Maybe you have a meat-and-potato wife or a child who believes ketchup is a vegetable and Jell-O is a fruit. It’s tempting to give up by sending him to McDonalds while you stay home with your organic veggie burger. But give him a chance. With patience on both sides you can restore again.

Start by asking about his objections. And pay attention to his answers. Here are some ways you can deal with them:

“I don’t like weird stuff.” If your man wasn’t exploratory before, he’s not likely to transform now. The secret is to make on the familiar. If you have him list his much loved foods, you’ll find that many can be switched to vegetarian versions. Rely on those favorites at first. A vegetarian pizza is much less awful to a meat eater than a hot dog made of soy protein. Former meat lovers say some of their favorite vegetarian foods are vegetarian chili, tacos, pasta salads, spaghetti, vegetable stew or potpie, lentils, vegetable stir-fry, potatoes, baked beans, of all kinds, lasagna, and sub sandwiches.

“A man needs his protein.” Most of us grew up hearing that meat was one of the four fundamental food groups. Casually explain to him the latest carbohydrate-based food pyramid if he’s not familiar with it. It’s almost impossible not to get adequate protein if you’re eating enough food to live. If he’s athletic, encourage him that carbohydrates are his main power resource and might even improve his performance.

“Vegetarian food doesn’t fill me up.” Understand that he may feel hungry at first. You have to eat a better amount of plant foods to get the same number of calories found in meat. Also, meat digests more gradually, so it seems to stick with you longer. Part of shifting to vegetarianism is getting used to the lighter feeling. In the meantime, be understanding and help him find foods with satiety significance, such as potatoes and nuts.

“Vegetarian food is tasteless.” One bad occurrence with bland, undercooked soybeans can send a man run away for his favorite steak restaurant. But healthy food isn’t supposed to be boring. Take a class, get some cookbooks, or ask a friend to show you how to improve flavors with lemon, tomato, garlic, onion, and fresh or dried herbs.

“Nothing’s wrong with the way I eat.” Unless your man already endures from health dilemmas, you’re not going to influence him that flame-broiled steaks are killing him. Kindly indicate the long-term benefits of a meatless diet, but remember that promises of lower cholesterol and less cancer risk do not always motivate mean as readily as women. Young men especially want to see more immediate benefits. A vegetarian diet can diet can slim his waist, sharpen his mind, boost his energy, and even lower the food bill.