I’m always inspired by others who follow their convictions with conviction. I’m inspired and I little in awe because I can’t seem to do it. It’s hard to do the right thing all the time. I know that doesn’t make it any less right. But it is still hard. What gets even harder is determining what exactly is the right thing to do.
I’m a huge animal lover. I’m a proud supported of the ASPCA and the United States Humane Society. I’ve been a supporter of the IWF, NWF, WWF, Best Friends, APL, and almost every other abbreviation you can think of. Yes. I really really like animals. I care about them and I’m a strong advocate for animal welfare.
I’m a card-carrying conservative but I have to admit that once upon a time, I was even a member of PETA.
Everybody has their thing and for me, animals are my thing. So how do I reconcile that with my lifestyle?
You see, I eat meat and I’m not really pleased that I do. Is it a religious issue? A moral issue? A health issue?
Probably all of the above but, for me, it’s an ethical dilemma. I’ve never been comfortable with the idea of killing anything, even if it is to eat it and nourish my body. I just don’t like it. I hate hunting and fishing and the like, for the same reasons. Maybe even more so because so much of it is done for sport.
How do I deal with my ethical dilemma? I don’t think about it. Out of sight, out of mind. My brain doesn’t make the connection between the farm animals out in the field and the dinner on my plate. And I prefer it that way. But every once in a while, I’m reminded of the choices I make.
I live in North Carolina, one of the top pork producing states in the country. When I’m out on the highway, I often smell the pig farms and I see trucks like the following.
It’s a pig transporter. I remember the first time I saw one, I kept thinking that those pigs aren’t going to slaughter. I’m sure they’re being used for…. what? Milk? Eggs? Nope. Pigs are used for meat. That’s it.
And if you get close enough, you’ll almost always see their faces and their little snouts doing their best to get fresh air.
It kills me to see this. To make this connection with my food.
So why aren’t I a vegetarian? It sounds like a no brainer. The answer? Because I like eating meat (mostly).
I Like Chicken
I’d be happy to eat the fake chicken (there are some very good substitutes out there). But I’m not sure I could find a suitable substitute for fried chicken.
I Like Beef
I am not a big beef eater. I like it but I try to stay health-conscious and limit my red meat. I really enjoy a good filet mignon or even prime rib (with horseradish). And every once in a while, I go nuts for a cheeseburger. Veggie burgers are good in their own right but they are no substitute for beef.
I Like Pork
I am surprisingly not a big fan of bacon. I’d be fine if I never had bacon again. Or pork chops. But I love ham. And I love hot dogs (usually made with pork). But I’ve more than enjoyed the veggie dogs (especially the corn dogs made by Morningstar Farms).
I Like Seafood
I like most types of fish and shellfish. I’m especially fond of tilapia, sea bass, red snapper and other flaky whitefish. And I love me some crab legs. I’m cool with scallops too.
I wonder if I could survive as a vegetarian. I actually went to a vegan dinner last year at BlogHer ’10. I was recruited to dinner with @laurenacarlton to a vegan restaurant. I was apprehensive. No meat – fine. No eggs or cheese or any sort of dairy – can’t be any good.
It actually was an amazing meal. I can’t even tell you what was in it but I was amazed by the flavors and textures. Maybe if I lived in NYC and could eat take-out every night, it might be more feasible.
Can I make the switch? What would I miss? How would I adjust? Is anybody else as conflicted about the food they eat? I welcome thoughts from all omnivores, carnivores, vegetarians, vegans, and pescetarians alike.
34 comments
This is something I am very passionate about. First, if you ever WANT to stop eating meat, read the book Eating Animals by Jonathan Foer. Trust me.
However, I think that unless you really WANT to stop eating meat, than it’s much better to make the commitment to transition your dollar over to small farms that raise and process their livestock and chickens humanely. Because we are meat-eaters, our bodies are evolved to function most effectively with that protein, and because frankly we are not going to become vegetarians en masse. So the next best thing is to support those companies and farms who are doing it right, so that Big Ag understands we are willing to put our money where our mouth is. They will follow the money.
