Vegetarians?

[AnnaB]

How many of you are vegetarian?

I'm not

Follow on from Phil's post

[Tania]

Semi... my husband is - has been for 30 years, but the rest of us do eat meat from time to time - however I couldn't buy or eat chicken ever again. That's just since we got the girls.

It is making me think about where all of our meat comes from - what sort of a life the animals have had. We've got a local organic farm (one of the fields borders our garden) and we see the animals and buy from the farm shop - the meat is expensive (compared to the supermarkets) but we don't have meat every day and I buy the cheaper cuts. The flavour and quality is far better than the top end of the supermarket range, except for perhaps Waitrose.

[AnnaB]

Tania

Glad to hear it you thinking about quality rather than quantity. I buy some from the butcher who can trace his meat. I buy chicken and pork from a small farm 20 miles away where you can see his animals.

I could not believe the methods used in so called farming when I came across them and what for? Food should be respected and not cheap. It is better if small portions of good quality meat are served with lots of vegetables, that way the cost of a meal is not prohibitive.

We do have non-meat days through choice.

[morph]

I am, but I'm a convert for about 3 years now.

I've always been an animal lover, and always wanted to be a vet (alas, not enough brains)

I always felt guilty for eating meat, and as my parents weren't the most forward thinking of people, didn't dare ask if I could become vegetarian, and the fact was, I wouldn't have known what to eat, as it was still the era of rabbit munchers!!

Anyway, lived my life as a semi-carnivore - didn't really eat meat much, unless it was thrust upon me at a family Sunday lunch - but did enjoy the odd fillet steak with gorgonzola - hmmmm

Then one day, when I'd asked for veggie lasagne, or bean hotpot, or pasta instead of a slab of meat - and I was met with - oh we don't know how to cook that, so I went vegetarian
Now - don't get me wrong, this wasn't the reason, but in fact the catalyst, as I'd always slave over a sunday roast for the family, and something veggie for me. Becoming veggies was the only way they'd cook food I like. Although I haven' been to my father-in-laws for a meal since, as I refuse to cook my own, and he says he doesn't know what to cook. Hence, he hasn't been here, because if he won't make the effort - neither will I!!!! No animosity, just an unspoken thingy!!!

Anyway, the guilt has now subsided, and although free range and humanly reared products are now more readily available, I'm happy as I am, and can't abide the smell of some meats now - odd really!!

I feel I should have done it years ago, and don't feel I could go back - and to those who think I'm weird - well they can stuff it!!!!

My hubby is a strict carnivore (rraaaaaa!!) and that's fine with me - only thing I ask is that he buys humanely reared meat - people ask how I cope with cooking his meat - well I wouldn't mind at all - but the fact is, he's a grown man and can cook for himself!!!

[Speckledhen]

I'm veggie and have been for 19 years, just gave it a try after a passing comment by a friend and haven't eaten meat since! Don't miss it at all.

Equally I don't have a problem with other people around me eating meat (my husband and children eat it), as long as people respect my views and don't take the mickey!

Michele

[melons]

Veggie, & have been for 23 years, OH is a dedicated carnivore, but ony buys meat from our butcher, who is also a slaughter house, it's all local meat & hasn't been dragged kicking & screaming all round the country & spreading disease.
I just could never ever eat it again, I'd rather eat human, there's plenty of spare on some of them
My dad used to bury our pets, then when we'd gone to bed, dig it up & cook it, he was one desperate sole who would kill & eat anything, & produced x2 vegetarian daughters, sort of stays with you that does, there'd be disturbed earth the next day, where fluffy the rabbit "had" been
Only bunnies & edible stuff, not the dog

[ged]

:mrgreen:
Hi,I am a carnivore who wants to raise and eat his own meat.I do have veggie days and have no problem with eating either as long as it is raised to organic standards,mainly my own in the near future.
atb
ged

[Richard]

I'm not vegetarian but will always pay attention to what I'm buying.

[heebiejeebie]

I'm an ex-veggie.

[ged]

:mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Hi Heebie,
glad 2 see another night owl on the boards!How long were you a veggie for and what made you go back to meat munching please?I think your plots and plans is really good!
atb
ged

[heebiejeebie]

Ta! I get insomnia now and then and I have to get up, drink herbal tea and do neutral things until I feel tired.

I was a veggie from the age of about 14 until I was about 25. My reason?... ahem... hope she's not reading this... but my mum's not good at cooking meat. When I went to Uni I couldn't afford decent meat so continued to be veggie. By then it was a bit of a habit! I went back after I discovered that properly done meat is really nice (a good steak flash fried or a joint slow cooked for most of the day... mmm...)