AIBU to be irritated by people who describe themselves as Vegetarian yet who happily eat fish!

[Housewife2010]

I know several friends & work colleagues who describe themselves as Vegetarian, but they eat fish. Why not just say that they don't eat meat? I didn't think that a fish was a plant!

I have to admit dh has a slightly eccentric friend who I thought was vegetarian, but told me quite sternly when I saw him eating tuna on toast (for breakfast!) That he's pescatarian. Tbh I thought he'd made it up and had to try v. Hard not to pmsl!

What am I then? I can't eat prawns or most seafood or fish with skin but I can eat some. Do I say I'm a pescetarian? Because I'm not, am I?

I'll stick to saying I'm a fecking awkward bugger veggie. It's easier

Oh tuna, yes, I can eat flakes of that but I'll vomit if presented with even well-cooked tuna steaks. See? Not a pescetarian.

Does anyone eases spell-check suggest "proletarian" for that word by the way?

I was a vegetarian for fourteen years, then a pescetarian. Thing is, nobody knows the word. I had a flatmate who used to brightly announce to dinner guests, 'Oh, epithet is a pescetarian.' Cue confused looks, necessary explanation, long repetitive convo about vegetarianism etc.

Easier just to say 'I don't eat meat'.

But you aren't a vegetarian. Why teach yourself to eat fish and chicken, if you identify as a vegetarian?

You're a fussy eater. You can't be a vegetarian and eat fish and chicken, its impossible. Its like identifying yourself as a diabetic if you're not fond of dessert.

Zag, I hate to tell you, but there's a website which sells lots of veggie Haribo out there. :)

Some of these carry the Halal symbol (just in case you wanted to check, of course!).

Oh, and the Coop's jelly beans are vegetarian too. :)

And thanks a bunch Bonnie, I just spat wine all over my keyboard.

:o

My MIL is a lifelong vegetarian who buys budget Morrisons pre-cooked chicken breasts for her DOG. I absolutely support her right to have a moral stance on the killing of animals for our diet, but struggle enormously not to point out the glaring dichotomy in her decision to then keep a pet carnivore!

Oh - and she eats prawns and salmon too. Somehow
this bothers me less...

FAO MiladyDeSummer

I'm not angry at such people. Just irritated at them describing themselves as something they're not.
I can understand that the correct term pescatarian may come across as prestentious to some or not understood by many, but what is wrong with saying "I don't eat meat". It's truthful & straightforward & leads to less misunderstandings on all sides.

DP is a vegetarian - it's really annoying when folk say "but he eats fish?" - no he doesn't he's a vegetarian, "yeah, but surely he eat's fish?" - no, he doesn't eat fish, or chicken. My Mum's idea of feeding him is just giving him extra spuds

yanbu - they can say they are vegetarian. but they aren't - and then real veggies get served fish because ' oh i thought you'd eat it'. NO.

YANBU - people are knobby about stuff like this - they're not veggie and they cause probs for real ones by pretending they are.

My fave was on hols in Germany, 20 years ago, when i was veggie - "so you don't eat meat?", "no", "do you eat fish?", "no", "but you eat sausage, yes, you must eat sausage??" - I just couldn't help but laugh

Exactly. The true vegeatarians are the ones that suffer. E.G. Royle Family where a veggie is asked if they'll eat a bit of chicken.
I'm not veggie, so I'm not affected by that. I won't eat shellfish though. It gives me the creeps.

BPB was that directed at me? I can eat some types of fish and chicken if pressed, but not for fun or by choice. I'm talking about maybe once a year if that. I don't ever "choose" the chicken over the veggie meal, that would be absurd.

So yes I will still describe myself as a vegetarian if that's okay with you

There are plenty of die-hard veggies caving in more often than I eat have to eat flesh I think!

What about vegetarians who eat fish but weep while they do it - are they OK?

Milady
If you really hate fish/chicken why do you eat it? Surely most places offer a veggie alternative now? If you tell people you're a veggie they can't expect you to eat fish/chicken.I couldn't imagine eating shellfish or tinned tuna (my nightmare foods)to be polite.

yanbu, that is selective, not even close to being veggie. These people should state that they don't eat meat, but will eat meat substitue ie Quorn and eat fish. THIS IS NOT BEING VEGGIE.

God, YANBU.

Irritates the hell out of me.

the word is pescatarian , fgs

However, as a lifelong vegetarian (no fish) and now vegan, I can say that the conversations about what I do and don't eat get old very very quickly. And the ones quickest to judge are my bloody pescatarian friends!

milady you are not a vegetarian as you eat animal flesh stop lying to yourself and everyone else end of.

YANBU op I hate it when fake veggies call themselves vegetarians, it's an insult to all us who abstain form eating animals! yes even fish.

Oh and I have never gone to a restaurant and said, "I'm a vegetarian give me the fish or chicken dishes", that would be fucking stupid.

I eat maybe one slice of white chicken meat at Christmas at home (lemon and rosemary) and when there is no veggie alternative, fish and sodding chips when eating out if the veggie option is a manky stuffed pepper or spicy shite.

No sausages, no chops, no steak, no fat, no gristle, no tendons, no bones no no no no no.

No shells or skin either.

So no, I don't "eat fish and chicken" really.

hmmm some vegetarians are getting quite sanctimonious on here. I wonder how many have leather shoes/jackets/trainers/sofas/belts?

most pescatarians I know do it for purely, ahem, image reasons. Not bashing all pescatarians I just have very irritating friends. Or am easily irritated.

It's unbelievable how much resistance you encounter as a vegan. People are almost offended by it.

howdidthishappenthen I see your point, by having a carnivorous animal we are fuelling the meat industry. But I don't really see an alternative?

You said "I'm a vegertarian" and the went on to describe how you eat fish and chicken. The 2 propostions are mutually exclusive.

It doesn't matter what your opinion is about gristle and bones, people who eat meat are not vegetarian. Its not rocket science.