I think that’s the thing. I want to in theory but do I really WANT to? I struggle with that and feel guilty as a result. I do know there are certain amino acids that our bodies need found only in meat. I love your idea of putting your money where your mouth is. I want humane and cheap and if I can’t have both, I should know the right way to compromise.
I loved the book Eating Animals and would recommend you read if you’re considering a lifestyle change. Also the book “Becoming Vegetarian” – offers real medical advise on the transition if you’re worried about vitamins/minerals from meat.
While you make really LIKE doing all of those things, you can live without them. You’d be better off and you’d be helping to create a better world for your kids 🙂 A quote from Eating Animals:
One of the greatest opportunities to live our values-or betray them-lies in the food we put on our plates.
There are 9 essential amino acids which our body doesn’t produce that need to be supplied by the diet, and there are 11 nonessential which our body produces.
Animal byproducts like meat and eggs have all the essential amino acids but there are vegetarian alternatives! Quinoa is the only plant product that has all the essential amino acids. In addition to that, complimentary proteins are foods that have all the 9 essential amino acids when combined. Eating rice & black or red beans, hummus on whole grain pita, peanut butter and wheat bread and so many other combos!
I hear ya. It is a tough switch, and I am leery of any extreme lifestyle choices, just because, well…. it seems extreme. But I grew up mostly veggie, and it really doesn’t bother me that our family eats veggie pretty much 5 out of 7 days a week.
What’s wokiing for me, right now, is making ethical choices about the meat I eat – sustainable fish, non-nitrite hot dogs/bacon, organic meats/chicken. Due to cost, this choice also limits how often we eat it.
The single best thing I’ve read on making conscious food choices is Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. It is an extreme thing they did (self-sustaining farm) but she is not insistent in the book that this is the only solution.
I’ll be interested to see what people tell you here!
I’m hearing a lot of what you said. It’s okay if it’s a lifestyle choice you can’t live with but there is a happy-medium that honestly I never really gave much thought. I think if there were no males in my household, it would be much easier to be meat-free. I actually prefer a lot of veggie meals!
I was a vegetarian for 14 years. I was raising my children vegetarian but then it took one statement from a farming friend to send me (and my husband) into an ethical tailspin. If part of my reason for not eating meat was to protect the environment, all the imported food I was consuming was cancelling that out. I was turning my back on my local economy and friends (we’re part of the farmer’s market community) and even the landscape of my province. Nova Scotia is eroding into the ocean and of the most effective means of soil erosion prevention is to plant grass as its root system creates a “net” that secures the soil in place. Humans don’t eat grass but certain animals do.
I understand your drive to want to become a vegetarian. I still cook numerous vegetarian meals throughout the week and our meat is locally sourced and ethically grown by a friend. I’d like to think I’m eating as ethically as I can without being vegetarian.
Also, when you start a vegetarian diet who start substituting with all sorts of “meat alternatives”, have you looked at the ingredient list on those things? It’s processed food. Just because it’s vegetarian doesn’t make it any better for you. I also don’t synthesize iron properly and being a vegetarian didn’t exactly help me stay healthy.
My favourite restaurant in Halifax is vegetarian, there’s no reason why you can’t incorporate more vegetarian meals into your diet as well as sourcing more local, ethical meats. Some areas even have meat CSAs!
You make a great point. Veggie substitutes may be meatless but may not be the healthiest. We eat vegetarian breakfast sausages and some other things because we like the taste – not because we’re looking for a substitute. It’s the same thing with sugar. Sometimes it’s better just to moderate than substitute with something potentially much worse for you.
We do have a CSA-type service that we use for fruits and veggies. I know they offer meat but for some reason, I’ve always felt weird about it. We’re moving soon so the CSA will go away but I think it’s time to make some changes. I just won’t tell my husband (he’s cheap!).
I agree with Robin, our bodies have evolved to eat meat. Tough to swallow but true.
If you really want to cut back on/eliminate meat for ethical reasons I would get a vegetarian cookbook & jump in. Try going meat free a few days a week. I absolutely think that you can adjust to a vegetarian palate if you want.
