Vegetarian or not!!

[twocockersarebetterthanone]

We've invited my family for Christmas but one is a vegetarian. Now I've got no problem with that (and will cater accordingly) BUT she's said she eats fish. How the hell does that work? She's a veggie for animal welfare not Heath beliefs so how can she justify a fish, but not say a turkey, being killed to eat.

AIBU to want to (but obviously won't)!say you'll get what you're given. Just don't get it - someone please enlighten me!!

She is Pescetarian, same as us. Though Ive lost count of the number of times that raises blank looks & need for further explanation & Ive even been told its "pretentious", so believe it or not, vegetarian but I eat fish is a damned site less hassle

As to why eat fish but no meat its quite simple. We choose not to eat other warm blooded creatures

Yes, of course its lies. You're saying you are a vegetarian but then eating flesh. What else would you call it other than lies?

I'm not a pescetarian, I'm vegetarian, but I can well understand why someone would just say they were vegetarian - potentially get out of the subsequent inquisition while still being given food they can eat.

I once spent a day at work where the person across from me randomly yelled types of meat to see what I would do. I did nothing. I was confused though. Some people have real issues with people who don't eat meat.

User147 - get a life!
There is no need for ppl to start assuming that vegetarians eat fish just because I use the term vegetarian when at work/in the plane/other suitable social situations to make things easier for everyone. I expect that when I say that I'll be given vegetarian food and I'm perfectly happy with that. In smaller groups/with friends and family I either say I'm vegetarian but I eat fish or pescetarian..
It's just about dealing efficiently with social situations. Do you explain your whole life history whenever someone asks you a question? Seriously ppl let's get real :)

User147 - next time you go to work after a heated argument with the other half and someone greets you casually asking how you are - think about your answer and make sure you don't lie!

A lot of people use the term vegetarian basically because not everyone understands what a pescatarian is.

It would be very unreasonable to say you get what your given however if shes happy to eat fish make her fish.

I don't think being ovo-lacto-vegetarian on ethical grounds is that much better than eating meat.

Dairy cows have a calf every year to produce milk. Many of those calves end up in the same abattoir as beef cattle. And what happens to the dairy cow when she burns out at 3-5 years old? She also heads off to the same abattoir.

I suspect some vegetarians justify consuming the products of this industry on the basis that they don't eat the actual cow once she's gone, nor the multiple calves she must produce so they can consume the products, but in my view it's just flawed logic.

I'm a meat eater, btw.

I'm a vegetarian and I am always asked if I eat fish - I don't. I think years ago a lot of vegetarians apparently ate fish.

I knew someone who was vegetarian apart from at Christmas.... So not actually a vegetarian.

Gleam most sensible comment that I've read today 🙂

Interestingly, my dictionary, which is 15 years old, doesn't have pescatarian in it. It's a large dictionary. Neither do my French, German or Italian to English ones. So it's not surprising people don't know what it means and it's easier to say you're a veggie that eats fish.

And to be honest, any restaurant that thinks a veggie eats fish isn't a very good restaurant! I work vaguely in the food industry and I have to know what different faiths eat or veggie/vegans etc. Most restaurants are much better nowadays.

Surely it's as easy to say "the only meat I eat is fish" if pescetarian is too problematic?

Out of interest, do pescetarians typically avoid all meat products like gelatine as a vegetarian would? (Apart from those derives from fish)

Just read the first page but had to LOL that people don't think chicken is a meat - wtf is it then?

Not a vegetarian by the way, although actually my diet isn't far from it!

I don't eat gelatine or anything with animal in it. It's amazing just what is in your food when you start looking.

I think it's much more confusing to say "the only meat I eat is fish". Most people see fish and meat as seperate. I'd envisage being given meat with a "but you said you ate some meats..." No, I will carry on saying I'm a veggie that eats fish. I don't eat much fish anyway now, and prefer just veg dishes,Vso it works for me.

I think it's much more confusing to say "the only meat I eat is fish". Most people see fish and meat as separate. I'd envisage being given meat with a "but you said you ate some meats..."

Why would someone who you'd told "the only meat I eat is fish" give you any other meat? They would be like giving someone who said the only meat that ate was chicken a beef burger because they ate some meats. Vegetarians don't eat any meat so if you eat fish you're not a vegetarian.

The term pescatarian annoys me, surely that would be someone that eatas only fish!

Eats* 😬

I'd be amazed if anyone gave you beef or pork if you'd said the only meat you eat is fish. It's a pretty unambiguous statement.

How about "the only animal products I eat are fish", which avoids the word "meat".

I think it's much more confusing to say "the only meat I eat is fish

You're confused by this factually correct statement that tells you clearly what a person eats?
You think its less confusing to pretend to be a vegetarian when you aren't one?

I know it's a post-truth world now, but come on!

I am a vegetarian, but have in the past eaten fish on occasions usually just to make things easier for other people (I don't do that anymore). When I ate fish, I would say "I don't eat meat" rather than "I'm vegetarian".

It's just about dealing efficiently with social situations. Do you explain your whole life history whenever someone asks you a question? Seriously ppl let's get real

Of course not. I just don't tell outright lies in order to "deal efficiently". I don't tell people I'm a formula one driver just because I like to drive fast. I don't tell people I'm a pop star because I sing in the shower. And I don't tell people I'm a vegetarian when I eat flesh.

This winds me up so much. I'm veggie, constantly get people asking me if I eat fish. No I don't because I don't agree with eating dead things!!!!

If someone tells me they are a vegetarian, I will happily provide them with a vegetarian meal if I am hosting. If someone tells me they are a vegetarian that eats fish, they will still be getting a vegetarian meal.

I don't really care if someone calls them self a vegetarian but eats fish because it will make no difference to me. If I as a meat eater can have a vegetarian meal, they can have a meal with no fish. Simples

No User, read it again, I'M not confused, I'm saying people that confuse vegetarians and fish eaters would find it more confusing as fish isn't usually termed as meat, it's not something found in the meat aisle, for example. If someone is that thick that they think veggies eat fish I'm not going to risk saying I eat any kind of meat!

I have to say I've never yet met anyone who doesn't know veggies don't eat fish, not restaurants. I'm still not saying I'm a pescatarian as I don't want to be offered fish, I rarely eat it and don't even like it much, I expect to be a real veggie soon.

I think pescatarian really means someone who eats only fish if we're sticking to accuracy.

I know what you are saying, and you are wrong.

The people calling themselves vegetarian and then eating fish are the ones causing the confusion. People see them eating fish, and think "huh, vegetarians eat fish? Ok". Then the next time they have a guest who says they are vegetarian, they give them salmon. Cos hey, the last one or two or ten "vegetarians" ate fish, so why wouldn't they all?

I think pescatarian really means someone who eats only fish if we're sticking to accuracy

Again wrong. Unless you think vegetarians only eat vegetables?

If someone is that thick that they think veggies eat fish I'm not going to risk saying I eat any kind of meat!

You've really contradicted yourself here. You're arguing that people are right to call themselves vegetarians if they want even if they eat fish. But also that people are thick if they think vegetarians eat fish..... So which is it?