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Vegetarianism/Veganism


Stevo985

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I'm sure this has been discussed before on here, but given I was having the discussion in another thread (a couple in fact) I thought I'd start a dedicated one to save those going off topic (couldn't find a similar thread, apologies if it exists).

 

So I've always been sympathetic to Vegetarianism even though I've never been one myself, and never thought I could because I eat (ate) a lot of meat. 
But recently I've been cutting down my meat consumption, both consciously and unconsciously, whilst simultaneously feeling stronger and stronger about becoming a vegetarian.

I have a couple of good friends, one vegan friend especially, who are vegetarian so I've probably been influenced by them. Plus I've been researching more and more into it (see the documentaries thread).

 

So I'm basically at the position where I think vegetarianism is right but I just haven't made that cut off.  I only eat meat with my evening meal these days and even then it's only 3 or 4 times a week, so it shouldn't be a massive deal.

 

I'm close, I might do a 1 month trial of it and see how I get on, but I thought a discussion would enlighten me. So VT... convince me (either way).

Edited by Stevo985
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I am sympathetic towards vegetarianism and it seems like awareness of the horrors of meat production are coming to the fore. 

However food is one of my number one pleasures in life and I would say about 90% of the food I enjoy is meat based.  I just don't know if I can deprive myself.  

Veganism I could never entertain. 

 

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5 minutes ago, PompeyVillan said:

I like the idea (for health and environmental, not ethical reasons), I'm not sure I could accept the reality. 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Wainy316 said:

I am sympathetic towards vegetarianism and it seems like awareness of the horrors of meat production are coming to the fore. 

However food is one of my number one pleasures in life and I would say about 90% of the food I enjoy is meat based.  I just don't know if I can deprive myself.  

Veganism I could never entertain. 

 

Yeah this is kind of where I was at for years.
I agreed with it, but I love meat (Insert KW gif here) so couldn't face the reality of not eating it.

But with cutting down recently, I think I could face it. 

 

Veganism is much tougher. I don't think I could take that step foodwise. But I could definitely handle elements of veganism. I don't know if there's a term for that :D 

One step at a time though...

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I'm not sure I could find enough variety of dinners to eat to do it full time.  I genuinely don't enjoy the taste of many vegetables, though I guess I could try some of the meat substitutes.  I couldn't live without cheese anyway, so veganism isn't an option.

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My favourite foods: 

Beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, cheese, milk, cream, eggs. 

My most disliked foods: 

Cabbage, spinach, lettuce, celery, rice, fruit. 

Veganism is out. If I was vegetarian I'd be living on potatoes and mushrooms. 

Just, no. 

Edited by mjmooney
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Been a vegetarian my whole life and genuinely find the concept of eating meat as "normal" to be truly disgusting. It's completely unnecessary and I find it highly disturbing how people are so willing to have another animal killed for their own greed.

However, I understand i'm pretty alone on that POV so meh :D 

Though, there are more and more people becoming vegetarians/vegans. Hope that continues. 

Edited by PieFacE
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I went from eating meat 3-4 times a day to being vegan pretty much overnight. I was initially just trying it out for a month, and then saw no reason to go back.

1 minute ago, Stevo985 said:

 

Veganism is much tougher. I don't think I could take that step foodwise. But I could definitely handle elements of veganism. I don't know if there's a term for that :D 

 

I've had this conversation with a few friends, and there's always something that they think it'd be impossible to give up. Mostly it's cheese. I always just think "don't let perfect be the enemy of good".

You think you could eat vegan/veggie most of the time but would struggle to give up meat/dairy entirely? Cool, give it a go. Try eating exclusively veggie/vegan for 3 or 4 days a week and see how you find it. If someone thinks they could be vegan if it wasn't for cheese? Awesome, be vegan except for cheese. Some card-carrying members of vegan club will lose their shit, but any reduction in consumption is a good step, IMO.

It's easier the more familiar you get with non-animal foods, really. Cooking at home is no problem now - it's made me a much better cook and I eat a far better variety now than when I was eating meat.

It can be difficult eating out, which restricts options a bit. Not such an issue in Nottingham (and I bet birmingham's even easier), but when I visit family in Northamptonshire it's a bit shit.

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12 minutes ago, PieFacE said:

Been a vegetarian my whole life and genuinely find the concept of eating meat as "normal" to be truly disgusting. It's completely unnecessary and I find it highly disturbing how people are so willing to have another animal killed for their own greed.

I mean, I don't think I'm as passionate as this. I do think there are humane ways for animals to be killed and eaten if you can get past the fact that you're killing an animal for your own consumption.
But what I'm thinking more and more is that there is no way you can guarantee that the steak you're eating came form a cow that has been killed humanely. It's basically impossible.

