To be annoyed with "vegetarians" that eat fish

[exBrightonBell]

If you eat fish then you aren't a vegetarian - it's as simple as that! I'm a vegetarian and it pisses me off when I say so, and the next question is "do you eat fish?" Er, no, because I already said that I'm VEGETARIAN. It's just lazy and it causes confusion for actual vegetarians.

Now I appreciate that the term pescetarian is a bit of a clunky term that is unlikely to be used. But it IS the correct name for the fish eating brigade.

I'm always asked every time if I eat fish.
my answer is always "no, I'm a vegetarian".

It makes me grind my teeth that posters are calling (themselves!) and vegetarians "veggies".

Makes us sound like a vegetable.

YANBU. However I am a pescatarian for health reasons and seem to be the constant target of ridicule and abuse from co-workers/family/strangers. I have lost count of the number of times I have been called a hypocrite. Why do people care so much about other people's dietry choices?

Well could always not accept people's kind invitations to eat out/dine with them if it causes you such heart ache?

Um, Sarah would you put up with being called a hypocrite just because you were eating out with someone??

I just want to lighten mood, so I present to you a transcript of Bill Bailey declaring himself a vegetarian (do a YouTube search for it, it's a hoot):

===
I'm a vegetarian, but I'm not strict. I eat fish.

And duck.

Well they're nearly fish, aren't they. I mean, they're semi-submerged a lot of the time. They spend a lot of time in the water, they're virtually fish aren't they, really.

And pigs, cow, sheep, anything that lives near water. So, I'm not strict.

I'm sort of like a post-modern vegetarian. I eat meat "ironically".

^^ Perfect!

It makes me grind my teeth that posters are calling (themselves!) and vegetarians "veggies". angry angry Makes us sound like a vegetable.

Fuck sake! A nitpicking pathetic thread with more nitpicking added to it!

For fuck sake get a life!

DP is Pescetarian but is really picky about the fish he eats. He'll only eat ethically sourced fish, and only if it's very fresh indeed.

He calls himself Vegetarian as it's politer than saying "I do eat fish but I probably won't want to eat any fish you are about to offer me!"

Nah, I think "veggie" is qualitatively and aesthetically different from "veg"

aufaniae, I can relate to this! I can't get my own head around my "dietary choices" let along explain them to other people.

i call myself a veggie.

fuckadoodledoo
I sympathise with the irate 'proper' vegetarians, but my point is that these labels are meaningless and misunderstood both within the societies they serve and also the wider public.
You are better of simply stating what you want to eat.

Beamur - I am, am I?

Lentils
Peas
Cabbage
Carrots
Potatoes
Rice
Tomatoes
Pasta
Brocolli
Cauliflower
Lettuce
Artichoke
Egglant
Zucchini
Sweet Potato
Leeks
Pepper
Corn
Brussel sprouts
Turnips
Pumpkin
Apples
Bananas
Plums
Peaches

... I could continue but it might take some time in a restaurant....

OR I could just say 'I'm vegetarian' and not expect people to think I eat fish or chicken because particularly stupid people claim to be vegetarian and eat fish and/or chicken

No meat
No fish
No meat/fish stock
No animal derivatives - ie. gelatine, rennet.
Thank you.
(Add/remove as appropriate)
No?

I completely agree that vegetarians do not eat animal flesh, including red meat, poultry and fish. But many people have very complex dietary needs, and is much easier to get food that they can eat by asking for the vegetarian option.

For religious reasons I do not eat red meat/ poultry out. However some fish are permitted. It is much easier to ask for the vegetarian option, than to scrutinise the fish option to see is it is suitable e.g. a salmon dish which is ok could be served with shellfish which is not ok. I prefer to ask for "the vegetarian option" than actually call myself a vegetarian.

Had a funny experience a couple of years ago when I went to a bbq (told the hosts in advance I eat vegetarian food, to be offered salmon. Fortunately I could eat it, but the other actual vegetarian was less impressed (especially as the 2 pasta/ rice salads were filled with meat and fish!)

We had a (very delicious) Chinese Meal at work before Christmas.
It came in Vegetarian/Meat/Chicken/Seafood main dishes with rice and noodles.

One of my work collegues kept putting the prawn dish with the vegetarian dishes. I told him- but I think he was being a pain in the butt deliberately.
I don't think anyone who didn't eat seafood would have accidently eaten one (they were clearly prawns)

But this particular person doesn't drink alcohol by religion. I don't eat dead things by choice.

I would never dream of giving him anything (like a tiramisu for example) with alcohol in it.(Because I would respect someones choices)

Just because someone makes a diet choice rather than follow one by religion doesn't make it less valid

Coming back to this - I used to think it was totally precious & silly, a complete non-issue - yes, I ate fish, but I just called myself vegetarian because it was less wanky than pescetarian etc etc.

& then I spent three days in hospital & the 'vegetarian' lunch option on consecutive days was 1) boil in the bag type cod 2) some sort of cheesy potato-ey splodge & 3) fish fingers.

I ate on days 1 & 3, being a pescetarian & all that, but it did teach me not to be quite so dismissive of proper vegetarians moaning about pescetarians claiming to be One Of Them, if a large hospital could be so ill-informed about diet. If I'd been dh or ds, I'd not have been served a meal I could eat on 2 days out of 3.

Even GoodHouseKeeping magazine (who should know better) gaffed:

Vegetarian meals with Lea& Perrin sauce (contains anchovies)
and Parmesan (not vegetarian as has rennet)

YANBU this is just a way some people try to make themselves interesting, which they are not and can kiss my carnivore arse.

You can get vegetarian Parmesan from supermarkets. But I agree it is annoying when chefs assume cheese is vegetarian - food is their job ffs, they should know what's in it. And I bet they don't use the vegetarian Parmesan.

I went to Gordon Ramsey's Bread St Kitchen a while ago and there was not 1 vegetarian option on the menu, all had Parmesan in.

And some stupid cunt woman stuck her nose in at a shitty city farm cafe when I was complaining re the vegetarian option having Parmesan in, telling me I was being excessive to expect no part of a calf's stomach in my food. Obviously I told her to F off but I am not as polite as I should be.

I hate 'vegetarian' cook b

FallenNinja

I very rarely tell people IRL that I'm vegetarian. I just do it and I don't need to explain myself.
At school lots of my friends did the very overboard "vegi" thing, "Ooh I hate meat" and telling off complete strangers for buying it. No prizes for guessing that they were the ones who went back to meat eating. (I've been a vegetarian for 32 years)

I get people saying "Oh look bacon. I bet you'd love to eat this juicy steak.

If I wanted to, I would. The only thing stopping me is me.

I haven't brought my DC up as vegetarian (my DH is vegetarian) it's their choice.

Books that use Parmesan. There's always a 'disclaimer', but it's not obvious to all. Therefore, non veggies will cook veggies sumfing with Parmesan or another non vege cheese and THINK THAT'S OK!!!! Because a vegetarian cook book said so. Grrrrrrrrr!

Parmesan has to be from a specific area of Italy - otherwise it's Italian Hard Cheese.And proper Parmesan is made with rennet.
Tesco used to do one.
Sainsburys Basic is vegetarian (but pretty bland)
I got some in Waitrose before Christmas though that was nice.