Switching to Vegetarianism (Finally)

[Vee]

Thanks for the offer! I may take you up on that.

Yes, I have a few friends who abstain from eating meat. They've already offered to help with recipes.

I completely agree about the social difficulties. Many restaurants where I live have little to no vegetarian food on their menus, and in the company of people one is not close to, refusing to eat meat could get you frowned upon (especially because of the notion I mentioned earlier, which is that one would be forbidding themselves from something that "God allowed for humans").

Be brave my friend. You might want to tell those people that God also allows them to be respectful and they shouldn't miss out on that opportunity.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Getting invited to people's houses for example. Everywhere I lived people don't consider a meal to be a meal if there's no meat or fish, which I find a little nuts but culture is culture and people have their habits... When you're the odd ball who doesn't eat that, it's tricky to tell people who were kind to invite you that you're not willing to eat the main course. It's also hard if you live with other people and you're the only vegetarian. The first time I was a vegetarian I was a teenager living in my parent's house and they were respectful, but I had to make something specially for me almost every meal because the rest of the family would be having meat or fish.

It's the exact same where I live. The common etiquette is that unless you're poor, it is considerably impolite to invite someone to dinner but not serve meat or fish.

 

[Debater Slayer]

Weird timing. :0)

I myself am being 'forced' into vegetarianism because of my health situation.

Can't say it's a complete bad thing as I know first hand now on how food can literally kill people who have heart and artery disease. Top that with diabetes and well. There it is.

Not much choice left anymore.

My doctor has put me on the Blue Zones diet.

Meat isn't completely forbidden but it's no longer a staple.

I can only consume 5 % and even that is discouraged.

It's going to be a difficult transition but even I admit that going vegetarian has some solid facts in its favor.

Already I had several veggie dishes that are actually quite good.

Best of luck with the transition, and I wish you good health!

 

[Vee]

It's the exact same where I live. The common etiquette is that unless you're poor, it is considerably impolite to invite someone to dinner but not serve meat or fish.

A few years ago I had a wine and cheese evening with a few friends at my place. I told everyone when I invited them that it was wine and cheese, which is something popular in France. There was a lot to eat: a variety of cheeses, fruit, breads and a few different wines. There was no way anyone would be hungry. About one our after we started eating and drinking, one of my friends asked "where is the food?". I was confused so I asked "what food? There's loads of food on the table", to which she answered "what about the meat? we can't have dinner without meat". It was an interesting evening and since that day, every time I invite her I add "there will be meat" to the message

 

[Vinayaka]

I heard what I thought was a funny quip last night. A Jeopardy contestant said she wasn't a vegetarian out of love for animals, but out of hatred for plants.

 

[Vinayaka]

I want one of those burgers now!
(just checked Tesco - probably the biggest UK supermarket - no black rice).

I googled riceberry to discover it's a hybrid of two black Thai rices.

 

[InChrist]

After years of considering the idea, I have started my attempt to transition to vegetarianism. I haven't found any argument that managed to alleviate my concerns about the abuses in industrial animal farming, slaughterhouses, and even many smaller farms.

I have nothing against meat eaters, though, and I believe there are ways to produce meat in a more sustainable and ethical manner than the ways commonly found in industrial farms. Still, this is the decision that aligns the most with my own conscience, so I'm going to attempt the transition.

I love meat and have eaten it my whole life, so I know this is going to be difficult. Thankfully, I have a few vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian friends, and they said they would give me recipes (including easy and affordable ones) to help me transition.

Another option is to buy healthy grass fed meat from a humane, sustainable local farmer. Nothing wrong with choosing to be vegetarian, though. Just make sure your diet provides needed essential amino acids and other nutrients like B12 and others which are harder to get with a meatless diet.