So eating meat is supporting an industry where the mistreatment of animals is rife. And that's kind of the tipping point for me.

When I could sit back and say "I don't really want to know. As long as it's done humanely I'm fine with it" then I was cool with it. But I do know now, and more and more I'm not ok with it.

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theres 2 things for me

1 - fake meat is a no no, really dont like quorn, the texture more than the taste, i would rather substitute it for something like halloumi

2 - english cuisine is shit for it IMO but you can get away with it if you eat foreign foods, curries and chinese being the easiest but if i was to get in to being a veggie properly i think middle eastern and north african would be the way to go

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12 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

I went from eating meat 3-4 times a day to being vegan pretty much overnight. I was initially just trying it out for a month, and then saw no reason to go back.

I've had this conversation with a few friends, and there's always something that they think it'd be impossible to give up. Mostly it's cheese. I always just think "don't let perfect be the enemy of good".

You think you could eat vegan/veggie most of the time but would struggle to give up meat/dairy entirely? Cool, give it a go. Try eating exclusively veggie/vegan for 3 or 4 days a week and see how you find it. If someone thinks they could be vegan if it wasn't for cheese? Awesome, be vegan except for cheese. Some card-carrying members of vegan club will lose their shit, but any reduction in consumption is a good step, IMO.

It's easier the more familiar you get with non-animal foods, really. Cooking at home is no problem now - it's made me a much better cook and I eat a far better variety now than when I was eating meat.

It can be difficult eating out, which restricts options a bit. Not such an issue in Nottingham (and I bet birmingham's even easier), but when I visit family in Northamptonshire it's a bit shit.

Yeah that's what i was getting at when I said I could go for elements of veganism. I'd find it very difficult to give up things like cheese and dairy. I could cut down for sure, but I'm not sure I could handle a blanket ban. But I could get there.

But there are plenty of animal products that I could abstain from and be fine. Animal products in clothing, for example, would be a doddle I would think.

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Just now, villa4europe said:

theres 2 things for me

1 - fake meat is a no no, really dont like quorn, the texture more than the taste, i would rather substitute it for something like halloumi

I think it depends on the dish.

I regularly make a quorn chilli and I think I'd struggle in a blind taste test with a proper chilli con carne.

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I am absolutely aware of a need to eat better, and reduce meat consumption generally, but as per @PompeyVillan and @Wainy316  I could never deprive myself of the option of having a steak. The most practical thing I can do for the time being is simply buy meat from a butchers and not a super-market. I grew up on a farm where we raised animals for meat all the time. It is a fundamental part of my routine, the animals were cute, you'd look after them and them bonk, off they go. I don't think I will ever be persuaded of the ethical issue of eating animals, but reasons of health, and environment, reducing consumption, and improving conditions are reasons I digest more readily.

Veganism - absolutely no chance, I just don't understand it. Not taking honey from bees? I mean what? At that kind of level it seems some Vegans seem to think they belong to a different planet / species.  Not taking Milk from cows?  But it's not something I ever discuss with veggie / vegan friends, it's just one of those unsaid things "hmm, you implicitly think I am a murderer". 

 

Edited by Rodders
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Fake meats are very hit or miss. I can't get on with a lot of Quorn stuff, but their fajita strips are absolutely delicious.

Linda McCartney's stuff is typically very good as well. We had a vegan barbecue (I know) a few weeks ago, and my other half's meat eating family were impressed with the quarter pounders and sausages. And they're not a tactful or polite bunch. ;) 

I typically stick to more whole foods though, rather than cramming every meal full of fake meats. I think the trick is to broaden your horizons and substitute meals, not just eat exactly the same thing, but swapping out your steak for some Quorn. 

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1 minute ago, Rodders said:

Veganism - absolutely no chance, I just don't understand it. Not taking honey from bees? I mean what? At that kind of level it seems some Vegans seem to think they belong to a different planet / species.  Not taking Milk from cows? Just mad. But it's not something I ever discuss with veggie / vegan friends, it's just one of those unsaid things "hmm, you implicitly think I am a murderer". 

 

I mean there will always be the extremes in these groups that think stuff like that.But tarring all vegans with that brush is pretty harsh.

Most just don't believe that we should use animal products at all and there are some pretty compelling arguments as to why.

The dairy think for example is due to a hell of a lot of cruelty in the dairy farm industry (and I have family who own dairy farms so it's hard for me to criticise). I'm sure if everyone had their own cow who they took care of and got milk from themselves then (most) vegans wouldn't care so much. But it's not the case.

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