I've gone and done it, i've quit MEAT!!! :-D

I used to be veggie and have decided to go back to it after another Xmas of being questionned why I don't like certain meat.. How about we don't eat meat full stop, easy peasy :-)

Day 1 done... Whoop!!!

Had myself a lovely poached salmon and jacket for dinner. Also added feta falafal's.

> poached salmon

Is this not meat then?

Strictly speaking, if you are still eating fish you aren't a vegetarian.  You are a pescetarian.

Okay Mrs, lol i'll be a Pescetarian.. blimmin heck, thats a mouthful!!! :-D

Fish is fish and meat is meat..

I have to get some goodness inside of me, i'm not a lover of veggies..

>Fish is fish and meat is meat..

A vegetarian friend told me that a vegetarian doesn't eat anything that has a face. Fish have faces, so are off the menu.

There are different types of vegetarianism.
Some people only cut out red meat, some red and White and then fish, some do shell fish etc..
Lol fish do have faces but this is not why I'm doing it.

I don't normally eat much meat anyway, unless it was processed in some way.
We'll also see how my health pans out too!!

good on you sue I used to be veggie and would happily go back but trying to cook for a family finally  after10 yearsI gave up but still prefer fish and love veggies
I had endless discussions about the fish/meat thing usually shut everyone up with ok if you like I am hypocritical veggie but at least I am working on it !
It fascinates me why meat eaters get so wound up about people become veggie are they feeling threatened or something  lol
As for health I was no less or more healthy with or without meat trouble is either way I love dairy.

nono please dont get onto the vegan diet

I hate it when people say "I'm a vegetarian...i only eat chicken and fish"....if you eat the flesh of any animal you are a meat eater.

I could never do it myself, love my meat tooo much. 

> It fascinates me why meat eaters get so wound up about people become veggie are they feeling threatened or something  lol
>

Or they make some jibe about you looking pale!     I used to reply, well I'm never off work with colds, coughs etc. and that would shut them up!

OR.....people get all defensive and say 'I hardly eat any meat, just chicken and fish' as if I'm questioning the fact they want to eat dead animal flesh!

Good on you Sue. :) I could NEVER eat any type of dead animal -I cannot for my life see that there is any difference whatsoever between eating a dead bird, a dead dog or a dead human -it's all dead beings and the very thought of eating one makes me sick.I've always seen it as body parts, not meat. Yuck!!!

Now I should qualify this by saying I also have NO problem with people who DO chose to eat dead animals -it's just that I cannot understand how they can do it. My family all eat meat. (And the dogs and cats of course!!) Fine with me as long as I don't have to cook it -or watch it being eaten if it LOOKS like what it is (i.e. chicken or turkey or similar) -fish fingers and meatballs look harmless enough LOL.

Blimey what are you going to eat at the next BBQ?
I've tried veggie burgers and they remind me of cardboard.
OR "how about some wafer thin ham"? (quote from Nana, Royle family when told a visitor was vegetarian).

I've tried veggie burgers and they remind me of cardboard.

Try the ones with nuts and carrots and all sorts in -they're to die for. It must be veggie burgers NOT made to taste like meat (totally pointless exercise for any vegetarian who hates the taste of meat!). There are loads of really nice ones in all the supermarkets. Also smell much better than those greasy meat ones my kids eat. Now THOSE even look like cardboard!

I don't understand how people can say they are vegetarian if they still eat white meat, fish etc. People either eat meat or they don't !. Bit like me saying I don't eat chocolate - except Double Deckers and Maltesers !. People not eating meat because it was an animal is one thing, not eating it because they don't like the taste is another.

Wow people.. This wasn't supposed to start any issues off

I've quit red and white meat as I don't like it. I had enough of telling people I won't eat a roast dinner or a joint of meat and then getting a lot of hassle from it(My family have sparked this off, anything for a quiet life).
I have always liked processed meat, like Parma Ham, Chorizo etc but then it never tasted like meat with all the other stuff in it or being smoked. So with all what they put in what I did eat I came to the conclusion that it wasn't actually that healthy either.

On Boxing day I had some M&S nut roast with mulled fruit on - beautiful :-)
I like Tofu which is a blessing.
As for BBQ's, well I can always stick some fish on there or a kebab of Halloumi and peppers..

