r/Vegetarianism

For context, I am not vegan or vegetarian (although I am plant based) and this is a genuine question. If you're vegetarian because you're against killing animals, shouldn't you also not eat mass produced eggs because it involves culling male chicks? And if you're vegetarian because you're against animal suffering, shouldn't you not eat mass produced dairy since it involves the forced impregnation of an animal and premature separation of a parent and baby?

P.S. Thank you to those genuinely responding to my question. It has been very enlightening.

To those taking my curiosity as an attack... you're really reading into things I never said. I'm guessing it's because you're insecure about your inconsistence. You didn't ask for my advice, but if you accept that inconsistency is something that is just part of living in an unideal world instead of personalizing and moralizing it, it becomes easier to engage in productive conversations about unideal choices we all have to make, instead of feeling compelled to deflect and project.

it's honestly been making me sad all the stuff i can't eat. i just found out that poptarts have gelatin after eating a packet of them and now i feel sick to my stomach. i can't eat mcdonalds or KFC French fries because they contain beef and chicken, and my family eats out all the time so it'll be hard to avoid. i don't have much to eat at home since i just found out that a ton of the stuff i got from the store isn't vegetarian. can someone help me make a list of all the things that i may not know contains animal parts? thanks.

i've also been dealing with the issue of not being taken seriously since i've only been vegetarian for a few days now, whenever i tell someone i'm vegetarian now they say "how long," i say "a few days," and they laugh like i'm not serious about it. i really genuinely want to stop eating meat and stuff like rennet and gelatin but i've been feeling down recently and pretty invalid since i see people on this sub that have been vegetarians for 5, 8, 12 years.

Hi! I’ve been looking into nutrition lately bc I want to be healthier and It occurred to me that being vegetarian is healthier than being someone who eats meat.

I know that can be controversial and people can get very upset about that statement but I also feel like as someone who’s been eating meat for 19 years I was kinda like “well okay 🤷‍♀️” I’m not even sure if it’s 100% true but either way it’s a choice for what I put in my body.

Idk if it’s true or not but I guess what I’m wondering is why you all chose to be vegetarian.

I have a few friends in my life that are vegetarian and I’ve never seen it as a big deal I mean it’s just what u choose to eat but I also feel like people WILL view you differently if you choose not to eat meat and ur cultural food has a lot of meat within it (for reference I’m Nigerian lol).

There are times when I eat meat and I’m like okay this is good but there are other times when I REALIZE it’s meat? Idk how to explain. Like it makes me gag. I feel like I’m so used to it but I’ve just been questioning “why” I eat it? Idk.

I guess I’m trying to figure out my “why” behind it. Some people stop bc of their love for animals, some stop of health reasons, some stop bc of religious reasons.

I’m not someone who eats meat that often, I usually just eat chicken and beef but my God I hate pork and fish.

I feel like figuring out my “why” will help me understand what I’m going into. Plus I’ve always explored vegan and vegetarian meals and they are tasty so the whole “it’s not as good at meaty foods” thing is just a huge lie to me.

Looking forward to ur responses!! Thanks a bunch :)

If religion is too long to read on small screens, it says: "Religion (not personal ethics but because a higher power forbids it)".

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I will preface this post by saying that I don't adopt labels. Gore Vidal once said that homosexuality doesn't exist, only homosexual acts do. Some view that as a cop-out, but I think he was right.

In any case, I wanted to discuss vegetarianism and veganism as they appear on Reddit. Not "vegetarians" and "vegans," but vegetarianism and veganism. Got it?

So, for quite a while I've been lurking, making the occasional comment on the vegan subreddits, which I usually take down quickly because I find that discussion there is impossible and that there are a few people who are convinced that they're right about everything, are "1% commenters" or whatever, and just about everyone else on the sub says they agree with them and falls in line. In other words, there really is no room for discussion, except for when the room all collapses into commiseration about how hard it is to be vegan, how misunderstood they ("we") are... and also how other people's opinions don't matter. Mark that. It's only the animals that matter. Well, okay. I kind of admire the spiritedness.

But it's kind of like a cult, isn't it? Scientology is a handy analogue here.

Now, I'm not saying that I believe that they're wrong. Animal suffering now is unprecedented in the history of the world, without a doubt. My mostly plant-based diet is a response to that, and also a response to the environmental degradation of animal agriculture, which is also unprecedented. I have, at times, adopted a completely plant-based diet myself.

