Re: Vegetarianiasm

I tried to become a vegetarian, but failed miserably. I'm an animal lover and like the idea of it, but I just can't commit myself to it.

Re: Vegetarianiasm

I find the way that a lot of meat is produced quite disgusting. That is why as far as possible, I eat meat where I know how it's been produced. It's why I'm happy to kill and eat wild game. It's why I'm happy to raise pigs to as high a standard as I can. It's also why I avoid a lot of commecrially produced meat. I also grow as many of our own vegetables as possible, but I've got no intention of becoming a vegeterian.

Re: Vegetarianiasm

Another would be vegetarian here. I eat very little meat and no birds at all. The smell of chicken cooking turns my stomach ug! .

When I do eat meat I try to make sure it is outdoor reared or organic when possible . The farm shop near here rears their own Tamworths and you can see them running around in the orchard. The farmers market has excellent organic meat too. Organic meat is expensive but I would rather have something special occasionally than to eat badly reared rubbish all the time.

Re: Vegetarianiasm

I'm afraid to say that the most I do is eat free range eggs. I don't eat an awful lot of meat. I eat more eggs than anything else. I do eat beef now and then. Chicken not quite so much since I had Campylobacteriosis, where I lost three weeks and ended up in bed, almost hospitalised. I've very careful about chicken now.

Re: Vegetarianiasm

I think if I could source the meat that you refer to I'd feel a lot better about eating it. I do try to be ethical- e.g I avoid Danish bacon/pork like the plague, I only ever eat free-range chicken and eggs, but even organically produced meat is not immune to intensive farming pressures.

I try to be vegetarian as much as possible I think I may consider ordering meat from Riverford which to my mind is the most ethical organic food producer.

Re: Vegetarianiasm

I understand what you mean about not wanting to eat other animals Baxter, it seems a bit disgusting somehow, I feel the same way but I do eat meat too.
It is getting more and more expensive but as you say the alternatives are not always so appealing, especially if you go down the dairy free route.
I don't care for pulses and I have an intolerance to them which makes it a bit difficult to eat vegetarian.
I feel best on a diet of lean meat and lots of vegetables, not so much carbs especially bread which I don't eat much of.

Re: Vegetarianiasm

I used to be a vegetarian for years but succumbed to a bacon sandwich!These days I eat more fish than meat.

Re: Vegetarianiasm

For the 2nd time in my life, I became a vegetarian. This as of about 5 months ago. It is for ethical and health reasons. I do eat seafood on occasion.

I barely ate meat anyway, since my divorce, because my budget doesn't allow the expense. However, after watching a film titled 'Forks Over Knives', I finally went back to my old ethical reasons for not eating meat. I guess I'm back to being true to myself (someone I lost when I was married and the sole cook for a meat & potatoes guy.)

If you are indulging in meat it may be for many reasons. Every so often something made with meat just sounds really good to me, but when I give it more thought I realize that there's something else associated with why it sounds good: Maybe certain dishes are comforting because we grew up smelling and eating them. Maybe it's really other flavors (such as a sauce), not the meat, that sounds good (I used to love Sloppy Joes, for example).

I think some people also have a hard time with vegetarianism because they live together with someone who eats meat, so it's around at meals, or they have close friends who cook, or order, meat dishes.

I really don't miss meat anymore. Recently I tried something that had a very small bit of turkey in it and I could not take more than a few bites, and threw it away. It didn't even taste good, even though it was of good quality. The actual flavor of meat is simply a turn-off for me now. Also, I know how badly America's factory farms treat animals. On a spiritual level, it's important to me not to have that on my shoulders anymore. We've been brainwashed all of our lives to think we need to eat meat. I feel so much better now that I'm not supporting people who are okay with the torture of animals, and not supporting them financially. It's a feeling that I want to keep.

I believe that how we treat animals, and the level of empathy we have for them, is a sign of who we are at our core...or who we are not.

Just keep trying to stay away from meat and it will become a habit NOT to eat it, and eventually it won't taste good anymore. I commend you for trying!

Re: Vegetarianiasm

I have been a vegetarian for nearly 40 years I would love to say it's for some higher reason but I simply never really liked the taste of meat, I was a vegan for about 6 years but made myself quite ill as I wasn't a good vegan and didn't balance what I ate properly. Easier to be a vegetarian I find.
I still happily prepare and cook meat and fish for rest of the family just never get a yen to eat it myself.

Someone a couple of weeks ago here was amazed anyone could spend £20 a week on vegetables but eating veggies all 3 meals a day adds up !

Re: Vegetarianiasm

Enfys, you're not the first vegetarian I've heard of being pushed over the edge for a bacon sandwich!