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?)

@Stepstepmother
"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?"

Of course not, because your initial post would have been completely different. All about how guilty you felt. If you'd even posted it at all, which is less likely in those circumstances.

@Jeanclaudejackety

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

Veganism is protected under equalities legislation under the same category; religion and philosophical belief.

Jews are an ethnoreligious group, so they can be atheists and still be Jewish. Religious practice is irrelevant.

Putting the word "Muslim" in your example doesn't magically make it relevant to mine. My analogy was not about levels of adherence; you're changing the subject instead of answering my actual question.

@PurpleDaisies why? Genuine question. Why is it worse because it was planned rather than a spontaneous moment?

@rosiejaune

Ok I’m getting it now. I’m not vegan because I’m morning remorseful?

If you look back over my posts I think you’ll find the one where I said I felt guilty and knew it was morally wrong. I’m not proud. Yes I massively enjoyed the taste. But morally I have no plans to do it again

There’s no such thing as 100% vegan because we all end up consuming the bugs that get caught up in the harvesting of edible plants

You sound nuts tbh I'm n off to get a cheese butty and watch a film now bye.

If you seriously think your choice to be vegan should be protected and you should be treated differently like a speshul case that you clearly think you are then you need help it's a diet choice end of

Do you evangelicise all over Facebook and post graphic pictures of animal cruelty? If so then YABU, and a hypocrite. If you just go about your own little vegan business doing your own thing then I think you’re perfectly fine.

@Jeanclaudejackety

"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."

So it's solely my take on parenting that you have concluded is alternative? There was no information in that thread on the rest of my lifestyle. I wouldn't call it alternative anyway though; I'd call it historically and biologically normal.

"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."

This quote from your post. I did not make it up, I copied and pasted it. I think I'd rather be abnormal folk by your standards though.

Get over yourself you think you're amazing!! Veganism is probably just another way you make yourself feel special and different

@Stepstepmother
"and will look forward to my next cheat day in a few years time."

You very clearly stated plans to do it again. I think there are other posts saying that too, but I'm not rereading the whole thing.

@Jeanclaudejackety
"Ps have fun at your made up job in a sling library stroking your own and other pathetic parents like yours egos at how right on you are"

You sound defensive. I haven't criticised your parenting methods; I don't even know what they are.

Tbf one interesting thing from this thread is that I didn’t know that vegans can’t visit zoos or aquariums (I take it one who does has their status revoked?)

veganism is primarily about avoiding animal suffering before the environment or health, or whatever other reason people choose to eat plant based. So I wouldn't have considered you vegan before your cheat day anyway. But even if the exploitation and misery of animals doesn't bother you, at least they benefit from your environmental concerns.

OP

The very very very strict Vegans on this thread have clearly got it in for you because of your day off. Try not let them make you feel like shit (way to go by the way you very very very strict Vegans - clearly you treat animals better than fellow humans..)

Just ignore the lot of them, you're doing great things and keep on it for you. I'm not vegan as I don't agree with the culture that goes with it, but I'd love to be able to give up meat just lack the willpower!

You just be you - because that's the thing you're meant to be. Ignore the ones who are trampling you down, it's not worth it x

The way we choose to fuel our bodies are of nobody's concern but our own, if they don't compromise our health (and place pressure on health services) or anyone else's pocket. Eat nothing but peas and the dots punched out of paper if you want. And if you don't want sometimes, then don't.

Is veganism 100% or 'fail'? Is it really that draconian? For some maybe, but generally I hope not.

I'm not vegan, except that actually a lot of my diet is a lot of the time because dairy doesn't suit me in quantity and I don't drink cows milk (makes me heave, I've used nut/oat/soya for years without considering it a virtue - more a very expensive quirk). I happily don't eat meat but sometimes do eat chicken & fish, No rules. No label. Just I mostly do happen to prefer what is now called a 'plant-based' diet (God that sounds so smugly virtuous). And occasionally I really fancy a bacon butty and cheese on everything. No denial. No rules. Just what I prefer.

