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How to Have a Vegetarian Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is almost here, and sons and daughters everywhere are once again faced with the task of figuring out what to get their mom. For the vegetarian mom in your life, this might prove a little difficult. With a few helpful suggestions, you can ensure this Mother’s Day puts a smile on her face.

What’s the Difference?

Neither vegans or vegetarians eat meat, but the two are still very different. Vegetarians usually eat dairy products and eggs, while vegans avoid all animal products, including inedible animal-based products such as leather, wool, and silk. Think of vegetarianism as a diet and veganism as a lifestyle. Keep in mind that there are three kinds of vegetarianism:

• Lacto-vegetarians – consume dairy products, but not eggs
• Ovo-vegetarians – consume eggs, but not dairy products
• Lacto-ovo-vegetarians – consume eggs and dairy products

Take an interest in your mom’s lifestyle choice and ask about her favorite recipes to avoid an awkward Mother’s Day where your mom can’t eat anything that was prepared. Make a day out of it and prepare a meal together. You’ll enjoy time together and ensure that everyone can enjoy the food. If your mom has a garden, encourage her to bring over some fresh ingredients to make the dish extra special.

Get Creative

If your mom is a gardener, this is a great area to explore for gift ideas. If you have a creative side, consider taking on a DIY project to spruce up her garden. Recycle her old nursery pots and cell packs by turning them into a nursery pot wreath that can withstand heat and moisture. Cut pots and packs into desired flower shapes, spray paint to add color, and anchor them to a wreath form using florist pins.

Consider projects that the two of you can do together such as making tile-topped stepping stones. Visit the flea market and let your mom pick out plates to break up and use as the tiles for the mosaics on the stepping stones. Wearing safety glasses, use a hammer to crack the plates into big pieces. Grout the top of a concrete stone to create a glue for the pieces to stick to. If you want to amp it up, use other colorful materials such as pebbles, shells, jewels, or colored glass. Now each time your mom walks to her garden, she’ll be reminded of you and the day you two spent together.

If your mom has her own garden, ask for her help planting your own vegetable in her garden. She’ll make sure it grows healthy and strong, and when it’s ready to harvest, you can both use your plant to make a dish together. Good vegetables to plant around Mother’s Day are beans, corn, eggplant, okra, onion, peas, potatoes, and squash.

Start a Garden Together

Perhaps your mother is always talking about planting her own garden but she has never gotten around to it. Jump-start the process and give her a Mother’s Day surprise she’ll never forget by helping her start her own edible garden. Since your mom will be the main caretaker, take a moment to plan it out. Where is the best sunlight? How much time can be dedicated each week to gardening? What food does your mom like? The ideal garden location will be an area with plentiful sunshine and nutrient-rich soil. If this is the first time either of you has started your own garden, begin with easy-to-grow crops such as peas, tomatoes, zucchini, or kale. Make sure you consult a seed catalog to find the best plants for your climate.

Although this garden is for your mom, stay involved by offering to help out with maintenance such as pulling weeds or watering at least once a week. Remember, gardening is like an experiment so approach it with an open mind. If a particular crop fails, do some research to figure out what went wrong and correct it next time. A successful gardener learns from years of mistakes, so sit back and enjoy the delicious experiment together.

Mother’s Day is a special holiday, so show your mom you care by taking an interest in her vegetarianism. Complete a DIY project or start a garden together to make this Mother’s Day memorable.