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Original poster

Eating meat after 20 years

35 replies

Led921900 · 29/12/2023 10:21

Hi all, I’m considering eating some meat after 20 years being a vegetarian.

My issue with eating meat is the ethics of farming and abattoirs. If I could farm and kill things myself I’d feel much better about it (of course not sure I could quite bring myself to do it when the time came but feels more respectful etc).
I’ve been looking at buying chicken from ethical farmers where they’re free range and grass fed, ideally though I’d like them to be slaughtered on site but don’t think there’s anywhere that does (or could legally) do this… does anyone know?

Just not sure I can eat it after all these years?! Anyone had or done similar? It’s so weird but it’ll be such a big thing to eat meat after all these years of carefully avoiding it!

OP posts:

Pearl97 · 29/12/2023 12:16

Years ago I would have read this and put don’t do it. I was an extremely strict veggie for 20 years. Then I had an allergic reaction to the covid jab. The dermatologist told me to eat protein. I started eating chicken. Sometimes we have to save ourselves before we save the planet. We should buy the best meat we can, and encourage others to go meat free when they can. It’s a balance.

Original poster

Led921900 · 29/12/2023 12:41

Andthereyougo · 29/12/2023 12:10

Sounds like an awful lot of hassle to eat a dead animal. It’s still been killed for you to eat, no matter how it was done. Why not just stay vegetarian?

Because don’t you think it’s important that the animal doesn’t suffer in its lifetime and preferably avoid any prolonged suffering in death?
I was helping my friend make a cake (a while ago) and she was buying eggs from caged hens… popped to the shop and bought free range. Why not try and ensure the food your eating has a good a life it can before you eat it?

OP posts:

Original poster

Led921900 · 29/12/2023 12:42

Just popped into m&s and saw higher welfare stuff everywhere, seemed to relate to diet though rather than being “free range” so think it’ll be a barn raised chicken? Bit confusing but hopefully local farm will email back!

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General food

AvengedQuince · 29/12/2023 12:49

I don't understand why you are focusing on white meat and fish, or why you were for the children? High welfare chicken is very expensive and you don't feed many people for the cost of one life. It would make more sense to me to give the children meat from a larger pasture raised animal. If it's the taste, then rose veal has a more delicate flavour than beef.

TheWeatherOutsideIs · 29/12/2023 12:52

Free range hens is a farce. They have an open door that they can’t get out of because there’s so many of them stuck in the barn. Organic grass fed is the best option if you don’t own your own chickens.

eurochick · 29/12/2023 13:15

I had been fully veggie for ten years and hadn't eaten red meat for 20 when I reverted. My reasons for being veggie were also related to animal welfare.

I found white meat ok to digest. Red meat gave me a three day stomach ache the first time I tried it but was ok after that.

starynightskys · 29/12/2023 13:29

No real advice but i did go vegan once it lasted 2 weeks i was so ill after week 1.
I just couldnt do it my GP said the longer you stay vegan the worse your gonna feel.
I dont really eat meat anyway bellypork now and then.
But to cut out all food made by animal just no never again.
I like real milk in my tea.
And i dont like a lot of fruit.
Plus it cost me more in 2weeks than my normal shop would.

FigTreeInEurope · 29/12/2023 13:32

I was veggie 15 years.. I went prawns.. sea bass.. then steak, all in a week. We buy all organic meat, and have chickens, mainly for eggs. No looking back for me. I never had any digestion problems when i started again.

Snapperwhipper · 29/12/2023 13:33

Is there a reason you want to give up on your principles after 20 years?

Cynderella · 29/12/2023 16:56

But if this is your concern, why go back to eating meat at all? I don't have a problem with people eating meat if they have different values and feel other things are more important than what they eat. I do things that other people would say are unprincipled, so I'm not judging anyone.

If you want to avoid animal suffering though, eating meat again seems an odd decision. I buy free range eggs and, if possible, from a local producer whose hens are truly free range. But if someone makes a cake, I accept that it may have eggs from caged hens, margarine and cheap chocolate - things I don't buy. If someone has bought eggs from caged hens, going out and buying some free range eggs won't unbuy or unproduce those eggs. I can't see that buying free range eggs makes up for returning to meat eating.

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