As I've grown older I've decided that I have other things to think about and concern myself with. I won't elaborate them here, because that is between me and my personal conscience. I sometimes eat cheese and I sometimes eat eggs. I am aware of the issues and have decided on a personal compromise and am answerable only to myself. I take responsibility for my shortcomings. I'm not perfect, but I know that my personal choices have also saved the lives of countless animals, and have done so for decades... although I am also aware that this merely constitutes less animals being bred and slaughtered. I do believe that, for farm animals on farms as they exist today, it would be better for them never to have existed.

But here's my "beef," if you will, with the so-called vegan community. If you are really so self-assured and confident about what you claim to believe, then why are almost all of you so reluctant, why do you refuse, to engage in conversations with so-called vegetarians? Surely, if you're secure in your beliefs, a conversation poses no threat... yes?

And I know that so-called vegans will take exception to much of what I've said, because, as they say, "eating plant-based isn't veganism!" I'm sorry, but I disagree. It's the same thing, minus the identity politics.

Nietzsche said something that was wise and is much over-quoted, but useful in this instance: "When you fight monsters, be very careful that you don't become a monster yourself."

I can't escape the conclusion that the "vegan community," at least as it presents itself, has become somewhat monstrous.

I would like to see a little more personal introspection in the so-called vegan community and a little less, uh, herd-like behavior. The vegan community's insistance that "vegetarianism is worse than carnism, because you (the vegetarian) should know better" is a stupid, misguided and counterproductive ploy.

If you, as a "vegan," really were only concerned with animal welfare, you would learn to embrace your allies, some of whom may not be quite as "perfect" as you.

It's all about the animals, right? Not about your identity politics. Because what difference does it make if a person is "plant based" and doesn't identify as "vegan"?

In the final tally, none.

True believers are, historically, always the problem. If you don't believe me, read history. Or the newspaper!

Thank you for your kind indulgence.

I’m more of an ethical vegetarian myself, I mean I just couldn’t give up cheese, right? But are there people out there who would eat meat, or indeed drink milk and munch cheese, if it meant no animals were harmed in any way? I’ve been reading up about lab grown meat and fish, and dairy products created in fermentation labs, and have to admit I’m intrigued. Thoughts anyone?🙏

Anyone here can relate?

Now, I know the dairy and egg industry are bad too. I still see them that way and try to make as many vegan choices as I can. I know veganism is the best way to go when it comes to ethics.

That being said, being fully vegan was causing me to have mental problems. As in, extreme anxiety, mental exhaustion and rumination. I think the mental load of checking a lot if something is vegan and planning meals can be too much at times and socially it can be difficult too since the world is not vegan. I also felt like I was spending so much more time on preparing food than ever before. It doesn´t help that I can´t batch cook or prepare large batches of ingredients beforehand currently.

I also was missing more easy, filling sources of protein and fat like dairy, eggs... something you can just grab and either immediately eat or prepare quickly without having to pay much attention to it.

As a vegetarian, most of these problems either go away or are greatly diminished. Socially, being veggie is way easier. I don´t have to worry about planning my meals and getting enough nutrients as much. Making quick, easy meals becomes easier. I am not checking labels or the ingredients on almost anything anymore. I am not worried constantly about if I am being ´vegan enough´ (to be able to fit in with the vegan community which can be quite toxic). Also, to be honest, I think I also enjoy eating more if I can include small amounts of dairy and eggs from time to time.

I might try to be vegan again some day, but I honestly don´t think I will because I just don´t see how I could be happy as a vegan currently whereas I can see myself happily be a vegetarian for the rest of my life.

Edit: I thought this was a vegetarian sub that supported vegetarianism. If I would have wanted to argue with vegans, I would have posted on r/vegan. Are posts that don´t support vegetarianism even allowed here by the moderators?

It's majority vegans who brigade because they hate vegetarians. And then rage bait meat eaters. Then maybe like 10% actual vegetarians here to talk about stuff. Then mods defending "open discussion" but they actually just created a toxic rage bait sub.

1. it was a fantastic movie even for adults (I wept)

2. i hope it inspires lots of kiddos not to eat meat

Hi, I have decided to become vegetarian, but i hope i can get some help here with what i can replace meat with. I am extremely picky and have alot of sensory issues, so anything soy, beans, lentils, peas, and mushrooms is completely inedible to me. Im also staying away from like ultra processed food, and the only like vegan or vegetarian foods we have in our stores is ultra processed unfortunately.
Do anyone have any advice to what i can use instead, or like how to prepare the food so it doesnt taste or have the texture to any of the stuff i mentioned? would be much appreciated.

