Do you think it´s fair to impose your way of eating to someone else?

I wouldn't put strictions on what my children eats but I would try and make better choices for them like choosing white meat instead of red meat and including fruits and vegetables in their diet. I don't think young children need to be vegetarian right now. They need protein for cell growth and for improving their immunity.

The mother shouldn't discouraged her son from eating what they want. As a mother she should do her responsibility on her boys whether it's the food they wanna eat or something else. If it's the boys choice she must be happy and respect it, as we know how healthy eating veggies is.

Hello there... It ain't fair my friend.. Why should someone be forced to eat things that are chosen, for their own purposes, by others??? If there is some special need then the needy one should help with it... i agree with that... It is no good to force others' with our choice anyhow...

While I was still living at home I was vegetarian and the rest of the family loved meat. Sometimes I cooked my own food and sometimes had the same food as the rest of the family without the meat, for instanse if the meal consisted of meat, rice and vegetables I ate rice and vegetables. I would never expect my family to give up meat, because I was a vegetarian, I don't think that would be fair...and I know that my family would have refused to do that

marguicha: preparing different cuisines at the same time every day can be quite taxing for any one. But having said that people must manage things around cooking by helping out to make it possible. Even a very daunting task seems doable and is done without fret or frown if people lend a hand to the main person. It is fair that the older boys are expected to help. By no stretch of imagination can I agree that eating habits must be thrust.

Children usually learn to eat the way parents eat. If the parents are eating junk foods, naturally those are the foods the children are going to be drawn to. As a parent, I am the one that does the food shopping, the cooking and the serving. The kids are going to eat what I eat and they better be thankful that I care enough to make sure their diet is healthy. Now, this does not mean that they would be allowed to have occasional indulgences outside the home to the foods of their choice, but my guess is they will be drawn to the foods they have been eating because that is what their palette is use to.

As You mentioned,these boys are of an age that they're no longer kids.If they've decided to make a lifestyle change and go veggie,I think it unfair that they should do so and simply dump what must be a lot more menu and preparation work on their Mom...They're old enough to have made this decision..they are old enough to help out with it too!

I guess I am a little too old school..guicha! Being a vegetarian..is a choice, something you choose to do! Being allergic to foods is a totally different "kettle of fish!" If, for example my child was allergic to the enzymes in meats...I would respect that...and my cooking reflect that! But CHOOSING NOT to eat meat..is just that, choice. Therefore, eat what I put on the table and choose only the veggies! My son has IBS, and tomatoes seem to be the key...so I either cook with them in a manner he can pick them out, like salads..or avoid them, and that is because it is a health risk! He doesn't like beans...and that is to bad, he can pick then out or avoid them if I cook with them! Am I making any sense...one is a CHOICE..the other a health risk!

It sounds like it's your daughter's decision to impose the restrictions because 2 of her sons are vegetarian. You say she likes meat, but obviously she has decided against preparing it. Are her sons forcing her to do so? She's the mom; it's her choice.

It is never fair to impose one's way on the other. Not food, not anything. They have made their choice, then should respect it.

I actually don't think that they were imposing their eating habits. I think it is totally normal if you are the host to prepare food for 'all' of your guest. I have a friend who is allergic to dairy so we make sure to make another dish for him or make the whole meal dairy free. I know it's different situations but you get the idea. Imposing eating habits would be if they will say that you should not eat meat because of this and that and be all righteous just because they are eating the 'right' way. I love meat and I don't think I will ever be a vegetarian but if a friend of mine is vegan and I'm cooking, I will gladly make a dish for them. I am pretty sure they are already pretty uncomfortable about having to eat a different dish.

It's really troublesome to cook for a whole big family that have different eating habits. Even though with modern cooking appliances, it's time-consuming and troublesome to cook several different dishes to cater to different people's needs, unless that they cook for themselves. You can divide the whole family into two groups and each select a cook to prepare foods for them. Or you need to employee a housekeeper to cook for your big family. Otherwise, the housewife should accept the reality to prepare diversity foods for different tastes. After all, we should respect each person's diet habits, and not to impose others' way of eating to anyone else.

I think it should be decided that they all agree on what food to prepare, and that a variety of meals should be prepared. In fairness to the other two siblings who have other meal preferences, their choice should also be taken into consideration. But perhaps they have decided to go vegan to motivate the other two to be vegetarians as well. Either way, this is something that they should discuss amongst themselves.

I think its not fair to impose your way of eating to someone else, because we have different taste, and we have the right to eat what we want.

No I don't think it's fair. However, it is what it is everyone has to eat. My oldest is quite fussy and the other two kids as well as hubby can be at times. It is a challenge to find meals that will please everyone I will admit.

I don't think I would want to have someone tell me I can't eat something just because they don't eat it. If the older boys want to be vegetarian, that is their right, but they shouldn't expect everything to be for them only. They should learn how to make their dishes themselves so that the rest of the family is still able to enjoy a good meal.

Well actually I am very partial to vegetables and fish but can also do beef and chicken dishes so if any family member would ask for any particular meal consisting these then I really will not mind at all. I would be very willing to prepare that for them by all means for after all I love to cook. However I am not really happy about preparing pork and not really happy to see any pork dish and would not cook as much as I could any pork dish so if anyone at home or any friend who will come home to dine wishes a pork dish then he or she should rather prepare it. I am not a Muslim but I really am very particular about healthy eating so I can't be imposed to cook unhealthy stuff. Other than that I could cook as much as they want provided they are withing my lists of healthy food.

I believe imposing your eating habits on someone is like shoving religion down peoples throats because they don't believe the same thing. It will possibly make them resent you. I agree, if the two are vegetarians or Vegans, they should help prepare the meals that they will eat as well, and whoever (I am assuming its your sister that cooks) cooks the normal (well not normal, but the food they are used to) makes food that her and the youngest will eat. Of course that is if the budget allows both. You can get all your needed nutrients if your a vegetarian or vegan, or a meat eater, so its not hurting anyone regardless, but I don't feel it should force your sister and the youngest to change their eating habits. How old are the Children? I guess that would help determine a few things. I'm assuming the older two are most likely teenagers or older. So from the facts that I know (not sure about kids ages, budget etc) I am of the same opinion as you.

I definitely think that the older boys should be able to help in preparing the meal that they eat. They are old enough, aren't they? Maybe they could even prepare some vegetarian meals to be frozen for a later time. That way when your daughter cooks something they don't want, there are already alternatives that just have to be unthawed and heated.

It's certainly not fair to impose eating preferences on others. I'd think it would be fair for a nice balance to be struck for meals. There are plenty of ways to make courses that appeal and can be eaten by both groups, and ways to make dishes that can cater to one side or the other without having to make an entirely separate main dish. Compromise can be a good thing sometimes.