a relationship, it gets tricky. What are you going to do when you sit down to eat food? I have survived the inevitable a billion times. How to Date a Vegetarian Girl/Guy Why Go Green? Ask your date if they have converted to vegetarianism or have been so since childhood. Some people have religious reasons, some have been brought up in vegetarian families, some want to eat healthy and some are against animal cruelty. It is good to try to understand the reason behind their food choices. It shows that you are interested in knowing more about your date, plus, it genuinely gives you an insight on your potential love interest. Do Not Show Contempt The worst thing to do is argue with a vegetarian on why meat rules. No vegetarian appreciates it and you will end up ruining your date. Don't get into that argument. If they seem to, be quiet and show your appreciation for their food. It is not fair to disrespect someone's meal. A vegetarian may have his/her opinions about yours and a smart one will keep mum about it. Be nice when they order a bowl of fresh salad. Did I mention? NEVER joke about vegetarian food! You Eat It Too Don't forget, you eat fruits, vegetables and grains too, although with meat. It's not a big deal to eat only vegetarian food and it isn't bad at all. Don't scorn at the thought. Some vegetarians just cannot stand the smell of cooked meat around them and may become nauseous. It is advisable that you ask about their tolerance towards non-vegetarian food beforehand. Some days, forgo your regular meat if you have been sitting down to a tub of chicken wings for lunch with your vegetarian date since the past few weeks. Share their meal. They will be more than happy to do so, plus, you will win major eggless brownie points in their heart! Should I Go Vegetarian? In the rarest of odds, your vegetarian date may be against dating meat eater. If your date insists that you eat veg food or God forbid, go vegetarian too, politely decline their request if you cannot adhere to it. You do not need to be outright rude to them. Tell your vegetarian date that you respect their choices and would be delightful if they could respect yours. You don't have to force yourself doing something you don't want to. Relationships are all about compromises made from both ends. If you did plan to become a vegetarian for your love, I don't have words to show my admiration... nor would they! Don't Pester I have had many meat-eating friends trying to pester me into eating non-vegetarian food. I have been traumatized by them trying to make me believe I ate chicken unknowingly. My now best friend almost fed me with beef the first time we sat together for a meal. It was a nightmare, but now they have all accepted it. In fact, we were having a laugh about it last night. Please don't try to chide your vegetarian boyfriend or girlfriend into eating meat if they are NOT willing to do so. Be Patient Vegetarians may be fussy sometimes. Especially when religious reasons are involved, they will be very particular about the way their food is cooked. They would absolutely hate it if it got mixed with non-vegetarian dishes. Common, sometimes you fuss about the way your chicken is fried too. We all get fussy about our food. To deal with such a vegetarian, better you dine with them at exclusively vegetarian places. Enjoy this time by relishing in all those delicacies you love that don't include meat. Use Some Mint If your vegetarian date was considerate enough to put up with watching you dig into your chicken, it would be a good dining etiquette to have some mint or any mouth freshener after you finish your meal. Better yet, brush them! Do not forget to wash your hands properly to get rid of the smell of the food. Hint: Use some lemon juice and vinegar or baking soda. Also, if possible, gargle your mouth to avoid turning them off with heavy chicken odor emitting from your mouth when you leap towards them for a goodbye kiss. What About the Fur? Some vegetarians are careful not just about what's on their plate, but what they wear too. These are mostly PETA supporters who have pledged to not to use any items that support animal cruelty like fur, fabrics, animal-testing cosmetics and other products that may have hurt an animal in the making. Avoid hurting their feelings by the use of any such things. Show your love towards animals. You will have something in common and it is a good environmental cause. Where to Take a Vegetarian on a Date If they are okay with it, you can very well take them to places that serve both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. Over time, most vegetarians come to peace with eating at places serving non-vegetarian food. Cross fingers and pray your next date is too. However, avoid seafood servings restaurants at all costs. There is nothing vegetarian at those places. Your date will be absolutely turned off by it and may harbor bitter feelings towards you. Else, opt for an ice cream parlor, coffee shop or a bakery for a date next time. They are mostly neutral about the food, especially an ice cream parlor. There will be no point to argue upon the place to dine in. Would you reject a date with Brad Pitt or Tobey Maguire? Yes, they are vegetarians! So are Alicia Silverstone and Pamela Anderson. A study conducted by Vegetarian Times shows that there are 7.3 million Americans who are vegetarians of which 4.3 million are women. There are different types of vegetarians so it would be wise to ask your date which one are they. There are strong chances that one of your dates or partners will end up being a vegetarian. It helps to be supportive of your vegetarian partner's choices. It shows that you care. You don't have to change yourself nor do you have to pressurize someone to change for you. Believe me, the one thing you can do to surely put off your vegetarian date is by asking them to try anything non-vegetarian.