Turning Vegetarian

[All Seeing Eye]

I keep wanting to turn vegetarian, you don't know just how hard I find it though. I hate the suffering animals go through during slaughter etc, I love animals immensely but I was brought up on meat and I find it difficult to get off the stuff.
The main problem i'm having is that i'm not fond of vegetarian food, most vegi foods consist of broccoli (which I don't like) or melted cheese (which sends my stomach acid crazy) in some form or another and the price of Vegi food is unbelievably high compared to other none vegi products.
Oh and I don't like Quorn, it tastes horrid and the thought of eating fungus repulses me and apparently Soya is bad for men.

Help me turn Vegi!! What can I do!!

 

[WillsBabe]

I love veggie food. It's the reason I'm mainly veggie. I prefer vegetarian food to non-veggie. It must be hard to give up meat if you love the taste, and I admire anyone who gives it up on ethical grounds when they love the taste. Maybe you should do it in increments? Also, what about finding out about vegetarian foods. There are loads and loads, probably limitless variations of them. Check out a cook book, or a vege restaurant to see what's on offer.

When you say that veggie food is unbelieveably high compared to non-veggie, are you talking about ready meals,or something? That hasn't been my experience at all. I find it less expensive. Beans, pulses are all less expensive than meat, where I live.

 

[kimc]

Well I'm not a vegetarian but if this is something you feel strongly about then perhaps you can take it in phases? For example, first you can give up beef and pork. Then just stick with fish, etc.

As for broccoli there's a whole world of green veggie goodness out there besides broccoli. Perhaps a good book on eating vegetarian can point you to some of them. Also, there are other ways to get the benefits of dairy without melted cheese.

 

[TheBrew]

Meat is Good. Meat is Great. Meat is your Friend.



Seriously, try veggie patties. I am not a vegetarian by any stretch (I tried it for a week), but I will gladly eat veggie patties with tomatoes, lettuce, onions and ketchup.

 

[Kestra]

Experiment with other ethnic cuisines as well. I know I get bored with vegetarian food here but I rarely eat any meat when I'm in India because everything is quite delicious without it.

Also be aware that you may need to broaden your tastes a bit, and don't be afraid to try new things. Do some research and get a good vegetarian cookbook. Vegetarian food absolutely does not consist of broccoli and melted cheese! Try all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables and don't fall into the pasta and cheese routine that many do.

I'm not vegetarian and I don't think I ever could be, but I've been trying to cut down on meat and I find that preparing my own meals helps, because I can adjust recipes to suit my own tastes.

 

[backstept]

Meat is Good. Meat is Great. Meat is your Friend.



Seriously, try veggie patties. I am not a vegetarian by any stretch (I tried it for a week), but I will gladly eat veggie patties with tomatoes, lettuce, onions and ketchup.

indeed!
I used to get Amy's Veggie Burgers once in a while . . . I'm an omnivore, but they're yummy enough to please a meat eater like me

of course they don't taste like, or come anywhere close to approximating burgers, but it's a different hearty taste

 

[RobertVA]

I keep wanting to turn vegetarian, you don't know just how hard I find it though. I hate the suffering animals go through during slaughter etc, I love animals immensely but I was brought up on meat and I find it difficult to get off the stuff.
The main problem i'm having is that i'm not fond of vegetarian food, most vegi foods consist of broccoli (which I don't like) or melted cheese (which sends my stomach acid crazy) in some form or another and the price of Vegi food is unbelievably high compared to other none vegi products.
Oh and I don't like Quorn, it tastes horrid and the thought of eating fungus repulses me and apparently Soya is bad for men.

Help me turn Vegi!! What can I do!!

The problem with "cheese" might be that it might not actually be a dairy product (or have a large quantity of non-dairy content). Some of the "cheese" sold today contains quite a bit of vegetable oil, assorted chemicals and a little powdered milk among the "natural flavorings".

While it might be briefly stressful for the livestock at the slaughterhouse I'm pretty sure the medical problems of old age or some illness are going to result in days or weeks of unpleasentness. When seeing how the close relatives of common human food animals fare when taken by natural predators that looks worse than the slaughterhouse too. Humans aren't by any streach of the imagination the only omnivores around and would probably still be a few thousand naked hominids picking wild berrys and digging roots if our ancestors hadn't aquired extra protein competing with the local lions and tigers for the local herd animals.

 

[Captain Intrepid]

The problem with "cheese" might be that it might not actually be a dairy product (or have a large quantity of non-dairy content). Some of the "cheese" sold today contains quite a bit of vegetable oil, assorted chemicals and a little powdered milk among the "natural flavorings".

We call that processed cheese, or American cheese, and it really isn't. Cheese I mean.

 

[Captain X]

Help me turn Vegi!! What can I do!!

Suffer all kinds of medical problems because you are lacking nutrients you body needs (humans are omnivorous, after all) and starve for turning your nose up at food nature has provided you.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

Suffer all kinds of medical problems because you are lacking nutrients you body needs

What would I be lacking other than protein which I can get elsewhere anyway?

