I've been a veggie since I was fourteen years old and love it… but I was curious to see how my readers felt about the vegetarian diet. I asked a few of them to discuss the issue…
Lillie says:
I've been veggie for just over a month. I'd been thinking of going veggie for a while, as I find the idea of killing and eating animals wrong. I was too scared to say I wanted to be vegetarian so I cut out all meats but chicken, pork and fish, and finally asked my parents if I could go veggie. They were hesitant at first but they soon adjusted - I think they just want to be sure I am eating a balanced diet. They've been great, cooking me some delicious things, so I haven't missed meat at all. My brother and sister tease me a bit, waving a sausage under my nose now and then… my brother even threatened to disown me, but he was just mucking around - I hope! They think it's a big joke but I think they'll respect me once they know I'm serious about it. My friends teased me a bit too; none of them thought I would keep it up, and I even had a bet with one of them! I am determined, though - I will stick with my beliefs.
Fay says:
That seems cool, Lillie… but there are many reasons I am not a veggie:
1/ I don't eat vegetables. No, seriously, I hate them all except peas.
2/ I don't eat fruit either.
3/ I can't imagine a roast dinner without meat.
I think vegetarians have a good idea but I could never be one, even though I only eat a few sorts of meat - fish, chicken and pork. I am pretty sure that in the cave-man days nobody was veggie - I am not saying one way is wrong and another right, just that we were designed to be meat eaters in my opinion. The longest I have ever gone without meat is four days, at a school camp - I didn't eat anything except a packet of crisps each day because I didn't like the food. As a result I got super-cold and had to be given a hot chocolate and a packet of chocolate mints (torture because I hate mints, but still…) to give me extra calories. I don't think I'm fussy at all, but I do have a strict policy - I won't eat something I don't like!
Lillie says:
I totally respect your opinion, Fay. I thought it would be hard to be veggie but there are lots of replacements for meat which taste similar or even better than the original. I agree that we were most likely made to eat meat to give us the protein we need, however we have plenty of other ways now to get the calories we need. You also need to eat fruit and vegetables to be fit and healthy and though cavemen did eat meat they also had to eat their greens! Now that I am veggie I find I like some vegetables I didn't like before, which makes it easier. there's such a huge variety of vegetables you are bound to find something you like! It's not all vegetables, either - I love rice, pasta, couscous and all sorts of beans and pulses. My dad makes a great moussaka with soya mince and who doesn't like a jacket potato with cheese or beans? I totally agree about not eating anything I don't like, but for me this means I can't imagine eating something I like and want to protect!
Rhia says:
A vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat, poultry or in some cases fish. I do eat fish as it is good for you, so strictly speaking I am what is called a 'pescetarian'. This is something I have always wanted to try and it has been on/off for years, but I have now stuck to it properly for seven or eight months. It started when I saw a book in the library about being vegetarian - it described how animals were bred for food and how they were treated and how they were slaughtered. Let's just say it wasn't pleasant at all. I went off meat there and then and told my parents the same night; they accepted it pretty well. I've managed fine since then; I eat a lot of quorn… most quorn products are really nice.
Aimear says:
Well done, Rhia… it must be hard giving up foods you've been used to eating! I'm eleven and I've been vegan all my life… that means I am a very strict veggie, I don't eat any meat, fish, dairy or eggs. Why? My parents are vegan and so it seemed natural for all of us to be; and also because of all those poor little animals who are slaughtered and sent to supermarkets and end up on our plates just because people want to eat meat. They haven't done anything wrong and we don't need to eat them. Unfortunately, people have a bit of a block about eating vegan food but it's delicious - really! I love being vegan!
Rhia says:
Wow, that's strict! I wouldn't last a week without dairy or eggs, but I can see the logic in a way. I might try some proper vegan food in the future. Do people ever try to tease you about being vegan?
