I Don't Eat Pork!
By breepeace
@breepeace (3014)
Canada
July 13, 2008 2:29pm CST
I moved back home a few months ago, to help out mom with her job, and in these past 5 months am getting increasingly more frustrated with my parents for their inability to absorb the information that I DON'T EAT PORK.
I have never been a fan of most red meats, but I do prefer beef to pork. The only way I can eat pork is as a thinly sliced ham (lunch meat style), or very crispy bacon. Yet, out of the 5 dinners a week that one of my parent's prepare, at least 3 are guaranteed to be some version of pork: Pork roast, ham, chops, pork tenderloin.. you name it.
Everytime they make it, they wonder why I get upset, and it irks me that they've known for over 14 years that I don't like pork, and they still try to get me to eat it.
I've tried calmly explaining to them that I've never enjoyed the taste or texture, nor do I enjoy the way it makes me feel afterwards, and yet within the next 2 nights there's a pork dish on the table, and no other choice for protein.
What should I do? If me telling them pointblank, and it being implied for 14 years has resulted in nothing, is there anything I can do that will snap them out of it and realize I'm serious?! Or is this just some sort of stupid power trip and they'll never bother to get it through their heads?
5 people like this
20 responses
@kezabelle (2974)
•
13 Jul 08
Ermm cook your own meals? seriously if it bothers you so much just make your own
If you truely think its a power trip i think you have more to talk with your parents about than just what meat they serve, as no parent i know would try ever to power trip their own children!
3 people like this
@CoffeeAnyone (3210)
• Canada
14 Jul 08
My parents power tripped over us kids all the time. I think it was there way of raising us kids. I think it was the only way they knew how. I don't even think they knew they were doing anything wrong and when I was younger I just saw it as parenting. Yes I resented it but I didn't think it was not normal parenting. Later in life yes I saw the differences in my friends families and then I learnt the difference.
@breepeace (3014)
• Canada
14 Jul 08
I can't. Prior to this, my parents got VERY upset if I chose to cook something else for myself, claiming I was 'ungrateful' for the food that they made. Now, I just don't have time. I'm the only one that's been going to work for the past month, and I work nights, so left up to my own devices, I'd have about enough time to make a sandwich every night. The deal was that I would work, and my parents would cook.
@tzuria (31)
• United States
13 Jul 08
I have the exact same problem. I stopped eating pork in high school (I'm going to be a senior in college now). I came home after last semester and my mother was yelling at me for not eating pork when she made it. I tell her she's free to make it, I'll just make something else for myself for dinner. When I came back home after last semester, she made pork once and I was guilted into eating it. However, thankfully, after that one time, she hasn't made it again, so there hasn't been an issue. Parents think you'll grow out of dislikes at any age, even if you're over 20, and that probably has something to do with it.
@sweetlady10 (3611)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I wonder why your parents don't understand this small fact in a long time!
I think you should tell them directly that if they cook pork, they should cook something else also for you, otherwise you are not going to eat it.
1 person likes this
@TessWhite (3146)
• United States
13 Jul 08
Ok, so you are an adult who moved back home with your parents. And you want them to only prepare foods that you like? Ummmm why not cook your own if it bothers you this much? Maybe they actually prefer pork. I'm sure that its not the only dish served for the meal either, so just eat the side dishes if its a problem. Better yet, stock up the freezer with some single serve frozen meals you DO like - problem solved.
1 person likes this
@breepeace (3014)
• Canada
14 Jul 08
I moved back home under duress. My mom's business was too much for her to handle, and the deal was that if I moved back home to help her out, I could live here and have room and board taken care of. Not exactly the situation I wanted to be in, but family comes first, right? Well, I guess unless you have dietary restrictions.
So, no, I don't want them to ONLY prepare meals that I like. I want to be able to have something other than rice and green beans, or potatoes and corn 3-5 nights of the week. I'm not supposed to be cooking because I'm doing all of the hard labour plus chores around our working farm, but yet my only option is to either eat only side dishes for half the week, or starve?
@viru1981 (95)
• India
14 Jul 08
hi breepeace!
if u do not like red meat plz dont force urself to eat since eating red meat is not good for our health-on other hand red meat has known to cause many diseases,the worst being cancer of our GI tract-red meat is red meat-whether its beef,pork or mutton,it makes no difference.
