Broken my veganism today

[Stepstepmother]

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?)

The issue is that to call yourself a vegan, you can’t just decide to eat meat for the day.

The issue for me is that this thread makes vegans look like purity-obsessed control freaks (and I say that lovingly as a control freak - albeit on other issues - myself). It actively makes vegans look bad - and I don't mean the OP. Pick your battles.

You aren't a vegan unless you go and lash yourself twenty times with a cruelty free tree branch screaming "the paradigm shift is happening aaarghhh"

According to mumsnet anyway.

Four hours is silly. A new day is a new start and if she doesn't eat meat/dairy she can call herself a vegan from that point on.

4 hours is silly but 12 is fair game? Come off it. So if I don't have bacon for breakfast I'm a vegan too then. At least until we see what I eat for lunch...salad? yay vegan till dinner time! Chicken...uh oh, try again tomorrow!

Some logic would be nice here

The issue for me is that this thread makes vegans look like purity-obsessed control freaks

keep up, the people saying this are not vegans!!

Rosie leads a very, erm, alternative life from the sounds of her other posts. It's not representative of normal folk I don't think.

FFS, its not dependent on what you are actually eating this second. I haven't eaten anyting in 4 hours, therefore I have been a vegan for 4 hours! Yay me, planet saver extraordinaire!

Not really, your diet describes what you eat, not the hours between meals.

If your diet tomorrow is vegan, then yes tomorrow you will be eating a vegan diet

This thread reminds me of my MIL. She tells people she doesn't eat meat, that she's a vegetarian and tries to give you a guilt trip if you dare to eat a ham sandwich. She eats chicken though. That's not meat, it's a bird. Wish I was even kidding lol.

(Can I just say that this is the longest thread I’ve ever started! Thought I was just sharing a cheeky ‘This is what I ate’ thread)

Also, just to point out I have never and would not judge others on what they eat. I choose based on my views - everyone else is free to do the same

Can I just say that this is the longest thread I’ve ever started! Thought I was just sharing a cheeky ‘This is what I ate’ thread)

I don't believe for a minute that you actually thought that!

@ArcheryAnnie

"The issue for me is that this thread makes vegans look like purity-obsessed control freaks. It actively makes vegans look bad - and I don't mean the OP. Pick your battles."

Are Muslims purity-obsessed control freaks if they object to an atheist calling themselves Muslim for the purposes of avoiding being offered a bacon sandwich (which is the OP's justification for using the label)?

she doesn't eat meat, that she's a vegetarian and tries to give you a guilt trip if you dare to eat a ham sandwich. She eats chicken though. That's not meat, it's a bird.Wish I was even kidding lol.

Ah, genius - although let's not get off into the chicken and fish woods - there be dragons. 🤪

Also, just to point out I have never and would not judge others on what they eat.

Me too. I would judge someone on what they called themselves. That’s the issue at the heart of it here.

@rosiejaune oh no you didn't just do "what if it was muslims", someone is winning MN bingo thanks to this thread 😂

If I had been vegan for 3.5 years because I see animals as our equals, and crammed a load of cheese into my mouth today because I couldn’t resist, would I still be getting the same response?

4 hours is silly but 12 is fair game? Come off it. So if I don't have bacon for breakfast I'm a vegan too then. At least until we see what I eat for lunch...salad? yay vegan till dinner time! Chicken...uh oh, try again tomorrow!

Don't waste your breath @hotblack

I guess I may as well say I am teetotal eh? I mean I had a glass of wine at 11pm, but I am a teetotal now. Until 1.15am when I have another one.

Then I am teetotal again, until midday tomorrow when I have half a lager at the pub.

Utterly.

Fucking.

Bonkers.

I can't even respond to the utter fuckwittery of @lizzie1970a 's posts! OR the OP's for that matter I can't believe the utter crap they're spouting. It's mind boggling!!!

Veganism alone isn't a religion jesus frigging christ can you hear yourself?!!!

@butterflysugarbaby

Genuine question. I’ve been vegan for 3.5 years. I wasn’t vegan today’s - I ate everything. But I’ll be back on the vegan wagon tomorrow with no plans to deviate. How long before I can call myself a vegan?

How long? Never. Because you're not a vegan.

Also yes Muslim people have varying levels of adherence, I am close friends with a Muslim woman who eats gelatine containing sweets because she wants to and she doesn't wear a hijab either, tell her she's not Muslim

A Jewish woman who eats pork just won't have it in the house. She's not strict, she's very lax, still a Jew though love to see you tell her otherwise

@Jeanclaudejackety

I didn't realise being a sling librarian, being disabled in various ways, or having been in an abusive relationship (which are the things I've been posting about) were particularly, erm, alternative (which you seem to be using as an insult, as you also say I'm not "normal").

Oh, or is it the not drinking hot drinks? Well that should certainly be stamped out asap. No non-tea drinkers allowed on MN...

Is stalking people you disagree with on a thread in an attempt to discredit their opinion "normal"?

If I had been vegan for 3.5 years because I see animals as our equals, and crammed a load of cheese into my mouth today because I couldn’t resist, would I still be getting the same response?

The animals as equals thing is a red herring. I think there is a difference between eating cheese (or a rare steak) in a moment of weakness and deliberately taking a day off being vegan.

Stalking?!! Paranoid much! I have literally only read your AMA thread you sound on there like you have an alternative kind of lifestyle you can't really deny that! When did I say not normal, you made that up, what's normal?! I'm a lone parent that's not normal. Loads of things.

If I had been vegan for 3.5 years because I see animals as our equals, and crammed a load of cheese into my mouth today because I couldn’t resist, would I still be getting the same response

I just think that for someone who has been vegan for 3.5 years for the reason you gave in your first post, it's strange that you seemed excited to share the fact that you had today 'broken your veganism', described it as epic and said that you look forward to doing it again.

I would have thought it would be something you wouldn't be proud of, although I am not saying you should be ashamed or judging. You can eat whatever you like, it's just strange to be so forthright about it being as you think being vegan is better for the world.

@butterflysugarbaby 😂 never?? So I eat and buy vegan for the rest of my life, but according to you I’ll never be vegan. Because of today.

Well I guess that tells me how seriously to take your posts!!