to think that if you eat fish or chicken you are not a vegetarian?

[knowitallstrikesagain]

So vegetarian seems to mean different things to different people. But the common definition is flesh from an animan, including fish and birds, used as food.

If you don't eat meat, you are a vegetarian. If you eat meat, you are not a vegetarian. If poultry and fish are types of meat and you eat them, then you do eat meat and are therefore not a vegetarian.

Didn't the powers that be come up with a new word to describe people who eat fish but no other type of meat? (I know what it is but can't spell it )

I understand saying you are veggie to make life easier, eg when RSVPing a wedding for food, or a staff meal out, but if you are having dinner with a friend, surely you could specify that you like some meats more than others?

AIBU to think that if you eat ANY animals, you are not a vegetarian?

I know someone who calls himself a vegetarian yet eats fish and chicken! I just find it funny. We call him a Chicketarian. He gets all humpy and says "I'll never eat the flesh of a mammal though" Fine, but why the vegetarian label?

The british Vegetarian Society came up with the term 'Vegetarian', so their definition is the ONLY one that counts.

Ridiculous, they don't own the word, or have the trademarked it? . And what foreigner would have heard of the BVS, anyway?

Maybe we should call outselves anti-mammalatarians, or what's the opposite of mammal?

I think the point is that as they invented the word, they get to say what it means.

I was a vegetarian for 16 years, then I started eating fish. I often describe myself as vegetarian for ease even though it's inaccurate as I'd rather go without fish than risk being served poultry or red meat etc.

The definition of vegetarianism seems to be fairly Anglo-Saxon here. FolkGirl brought up the issue about ordering vegetarian in Chinese restaurant. This reminded me of a vegetarian colleague in Beijing just last week. She couldn't get anything to eat when she described she's a vegetarian. Because, in truth, the concept of a british vegetarian doesn't exist in chinese. I told her to tell them she's a buddist. With this, the hotel has no problem pointing her to a buddist resturant. The buddist diet is more restricted then the british vegetarian one.

Recently I booked a flight to fly Air NZ. We were given 4 or 5 vegetarian choices. One of them is Jain Vegetarian. Have a read of it, and it'll surprise you. For example both vinegar and honey is forbidden. Vinegar being a yeast product, and honey because of the bee link. I think most british vegetarian will eat them.

So basically what I'm saying is that be more open minded about what is vegetarianism. It's like a religion and is very much open to interpretation.

Oh and that what a lot of vegetarian will eat here is not acceptable to vegetarians in other culture. So what is wrong if a vegetarian thinks she can eat worcester sauce or gelatine?

This happened yesterday.

Woman in front of me in the queue : what are your vegetarian options today?

Canteen lady: battered fish or baked potatoes

Woman in front of me: oh, well I'll have a baked potato then, please.

Canteen lady: which filling would you like?

Woman in front of me: tuna mayo

Ordering from a veggie menu doesn't mean they are veggies. That just may be the option they a meat eater feels like on that day?

Yes, but the canteen lady offered battered. fish as a veggy option too and neither of them saw anything strange about the exchange.

Personally I don't give a flying one who puts 'vegetarian' as a dietary preference. I'm quite happy when people cut the amount of animal products in their diet, it makes it more obvious to everyone that being a vegetarian or vegan is actually possible. That's with the proviso that, if you're a pescetarian surrounded by vegetarian/vegan food on one hand and meat on the other, you don't make a massive drama about how you have to eat sodding fish, especially if you've put 'vegetarian' on your form.

It is quite funny you know...it wasn't until I read this thread that I realised I'm probably quite relaxed about it. My main reason for not eating meat isn't an animal welfare thing (that is part of it)...I just can't get my head around eating big lumps of flesh.

I do eat Worcester sauce and things with gelatine in.

I'm waiting for the day we go the American way with the pizza and that is offered as the veggie option along with battered fish. I'm just wondering, does meat count as meat if it's a pizza topping or is it a veggie then?

Scarletlady, I'm with you. Mine is no moral thing. I really can't stand the smell of pork (bacon included, my lot get bacon butties at the bakery on the corner if they want it) or lamb, and beef sticks in my dentistry! As I explain way way back in this thread, I was a "I don't eat meat" girl, but have been corrected on it.