Aimear says:
I don't mind being strict, but I am realistic as well. Where I have the choice, I don't wear leather, but there have been a few occasions where I didn't have any option… I am not going to beat myself up about that. Sometimes people at school try to get me to change my views by telling me how nice meat is, but that doesn't work, obviously! Sometimes I have a vegan chocolate bar and they'll tease me and say I can't eat it, but that's just a bit of fun. I can eat chocolate and Mum makes great vegan cakes… I am happy with my way of life. It's a part of who I am!
Cathy says:
I love how Lillie, Fay, Rhia and Aimear have all been so positive and accepting of each other… how cool? Over to you now - could YOU ever be veggie? Or vegan? Why… or why not? COMMENT BELOW to have YOUR say!
I've been veggie for just over a month. I'd been thinking of going veggie for a while, as I find the idea of killing and eating animals wrong. I was too scared to say I wanted to be vegetarian so I cut out all meats but chicken, pork and fish, and finally asked my parents if I could go veggie. They were hesitant at first but they soon adjusted - I think they just want to be sure I am eating a balanced diet. They've been great, cooking me some delicious things, so I haven't missed meat at all. My brother and sister tease me a bit, waving a sausage under my nose now and then… my brother even threatened to disown me, but he was just mucking around - I hope! They think it's a big joke but I think they'll respect me once they know I'm serious about it. My friends teased me a bit too; none of them thought I would keep it up, and I even had a bet with one of them! I am determined, though - I will stick with my beliefs.
That seems cool, Lillie… but there are many reasons I am not a veggie:
1/ I don't eat vegetables. No, seriously, I hate them all except peas.
2/ I don't eat fruit either.
3/ I can't imagine a roast dinner without meat.
I think vegetarians have a good idea but I could never be one, even though I only eat a few sorts of meat - fish, chicken and pork. I am pretty sure that in the cave-man days nobody was veggie - I am not saying one way is wrong and another right, just that we were designed to be meat eaters in my opinion. The longest I have ever gone without meat is four days, at a school camp - I didn't eat anything except a packet of crisps each day because I didn't like the food. As a result I got super-cold and had to be given a hot chocolate and a packet of chocolate mints (torture because I hate mints, but still…) to give me extra calories. I don't think I'm fussy at all, but I do have a strict policy - I won't eat something I don't like!
I totally respect your opinion, Fay. I thought it would be hard to be veggie but there are lots of replacements for meat which taste similar or even better than the original. I agree that we were most likely made to eat meat to give us the protein we need, however we have plenty of other ways now to get the calories we need. You also need to eat fruit and vegetables to be fit and healthy and though cavemen did eat meat they also had to eat their greens! Now that I am veggie I find I like some vegetables I didn't like before, which makes it easier. there's such a huge variety of vegetables you are bound to find something you like! It's not all vegetables, either - I love rice, pasta, couscous and all sorts of beans and pulses. My dad makes a great moussaka with soya mince and who doesn't like a jacket potato with cheese or beans? I totally agree about not eating anything I don't like, but for me this means I can't imagine eating something I like and want to protect!
Rhia says:A vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat, poultry or in some cases fish. I do eat fish as it is good for you, so strictly speaking I am what is called a 'pescetarian'. This is something I have always wanted to try and it has been on/off for years, but I have now stuck to it properly for seven or eight months. It started when I saw a book in the library about being vegetarian - it described how animals were bred for food and how they were treated and how they were slaughtered. Let's just say it wasn't pleasant at all. I went off meat there and then and told my parents the same night; they accepted it pretty well. I've managed fine since then; I eat a lot of quorn… most quorn products are really nice.
Well done, Rhia… it must be hard giving up foods you've been used to eating! I'm eleven and I've been vegan all my life… that means I am a very strict veggie, I don't eat any meat, fish, dairy or eggs. Why? My parents are vegan and so it seemed natural for all of us to be; and also because of all those poor little animals who are slaughtered and sent to supermarkets and end up on our plates just because people want to eat meat. They haven't done anything wrong and we don't need to eat them. Unfortunately, people have a bit of a block about eating vegan food but it's delicious - really! I love being vegan!
Rhia says:
Wow, that's strict! I wouldn't last a week without dairy or eggs, but I can see the logic in a way. I might try some proper vegan food in the future. Do people ever try to tease you about being vegan?
