One question I get asked a lot (no really I do!) is why I decided to become a vegetarian. So I thought why not cover it in one quick and easy blog!!
I must hold my hands up and say that I don’t actually think I can call myself a vegetarian as I still eat fish, so I believe instead I am a pescatarian! I Love fish and have in the past thought about giving it up but haven’t been able to do so.
I have now been meat free for FOUR years! I gradually gave up different meats a little at a time. Minced meat was the first to go as I decided many many years ago that I didn’t like the taste. This was followed by poultry, again I don’t like the taste of it! Pork and lamb I have never really eaten, and the last thing to go was my mums amazing home made beef casserole (that was a sad day giving that up!) AND the occasional McDonald’s Big Mac!
I don’t miss meat at all, (well sometimes I fancy the odd ham sandwich, especially the ones my mum makes) but I am more than happy to sit there with my little Quorn ham sandwich. I love Quorn products, and people assume that I automatically miss the taste of meat and try to substitute the taste with Quorn. Well I can assure you that try as it might Quorn tastes nothing like meat! I eat these products because I like the taste of them, not because i’m trying to substitute a Quorn pepper steak for the real thing!
As well as Quorn products I love vegetables and tofu, and I still feel like I have a wide variety of food to choose from. And a lot of restaurants now cater really well for those of us who have chosen to go meat free.
Fish is my weak point, I love fish! I eat a fair bit of it, shell fish being my absolute favourite! I can’t say no to lobster!! I have tried but find it quite difficult, and at the moment I have no immediate intentions to give it up.
My main reason for going meat free, was the animals, I remember driving past a flock of sheep with their baby lambs when I was about 15, and feeling really upset about them going off to be slaughtered. I knew I didn’t want to eat them anymore. And so gradually bit by bit I started phasing meat out of my diet. I also disagree with the inhumane way in which (some) animals are slaughtered and in the way that they are kept.
I adore all animals and if I could turn back the clock I would probably take a different path that would involve a career working with them. So the thought of eating an animal to me just makes no sense. I am more than happy to eat a plate full of vegetables and a nut roast for my Sunday roast or Christmas dinner, and I am also more than happy to substitute Cows milk and yogurts for oat milk and Soya yogurts!
I don’t preach my views to anyone, and each to there own and I respect that. Luke for example is a proper carnivore and definitely consumes my share of meat as well as his, but he is also more than happy to have Quorn products too.
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, I can’t change the world and don’t pretend that I can, but I am one less person in the world eating meat, and I NEVER feel guilty when I see animals grazing in a field or if i’m visiting a farm and I’m petting sheep or baby lambs or cow’s or any other animal. And I don’t feel hypocritical when speaking of my love for animals, I intend to stay meat free for the rest of my life.
And there we go….in one quick short mini blog, why I am a vegetarian! I would love to hear from any fellow vegetarians/ pescatarian’s out there, if you have anything you’d like to share with me, hit the comment button!!
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How dare you not like the taste poultry ?But it’s an awesome post given me some real perspective
Haha I know right, everyone says that. Thanks for reading though and the comment ?