That being said, I think we have to listen to our bodies too, if getting rid of meat is really too hard for you, or makes you feel tired or generally unwell accept that your body may simply have evolved to rely on a meat based diet. Try searching out humanely raised/slaughtered meat products whenever you can.
Btw: I’m a lifelong vegetarian, mostly because I was raised as one and never developed a taste for meat (I have tried it though.) Good luck!
I few months ago I told my husband I wanted to start a Meatless Monday. I figured it was a good compromise. But alas, we didn’t both make a commitment to it. I need to just make my own commitment and stick with it. I think I would feel good about myself being a part-time vegetarian.
I’m not a big meat-eater but I often think I would want it more if I told myself I couldn’t have it. As it is, I make a lot of vegetarian choices anyway. I love your ideas on compromise!
I wonder the same thing about myself. I think I would only miss chicken and bacon but I have real trouble looking at meat and eating it if I saw it before it was cooked. This is a tough one!
I always said that if I had to kill the animal for meat, I would become a vegetarian with no second thoughts. Instead, it’s easy for us to pick up a package of meat and never once think about where it comes from. It IS a tough one!
I think you can make the switch, I’m veganish. I don’t eat a lot of meat or diary as it is, but it is quite difficult. I’m gluten free and not a cook, so a lot of the prepackaged vegan items contain butt loads of gluten. It totally sucks.
So what I decided to do is limit my meat intake to an occasional chicken burger here and there. My diary is limited to greek yogurt for the weeks when I decide to do diary based breakfast smoothies (banana, almond milk, greek yogurt, and almond butter). Those weeks are when the spinach (spinach smoothie – spinach, banana, strawberries, water) in the grocery stores or farmer markets are bad and greek yogurt is on sale. I do need to add eggs back into my diet because I’ll have an egg share with my CSA this summer and early fall, but hopefully that means I can cut out the greek yogurt because the spinach will be nicer in the summer.
As for bacon, I’m a stick puppy I flove it. I feel horrible about it because pigs are my favorite animal, but when I go on vacation I eat bacon like crazy. Those pigs in the transport cart made me SO sad, but if someone offered me bacon right now, I’d still eat it. I have issues.
I hope you share your journey with us whatever you decide.
I love cheese so I know I could never be vegan. But I could probably live without meat. And we exclusively buy Greek yogurt. Sounds like you eat pretty healthy!! Except for the bacon 😉
I didn’t write this in my post but I cooked a big ham dinner Sunday night. It was the first time ever that I felt really turned off by eating it. I couldn’t stop making the animal connection in my head. Maybe I need to take a break from it.
I try to eat healthy, but bacon is my weakness. I fully understand the feeling turned off by eating something that was once live, especially if you saw it recently.
I say take it in stride, cut back, but give yourself the chance to enjoy the foods you enjoy every now and then.
Once upon a time, I was a very strict vegan- no eggs, dairy, meat, all of it. I reverted, however, back to eating meat when I married my non-American husband. I still am supportive of the vegan cause and make an effort to be as vegetarian as possible (given the many health benefits and because it’s cheaper), however, I do, and plan to continue to, eat meat.
I’m curious. Did you have any trouble switching back to meat and dairy? I’ve heard it can make you physically sick when your body isn’t used to digesting it.
I’ve been a vegetarian for over a year now, but I’m not a vegan. I eat fish, shellfish, and dairy. I don’t eat any red meat or chicken or turkey. I do sometimes miss it… I used to love a good cheeseburger or plate of ribs, but I’ve never felt as healthy since I gave it up. My husband thinks one day I won’t be able to resist a craving and I have thought about just eating a big fat roast beef sandwich. Haven’t done it yet, though.
Ha! That’s funny that you’ve adapted to the lifestyle but still crave a roast beef sandwich. I think I could live without most things but I keep coming back to the cheeseburger. A veggie burger just doesn’t cut it. I admire you though!!
I just recently started eating meat again after a few years. My wife is a vegetarian and for health reasons I need to seriously reduce my meat intake. The easiest way for me to do that was to just eliminate it (I am an all or nuthin kinda guy). It really was not hard to eliminate meat from my diet, but my body did start telling me it wanted meat again.
