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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To renounce my vegetarianism?

155 replies

nethunsreject · 28/12/2016 21:46

I've been veggie all my life. My parents were hippies. Several reasons I want to eat meat occasionally:

  1. I eat dairy, which is as bad as the meat industry.
  2. I don't have a problem with animals being killed for food. I dislike intensive farming but, as I only want meat once a week, we can buy from the local farm which is high welfare.
  3. I feel that life is short, I'm middle aged and I'll be dead one day. I'm blessed in living in modern western world where I have the chance to enjoy very many things.
Anyone gone this way too?
OP posts:
WellErrr · 28/12/2016 22:21

It means animals that have had a high quality of care and a natural lifestyle, with a humane end user.

LittleBoat · 28/12/2016 22:22

I have just started eating meat after 20+ years. Not only is it easier at mealtimes, but I feel much better for it.

I have now 'come out' to everyone. People didn't react as I expected. PIL, who I thought would make a fuss, were least bothered/interested. There were a few friends who I thought wouldn't turn a hair have been a bit 'teasy' about it though.

I'm not eating any old meat though. I find I don't like chicken, burgers, sausages, mince etc. But beef/lamb steaks are going down well. High welfare/organic/free range of course.

I'd say go for it and enjoy trying new foods.

Lorelei76 · 28/12/2016 22:23

Up to you
I was veggie for about ten years and thinking to revert back to it, but that's partly because I don't think meat suits me Any more. I went off fish this summer and last couple of months went off meat, annoyingly I have a load in the freezer.

I now feel that if I were going for animal welfare only vegan is logical so I see your point there. You might find you can't digest much meat, it took me a while, not sure if it was psychological.

NameSux · 28/12/2016 22:29

I was raised veggie too. I've just started eating chicken in the last two months (don't tell my dad, he'd disown me). I'm kinda over the guilt but I'm slightly scared of it all. No idea how to cook meat or what else to try. It's a really weird place to be in

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 28/12/2016 22:32

A friend of mine was vegetarian for many years for ethical reasons - she would eat meat that hadn't been factory farmed though. However, when she became pregnant, she became quite anaemic and decided to stop being vegetarian at that point because her baby's welfare was more important to her than her ethical considerations. (It was suggested to her that she should consider this option to help counter the anaemia).

That's not to say that vegetarians put their babies at risk, most don't at all - it was her choice to change. There are other ways, vegetarian ways, to deal with pregnancy anaemia - she just chose to go back to eating meat.
She's never gone back to being vegetarian either, although she's not a big meat eater.

1horatio · 28/12/2016 22:33

Eat whatever you want.

My sister is vegan, so is one of my Buddhist uncles.

I like meat and don't mind hunting my own but have a somewhat specialised diet Just do what you think is right

LastGirlOnTheLeft · 28/12/2016 22:33

I have zero respect for ex-vegetarians....they once felt strongly enough about the suffering of animals and now they don't?? People who eat meat consume on average 11,000 animals in their lifetime, so for people to take a stand against this and then back down....pathetic!!!!

I am vegan but I understand it isn't for everyone....but please do what you can!!!

Original poster
nethunsreject · 28/12/2016 22:33

It's good to hear your perspectives and experiences. Yes, I think because I have never eaten meat, I might be expecting some kind of amazing experience Grin, whereas it's probably just mildly enjoyable Grin! I know people around me don't give a monkey's what I eat, but it's good to not feel judged anyway. I live in a farming community and grew up in the Young Farmer's. In the 80s I was regarded as an oddity, but nowadays it's surprising how many farming folk are veggie!

OP posts:
AliceInUnderpants · 28/12/2016 22:33

Why do you feel the need to "renounce" it? Just frigging eat meat, if you want to. It's no big deal to anyone but you.

Gallavich · 28/12/2016 22:34

Veggie for life here - I struggle to understand how you can view meat as food if you've never eaten it; I couldn't. It's as much food as mud or car tyres would be to me. But if you want to eat meat it's entirely your choice!

Original poster
nethunsreject · 28/12/2016 22:34

Lastgirl, I have never taken a stand though. It's how I was raised Hmm.

OP posts:
LastGirlOnTheLeft · 28/12/2016 22:36

Thumb, it takes thirty minutes to have the iron infusion.

Original poster
nethunsreject · 28/12/2016 22:36

Galla, yes, the idea of it as food has always seemed foreign, until recently. Don't know what changed?

OP posts:
Lorelei76 · 28/12/2016 22:38

LastGirl, what about if they were raised veggie, that's what happened with my folks. Then as adults they decided they weren't fussed.

I went veggie as a teen, other family members were still veggie, then changed my mind and yes, decided I didn't care. I don't maintain all my teenage views by any means!

ThumbWitchesAbroad · 28/12/2016 22:39

Matters not the slightest to me - I've never been vegetarian, never will be and it was my friend's choice, not mine. So it's an irrelevance how long an iron infusion might take.

1horatio · 28/12/2016 22:40

Eat meat but don't drink dairy?

It isn't particularly healthy and kind of creepy, imo...

Lorelei76 · 28/12/2016 22:40

Actually I should add, nothing wrong with changing views as teen or adult.

Original poster
nethunsreject · 28/12/2016 22:40

Admittedly, 'renounce' is a tad over egging it Grin, I just wanted to hear from others. I know it doesn't matter a jot to anyone but me, of course. I'm raising it here because I don't want to bore the arse off my friends Wink

OP posts:
lljkk · 28/12/2016 22:41

I was vegetarian for 17 yrs... Never about "suffering" of animals... ffs. ppl assuming I was an animal rightist quite offended me, actually (so many stories about crazy intolerant animal rights activists).

Start really slowly, Nethuns. Eggs or Bacon are a nice start :).

Thingmcthingyface · 28/12/2016 22:41

Just wanted to make the point that eating meat has a higher environmental impact than eating diary, they are not the same... on a global scale we badly need to reduce our consumption of animal product so hopefully you'll try it and wonder what all the fuss is :-)

Original poster
nethunsreject · 28/12/2016 22:41

I do eat dairy. That's in my first post. Veggie, lifelong, always had dairy.

OP posts:
Lorelei76 · 28/12/2016 22:42

Horatio - huh? What about people with dairy allergy??

I'm anemic now. I wasn't when I was veggie.

ChuckSnowballs · 28/12/2016 22:42

I have been veggie for 32 years.

Nobody cares what you do or don't eat. Honestly. It is none of their business. It is your mouth, your belly and your choice.

You are an adult. So eat what you want.

NameSux · 28/12/2016 22:43

LastGirl it wasn't a choice for some people. It's how we were raised and enforced by social pressure to meet other people's beliefs. In particular I was raised to fear food and have eating disorders as a result it's so liberating to be able to decide my own moral standard and live by my own rules

LastGirlOnTheLeft · 28/12/2016 22:43

Okay....I get that!!! If you'll were raised that way then decided it wasn't for you....of course that is ok!!!!! I am talking about people who make the decision to abstain from meat because of animal welfare, then change their minds!!!!

Sorry reject (love the name) and Lorelei (Luke is mine btw)....I just feel very strongly for animals and their welfare!!!!