Vegans/Vegetarians/anyone on a diet, do you ever feel left out of social situations?

I haven't ever felt left out as far as I remember. Typically there is always something to eat, even if it is a salad at a restaurant. If there is a rare situation where there is nothing on the menu at a restaurant, I can always get a soda. I suppose the reason I don't feel left out, is b/c social situations are more about the company you are with than the food you eat(at least to me). As long as I enjoy the people I am with, it does not matter what I eat.

I don't feel awkward eating at others home, b/c I usually tell them in advance that I do not eat meat(or dairy). I always offer to bring a dish with me, so not to have the hostess/host go out of their way, but most host are more than willing to make something without meat.

I turned vegetarian when i was about 7, and i have been ever since. My parents were very understanding about my beliefs and overall have been pretty damn cool about it. However, some of my friends aren't understanding, in school people would question about my beliefs and make jokes about it, which i didn't find funny. Even my boyfriend wants me to eat meat, he doesn't understand why i don't like it. When i go to his family gatherings, who are big meat eaters there is never anything i can eat and i feel awkward, the same thing happens at parties, it's so annoying. Some restaraunts are really good at understanding the need to cater for vegetarians, but i have found ones that do nothing but salad, which can also become an awkward situation. Overall, it's not too bad now, people are used to me being a vegetarian and my friends are quite good at understanding what i can and can't eat and if they are buying me sweets they check the ingredients. Recently, we went out for my brithday and everyone ate vegetarian, despite me saying nothing! I thought that was really nice, even my boyfriend who's a big meat eater. I still get the jokes every now and then, but at the end of the day i am who i am and people should learn to deal with it :)

No, not exactly. Whenever I'm at a social get together, I always bring over vegan food for everyone to try.

I generally stay clear of bringing a salad because I don't want to give off the message that vegans don't ever get to eat anything yummy. So I make cookies or muffins...

It's really been more of a conversation starter than anything else. I don't mind talking about being a vegan or why I'm a vegan.

And if someone invites me over to eat, I explain that I'm vegan and that I wouldn't mind making the meal. But if they invite me over and invite a lot of other people over, I don't worry about it and I just don't eat or I just eat a salad...or I just have some wine, to be honest.

I'm in Germany so when I go out I just eat salads anyway. Germans are good about adding animal products in everything.

Well, I don't really cause most of the time I eat at home, or at close friend's homes, where they accommodate my vegetarianism. Though if I go out to chain restaurants, I tend to feel like kind of problematic, since a lot of times they don't have good/any vegetarian food for me to eat.

Though if I am feeding people or making food, I always feel like they are expecting me to make some thing super cool and unheard of, while in reality I just make normal food without meat in it.

But I never feel left out.

As with refusing food someone offers you, it is perfectly fine to say "No thank you". Very much so if it is junk food in the office- There are plenty of other people that can eat up sugary foods, and I am positive that they wont be hurt if your trying to make an effort for better health.

well i dont really care i mean like yeah i want some sweets and stuff but i have to stay on this diet i have no choice (stupid candida albicans diet which says u cant eat any type of sugar or breads,pastas, u get the idea :) ) but im okay with it cuz i know by the time summer comes along ill feel great and looks smexy XD

I usually bring food, check the restaurant menu online to see if there won't be options

ofcourse I have friends, the other vegetarians I know my age are social, and its only when the topic comes up, such as when I'm at a sleepover, say, and they cook for me, that it makes me feel awkward.

Yes, last time I went to a social event for a friend was in 2001

Actually yes, in a way. If a group of co-workers or students are planning on going to McDonald's I can't join them and I end up being left out. Once one of my students bought me a present, it was some beef jerky and I refused but I felt bad and ungrateful about that because he thought about me. I'm very unsociable anyway so my diet has made it even worse.

sometimes.. i tend to cook my own meals so i eat home alot (i really enjoy cooking) if i am out at a restraunt, ill usually eat a salad or a side of veggies depending where im at. i usually get questioned at my boyfriends familys house. they always say "no meat?" and my boyfriend lets them know i am veg. so its cool. sometimes i feel left out if everyones eating soemthing i cant, like birthday cake and whatnot but i get over it. its not the end of the world.

Almost all my friends are veg*n and my entire family is veg*n, so unless I'm totally out of my element (at my boyfriend's parent's house for example), I don't have any problems.