Vegetarians

drays

Jay dubbleU wrote:

If we didn't eat meat half the worlds forests would be destroyed and replaced with soya to support the worlds population at present levels

You're probably right - but it does take more land to grow crops to feed cows to make burgers than if we just ate the crops...

drays

kieranb wrote:

It's a personal choice

+1

I don't, most people do. I took a few digs at BBQs in Oz when I was living there for a bit cos i wasn't eating meat (sacrilege!). It's all good, i can take it!

verylonglegs

I eat meat because I like it but I don't eat it every day, for both cost and variety reasons as decent meat is expensive now...don't get me started on the water-filled crap supermarkets describe as 'bacon'. Each to their own however.

rhext

To me it's about good manners. I'm not a vegetarian, but if I've got a vegetarian friend coming round, then it seems to me good manners to respect their point of view and serve them something they can eat. What would the point be of serving them something that you know they're not going to like?

And if I'm visiting vegetarian friends, I don't have a problem eating vegetarian food. It's not like it's poisonous or anything, and it's not like I need to eat meat for every single meal. So if I'm visiting people who strongly feel that they don't want to prepare meat, why would I want to make them feel that I wasn't appreciative of the work that they'd put into preparing something else?

SimonAH

I love vegetarian sausages and burgers, but not the cheap ones.

I insist on ones made from free range vegetarians.

veronese68

I don't believe eating meat is wrong for a moment. Some of the methods used in the production of meat certainly are questionable. Same goes with over-fishing the seas. Problem is exacerbated because the world population is huge and the demand for food is rather large. My children are definitely not helping, they're eating me out of house and home.

rick_chasey

rhext wrote:

To me it's about good manners. I'm not a vegetarian, but if I've got a vegetarian friend coming round, then it seems to me good manners to respect their point of view and serve them something they can eat. What would the point be of serving them something that you know they're not going to like?

And if I'm visiting vegetarian friends, I don't have a problem eating vegetarian food. It's not like it's poisonous or anything, and it's not like I need to eat meat for every single meal. So if I'm visiting people who strongly feel that they don't want to prepare meat, why would I want to make them feel that I wasn't appreciative of the work that they'd put into preparing something else?

Sure, there's no problem eating vegetarian. I'll eat anything if someone's made it for me.

I find fussy eaters rude. As a guest, you get what you're given. It's not a restaurant, and you shouldn't be making demands. You don't like what I'm cooking? You don't agree with it? Don't eat here then.

CyclingBantam

Its a funny one. I really, really like meat and eat a lot of it. I am however, really carefull where I get the mear from where possible (or reasonable for my morals. I will eat sliced ham occasionally without knowing its provenance).

I really dislike cruelty to animals and am consistently shocked at what is deemed 'reasonable' simply so we can eat a cheap burger. What I don't have an issue, which some veggies seem to have the issue with, is animals actually being killed. So long as they have lived what I believe to be a happy life (completely free range and organic) and they are killed with as little suffering as possible I am comfortable.

It is like pretty much any discussion on here, there are the odd w4nkers who try and force an opinion on others but that doesn't mean all veggies (read as, Smokers, Drivers etc) are bad.

raymondo60

Its the definition of 'vegetarian' that I find ambiguous these days. I haven't eaten meat for over 25 years - based on various choices and criteria. My wife eats meat, my kids eat meat, I'll cook meat for them, but won't eat it. I've happily cooked Christmas dinner with turkey and the other meat trimmings and no doubt will do again some time - probably at Christmas!

I DO eat fish, seafood, cheese (love it) milk, eggs, yoghurt butter and other animal 'products'; am I a 'vegetarian? I don't describe mysellf as such. If asked, I say I'm a 'non-meat eater'.

The classic 'militant' vegetarian can be as unpleasant and boring as any form of fundementalist - where personal choice is being discussed (and what could be more personal than what you put in your mouth?) it can only be about what is right for you. That's what 'forums' are for, after all, to discuss other viewpoints.

