Thinking of going vegetarian

[Steve Kroll]

I don't know what you would call this...political reasons maybe? The more I learn about slaughterhouse practices and other treatment of animals (i.e. lab testing, etc) the more I feel bad about eating meat.

You sound a little like me, though I'm not sure I would call my own reasons "political". Without going into too many of the gory details, let's just I just don't like some of the industrial agriculture practices used to produce meat for the masses. I don't think it's healthy for the animals or the people eating them.

I've never given up on meat, though I have cut down on it significantly and started buying it from what I consider to be better sources. Rather than get meat at the supermarket, I now buy it direct from the farm. And when I can't get that, I buy it at a co-op that sells locally raised meat from smaller farmers. If it's beef or lamb, I only buy 100% grass fed. Yes, it is more expensive, but I also feel it's more humanely raised and healthier. And because it's more expensive I don't eat as much of it.

Whereas my wife and I used to each down a 12 ounce steak in a single sitting, we now take an 8 ounce steak, cut it in half and eat 4 ounces each - all surrounded with lots of veggies. That, and a couple of eggs or some yogurt in the morning is all the animal based protein we eat in a single day.

Two days a week we eliminate the animal protein altogether and have a veggie protein day. Usually it's some sort of bean or tofu dish.

We've also upped our veggie intake overall.

Everyone has to do what they feel is right for themselves, but my suggestion is that if you like meat, eat it. Otherwise you'll always feel like you are missing something. But maybe just strive to make better choices, and replace some of that meat with fruits and vegetables.

 

[Claire]

There used to be a doctor on a TV News program (don't remember which channel, his name was Rosen-something) who advocated "meatless Mondays". I think that for a lot of people, simply taking a period, be it a day of the week, or maybe going meatless except for celebrations, being meatless at home, but at restaurants or other peoples' homes, or as a friend recently wrote to me, she takes a period of time here or there, months usually, and goes vegan for that period, works. It "healthies-up" their diets, with out overwhelming their lifestyles and putting undue stress on the primary cook in their lives, their hosts, and when they do eat out.

A few years ago a daughter of a friend decided to "go vegan" without really knowing what it meant as a dedicated lifestyle. Because I'd done that interview a long time ago, I knew more about it than she. We'd had a potluck, and she asked if a dip I made was vegan and I started to say yes. Then clocked myself mentally, made a decision, and told her, no, it contains worcestershire sauce. She had no idea that was a no-no. (And when I explained, she didn't have the dip; I didn't know she was a vegan, or I'd have left it out).

 

[Wynter]

There used to be a doctor on a TV News program (don't remember which channel, his name was Rosen-something) who advocated "meatless Mondays". I think that for a lot of people, simply taking a period, be it a day of the week, or maybe going meatless except for celebrations, being meatless at home, but at restaurants or other peoples' homes, or as a friend recently wrote to me, she takes a period of time here or there, months usually, and goes vegan for that period, works. It "healthies-up" their diets, with out overwhelming their lifestyles and putting undue stress on the primary cook in their lives, their hosts, and when they do eat out.

A few years ago a daughter of a friend decided to "go vegan" without really knowing what it meant as a dedicated lifestyle. Because I'd done that interview a long time ago, I knew more about it than she. We'd had a potluck, and she asked if a dip I made was vegan and I started to say yes. Then clocked myself mentally, made a decision, and told her, no, it contains worcestershire sauce. She had no idea that was a no-no. (And when I explained, she didn't have the dip; I didn't know she was a vegan, or I'd have left it out).

It's very important that people know what it means to be a vegetarian or vegan before getting into it. Sadly for many it's just a trend instead of life investment.

 

[CWS4322]

I make 2-3 "meatless" meals every week. It is not so much a choice to not eat meat, just that we have so many veggies, that adding some legumes (chick peas, lentils, beans) replaces the meat. It saves on the grocery bill <g>.

 

[FrankZ]

I make 2-3 "meatless" meals every week. It is not so much a choice to not eat meat, just that we have so many veggies, that adding some legumes (chick peas, lentils, beans) replaces the meat. It saves on the grocery bill <g>.

I try to make a meal each week that includes a vegetable. Keeps Kathleen from whining...

 

[Bacardi1]

Even if you don't plan on becoming a vegetarian, it really isn't that difficult to eat one or two "meatless" meals a week.

Pasta with any variety of meatless sauces, pizza minus meat, grilled cheese or grilled veggie & cheese sandwiches & tomato soup, etc., etc. - are all items in many totally non-vegetarian menus.

Start with them & expand as you investigate all the many vegetarian options available to you that you think your family might enjoy.

 

[PJKirk]

Vegetarian

You need to do some extensive research on this subject. Pros and Cons. I have serveral friends that are vegetarians but I know one that is having a lot of health issues from this lifestyle.