Christine and Marianne, thanks for the support :-D

Have you tried falafel (spelling ?!). Love them after few mins in the oven with a nice salad.

mmm halloumi dil and I have a thing going with halloumi. Lovely on big mushrooms with garlic butter

Isn't it funnyhow the veggie statement always starts such discussion. I am with you sue will get back to being a pescatarian at some point. Its interesting that since oh has been away working during the week I hardly eat meat. My meals seem to always start with what veg is available. I actually like the taste of alot of meats especially bacon its just the idea of killing animals and thinking about how they live or dont live.
Anyone see the programme last week about the mega dairies proposed in Lincolnshire ? really cant see its the rightway to go for the animals

> Anyone see the programme last week about the mega dairies proposed in Lincolnshire

Saw a programme recently about the ones in America on CountryFile, it did spell out both sides of the story as to why they are/aren't a good idea. I'm in 2 minds and would need to know more about them.

If the animals were kept and raised in humane ways and then killed humanely the it would make it a lot easier to many to bare. My Dad is not impressed with me, he breeds beef cattle for the market - many of which end up in Waitrose..lol

As for fish I prefer if it comes from the wild(line caught) rather than farmed too.
I do like falafal and had the M&S feta ones last night..

> Lovely on big mushrooms with garlic butter
>

I wish I liked mushrooms, but I don't :-(

I don't wee the problem with saying you don't like particular meat.

My father will not touch lamb or goat as for him they stink.  he will also occasionally refuse to eat some cuts of Pork that he says smell of boars pee when being cooked, even though the rest of us except one sister can't Tell what he is on about.  I often end up with a roast or joint that DAd's wife has cooked as he won't touch it saying it is tainted.

I don't eat any shell fish and many types of fish are too fishy for my taste.

I do love herrings, only properly smoked Mackerel and can really do without Salmon.

The main bit that I couldnt get my head round was the idea that these cattle were kept in individual stalls in shedsf f a 1/4 mile long never went outside or ate fresh food. It seemed to me to be very much like battery hens

I couldn't agree more. Cows should be in fields, pigs should be able to wallow in mud and root around, chickens should get fresh air and be able to peck the grass and look for worms/grubs and have dust baths, and all should be able to express normal behaviour. I am a meat eater but prefer to buy free-range or organic wherever possible.

> I also have NO problem with people who DO chose to eat dead animals

I think we'd have trouble if were alive lol.  Sorry it made me chuckle

Good luck with it Sue, i like it too much to go without although i don't that much f it.  I know what Brainless means, i hate the smell of lamb cooking it makes me feel very sickly, yet i love the finished product.

Had a veggie brother for over 20yrs so learnt a few tricks and experiments to make thigs different.  Will find the receipe for Aduki bean burgers.  Veggie pie with a nice white sauce, Chilli.

You could always stick to beans on taost or egg on toast, can't get more veggie than that lol.

What a debate it sparked.

ive been veggy for about 30 years.Was vegan for a year(A sudden decision,made when an aquaintence mentioned she was vegan,and I thought,loving animals as I do,that,I should be one too)I did find it a bit hard,so I changed to vegetarian.Im healthy enough,dont regret it and wouldnt change.best of luck,sue!

> Cows should be in fields

What even in winter???

Most dairy cows are winter housed for about 5 months a year(depending on the how wet the ground gets). Gateways to fields can get really bad on clay & that causes problems to cows feet & udders, aswell as hygene to milk.

My daughter once stated that she was going Vegetarian.  I asked her how she was going to cope without her favourite foods like steak pie, sausages, chicken curry as they all contained meat.  Her reply was she meant she would eat meat that was allready dead but she wouldn't kill anything just for her purpose.  I pointed out that she meant she wasn't going to be a murderer!!

As a 'responsible parent' I do put a lot of vege dishes on the family table but I couldn't go totally vege.

Well done you!

