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?)

I am interested in the claim that veganism is better for the planet. Could you direct me to the independent evidence for this please.

It depends on what measurement you're interested in. If we agree that global warming is the biggest threat to the natural planet right now, then there is plenty of evidence of the huge amount of greenhouse gases produced by the meat industry.

I’m confused.

I thought the whole point of being a vegan was that you were fundamentally opposed to eating dead animals, eggs or dairy products on principle.

That being the case, why would a steak be a ‘treat’. A bloody slab of dead cow should be disgusting, surely?

If this argument was just about the meaning of words, there would be a lot more nuance to it

Actually there is plenty of nuance, but not enough nuance to make the sentence "OP is a strict vegan who today ate rare steak, chicken, cheese and butter" a credible and accurate statement.
There is not enough nuance in the world to make that line true, and I'm pretty sure you know that.

Good for you. You haven't slipped up and I think as your choices are made primarily for ecological reasons rather than the animal eating ones, ethically you are still sound. Since plenty of people will bang on.telling you that you arent vegan now, you are wise to keep your day off a secret. You are way more vegan than someone who only changed their diet last week.

Hmm by the logic of some posters on here I have been living a lie also. I thought I was straight but once I kissed one of my girl friends on a night out. I thought I was straight but clearly I cannot be if things are so straight cut that one slip up can undo years of lifestyle choices. What a bunch of horse shit @RoboJesus

This is why I refuse to label myself.

I just say that I don’t eat meat.

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.

If a Christian one day thumps a mugger instead of turning the other cheek and letting him take their wallet,
that doesn't mean they are not a Christian
Just that they are not perfect.

You are a vegan, step
You don't have to be perfect

I'm an omnivore, btw, but I now have a stretch of 5 organic vegan days per month
Nothing whatsoever to do with the planet or animal welfare, but because I think for those short intervals it probably benefits my health a little to cut right down on protein and cut out animal fat & sugar
I'm still an omnivore

How about 'I mainly eat a vegan diet' would that satisfy the sanctimonious?

Actually there is plenty of nuance, but not enough nuance to make the sentence "OP is a strict vegan who today ate rare steak, chicken, cheese and butter" a credible and accurate statement

Well see, now you've subtly introduced the word "strict", to slightly alter the nuance in support of your argument. Good example.

How about 'I mainly eat a vegan diet' would that satisfy the sanctimonious?

That’s totally fine. Deliberately choosing to eat meat or dairy is totally at odds with what a vegan is.

Why define yourself through a diet just eat what you want

@Botanicbaby

I apologise if you think I’m being mealy mouthed - but I do disagree.

The rare steak seems to be a particular problem to you - would it have been better if it was well done? Less removed from the animal then? Or if it was fish. Or milk.

I’m going to be very honest and say I’m not particularly sentimental over animals. Again, I’ve gone over my reasons for my veganism which are not about squeamishness of rare meat.

Again I ask. Will you consider me a ‘genuine’ vegan tomorrow when I’m back on track? If not, why not? Because of my reasons?

YANBU (sounds delicious) - well done for sticking with it in such a principled manner 99.999% of the time

As a veggie I often do dream of McDonald’s cheeseburgers. If I was to cheat it would be a happy meal.

Let's amend a pp

"Deliberately choosing to hit a mugger is totally at odds with what a Christian is"

These statements make me worry for society's future. We need to applaud the OPs efforts over 3.5years, not denigrate one day.

We rise when we lift each other.

As a veggie I often do dream of McDonald’s cheeseburgers. If I was to cheat it would be a happy meal.

It would be a sausage and egg McMuffin for me. Thank goodness for quorn sausage patties.

I've reduced my meat consumption in the past few years, mainly because most meat in my price range is completely tasteless. I don't know what's changed, I'm sure it didn't use to be so bad let's say 10 years ago? Now I use it mainly for flavouring, like bacon or chorizo.

anyways, you're doing great op.

OP, you're going to be branded not a proper vegan, so you might as well go back to nomming delicious, juicy steak and delectable cheeses full time!

"NO VEGAN DIET, NO VEGAN POWERS!" - the Vegan Police, Scott Pilgrim vs the World

I only used the term rare steak as that’s what you used in your OP. Nope I wouldn’t consider you a vegan, today or tomorrow. It doesn’t matter whether you’re “squeamish about animals” or whatever other reason you choose to call yourself vegan. Simply put you’re not vegan & the PP who said virtue signaller who eats what they like in private yet presents the opposite public persona called it right - why else care about the ‘label’.

How about 'I mainly eat a vegan diet' would that satisfy the sanctimonious

I don't think there are any sanctimonious people here, but it would satisfy the people who understand English well enough.

You do understand that "I eat mainly a vegan diet" is a totally different thing than "I am a vegan" don't you?

There’s been a few comments that suggest I couldn’t possibly enjoy meat due to the principle of veganism.

My principle of veganism isn’t due to the poor animals. It’s due to environmental concerns. Does that make me less of a vegan if my principles are different to yours? I have lived by my principles every day for 3.5 years. I had one day off. I’ll be back to it tomorrow.

My reasons for being a vegan may be different to others but that doesn’t make them less valid. And yes - I still see a slab of dead cow as delicious

We need to applaud the OPs efforts over 3.5years, not denigrate one day

We don't need to do either, in fact. There is nothing to either applaud nor denigrate.

^OP, you're going to be branded not a proper vegan, so you might as well go back to nomming delicious, juicy steak and delectable cheeses full time!*

Nobody is saying that, just that the op should say she eats “a mainly vegan diet” rather than calling herself a vegam.

So if a ‘vegan’ accidentally ate a mislabelled product which contained dairy, would they also need to shit it all out before they can reclaim the label? (If reclaiming is possible...still not clear on that).

Or do you have to knowingly ingest an animal product for the clear colon rule to apply?