 

[Alaedhros]

Help me turn Vegi!! What can I do!!

Suffer all kinds of medical problems because you are lacking nutrients you body needs (humans are omnivorous, after all) and starve for turning your nose up at food nature has provided you.

Think, then post. In that order!

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

Humans are on top of the food chain. Our bodies are meant to eat a combination of meat and vegetables. Restricting yourself to just one is both unnatural and unhealthy. Animal flesh contains complex enzymes and proteins that cannot be efficiently obtained by other means.

In short: meat comsumption is critical to a healthy, balanced diet. Alternatives are a poor substitute. Eat meat.

 

[1001001]

If God didn't want us to eat animals, why did He make them out of meat???

Think about it.


Our teenage daughter went vegetarian years ago. It's a pain in the ass, but it's her decision and we support her the best we can. Lots of eggs and peanut butter for protein.

She eats a lot of pasta and fruit. Veggie pot pies, broccoli Hot Pockets, stuff like that.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I keep wanting to turn vegetarian, you don't know just how hard I find it though. I hate the suffering animals go through during slaughter etc, I love animals immensely but I was brought up on meat and I find it difficult to get off the stuff.
The main problem i'm having is that i'm not fond of vegetarian food, most vegi foods consist of broccoli (which I don't like) or melted cheese (which sends my stomach acid crazy) in some form or another and the price of Vegi food is unbelievably high compared to other none vegi products.
Oh and I don't like Quorn, it tastes horrid and the thought of eating fungus repulses me and apparently Soya is bad for men.

Help me turn Vegi!! What can I do!!

As has already been pointed out, meat and meat products contain nutrients that we need for survival. It's really not a good idea to avoid it altogether.

And if you're doing it simply because you love animals...don't do that, either. (The fact that you don't like "veggie" food does seem to indicate you're having second thoughts.) There is a food chain operating on this planet. It's entirely natural for us to eat animals. That's simply the way things are. Animals routinely eat *each other*, so why should we not eat them?

This is not to say that we should *abuse* animals, of course. Far from it. But the mere fact that we kill animals for food is not something to be ashamed of. It's what every animal does. And provided it's done reasonably humanely, I don't see a problem with it.

Ron White (comedian) said it best: "I didn't claw myself to the top of the fuckin' food chain to eat CARROTS!"

 

[blablover5]

Experiment with other ethnic cuisines as well. I know I get bored with vegetarian food here but I rarely eat any meat when I'm in India because everything is quite delicious without it.

Also be aware that you may need to broaden your tastes a bit, and don't be afraid to try new things. Do some research and get a good vegetarian cookbook. Vegetarian food absolutely does not consist of broccoli and melted cheese! Try all sorts of fresh fruits and vegetables and don't fall into the pasta and cheese routine that many do.

I'm not vegetarian and I don't think I ever could be, but I've been trying to cut down on meat and I find that preparing my own meals helps, because I can adjust recipes to suit my own tastes.

Oh man Indian vegetarian dishes are wonderful. So flavorful and decadent. I think when Lent comes around this year we'll probably head to our favorite Indian resturant every friday. At least it means I won't have to attempt mac and cheese again.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I don't buy that whole animals eat animals argument. With great power comes great responsibility, so in this situation that means that with intelligence we have the ability to consciously decide whether it's right to kill animals and eat them or not. Our ancestors didn't have the intelligence to work out that it is wrong, other animals aren't intelligent enough to know that it's wrong.

Humans right now have the intelligence to realise it is wrong and do something about it...... turn vegi.

 

[Captain Intrepid]

I don't mind eating vegies. Their meatless diet makes them especially tasty, especially with some fava beans and a nice chianti,

 

[Goliath]

Our ancestors didn't have the intelligence to work out that it is wrong, other animals aren't intelligent enough to know that it's wrong.

You heard it here first, folks: lions and tigers only eat meat because they aren't smart enough to realize that what they're doing is wrong.

Humans right now have the intelligence to realise it is wrong and do something about it...... turn vegi.

Typical vegetarian arrogance. "People only eat meat because they're not smart enough to realize that what they're doing is wrong."

But, hey: it's a free country; good luck with that lifestyle choice.

 

[c0rnedfr0g]

We're talking about animals here, not people. And we don't even eat the most intelligent animals. What's the difference between a deer, a cow, and a fish? Intelligence? Cuteness? Where do you draw the line on the evolutionary tree of what is OK to kill and what isn't? What about a fish and a shrimp, or a worm? How about fungus, an amoeba, or even bacteria? Plants are more evolved than some of these. What would you rather kill, a 100 yr old Redwood or a weed in your backyard? Where do you draw the line, and who says who should be able to make those determinations? Do you disagree that all life is not precious? Who are you to decide what is worthy of living free of human destruction and what isn't?

Moral implications aside, the importance of eating meat is basic biology.

 

[Captain Intrepid]

What's the difference between a deer, a cow, and a fish? Intelligence? Cuteness?

I'm glad we don't eat animals on account of the fact that they're ugly. I'd be fucked.