Hope it helps out with your health Sue.
We are not vegetarians at all as I still do believe that we are meant to be carnivors. However I only get my meat from local free range organic sources. We have friends who produce Beef, pork and lamb and also turkeys/duck/goose at xmas. We can go and visit at any time and see our next 1/2 lamb, pig out enjoying life. It does cost more but that is the price I am willing to pay for my piece of mind. I also get organic milk cheese etc.. so can eat without worry. But everyone to his own, I have no problem with outhers eating what they like best.
I will eat most things if I know they had a good life first. I am not a hypocrit and if needed would kill my own food. I used to keep chickens and have dispached them when needed too.
Aileen

> I don't wee the problem with saying you don't like particular meat.
>

same here.
I'll eat anything, but my sister will ony eat chicken, turkey, ham or prawns, she can't stand any other meat (including processed meats).

Her taste did make us laugh when she was little, she always used to enjoy fish fingers, but one day announced they tasted like fish and she didn't like them anymore :-D

> On Boxing day I had some M&S nut roast with mulled fruit on - beautiful :-)
>

AAArrgghhh, my sister bought me that & I thought it was boggin, you could've had the half I left.  I couldn't eat it, I had to squish it between the brussels & roast potatoes to lose the taste!

There's a company who produce vegetarian food, Sainsburys & Asda's stock it in the frozen section, it's called 'The Good Life' or something similar.  Their falafel burgers are delicious (I put them in burger buns with relish & cheese, yumbles :-))as was most of the range I have tried.    I find Linda McCartney sausages make me thirsty so they must have a lot of salt in them, I like her Country Pies too but they give me indigestion.  With mash & veg, lovely.

Like Marianne, I can't understand the point of eating something that is a lookalike for a chicken breast, slice of bacon etc. you may as well eat the real thing!

Sue, I have a fab recipe for a veggie bean chilli, the sort that gets better day after day as it marinades in itself!      I make a good chunky veg & lentil soup too, served with crusty bread.  Mmmmm..............

You're going to laugh at me but don't really like chilli.. Also depends on what veg? I don't eat mushrooms, tomato(its a fruit I know), courgette, turnip, swede, aubergine, leek, cabbage, peas, cauliflower... Think thats it?

I do like potato, carrot, parsnip, onion, mange tout, corn, some beans(not broad)..Oh dear doesn't sound promising does it?? :-P

I'm off to make some cheese quesadilla's..

ETA: I do like asparagus..

Its mainly beans but it has tomatoes & mushrooms so that's out for you, fusspot!  :-P

I do like asparagus lol not any cheap muck then !!
My daughter was veggie from about the age of 8 until 14 her choice btw I wasnt at the time and we always laughed as she wouldn't eat meat,fish and most veg !!! mind it was an absoulte health nightmare

Take care sue that you get enough protein, at least liking tofu will be good, how about lentils and other pulses
Merlot I envy you that is how I would like to live maybe a bit less meat and not sure I could kill my own though have to work on that one or be veggie
Do you mind if I just correct one thing we are humans are omnivores by nature we in the west particulaly just have choice

>> poached salmon
> Is this not meat then?

Love it ! 

I will happily eat most meats but don't care for pork. In the summer I don't mind salads (no meat) every day of the week, or I could eat a plate of freshly picked runner beans with salt pepper & little bit of butter.

> Cows should be in fields

What even in winter???

I think you know what I was meaning, let's not get silly! For cow's to be kept inside 24/7 every day of their lives is not right.

>I used to be veggie and have decided to go back to it after another Xmas of being questionned why I don't like certain meat.

I don't really understand why in this instance people feel it's ok to challenge another's choices.  It's perfectly ok, and quite normal, to have food likes and dislikes; it's ok to like fish not poultry or pork or beef; it's ok to love roast lamb but hate minced lamb; it's ok to dislike some vegetables; it's even ok to try and live on cake or baked beans if you want to! 

There are correct titles for people who only eat from particular food groups and there are health questions with whatever you choose.  However, whilst it can be beneficial to have these pointed out to you I'm not sure I agree that it's ok to judge, criticise or interrogate   ...although families can be a bugger for this can't they!! :) 

I totally agree - nobody should be questioned about why they choose not to eat particular foods.

I completely respect a persons choice to choose not to eat meat. I would never ask why or challenge their choice in any way.

I have a friend who has not eaten meat for over 20 years and becomes incensed at people who question her choice. However, in my opinion, this has to work both ways. She (and I have seen people on this thread say it) will talk about "people who eat dead animals". Now, whilst factually correct, I don't think that this respects a persons choice to eat meat.