1 person likes this
@krayzietam (832)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I don't eat pork myself but I can't tell the last time I was solely dependent on my parents' cooking in order for me to eat. My parents still eat pork and I don't mind because it is their house and they can cook whatever they want. I always just usually make or buy my own food. Therefore, if I don't want to eat something my mom makes, it doesn't bother me. I suggest you try doing the same thing because they are not going to keep tailoring their meals for you, especiallyif its been 14 years lol
@horsesrule (1957)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I'm not sure, I don' eat pork either and my family thinks that's silly of me. I guess the only thing you can do it buy the groceries and cook the meals, then you get the say on what is served. Just an idea.
@hopejordan (3561)
• Australia
14 Jul 08
hi there breepeace
i dont like roast pork or bacon much but i do like pork chops i don't know why that is but anyways take care happy postings
@metschica25 (5399)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Seems they may never get that you just dont like it . When they make it just make something else for yourself. My parents I always tell them I am watching my weight , but when they come over they still bring all sorts of junk and bake goods.
@kisanchhantyal (420)
• Nepal
14 Jul 08
Some time it may be so but as per my suggestion you have to eat meat all those because you can get all thing like protein and many other.But you must beware from the germs specially we have to get rid of the ascaries and all the germs. So you need to get it in to freeze and take or cook that in to after few hours because cold can kill the germs so my suggestion is just enjoy the meat.
@4ofmyown (1119)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I agree with alot of posters that I would try and have food in the house that you would be able to eat instead of pork when that is being served. We don't eat pork in our house just because my husband read an article that said they will eat anything even their own poop. He will eat bacon and ham on occasion because it is cured. We did not eat it for about 2 years and just recently there pork chops on sale so we decided to get them and by the time dinner was over we were like why are we eating this. It is quite bland and dry if not cooked correctly. We have been to peoples homes where there was pork served and just other foods offered. Hopefully your parents will be fine with your decision if you don't complain and make your own replacement. Good luck!
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
14 Jul 08
I will advice to skip the dinner with the parents and to tell them.
As a single person you will find a lot of nice and cheap choices out there.
If this is burdensome on your budget then try some simple dinner you might enjoy at home.
And I am hoping this does not cause drama, there is very little you can do if your parents love pork and kinda made it clear by continuing to cook it so often.
I am sorry for your dilema.
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
13 Jul 08
Parents can be so thoughtless and difficult. I don't eat any pork because no matter how long it is cooked it still had the trichinoses worms. Pigs are scavenger by nature and will eat any thing. To me it is the same as eating a vulture. The next time that they fix it I would fix something different such as boiled eggs or a hamburger. I would not bother to tell them any more. Just make sure that there is some hamburger or eggs to fix..
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
13 Jul 08
breepeace although they should listen to you evidently they'
are not going to change, so make youself something else to
eat and smile and just let it roll off you as they are
not going to change now. lol lol lol
@fluffnflowers (1594)
• United States
13 Jul 08
Maybe you should keep some chicken cutlets or single portion cuts of beef (or whatever you'd prefer to eat) in the freezer that you can prepare yourself on the nights when your parents are eating pork. I doubt they're trying to get anything over on you -- they're probably just cooking the foods they like. It is their house, so they are entitled.
I do, however, understand the frustration in having your parents cook things you don't like. My parents love steak and we ate steak ALL of the time when I was growing up. I was cooking before I moved out of the house. 
@xJonox (222)
•
13 Jul 08
That is a really hard question.. I guess you could always start making your own food at times when there maybe pork on the table... They probably think it's just you being silly when it isn't... I'm just suprised that they havn't stopped doing it for 14 years! lol... Well... Make some of your own food when your mom or whoever is making the pork... Or while she's making it... explain then, she can't ignore it if she's cooking it!
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
13 Jul 08
Hello breepeace.
I'll try going shopping and get things with no pork and do the cooking, that they can't say anything. I'm myself don't care for pork but I'm the one that do the cooking.
Tamarafireheart.
@prettyrose529 (93)
• Philippines
14 Jul 08
maybe it's the only kind of food they know how to cook. lol. i don't know how to resolve the issue, because it's your parents house and you live there, so as their child, you should respect your parents. but i definitely understand your frustration. i just pray and hope that sooner, they would try to adjust the menu on your table to accomodate your likes.
