Vegetarianism - Did I or Didn't I?

[mcgillianaire]

Can other converts share a similar experience? Every so often I find myself questioning whether I've eaten meat without realising it. I haven't so far but I keep feeling like I have. Withdrawal symptoms? Over conscious of the fact I don't want to eat meat? Whatever it is, I hope I eventually get over it. I think I've trained my mind to only look for veggie options when I buy or order food. Is it just me?

Comments

Nope

[roberttuttle.livejournal.com]

I know I've accidentally eaten meat. Fairly recently too.

A friend of mine offered me a pizza stick that had pepperoni in it. It wasn't until the last bite did I realize that pepperoni is made of meat.

Dumb mistake but I didn't beat myself up for it. It's not like I supported the process with my own capital. I've found that hurts the industry more than complaining.

I have found that I crave salmon and that's the toughest thing. I haven't eaten any but I know I've wanted to.

Robert Tuttle

[brinker.livejournal.com]

I'm not a convert to vegetarianism, having grown up one, but I'll comment anyway.

I do occasionally wonder on occasions when something looks like it could be meat, or not. In restaurants, I ask fanatically, but I don't always trust the answers. (I trust the answers if the waiters/cooks are Indians, and American restaurants are getting better. But if they're Arab... I analyze whatever I'm eating to death no matter what they tell me, since they don't seem to get the vegetarian thing.) I've still eaten meat on occasion (bit into what I was told was a vegetable samosa only to have it be meat... that type of thing.) I try to suppress the gag reflexes and go on with life. You're not going to die because of it, and it's not like you did it intentionally or knowingly, after all.

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

How come you grew up vegetarian?

Thanks for that. I'd add Chinese restaurants to the list including Arab restaurants. I find I have to say "no meat" rather than vegetarian because they think it just means vegetables and with no reference to meat or the lack thereof. I don't think I'll worry too much if I do eat meat by mistake though there'll probably be a gad reflex! I think what's happening to me is a constant sense of "have I eaten meat earlier today/yesterday(etc) without realising it?"

[brinker.livejournal.com]

Yeah, likely the same for Chinese. But since most waiters (and I suspect cooks) here in Oman are Indian, I tend to trust them.

I grew up vegetarian because my parents are. My mom's a vegetarian because she can't stand the thought of eating meat.

Honestly, I am vegetarian for no reason whatsoever other than, having grown up that way, I can't bring myself to eat meat any more than most normal meat eaters couldn't bring themselves to pull a worm out of the ground and eat it.

I wear leather shoes, so I'm not doing it for animal rights (although I don't like the thought of how they're raised.) And I don't claim to be a health freak at all... So, yeah, I'm a vegetarian just because I grew up that way and can't break from it now.

[kali-kali.livejournal.com]

It does take a bit of getting used to, but it passes eventually as you get used to it. If you're eating something prepared by people who aren't that familiar with vegetarian food, sometimes mistakes happen, but you can't fault yourself for it because it wasn't intentional on your part. Just do your best.

And oh - are you abstaining just from eating animal flesh, or from other animal-derived ingredients such as gelatin as well? If the latter, you'll also want to read up on ingredients in common items that may not sound animal-derived but actually are. (I was gutted when I discovered one of my favourite frozen chocolate cakes back home had pork gelatin in it. WHY?!?!)

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

I'm just abstaining from animal flesh. There are enough complications in my life as it is! But thanks for sounding me out. Barely crossed my mind.

[chu_hi.livejournal.com]

I gave up chocolate for lent a few years ago, and had dreams almost every night that I accidentally consumed chocolate. I'd remember them during the day, and before figuring out I was remembering a dream, I'd be like, oh no!

[mcgillianaire.livejournal.com]

That's pretty similar to the experiences I'm having! How often do you eat chocolate? :)