For now I will stick with "I'm fussy eater"

ah this is funny. "I am a vegetarian but I eat fish". Oh yes, Fish, the well known vegetable...

im vegetarian.
i dont eat meat or fish.
2 out of 3 dc eat fish but not meat, when replying to invites etc i put vegetarian as its easier and they dont mind not having fish.

This is funny too "I am a vegetarian but I seeds, nuts and fruits". They are all well known vegetables, aren't they?

What's your take on quorn then? Or mushrooms and yeasts? Fungus are micro-organisms.

I had this discussion with DH's cousin on FB. Just politely stated that I didn't think vegetarians ate chicken as it was meat and was informed poultry was "different". Best bit was her fiancé agreeing with me.

She then deleted the status and put a very passive aggressive one on about uninformed people!
I was very impressed at my willpower for ignoring that one.

MeCookGoodSock I'm without doubt a fussy eater. There is loads I will eat and I really love food...but I'm definitely not a "I'll eat anything me" type of person. DH is like that. There's little he won't eat.

I'm very much of the opinion that if you eat meat you should be able to hunt, kill, prepare and cook it. Not each and every time obviously...but I feel you should at least be open to the idea of doing it. I don't understand meat eaters who don't think about where their food comes from. Eating meat is a natural thing for predators...so I get that. I just think you should respect it and the animal it came from.

Just to reiterate, I have no issue with people who choose vegetarian food in a restaurant (who has a problem with this???) or people who, for their own ease and the ease of others will put vegetarian under special dietry requirements for weddings, meals out etc. But people who eat fish and call themselves vegetarian are the reason why so many vegetarians are presented with fish as the veggie option. It is misleading and unhelpful.

I think the correct term is "right-on-arian" - espouses all the socially correct causes du jour, but not to the point of any great personal sacrifice.

vegetarians don't eat Worcestershire sauce or gelatine either.

This is exactly why I have so many problems making sure that the food I order is suitable for me!!

I have to ask about soup "is it made with vegetable or chicken stock?", of a set pudding "does it have gelatine in it?", of a savoury dish "does it have worcestershire sauce?" etc.
If bloody restaurants etc used the correct definition of vegetarian (as defined by the Vegetarian Society), and didn't offer fish when people ask for he vegetarian option, then my life would be a bloody lot easier.
instead i have to feel like I'm being fussy because I have to clarify every single sodding time.

I don't care what other people eat, but I do care that they give a name out when they don't qualify for it.

You are dead right, OP.

I don't eat meat. I do eat fish.

However, for the sake of a quiet life I tend to describe myself as vegetarian if I am asked to tick a meal option or if someone is cooking for me. And then add 'although I do eat some fish' as a proviso.

Anyone who claims to be a vegetarian while eating fish/seafood/chicken is making things significantly more difficult for real vegetarians, by contributing to the public perception that vegetarians eat fish etc. I am fed up of being told that tuna is a vegetarian option (my dds' school dinner menu listed it as vegetarian, for example). On one occasion I ate half of a crab sandwich which was labelled as vegetarian before realising what it was.

Being a 'vegetarian' who eats fish is like saying "I'm a teetotaller, but I drink wine spritzers."

I can understand that someone who wants to be vegetarian may have the odd lapse of will power while still intending not to eat meat, but if you make a choice to eat fish/chicken on an ongoing basis then you are not a vegetarian.

I used to have an on-going argument about this with someone I knew who was insistent that he was a fish-eating vegetarian and that this counted as being a proper vegetarian. (he was doing it for animal welfare reasons rather than fussy eating reasons, which is why it bugged me - I'm not bothered if people use it as a shorthand way of explaining their fussiness).

However he lost the argument as I pointed out that by his reckoning I would be a meat-eating vegetarian as I eat meat but fish :o.

When he pointed out the ridiculousness of a meat eating vegetarian I just asked how it was any different to the ridiculousness of a fish eating veggie as both of them ate one rather than two types of animal he had no answer other than 'but but but it is'.

Try it - it's an interesting argument to have with someone who calls themself a 'fish eating veggie - what do they call someone who eats meat but not fish (using their naming conventions!)...