No badges for me as my tastes are mercurial and I don't care, but I happen to 'do my bit' by accident because it's what I prefer to eat.

Jesus, normal people must be totally WTF at this thread.

September 1974 was the last time I ate meat. It wasn’t the taste of meat I didn’t like - I loved it, it was the terror an animal goes through when the stench of blood fill her nostrils and she knows her life, all she has, is about to end.

You are not a vegan or environmentalist. You just want to virtue signal while in private you gobble down anything you stuff in your greedy gob.

And as for that gem... what a sanctimonious tosser.
You must win gold every year at The Vegan Wanker Olypmics!!!

@Mumshotel

erm I could hazard a wild guess and say it might have hurt the dead animal she ate, or perhaps the cow that that was forcibly inseminated and had its baby taken away so she could have her cheese. Methinks you may have missed the whole point of the debate here. And since when was legality the measure of morality? By that reasoning you must consider infidelity fine seen as it's not illegal!

this thread is hilarious now. i bet none of you would be so sanctimonious to OPs face. you’re all cleary angels in every area of life

nice to see you’re not taking them serious OP

I am a very strict vegan, but I never judge anyone else as to how they live their lives and it pisses me off when vegans do that, you give us a bad name. There are many reasons people do what they do and if the OP wants a day off every week that is up to her, it is a shame she cannot be open in RL about it I suppose. I have a friend who I describe as a Vegatarian Meat Eater! I love her all the same. I do dislike sanctimonious people who really do believe they are better than others. I can’t bear the thought of even touching meat and to be honest your post made me feel nauseous, but if everyone in the world was a Vegatarian Meat Eater like my friend that could only be a good thing, surely. I would sooner that than 1% vegan 9% vegetarian 90% Meat Eaters. (Made up stats by the way 😂)

It's impossible to be 100% vegan in a world that on the whole is not vegan. We can only do our best.

Most of us vegans are very passionate about veganism. This can make for an almost religious stance. There are many of us though, who manage to balance their love and respect for animals with our love and respect for people.

If your reasons for being vegan are not primarily due to feeling an affinity with animals then I personally don't see an issue with a cheat day if it keeps you on track the rest of the time. I don't at all understand it when people go out of their way to announce their vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, maybe even pushing it on others, and then consciously have a crafty bacon sandwich.

Secretly is the way to do it. Avoids drama and also misunderstanding for non vegans, especially when it comes to catering for their vegan friends or family.

Having read most of the posts with real interest, one sticks out for me, by @MissMarplesKnitting.... Who said:
'We rise when we lift each other.' Lovely quote and I guess in response to giving the op encouragement to carry on with the vegan diet.

Personally I'm impressed with your diet, OP, I care not what you are 'labelled', (I know you do, and that's fine), but I don't get the 'you can't join our club' attitude from some. Hey ho.

As an omnivore, I feel sorry for the hard time vegans usually get on MN

imo, the day after your blip, you resumed being a vegan and that is what I would call you.
I don't require perfection of my friends & acquaintances, because I am not perfect myself.

I never understand why other people require vegans to be 100% perfect in a way they don't require say Christians, or others with moral principles, or say someone who is supposed to avoid alcohol / sugar / saturated fat

OP you are still a vegan !

You had a blip one day in 3.5 years

With any other way of life, the only comment people would make is that it's amazing you kept to your principles the other 1,277 days !

That was some "cheat day"

Lol at all this “you cannot use the term vegan”. “You do not get to call yourself a vegan”

She can do whatever the fuck she likes.

I do however think life is far too short for this, OP. You clearly enjoy meat and dairy and miss it and this is a massive sacrifice for you. It doesn’t make any difference in the grand scheme of things whether one person chooses to be a vegan or not. Love your best life. I also love meat and dairy and I’d be utterly miserable to be so restricted.

Ignore the nasties OP! Veganism is avoiding animal products as far as is reasonably possible, so if one 'sinful' day means you can be a great vegan for years to come, you shouldn't doubt yourself.