Please read below
The late Stephen Byrnes, PhD, RNCP, wrote an article in the Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients that dispelled many "myths" about the benefits of vegetarianism. In it he said, "many of the vegetarian claims cannot be substantiated and some are simply false and dangerous. There are benefits to vegetarian diets for certain health conditions, and some people function better on less fat and protein, but, as a practitioner who has dealt with several former vegetarians and vegans (total vegetarians), I know full well the dangerous effects of a diet devoid of healthful animal products."what one PHD's has to say. A lot has to do with the persons body chemistry and make up.

 

[Harry Cobean]

I don't know what you would call this...political reasons maybe? The more I learn about slaughterhouse practices and other treatment of animals (i.e. lab testing, etc) the more I feel bad about eating meat.

I agree that you need some sort of protein with your meals and this is where I need to do more reading. I just thought I could substitute with stuff like beans and tofu or gluten. (?) I am the primary cook in the house so I have to factor stuff like that in as well.

Thanks for you input guys!

lets put a spin on this htc.....think outside the box.if your main objection is the slaughterhouse practices and,i guess,factory farming etc then why not buy free range & organic meats? true it is more expensive & harder to find the same range(at the moment) but usually(over here anyway) animal welfare & husbandry is to a far far higher standard on these farms than in a factory environment.as more & more people do this the industry grows & prices come down on the economies of scale,thus putting pressure on the factory farmers to either up standards to compete or shut down.a simplistic/idealistic view maybe but,over here,the price of free range/organic meats/eggs/dairy & veg have tumbled over the last few years for this reason.you see more & more shopping baskets with these products in them in the supermarket & the standard range produce all have animal welfare standard stickers on them.there is a greater range of free range/organic & barn eggs on the shelves than standard eggs.hellmans mayo & mcdonalds only use free range eggs & mcdonalds drinks only use organic milk(not sure if it's the same in the states).it can work!
what i'm really saying is that giving up meat for that reason isn't going to help the animals that will continue to be raised & slaughtered in the most horrific fashion.
but,that's just my opinion...........

 

[Harry Cobean]

You sound a little like me, though I'm not sure I would call my own reasons "political". Without going into too many of the gory details, let's just I just don't like some of the industrial agriculture practices used to produce meat for the masses. I don't think it's healthy for the animals or the people eating them.

I've never given up on meat, though I have cut down on it significantly and started buying it from what I consider to be better sources. Rather than get meat at the supermarket, I now buy it direct from the farm. And when I can't get that, I buy it at a co-op that sells locally raised meat from smaller farmers. If it's beef or lamb, I only buy 100% grass fed. Yes, it is more expensive, but I also feel it's more humanely raised and healthier. And because it's more expensive I don't eat as much of it.

Whereas my wife and I used to each down a 12 ounce steak in a single sitting, we now take an 8 ounce steak, cut it in half and eat 4 ounces each - all surrounded with lots of veggies. That, and a couple of eggs or some yogurt in the morning is all the animal based protein we eat in a single day.

Two days a week we eliminate the animal protein altogether and have a veggie protein day. Usually it's some sort of bean or tofu dish.

We've also upped our veggie intake overall.

Everyone has to do what they feel is right for themselves, but my suggestion is that if you like meat, eat it. Otherwise you'll always feel like you are missing something. But maybe just strive to make better choices, and replace some of that meat with fruits and vegetables.

sorry steve,read your post after i'd posted mine.guess we're mostly singing off the same hymn sheet on this one!

 

[no mayonnaise]

I've been a vegetarian for maybe six months now. It can be challenging at times, but overall it's not too bad. I've always gravitated towards vegetarian food anyway so it's been a pretty easy change for me. However, I'm not a full vegetarian since I still do eat seafood, though I try and keep it to shellfish and cephalopods vs. bony fish. I think seafood is one of the healthiest things you can eat and I can't really have any moral qualms with eating fish, especially shellfish and cephalopods. Like, how cruel can it possibly be to eat a mussel or a clam? They don't even have brains, and barely a real nervous system.

 

[Harry Cobean]

I've been a vegetarian for maybe six months now. It can be challenging at times, but overall it's not too bad. I've always gravitated towards vegetarian food anyway so it's been a pretty easy change for me. However, I'm not a full vegetarian since I still do eat seafood, though I try and keep it to shellfish and cephalopods vs. bony fish. I think seafood is one of the healthiest things you can eat and I can't really have any moral qualms with eating fish, especially shellfish and cephalopods. Like, how cruel can it possibly be to eat a mussel or a clam? They don't even have brains, and barely a real nervous system.

hey mayo
guess you could say that about an awful lot of people but i guess it'd still be slightly rude to drop 'em alive & kickin' into a pot of boiling water......or maybe not!!
problem with a lot of fish/shellfish that you buy these days is that it is farmed to keep costs down & a lot of antibiotics/hormones are pumped into the water to speed up growth & prevent disease in confined quarters.brings you back to what steve & i said about free range/organic etc.i eat a lot of fish/seafood but try to buy wild,sustainably sourced or organically farmed whenever/wherever possible.
so,if you notice a second head starting to grow out of your left shoulder either go easy on the farmed shrimp or keep eating & you've gotta friend for life........!

