Common Ways of Eating

In spirit of promoting understanding of the ways that different people organize what they eat, I've put together a brief glossary with broad definitions of common ways of eating.  Enjoy!
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This list is by no means exhaustive, but provides broad definitions of common ways of eating.  If you are someone without dietary restrictions providing food for someone who is and you have doubts about whether or not they will eat a particular dish for any reason, ask. 

Those who avoid meat and/or animal-derived products:

• Vegetarian:  generally speaking, a person who does not eat meat or meat products (i.e. meat-based broth).  There are different sub-groups of vegetarians, however, who may consume dairy (lacto-), eggs (ovo-), fish (pescatarian), or some combination of the three (i.e. lacto-ovo-vegatarian).
• Vegan: a person who does not consume any animal products or products derived from animals (i.e. meat and meat products, dairy, eggs, etc.).

Those with suspected/confirmed food sensitivities/allergies or are following a biomedical intervention protocol for autism:

• GF:  short for "gluten-free", someone who avoids gluten, a protein found in wheat and wheat-related products.
• CF:  short for "casein-free", someone who avoids casein, a milk protein.  
• SF:  short for "soy-free", someone who avoids soy and soy products.
• Top 8:  refers to those foods responsible for most allergic reactions.  These include gluten, dairy, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, fish, and shellfish.

Those on special diets for other concerns:

• Raw Foodist: definitions vary, but generally speaking, a person who eats mostly or only foods that have not been cooked or have been dehydrated at very low temperatures.  Some raw foodists are vegetarians or vegans, some aren't.
• Paleolithic: a person who eats only what was readily available to paleolithic age humans.  Any food that became available only when humans began practicing agriculture is out (i.e. grains, dairy, sugar, etc.), leaving only foods readily available to hunter-gatherers (i.e. meat, berries, mushrooms, etc.).
• Whole Foodist: a person who eats only food prepared from scratch from fresh ingredients. 
• Locavore:  a person who eats mostly or only food produced near where they live.  Definitions vary as to how close the food needs to be sourced to be considered "local".

Those who follow dietary restrictions for religious reasons:

• Note:  Many religious traditions do not lay down dietary restrictions per se (i.e. Christianity, Buddhism), but many practitioners have taken up certain dietary practices based on their interpretations of their religion (i.e. many Buddhists are vegetarians or vegans, some Christians do not eat meat on Fridays, etc.).  Also, not all people who practice a particular religion necessarily follow all dietary restrictions, for various reasons.  If in doubt, ask.
  
• Kosher (Judaism):  dietary restrictions laid out in the Torah.  Rules include prohibitions on kinds of meat (i.e. no pork) and the way the meat is slaughtered and prepared; not mixing meat and dairy in the same meal; and restrictions on mixing utinsels used for meat and dairy.  For more information on basic kosher rules, check out Judaism 101's entry on keeping kosher.
• Halal (Islam): dietary restrictions based on the Koran.  Rules are similar to Kosher rules in that they include prohibitions on kinds of meat (no pork) and the way the meat is slaughtered and prepared.  Other rules include prohibitions on alcohol and certain food additives.
• Hinduism:  many Hindu practitioners avoid meat and meat products to varying extents.
• For more detailed information on different religious traditions' dietary restrictions, check out Faith and Food

Dining out? Some helpful hints

In a similar vein to my ranting about the CNN article on miserable dining-out company, I thought I would offer up my strategies for navigating the awkward, "I can't have that" conversation regarding restaurants.  These are only my personal strategies; they are not the only way to go about things; and they may not necessarily work in every situation.

1)  Respect the others' needs/preferences, whatever they may be.  Food isn't just about shoveling calories down your throat - it's a social experience.  "Normal" folks (for a lack of a better term, those who don't have special dietary restrictions) should respect the needs/preferences of the food sensitive/intolerant, the vegetarians, the vegans, the raw food-ists, etc. and vice versa.  Quoth the Rabbi Hillel, "What is hateful to thyself, do not do to another.  That is the whole Law, the rest is commentary."  In the words of Jesus, "Love thy neighbor as thyself."

2)  For those with special dietary needs, always have a plan ready.  For example:

• Have a mental (and/or physical) list of "okay" restaurants/dishes ready for those spur-of-the-moment, "Let's grab lunch" conversations.  
• Going to a restaurant with a menu that doesn't readily accommodate your needs?  Call the restaurant ASAP, explain your needs, and, if possible, negotiate a compromise.
• Cannot go to restaurants period?  Offer to cook something you can eat that is agreeable to your company.
• Someone wants to grab a bite and you have your food already?  Offer to meet them in a neutral place (i.e. their desk, their office, a picnic table outside, etc.).     
• Going to a party?  If at all possible, confer with the host/hostess about "okay" options in advance.  Offer to help them plan/prepare the food themselves or to bring an "okay" option to share.  If necessary, have "okay" options ready.  
• Hosting a party?  If possible (and there are situations when this is not possible), bring or cook something that you can't have, but others can.

The bottom line?  Be prepared to be part of the solution.

3)  For those without special dietary needs, be supportive and flexible.  For example:

• Going out?  Let those with special dietary needs lead.
• Cooking for someone with dietary restrictions?  Hosting a party?  Choose recipes that are naturally "okay" when possible.  Some ingredients are more easily substituted than others: i.e. substituting plant-based oils for animal based fats and one sweetener for another are pretty easy; good soy-sauce and cheese substitutes are hard to find, however.

The bottom line?  Don't be afraid to get creative or try something new.

Picky Dinner Pals - by necessity

I've been enjoying CNN's Eatocracy for a while, but I'm a bit perturbed about the comments to an entry about adults who are picky about what they eat when going to restaurants.  Now there are reasons to be perturbed at someone who is just downright rude (I really dislike those too), but in the case of trying to avoid certain foods because of potential food intolerances by asking the waiter to hold the cheese on a burger - it's already trying to be food intolerant (or, in my case, potentially), but folks who don't make an effort to understand or accommodate folks with food intolerances are just as miserable dinner company as picky eaters or rude folks.

Forgive me for ranting, but respecting each others' dietary differences has become a priority for me.  I live with a kosher vegetarian; am happily in a relationship with a guy who loves his meat and cheese; am friends with those who eat versions of the Standard American Diet, as well as vegans, gluten-free, and dairy-free folks, and would never think to impose my dietary restrictions on any of them.  In fact, the struggle is finding places where we can all sit down and break bread so that they can eat freely, and I don't have to compromise (unless I feel like owing a confession).