@MilkyWay Yeah, being a vegetarian in the US is still considered pretty “out there.” Especially amongst older folks or people who come from areas where ranching or farming is big business.
I still get the silly question, “If you don’t eat meat, what DO you eat?” followed with either “Well in our house, we’re meat eaters, sorry!” or “I could never give up meat, I would die and I don’t like vegetables.”
There are only a few completely vegetarian restaurants in my town and I can’t say that I’ve ever seen a TV commercial for a vegetarian restaurant. And my doctor still seems flummoxed by the idea and doesn’t even suggest a vegetarian diet, when he talks about eating more healthy. It’s just not part of the lexicon.
At most restaurants, it’s often a challenge to find even one dish that is suitable for vegetarians, other than an iceberg salad with mealy pink tomatoes (and even that usually comes garnished with bacon bits).
It’s getting better, but I’m still usually the odd man (or in my case woman) out when I go out to eat, or get invited to a wedding or a family party or to a work event.