To wonder why some people claim to be a vegetarian yet still eat meat?

[HamstersAndHockeySticks]

Not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things but I do find it odd.

I knew someone a few years ago who liked to remind people that she was a vegetarian and made a big song and dance about the fact she had to make sure she ate enough nuts and seeds, etc to get protein. Fair enough. Except this person would regulary eat fish, chicken curry and hotdogs . This was the work canteen so I knew it was actual chicken and hot dogs rather than meat substitutes. She also ate McDonald's big macs however she would tell people that McDonald's burgers weren't really made from meat, but simply animal fat . Even if that was true, which it never has been as far as I know, where exactly did she think animal fat comes from?

I've also met a couple of other people who claimed they were a vegetatian but still ate meat in some form but none were as entertaining as she was.

I just say I don't eat meat. I do eat fish. Other people refer to me (wrongly) as a vegetarian and then I get grief if they see me eating fish. It is a hassle to explain and really no-one else's business!

seen many of these, don't eat meat but eat fish, eat sweets with gelatine, nobody reads the labels....knobs!

Anything with a pair of eyes is out

Potatoes?

I usually go with 'Anything that moves, apart from gelatine-free jelly'.

Anything with a face, surely?

Not everyone that's vegetarian does it for health reasons. So they're likely to break a diet the same way someone who "doesn't eat junk food" does.

DS1 was vegetarian for a while. He ate ham, bacon, sausages, mince and fish. He was 7, at the time. And it was just his way of telling us that he really truly doesn't like the taste and texture of unprocessed meat.

An adult making that claim like the one you mention is either ignorant or deluded.

I have met many 'vegetarians' who eat fish. A few years ago I spent a week in France as part of a large group and I voiced that I was concerned that eating out as a vegetarian was likely to be difficult in some restaurants. One of the other women on the trip said to me, "Oh don't worry, I'm vegetarian too so we can struggle together." What she actually meant was that the only meat she ate was fish, it wasn't really that much of a struggle for her to find something to eat on any of the menus when eating out at all but she still complained that being a vegetarian in France was so difficult.

I find it frustrating because the pescatarians etc calling themselves vegetarian just cloud the idea some meat-eaters have about vegetarians. Often the response to me saying I'm vegetarian is, "Oh, so do you eat fish?" Or people have assumed that I wouldn't mind about things such as gelatine, rennet or chicken stock being used because they have had experiences of 'vegetarians' who actually are not vegetarian at all but instead have preferences about which types of meat they will eat.

That said whilst it infuriates me I can kind of see why some people who only eat fish or only eat certain types of meat would sometimes describe themselves as vegetarian just for the ease of understanding. Most people will accept that vegetarians don't eat meat so if you are fussy about the types of meat you will eat at least you know if you get a vegetarian meal it will be safe from those meats. I think people would be less understanding of 'I won't eat meat but I do eat fish and actually I don't mind bacon, oh and chicken's alright if it's free range from the local farm down the road...' and will just think that person is being fussy and/or awkward.

I've been vegetarian for over 30 years.
I'm constantly asked if I eat fish ... no, because if I did I would be a pescatarian.
I know someone who claims to be vegetarian but "so as not to make a fuss" ate a full hog roast at her daughter's wedding!!
Each to their own, I say, but if you're going to give yourself a label, at least make it the right one!!!

I went to uni with a girl who was a very vocal vegetarian, she would make a huge fuss about food not being cooked in her special pan or it would be 'contaminated', she even had her own utensils, plate and cutlery that she kept hidden so nobody else used them with meat.
She would also go to great lengths to quiz restaurant staff about the ingredients in items on their menus.

BUT she had no problem eating proceeded meat because "it's not actually meat is it, it's all soya, fillers and flavourings" basically the cheaper and crapper the better as it was less likely to have any meat in it.
Every day she had a chicken burger, a hideous, reformed, breaded patty, from the cafeteria, but she would harp on about how it was pretty much a quorn burger as there wasn't any meat in it.

She drove us all nuts, especially those of us who were actually vegans and vegetarians.

I tell people I am veggie because it saves so so much hassle - I am funny about meat - I only eat chicken, bacon and occasionally beef - I get itchy over gristle and I wont eat pork or lamb

Rather than being a massive pain in the arse drama lama and expecting people to cater to my fucking neurosis I simply say I am veggie - job done

Sil is vegetarian. In her mind.

I've seen her eat meat, but if everyone's there she's veggie.

[hmm^

David Sedaris calls it Flexitarian. Ie veggie if someone's looking.

Gordy... stop doing that, please. "I'm not fond of meat." "I don't eat pork or lamb." "I avoid most red meat." It's not fussy, and less hassle for those who might be planning a menu around you.

at the militant vegetarian eating processed chicken patties! What in the world?

YANBU. MIL's like this. She's apparently vegetarian, but she eats chicken. Not to mention sausages if we go out for a breakfast, or bacon in a panini.
What really riles though is if the kids eat a bacon sandwich she'll say "aw poor piggy" completely failing to see any hint of hypocrisy there!
That felt good to get out. and breathe

As a vegan I think YABU.

I had a pizza on my birthday. That doesn't make me a really shit vegan who doesn't deserve to call herself that, it makes me human who sometimes gives in!!

In my eyes, every meal that someone chooses to abstain from meat/dairy is a positive for animals. Whilst my pizza did make me feel guilty, it also made me reflect on the 99.9% of other choices I've made this year which reflect what I believe in.

So... Yes YABU. Someone who aims to live a meat free life most of the time does have the right to call themselves a vegetarian and you pointing out the odd thing they have shows they probably are very strict the rest of the time!!

I love vegetables and I'm find t hard to eat certain cuts of meat. Basically, if I taste meat fat, I gag. So I often tell people I want the vegetarian option. They may construe this as my saying I'm vegetarian, but I'm actually just fussy about meat. Sorry!

Mummypig - you are not vegan if you eat non-vegan food. What on earth are you trying to achieve by labelling yourself vegan, when you aren't?

Why can't you say "I am a vegetarian, mostly vegan" if you have to say anything at all.

JumpRope I wouldn't automatically think you were a vegetarian simply because you often chose the vegetarian option, but I guess that's because I'm the same way. I'm not really a very big meat eater and also often go for the meat free option myself and I have had people assume that I am one.

For the longest time at work I would always have the macaroni cheese (because it was easily the best thing there!) and a collegue was surprised when one day I had lasagne instead - he told me he thought I was a vegetarian because I'd had the onr veggie option for so long.

But I think asking for the vegetarian meal is different to outright stating "I'm a vegetarian....except I eat big macs/chicken nuggets/bacon/fish, etc".

Mintyy if we only talked about things that mattered then most of the threads on here wouldn't exist and this place would be very dull .

I agree though that if you eat non-vegan food then you're not a vegan.

"Mintyy if we only talked about things that mattered then most of the threads on here wouldn't exist and this place would be very dull wink."

Not my point at all but never mind.

YANBU.

Mintyy please don't mind me, I'm sick and a little slow today .

I am not a vegetarian but I do not like meat but will eat chicken if I have to and love fish but this does not make me a vegetarian as some people like to think!!
Is there a difference I do not like meat but not for humanitarian reasons I think there is!!

I am not vegetarian...we eat a lot of vegetarian meals and some days are completely veggie, others pescatarian... some meals are vegan... however, the eating meat sometimes makes us not vegetarian.