Why are you Vegetarian/Vegan?

[BeccaJaneStClair]

Hey everyone, I just thought it might be fun to share our stories of why we're veg*n, and how long we have been...

I'll start.

I've NEVER liked the taste of meat. When I was little, I used to have to smother my meat in mashed potatoes, ketchup, gravy, mustard...whatever was available to cover the taste of it.  As I got older I stopped eating beef, and only ate chicken and fish in High School.  I went off to college, and decided it was silly eating stuff I didn't like, not to mention how nasty cafeteria food is anyway, so I went the full monty. 

I have had a few fluctuations where I've switched back and forth on the pescotarian thing because I actually did/do like the taste of some fish, but for the most part, I've been Vegetarian since Fall of '97.

[marleah]

Good idea for a topic!

I've been vegetarian since June 2004. I had always kind of had the idea, but didn't really care enough to take the plunge. Finally I realized that there's not much difference between a cow and a dog - why eat one and not the other? I also had found more out about the cruelty involved with factory farming, and I decided that I no longer wanted to be a part of that. I really didn't have a problem giving up eating animals - once I made the decision, and I knew how much it meant to me, I was good to go.

I eat a lot less dairy and eggs as well - I buy soymilk and only buy eggs maybe once or twice a year. I am considering going purely vegan when I move for graduate school - I live in western Kansas, and at the point I'm at right now, I don't feel that being vegan would really be practical for me. However, I'm looking at moving to bigger cities for graduate school, and being vegan would be more of a possibility.

[heini]

I have never liked meat, or how it feels to chew it. I haven't eaten mammals or birds for about ten years. I can't remember when I stopped eating fish, I ate it every now and then when for few years. First I was against fur and animal testing, and when they started to offer vegetarian food at school I wanted to be a vegetarian. My mom told me that I made my life difficult "why can't you eat normal food?", so I agreed to keep fish in my diet.

Nowadays I eat much less dairy and eggs, I use oat and soy milk and creams, but sometimes I eat cheese, chocolate or other milk products. Usually I eat eggs only in restaurant or if someone offers me something that has eggs in it. My mom is used to my vegetarianism, and likes to eat vegetarian food. She doesn't think that being a vegetarian is hard anymore.

I don't think I'm going to be vegan. It's easy to eat vegan food at home, and I usually do, but I don't always eat at home. And I would miss cheese. The other reason is wool. I think wool is so excellent material that I'm not going to stop using my mittens, wool hat and scarfs.

[raining_dreams]

 About three years ago, I stopped eating red meat. I really disliked the idea of all meat and poultry, but my parents weren't keen on the idea of no meat. I continued to eat it, but with disdain. I asked my parents many times to be a full time veggie, but they constantly said no. I began to have stomach problems, and my body coud not digest meat at all. So I researched and studied about what vegetarianism was and how to stay healthy. I think maybe my mom liked that I did research, so she started to allow me to not eat meat.
 It's become completely normal now not to eat meat. I also avoid eggs as much as possible. I have been testing out new tihngs to use in place of eggs, beucase I think it is pretty much as cruel to eat an egg as it is to eat veal (baby cow). I do drink lactose free milk, but I haven't had cheese in forever. I would like to be vegan, but at this point, I can't.
 
 I think my main reason for wanting to be a vegetarian is that it is cruel. I agree with Marleah about a dog and cow being no different from one another. The way animals are treated in those meat facilities is horrifying, and I can't justify that treatment just so I can have the ease of eating meat.

[kinkyknit]

my parents weren't keen on the idea of no meat. I continued to eat it, but with disdain. I asked my parents many times to be a full time veggie, but they constantly said no.

That's just what my mum was like! She used to say that chicken isn't meat to try to get me to eat it.

It'll be much easier when you're doing your own shopping 

[raining_dreams]

That's just what my mum was like! She used to say that chicken isn't meat to try to get me to eat it.

 I know! It was frustrating, but I am kind of stubborn... lol 

[the wallaby]

Well I'm a born and raised vegetarian. My parents did give me the choice to eat meat, but I chose not to. We eat fish and dairy, but I'm not fond of either. The only reason I'm not full vegan is because I don't like most vegetables, and being a poor college student, can't really afford soy and healthfoods.

The main reason I chose to stay vegetarian is NOT because of cruelty to poor animals. My opinion- humans should eat meat. However, when cows are being fed cows, and meat is being grown with hormones and antibiotics, it is no longer fit to be consumed. So, no meat for me, and very little fish and dairy.

The last thing I have to say on the matter is that it's a right pain being a vegetarian sometimes! People telling you it is a vegetarian dish even though it has chicken in it (just cause they're dumb birds doesn't mean they aren't meat.) The "best" vegetarian dinner was at my senior banquet... I got a single mushroom.

[mmd32]

I was born and raised lacto-vegetarian, and stayed that way. It's a religious thing, and when I got old enough to make a choice, it's most definitely a personal thing. I couldn't imagine eating the carcass of a dead animal in any way. At all.

[my-a.d.d.]

i became vegetarian when i was sixteen because i wanted to be like my sister. i did everything she did. but after thinking about it, it became an ethical thing for me. i did alot of research and became vegan at the age of 18. i went back to being just vegetarian when i was 21 and now i'm vegan again i feel so much better i don't think i will ever eat dairy again. it just makes me feel so crappy!!

[shiftychica]

I was 13 years old and it just kind of occurred to me that, Hey!  I'm eating animals here!  lol  I really don't know where that came from, since I'm the only vegetarian in my very large extended family... maybe I had recently read Babe or something.  So I did  some research into the way animals are treated in the factory farms, and decided i didn't want to support that any more.  It took me a couple of tries before I was able to stop eating meat entirely--going cold turkey didn't work, but I was able to first give up red meat, then poultry, then fish.  That was 8 years ago, and I haven't looked back (though there's been more than one occasion I've eaten something and didn't realize until after the fact it was made with meat  ).  I actually went vegan for a couple of years, but due to some extenuating circumstances (I was living in a place where vegetarian options were extremely limited) I've since gone back to ovo-lacto vegetarianism.  I do try to limit my dairy and egg intake, though.

My parents didn't forbid me to be veggie (they knew it wouldn't have done any good lol), but I think they just expected it to be a "phase."  My mom told me not to expect her to stop making meat, and that if I was serious about a meat-free lifestyle I could start making my own food.  In the end we both compromised; my family now knows that my vegetarianism isn't just a phase, and they respect my decision, and I've come to terms with the fact that they aren't going to be giving up meat any time soon.

I really don't miss eating meat, except sometimes for fish.  Over the summer one of my coworkers smoked some freshly caught salmon (at work!) and set it out to share--I can't remember a time when I was that tempted to break my vegetarianism!  Ohh, it smelled so good... I'm happy to say I beat the temptation, though!