Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Broken my veganism today

600 replies

Stepstepmother · 15/08/2018 21:12

And had to tell someone!

I’ve been a vegan for a few years - for environmental reasons and the argument that it’s much more possible to feed the world when we eat a plant based diet. It’s genuinely been a sacrifice as I love eating meat and fish and dairy - but I’ve done it. Lately I’ve been toying with the idea of giving myself a secret day off. Just one day, then back to it. That day was today. So I’ve eaten...

A buttery cheese croissant for breakfast
Rare steak with beef dripping chips and creamed spinach for lunch
A chicken thigh pita with halloumi cheese, caramelised onions, and garlic aoli for dinner.

It’s all been epic. And totally secret. I’m back on the straight and narrow vegan route again tomorrow and will look forward to my next cheat day in a few years time. But I just had to share.

(I know I’ve posted in AIBU - so, was I unreasonable?)

OP posts:
MissMarplesKnitting · 16/08/2018 00:11

Obviously one cannot care about animal rights without being vegan also.

I find the whole thing bonkers and confusing.

I know 'vegans' who keep pets. Are they not vegans?

HotblackDesiatoto · 16/08/2018 00:12

If I’d had 20 on that day in 2016, I’d have no problem calling myself a non-smoker now, nor in 2017 or the day after

Thats not what I asked. If you smoked 20 fags today, actually today, would you stand there with smoke still on you and be indignant at anyone daring to suggest that you were not a non smoker? Really?

You are a vegan from the moment you start eating exclusively vegan food until the moment you stop. If you start again, you are a vegan again

By that inane defintion I'm a vegan quite a lot of the time. Except all the times I eat animal products, which is a lot of the time. So I'm not a fecking vegan!

Botanicbaby · 16/08/2018 00:12

I’d hate to think what your idea of “super strict” veganism actually is. Bacon sandwich?

PS For clarity, please substitute any of my previous mentions of ‘steak’ ‘rare steak’ with ‘milkshake’ ‘animal derivative’ etc as I’m not the one getting hung up on steak which is what you wrote about. You got to 14 pages & counting, give yourself 10/10. Enjoy your soy-avo shake tomorrow won’t you!

NicknameMustbeBetween4and30Cha · 16/08/2018 00:13

Why is it insulting to vegans?

Are you fucking kidding me?

...No?

I'm a vegetarian. If somebody else calls themself a vegetarian but eats fish, I don't feel insulted.

HotblackDesiatoto · 16/08/2018 00:13

I know 'vegans' who keep pets. Are they not vegans?

Do they eat the pets? Or any other animal products? If no, vegans, if yes, not vegans.
Its not hard to define!

ImAIdoot · 16/08/2018 00:14

I've known many vegans over the course of many years. Almost none of them would be in communion with the holy church of veganism, given the definitions and pronouncements in this thread. 🙄

Original poster
Stepstepmother · 16/08/2018 00:15

I believe that actions are key. Not I don’t think that a chicken is my equal. Yes, I do think that the way they are intensively farmed is inhumane, I do think that the grains that feed chickens would be better feeding humans and I do think the land they live on would be better being farmed for food.

You do not get to tell me that my reasons are wrong. That I’ve committed vegan thought crime by not thinking a chicken is of equal value to a human child

OP posts:
PurpleDaisies · 16/08/2018 00:15

If somebody else calls themself a vegetarian but eats fish, I don't feel insulted.

I agree that it isn’t insulting but it is bloody annoying. It means people extrapolate that all “vegetarians” must eat fish so you get salmon as the sole vegetarian option on a menu.

rainbowsandsmiles · 16/08/2018 00:15

Yesterday, I was a vegan, today I wasn't, tomorrow I will be."
Sorry, but THAT dithery attitude is the exact reason proper vegetarians and vegans are thought of as faddy, playing about, just being fussy. Not either myself, but DH is and a long standing strict one at that.

Perfectly1mperfect · 16/08/2018 00:15

I’ve explained that the label makes it easier to describe your boundaries to others.

But you are willing to cross the boundaries and have said you will again in the future and are looking forward to that day. Confused

rosiejaune · 16/08/2018 00:15

@Stepstepmother

Others won't let you have the label because it isn't accurate.

You eat a plant-based diet (usually), you are not vegan. That is a very clear (much clearer than saying vegan, which people misunderstand all the time!) and concise way of telling people what you eat (most of the time).

HotblackDesiatoto · 16/08/2018 00:16

I've known many vegans over the course of many years. Almost none of them would be in communion with the holy church of veganism, given the definitions and pronouncements in this thread

Its not a church, or a religion. Did the vegans you know eat steak? If they did, they weren;t vegans.

Why are so many people struggling? My five year old would catch on quicker!

Stepstepmother · 16/08/2018 00:17

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

HotblackDesiatoto · 16/08/2018 00:18

I believe that actions are key. Not I don’t think that a chicken is my equal

I;m with you there. But you're the one who ATE a chicken today. I had salad in my wrap. Neither of us is a vegan!

Original poster
Stepstepmother · 16/08/2018 00:18

@HotblackDesiatoto your five year old has obviously inherited her mothers lack of nuanced thought

OP posts:
ImAIdoot · 16/08/2018 00:19

Its not a church, or a religion. Did the vegans you know eat steak? If they did, they weren;t vegans.

I was referring to the posterz telling people they aren't vegans unless their motivations are the correct ones, actually.

Nobody in this thread, or indeed anywhere ever has suggested steak is vegan.

PurpleDaisies · 16/08/2018 00:19

You know telling posters to fuck off is against talk guidelines? Did you miss that or are you just choosing to have a cheat day?

YeahDefinitelyNameChanging · 16/08/2018 00:20

I've known many vegans over the course of many years. Almost none of them would be in communion with the holy church of veganism, given the definitions and pronouncements in this thread.
This. I’ve already mentioned the one self proclaimed vegan I know who turns a blind eye when it comes to wine but is otherwise strict. I know another who I recall ate a donut 15 years ago. We’ve also heard the harrowing tale of the ‘vegan’ who makes an exception for eggs laid by her friend’s hen.

lizzie1970a · 16/08/2018 00:20

No vegan is saying how long she has to abstain from meat/dairy for before she's allowed to call herself a vegan again. Why not? Is it because it's a notional idea in your head and there's no set guidelines?

Original poster
Stepstepmother · 16/08/2018 00:20

AGain, I repeat. 3.5 fucking years of strict veganism!!! That’s not the same as a weekly steak.

OP posts:
HotblackDesiatoto · 16/08/2018 00:20

I said I was a very strict vegan for 3.5 years. 3.5 years!! No lapses, no slips, no mistakes. Yes, I had a blow out today. Tomorrow I go back to being a strict vegan

LOL. The delusion is strong in this one. "God, of course I;m a very strict vegan! Eating cows and chickens and cheese and milk does not in anyway mean I'm not a strict vegan, how very dare you!"

All those lovely saturated fats gone to your brain have they? Grin

Stepstepmother · 16/08/2018 00:21

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

HotblackDesiatoto · 16/08/2018 00:21

Nobody in this thread, or indeed anywhere ever has suggested steak is vegan

OP is giving it a good lash. Shes a steak eating strict vegan doncha know

lizzie1970a · 16/08/2018 00:22

But she can abstain from now on and call herself a vegan again, Hotblack. What's stopping her? What time limit is acceptable to you before she can call herself a vegan again?

ImAIdoot · 16/08/2018 00:22

OP is giving it a good lash. Shes a steak eating strict vegan doncha know

No, she really isn't.

Are... are you broken?