Oh, and lastly, a recent survey suggested that even with regular meat eaters about 70% of their diet is 'non-meat' - except my mate Martin who eats meat, potatoes and NOTHING else!

Now, where's that packet of dried figs??

pauldavid

SimonAH wrote:

I love vegetarian sausages and burgers, but not the cheap ones.

I insist on ones made from free range vegetarians.

Which part of the veggie do they use to make the sausage? :shock: :shock:

I'm going to lie down now I feel a little nauseous!!!!!!!

finchy

I love animals, and, while I don't have any ethical problems with them being killed for meat, I really hate the inhumanity of some farming practices. I'd happily go vegetarian if only somebody would vegetarian food which tasted nice.

I'm fine with peas, carrots, corn, etc., but how the hell anyone can eat courgette, aubergine, cauliflower and peppers (which form the base of most vegetarian cookery) is beyond me.

I'm feeling queasy just talking about it.

andrewjoseph

johnfinch wrote:

....

I'm fine with peas, carrots, corn, etc., but how the hell anyone can eat courgette, aubergine, cauliflower and peppers (which form the base of most vegetarian cookery) is beyond me.

I'm feeling queasy just talking about it.

Depends on how you cook it. I've seen and tasted how some people cook meat, eating veg is easy, sometime you do have to forget your preconceived ideas though.

El Fredster

drays wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

If we didn't eat meat half the worlds forests would be destroyed and replaced with soya to support the worlds population at present levels

You're probably right - but it does take more land to grow crops to feed cows to make burgers than if we just ate the crops...

Correct.

'An acre of cereal produces five times more protein than an acre used for meat production; legumes such as beans, peas and lentils can produce 10 times more protein and, in the case of soya, 30 times more.'

http://www.viva.org.uk/guides/feedtheworld.htm

finchy

andrewjoseph wrote:

johnfinch wrote:

....

I'm fine with peas, carrots, corn, etc., but how the hell anyone can eat courgette, aubergine, cauliflower and peppers (which form the base of most vegetarian cookery) is beyond me.

I'm feeling queasy just talking about it.

Depends on how you cook it. I've seen and tasted how some people cook meat, eating veg is easy, sometime you do have to forget your preconceived ideas though.

I can eat peppers and cauliflower if they're part of a curry, but I can't be eating Indian food 3-4 times a week.

Courgettes and aubergines though - forget about it, there is nothing you could do to make me eat those.

Aggieboy

I know a couple of vagitarians that eat meat.

El Fredster

MountainMonster wrote:

How is eating meat fundamentally wrong? That part I don't understand. Considering meat eating is in our nature, and we need the nutrients to survive, how is it wrong?

Agree with the first part.

We need the nutrients to survive though? As in, vegetarians can't survive? Doesn't make sense.

andrewjoseph

johnfinch wrote:

...
Courgettes and aubergines though - forget about it, there is nothing you could do to make me eat those.

Ever eaten a greek moussaka?

finchy

andrewjoseph wrote:

johnfinch wrote:

...
Courgettes and aubergines though - forget about it, there is nothing you could do to make me eat those.

Ever eaten a greek moussaka?

No

jawooga

kieranb wrote:

It's a personal choice, but that is what it is, a choice to eat meat or not eat meat, so if you eat meat it is your decision, don't hide it under some talk about nature or dietary requirements.

Man has long ago given up doing what is natural, I'm quite happy with that, my veggie lifestyle in northern Europe is quite easy to follow thanks to the global food market. I don't live in a cave, wear coarse animal furs and my job is not hunter gatherer, rather I live in a house, wear clothes made in factories (some even using synthetic fibres!) and work for a modern multi-national working at a computer screen.

Anyway I think it is a bit obvious that some replies here are trolling a little (winking at J DubbleU here).