 

[Bacardi1]

I also think the REASONS why one wants to go vegetarian make a big difference in how difficult &/or how intensely one must scrutinize ones choices.

If you're doing it for health reasons only, than there really isn't a serious need to cut out eggs or to heavily scrutinize ingredients in sauces, etc. And if you do occasionally enjoy a seafood or meat meal, it's not going to kill you (although it may make you unpopular with other vegetarians - lol).

If you're doing it for ethical reasons, well then you really have to put your nose to the grindstone to be sure you're not consuming any product that contains anything animal-based. This includes such common items as Worcestershire sauce, Asian fish sauce, non-vegetable-stock-based soups, etc., etc., & can make restaurant dining iffy unless one frequents reputable vegetarian restaurants where absolutely no animal products - no matter how small - are used. For instance, while these days it's relatively easy to order a vegetarian selection at nearly any restaurant, unless the restaurant certifies the dish as 100% vegetarian/vegan, you'll never be absolutely sure re: sauces, salad dressings, as regular restaurants simply consider "vegetarian" as "non-meat" in it's most basic form, nothing else. It's just the way of the world.

 

[CWS4322]

I must admit, I like meat. That is what I cut into first on the plate. The DH starts with his veggies, ends with his meat. I end with my veggies. Perhaps he is a natural vegetarian, whereas I am not?

 

[Aunt Bea]

I am not a vegetarian and I do enjoy meat a few times a month. I am just turned off by the disgusting industry that is needed to support our meat eating habits. The pink slime company AFA was one of the largest producers of ground beef in the US, they produced 500,000,000 pounds of ground beef each year, yes 500 million pounds! My mind and body can't handle that, I need food that is produced on a more human scale. The small producers that I try to buy from are not perfect but, the problems they face are problems that I can understand. I get to look over the entire operation from the front door to the back door and I can see how things are done and how clean and organized things appear to be. It may not work for everyone but, so far it is working for me!

 

[Wynter]

Mayo - If your still eating seafood then technically you are not a vegetarian.

 

[no mayonnaise]

Right, which is why I said in my post "However, I'm not a full vegetarian since I still do eat seafood, though I try and keep it to shellfish and cephalopods vs. bony fish."

Technically I'm an "ovo-lacto pescetarian." But I hate using that phrase and having to explain it to people since most people have never heard that phrase before. I say vegetarian because it's usually easier on everyone involved. It also doesn't sound nearly as pretentious.
I don't eat farmed seafood if I can help it, though I've read that farmed mussels are better than wild.
Don't get me wrong, 95% of what I eat is fully vegetarian. But I don't exclude seafood from my diet.

 

[jusnikki]

I've been a vegetarian for maybe six months now. It can be challenging at times, but overall it's not too bad. I've always gravitated towards vegetarian food anyway so it's been a pretty easy change for me. However, I'm not a full vegetarian since I still do eat seafood, though I try and keep it to shellfish and cephalopods vs. bony fish. I think seafood is one of the healthiest things you can eat and I can't really have any moral qualms with eating fish, especially shellfish and cephalopods. Like, how cruel can it possibly be to eat a mussel or a clam? They don't even have brains, and barely a real nervous system.

I considered going vegetarian because of all the junk they put in meat. But I know it wouldn't last long. I'd be craving a burger before a week was out. Don't want to raise my own food because i don't have the time or patience. But I do know of a least one person who tried going vegetarian and it she said she didn't feel well most of the time. Maybe her body was craving those hormones and steroids they put in meat,

 

[Mel!]

But I'm not sure if I want becase of nutritional reasons: don't know how I would have to modify my diet to make sure I get the proper balance of nutrition. I personally like the taste of meat. I don't have to have it at every meal, but don't think it's gross to eat.

Anything I should think about as I consider this???

I have been a vegetarian since I was 11. About nutritional balance, well you need to have protein, carbohydrate, and fat in every meal, same as for non-vegetarians.

Try to learn how to make Indian food, if you dont already know how. There are really great Indian receipes for vegetarians, probably because there are traditionally a lot of vegetarians in India.

Getting enough iron in your diet can be a problem for some vegetarians. I dont seem to experience this problem, but if you do then dont drink coffee or tea close to meal times. And, be sure to include things containing vitimen C in meals, along with foods high in iron.

 

[Mel!]

Anything I should think about as I consider this???

One thing against becomming a vegetarian, is that you will have to put up with a few too many bad jokes about vegetarians on this site. The bad jokes are usually on some posters signatures.

 

[shokin]

Hello, everybody,

I didn't read the whole discussion and didn't want to open a new one.

Now I am vegetarian when I cook at home (I eat eggs, cheese, drink milk). When I eat at someone else, I don't refuse (except alcool sometimes).

What about if I try to become vegan ? What about proteins ? Lentils are good !