Vegetarians and the Challenge of Thanksgiving | Newsweek Newsweek Culture

HEALTH
Part-Time Vegetarians
Karen Springen 9/29/2008 12:00:00 AM
For the last 15 years, Dawn Jackson Blatner has been what's now called a "flexitarian" or "almost vegetarian." She eats lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, barbecued tempeh and veggie burgers with guacamole. But she sometimes indulges in a pork chop or her grandma's pot roast.
Love Me, Love My Tofu
Sarah Kliff 9/26/2007 12:00:00 AM
Religion and social status have always been deal breakers in relationships. But for those navigating today's dating pool, the currents may just have gotten rougher. No longer is it enough to share an interest in piña colada or getting caught in the rain—today's singles want to know whether potential partners are fit and how often they work out, among other personal details.
CULTURE
Finding Meaning in Each Mouthful
Jerry Adler
Why do we eat? For sustenance, obviously. Also for pleasure, for social bonding, as a form of conspicuous consumption or an affirmation of identity or, in the case of broccoli, putatively for the antioxidants, but actually to convince God that we don't deserve to get cancer. Each morsel we lift to our lips dribbles symbolism like Russian dressing from a Reuben sandwich. Now two new high-profile books probe our allotted three ounces of protein in search of deeper meaning. For the essayist Michael Pollan ("In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto"), food is a way of saving the world. For the trash-talking ex-fashionistas Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin ("Skinny Bitch in the Kitch"), it's a way to firm your butt.
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (And Child)

When my husband, Ken, and I were planning our wedding two years ago, we toiled over the menu even more than most anxious couples. As a Jewish vegan who doesn't eat meat, poultry, fish or dairy products, I wanted to share vegan delicacies without feeling I was pushing an agenda. My Chinese-Japanese-Hawaiian husband wanted to be sure his relatives would have enough to eat, and to incorporate Chinese banquet foods.
The Green Revolution
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