Aimear says:
I don't mind being strict, but I am realistic as well. Where I have the choice, I don't wear leather, but there have been a few occasions where I didn't have any option… I am not going to beat myself up about that. Sometimes people at school try to get me to change my views by telling me how nice meat is, but that doesn't work, obviously! Sometimes I have a vegan chocolate bar and they'll tease me and say I can't eat it, but that's just a bit of fun. I can eat chocolate and Mum makes great vegan cakes… I am happy with my way of life. It's a part of who I am!
Cathy says:
I love how Lillie, Fay, Rhia and Aimear have all been so positive and accepting of each other… how cool? Over to you now - could YOU ever be veggie? Or vegan? Why… or why not? COMMENT BELOW to have YOUR say!
When I was in year 2, my friend went veggie so I copied. I was veggie for about a week until we had a roast dinner. From then, 6 year old me was a "chicken eating vegetarian. About 3 days later, I gave up!
ReplyDeleteI have been a vegetarian for three years.
ReplyDeleteI am a person who protests and feels strongly about testing on animals, cruelty to animals and killing animals.
The animal doesn't get a choice, and most of the animals are kept in terrible inhuman conditions. I don't do dissections at school either. I hear people say "Oh my gosh, you're crazy! Bacon is life" or "being veggie won't change a thing". However, less innocent creatures will be killed. And p.s., bacon is not life, it is an innocent pig's life you have just taken. And Fay, you don't like vegetables, but vegetarians eat lentils, grains, rice, etc. Not just vegetables.
Cathy, you are vegetarian, right? Or maybe vegan? I remeber you saying one time, but I can't remember which one...
ReplyDeleteI think I could be vegetarian if I wanted to, but I could never be vegan, (no offense to anyone who is vegan) even though I don't like eggs, I could never live without normal chocolate....
ReplyDeletevegetarians for life! #animals#deserve#life been veggo for years and would never go back,
ReplyDeleteI would love to be vegan but I can't because I won't last a day with out meat but keep up the good work Arabella
ReplyDeleteI'm not a vegetarian but I don't eat some meats for religious beliefs. I think it's really cool that some people are vegetarian and vegan, I don't really like chunks of meat though and I prefer just a little meat rather than it being the main staple of my meal! Hamdi:)xxx
ReplyDeleteMy sister tried to be a vegetarian once - ridiculous as she doesn't eat vegetables - and managed for less than four hours when we had chicken kievs. She insists to this day that she was veggie for 3 months but I saw her shovelling Haribo sweets into her mouth and eating microwave chicken burgers. Her sense of time seems very warped. I've been vegetarian for almost exactly 6 years now and there's only been a few slip ups (my brother made mince pies in HE and I asked him if they were vegetarian. He said they were so I took one. The next day, he asked the HE teacher and it turned out there was pork suet in the fruit mixture) but I've never voluntarily eaten meat since then. Why would I? I've always loved my vegetables with the exception of peas and potatoes in some forms and there's so many delicious veggie options in the supermarkets - I don't have to stick to food listed as veggie either. Anything with a suitable for vegetarians symbol is good. I'm not dead yet so I must be pretty healthy.
ReplyDeleteBlue. :-)
Everyone's point of view is well argued, I wondered if Lillie would keep it up and as her Mum is makes cooking meals a little more difficult but she has stuck to it for over two months and I believe she will continue. Her views are clear, she doesn't eat animals, I respect her and love her committment <3
ReplyDeletei've been veggie all my life and sometimes i want to try meat but i kind of get scared so i have never tried it
ReplyDeleteomni xxx
When the time is right omni you will feel like trying meat but keep up the great work and you can do- when the time is right good luck
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to go and be a chocolate eating but my mum is on her own with three kids and when I told her I wanted to be a chocolate eating vegan she never took me seriously and told me if I wanted to be a chocolate eating vegan I would have to cook my own meals
And since I'm not very good at Cooking I gave the chcolate eating vegan idear a pass good luck to wannabe vega and veggies :-) !!!