Note, it if you can't be assed cooking veggie food for your good friends just invite them over for drinks! I'm sure they won't miss your attempts at a nice veggie dish

+another

Modern lifestyles have evolved beyond recognition on timescales many orders of magnitude smaller than biological evolution, so the business of "...look at our teeth...made for meat..." implies no human responsiblity for the world and other animals around us, from a position where actually, we have choice in how we act.

I'd rather people were honest that they like meat and are comfortable eating it. I have no beaf with that (pun intended). The cod-evolution/creationalism hybrid ideas are an easy excuse for prejudice analagous to "...God made Adam and Eve..."

My wife, friends and family eat meat and it's a non-issue. I'll cook meat dishes for them and barbeques etc, it just may not be very nice as I'm not tasting it as I go. I agree with the comments that sanctamonious twats are just that, regardless of what their campaign is.

To be honest, if I'm going to a barbeque at friend's, I'm very happy to take along a pizza and a 4-pack of Leffe.

andrewjoseph

johnfinch wrote:

...

Ever eaten a greek moussaka?

No[/quote]

Well you should!

garyhere

Its ironic that a lot of posts on this site bemoan the steroetypes that drivers freely give to cyclists... in much the same way that a lot of posters on this thread seem to view vegetarians.
I suppose like those car drivers we just have to accept ignorance and roll our eyes. :roll:

Martincan

garyhere wrote:

Its ironic that a lot of posts on this site bemoan the steroetypes that drivers freely give to cyclists... in much the same way that a lot of posters on this thread seem to view vegetarians.
I suppose like those car drivers we just have to accept ignorance and roll our eyes. :roll:

Although a carrot could probably teach a few lessons on passing a bikeriderist.

pauldavid

garyhere wrote:

Its ironic that a lot of posts on this site bemoan the steroetypes that drivers freely give to cyclists... in much the same way that a lot of posters on this thread seem to view vegetarians.
I suppose like those car drivers we just have to accept ignorance and roll our eyes. :roll:

Don't just sit there rolling your eyes, go make yourself a nice bacon sandwich.

You must be starving, you've only had vegetables for your tea

gmb

I had a period of about 10 years when I was a strict vegetarian. My dad, who was a chef was disgusted by this. I remember telling him that I had given up meat and he said "If God didn't want us to eat animals he wouldn't have made them out of meat!".

Fair enough really...

lvquestpaddler

We are a strange lot, still bombing, starving, polluting and maiming lots of the worlds human population yet worrying about animal welfare....
I just wonder with vegans, do they, in their pure highest form of love for the animal kingdom, take a dump then cry for the millions of bacteria they've just forcibly ejected from their asses to die?! I mean, life is life is life? And they were helpful bacteria too you murderers!!
(So, don't shake a vegans hand or let them cook for you- doubt they'd be using the handwashing facilities in the toilets in order to preserve life on their hands....)
Didn't do old Linda much good either eh?

Cleat Eastwood

Aggieboy wrote:

I know a couple of vagitarians that eat meat.

I hope you're not referring to the love of my, nay all our lives....

thegreatdivide

lvquestpaddler wrote:

We are a strange lot, still bombing, starving, polluting and maiming lots of the worlds human population yet worrying about animal welfare...

In the wise words of Bill Hicks, we're a virus with shoes.

37monkey

MattC59 wrote:

gllewellyn wrote:

I know that eating meat is fundamentally wrong,

Bull sh*t !!
Based on what ?
If it was, why are your teeth the way they are ?

It's not about teeth, it's all to do with the length of our digestive tract. Animals that can eat meat properly have short digestive systems, we have longer ones and have to cook meat to eat it. If not cooked it spends too long digesting and causes problems. Fact

Edit, I've just checked and my dog has no molars

MountainMonster

SimonAH wrote:

I love vegetarian sausages and burgers, but not the cheap ones.

I insist on ones made from free range vegetarians.

POTD

MattC59

El Fredster wrote:

'An acre of cereal produces five times more protein than an acre used for meat production; legumes such as beans, peas and lentils can produce 10 times more protein and, in the case of soya, 30 times more.'

But it doesn't taste half as good !!!