Vegans May Lack Essential Nutrient Intake - Mayo Clinic News Network

PHOENIX — The health benefits of a plant-based diet is well-known, but the question remains: Could vegans be at risk for deficiency of essential nutrients? A retrospective review by Mayo Clinic physicians recently published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association indicated that...

newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org

 

[ChristineM]

Getting invited to people's houses for example. Everywhere I lived people don't consider a meal to be a meal if there's no meat or fish, which I find a little nuts but culture is culture and people have their habits... When you're the odd ball who doesn't eat that, it's tricky to tell people who were kind to invite you that you're not willing to eat the main course. It's also hard if you live with other people and you're the only vegetarian. The first time I was a vegetarian I was a teenager living in my parent's house and they were respectful, but I had to make something specially for me almost every meal because the rest of the family would be having meat or fish.

My eldest daughter is pescatarian, when we first moved to France and we told people she would get sad looks and I'd be told "don't worry, she'll get over it". Things have improved since then , supermarkets now have a reasonable range of veggie stuff.

 

[JustGeorge]

My eldest daughter is pescatarian, when we first moved to France and we told people she would get sad looks and I'd be told "don't worry, she'll get over it". Things have improved since then , supermarkets now have a reasonable range of veggie stuff.

That was my extended family's attitudes towards the me as a kid.

Now I have a vegetarian husband, and two vegetarian kids. They tried to include us for a little while... and then decided they really didn't care and we bring our own food to family events, or go hungry.

 

[ChristineM]

That was my extended family's attitudes towards the me as a kid.

Now I have a vegetarian husband, and two vegetarian kids. They tried to include us for a little while... and then decided they really didn't care and we bring our own food to family events, or go hungry.

In the UK it's excepted (more or less) though at a relative's house for lunch i was asked "she can have sausage, it's hardly meat at all"

 

[JustGeorge]

In the UK it's excepted (more or less) though at a relative's house for lunch i was asked "she can have sausage, it's hardly meat at all"

I've had that happen with certain relatives... we ask what's in it before we eat.

 

[Secret Chief]

My eldest daughter is pescatarian, when we first moved to France and we told people she would get sad looks and I'd be told "don't worry, she'll get over it". Things have improved since then , supermarkets now have a reasonable range of veggie stuff.

So she hasn't had to emigrate then?

 

[Secret Chief]

That was my extended family's attitudes towards the me as a kid.

Now I have a vegetarian husband, and two vegetarian kids. They tried to include us for a little while... and then decided they really didn't care and we bring our own food to family events, or go hungry.

Nice. Do you return the considerate favour?

 

[Secret Chief]

In the UK it's excepted (more or less)

Deffo accepted as standard. For years as a veggie I had to put up with the "vegetarian option" when eating out. Let's hope I actually liked that choiceless option. (Or didn't contain anything I was allergic to).
By contrast, we went to a Mexican not long ago and were given two menus - one meat, one vegan. We'd not even asked (obviously since we didn't want the meat menu).

 

[ChristineM]

So she hasn't had to emigrate then?

Not yet

 

[Secret Chief]

Not yet

Well I can no longer offer a cheap tenancy, one of the cats has claimed the room. The one you don't argue with.

 

[ChristineM]

Well I can no longer offer a cheap tenancy, one of the cats has claimed the room. The one you don't argue with.

Only one??? I hope it is quite comfortable in my daughter's room

 

[The Hammer]

I have nothing against meat eaters, though, and I believe there are ways to produce meat in a more sustainable and ethical manner than the ways commonly found in industrial farms. Still, this is the decision that aligns the most with my own conscience, so I'm going to attempt the transition.

A reason why I am trying to get into homesteading. I'd prefer to raise my own animals and other foods. Beef will probably leave my diet as a staple protein, minus special occasions. But I'd raise my own chickens, goats and pigs for that. I'm a big advocate against factory farming.

I even buy beef when I can from the local farms near me (they are small scale, and have pretty sound practices).

 

[The Hammer]

And good luck with your new diet plan. Make sure to keep your iron up!

 

[Secret Chief]

And good luck with your new diet plan. Make sure to keep your iron up!

I don't know the availabilty in @Debater Slayer 's country, but these days plant milks are pretty well stuffed with vitamins and essential minerals. For example iodine is mostly found in seafood, but it's in the milks that I have.