One thing ill also always feel bad about is that ill always contribute to the meat industry considering i have a dog, and will probably always have dogs in the future, so im also looking for advice if theres any more “ethical” ways of giving my dog meat, cus i refuse to make the dog be vegetarian, especially since i usually adopt senior dogs whos been used to meat their whole lives

Maybe a bit of an odd/controversial topic, but does anyone else get the occasional day where you just really get bad meat cravings? It's very rare, maybe a couple times a year max.

I sometimes seem to get these around my period (but take supplements and donate blood regularly so I know I'm not anemic) so idk if it's hormone related or what.

Anyways, once when I'd been veggie around a year I tried one of my mates chicken tenders to see if it'd crush the craving (figured one and done), but I HATED the taste and texture tbh. Obviously as well my body doesn't really deal with meat well anymore so it also gave me bad stomach cramps despite having literally 1 tender lmao (serves me right).

I've got it right now, and I just kinda wondered if other people experience this/what you do to deal with it? The weird part is normally the thought of meat now genuinely repulses me a bit (sounds pretentious but I'm being genuine) so I don't really know what to do

Hi everyone! Hope all is well. I'm new here and have always wanted to become a vegetarian because my empathy for animals has always been something that is very important to me. I've cut out all meats but chicken and want to finally give it up as well, especially knowing what goes on in the poultry industry. I have incorporated no meat days into my week but sometimes struggle to find things to eat since everyone in my family eats meat and I have grown up to as well. So as the title states, could you also provide any challenges you may have faced when becoming vegetarian, if any? Do you take any supplements? How do you get in protein? How do you feel overall after making the switch? Do you ever miss it?

So I’m not the type to readily bring up the fact that I’m a vegetarian. I usually wait until it naturally comes up when someone specifically and directly asks me about my diet or if they offer me something. I don’t like the negative associations around vegetarianism/veganism and the stereotype that we are always shoving down everyone’s throats, so I keep it quiet until it becomes unavoidable.

However, other people in my life who happen to know I don’t eat meat, LOVE to bring up my vegetarianism. They do it constantly. Both to me and to people I don’t know very well yet. At parties, in passing, in any social context, they are just readily spewing to the world my diet preferences.

While I don’t think they have bad intentions and my diet is not a secret, I find this dynamic incredibly obnoxious.

Anyone else noticing this or something along these lines? How do you deal with it? Should I try to stop being annoyed by it?

https://www.reddit.com/r/Outdoors/s/ZLLkFxV6Th

Removing bison from wild lands to make room for cattle and the meat industry devastates recovering wild lands and negatively impacts native plants and wildlife. We need wild lands to remain wild, and bison play a major role in restoring depleted land and in conservation.
Please help by contacting to appropriate agencies and supporting the American Prairie Foundation.

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I am 15 and recently decided to become vegetarian (literally today). However, my mum says I'm "making things up". She also says that it's too much of a problem for HER because it means she has to make two different dinners. I even proposed to make my own dinner, and still said no. It's as if *I'm* doing the wrong thing 🤷‍♀️

I'm going vegetarian to reduce my contribution to animal deaths (and the mistreatment of pigs like the tiny cages) but I know animals also die for eggs and milk. However, I can't go vegan right now, so is it worth it?

I decided upon some person responsibility and cut out the meat from my diet. (ethics, climate)

Now I have been at it for some months and it is just normal to me without any issues at all. I still eat enough food as a weightlifter and experience no health problems.

Only in the transition period did I have some weird heavy fatigue some days.

Anyone else have no real issues, and doesn't think much about it? Really, only when I am prompted eating out am I reminded that I am a vegetarian.

My birthday is coming up and I’m hosting a BBQ in my grandmother’s garden. She passed away recently, and this felt like a meaningful way to honor her – especially because our traditional family BBQ didn’t happen this year for the first time ever (since none of her children organized anything as they usually would). I wanted to bring everyone together in her space for the very last time before the house is being sold.

I explicitly stated in the invitation that it will be a vegetarian BBQ. Now my mom told me that several family members have been complaining to her (not to me directly) about the vegetarian part and asking whether we could “at least do half and half“. Nobody has had the courage to bring it up with me directly.

For context: my family is mostly Polish-influenced, pretty meat-heavy, and many of my uncles in particular are the classic “a meal without meat isn’t a meal” type.

I honestly don’t really know what to do right now. On the inside I’m furious how grown adults can’t have basic respect for me and my decisions and go half a day without meat. I would like to speak up for myself but on the other hand I also don’t want to crash the whole day.

I’m fully expecting comments on that day, and there’s a real chance someone might even show up with their own meat.

Has anyone dealt with something similar? Should I make some statement again beforehand?

Would love to hear how you would navigate this – especially when family dynamics and grief are already in the mix.