Like all things, moderation is best. I am now learning to limit meat to once or twice a week and look for quality, local, healthier choices for meat.
But, let’s not talk about cheese!
Oh, Jim. If only cheese were healthy, I’d be a skinny girl. It’s why the vegan lifestyle does not appeal to me AT ALL. But good for you for the all or nothing approach. My brother did the same thing. I’d like to limit meat and buy better quality like you said. Kudos to you!
I commute across the border into the US daily. I see these piggies travel across the border and sometimes I see them empty…sniff…Cheers to bacon.
The thought of fish or chicken doesn’t bother me as much but thinking about the cows and pigs, I’m definitely conflicted.
I love pigs. They are smart and some are pretty cute however, I eat the hell out of bacon. I could eat a pound of crispy bacon by myself. Not the fake stuff. I’ve tried and it’s sucks. I’m in a quandry too. Sometimes I feel so guilty because I’ve watched all the horrible videos online about the way animals are treated on farms, but I can’t help but get excited when I hear a steak hit the grill. For now, I will remain in my pergatory of shame…while I eat this fat, juicy chicken breast.
See – you get it. You totally get it. You make the connection, you don’t like it, but you still eat it anyway! I’ll be in purgatory with you for a bit longer.
I love pigs. They are smart and some are pretty cute however, I eat the hell out of bacon. I could eat a pound of crispy bacon by myself. Not the fake stuff. I’ve tried and it’s sucks. I’m in a quandry too. Sometimes I feel so guilty because I’ve watched all the horrible videos online about the way animals are treated on farms, but I can’t help but get excited when I hear a steak hit the grill. For now, I will remain in my pergatory of shame…while I eat this fat, juicy chicken breast.
I love my meat. I know I could never be a vegetarian or vegan. I instead would love to procure all are items locally and where the animals are treat humanely. That itself is a lesson, as you don’t want to pick the first farm you Google in your area. And the prices are much higher than just going with what’s at the store (meat wise). We have thought about buying a cow and I believe you can do the same with a pig and chickens. I just don’t want to actually know the animals we buy…
You are diving into territory that I can’t even think about. I’ve heard of people buying a cow but I just can’t be that close to my food. I don’t love meat but I know I would want it the minute you told me I couldn’t have it.
I guess I’m not particularly conflicted. I’m a cavewoman at my very essence so if I see meat, I’ll probably eat it…assuming it looks palatable.
I do try to buy ethically-raised products when I can, though.
You redeemed yourself at the end there. At least you didn’t grunt 😉
I would never be able to be a full on vegetarian. I love steak too much. Fish… well, let’s just say that if I could, I would marry it. Chicken and turkey fill in for the days I’m not eating fish or steak. I will say that while I’m not willing to give up my meats, I have cut back on them quite a bit, adding in more legumes and leafy greens. Better for you.
Side Note: Last month, in Texas, I ate a TON of meat… and gained a bunch of pounds. I’m back on the leafy greens and legumes, but that week in Austin will live in my dreams forever. Hopefully the pounds will not stick around as long. 🙂
I love a really GOOD steak. Like the kind you get at a restaurant drizzled in butter and smothered in bearnaise sauce. But I’m fine with eating that once or twice a year. And I never feel great after eating it. I’m trying to use more protein subs like you. Better with the legumes than the leafy greens. I’m still working on that part.
Interesting post. I decided to be a vegetarian six months ago and it was the best decision i made for myself. I did a lot of research before i transition into the vegetarian lifestyle. I joined a few online free newsletters
Savvy Vegetarian http://www.savvyvegetarian.com
Vegetarian Newbie http://www.vegetariannewbie.com
Happy Cow http://www.happycow.com
Vegetarian Secrets http://www.vegetarian-secrets.com
By my favorite newsletter is Vegetarian Newbie !
Thanks for sharing! I’d love to try a part-time vegetarian lifestyle. It’s
pretty much what I do now, just unofficially. I’ll have to check them out!