Vegetarianism - would you try it?

ejmaztec · 14-10-2012 01:15PM

kodoherty93 wrote: »

Being a vegetarian on the grounds eating animals due to the abuse of them etc. Is total BS if your meat is Irish.

Has anyone every seen a Irish farm. They're generally tiny about 30 acres is like the average Irish farm size. There is no such as mega farms like the us and mainland Europe here. All Irish farms are small and humane.

Even in the slaughterhouse the person killing the cows is the most experienced person there and the cows barely feels anything.

Not according to the reviews the calves leave on Slaughterhous_advisor.com

14-10-2012 01:15PM

Nothing wrong with vegetarianism at all but that video is just scaremongering.

TheFruitarian · 14-10-2012 01:16PM

jugger0 wrote: »

Vegetarians are always weeds so no.

Yawn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk6NUAieNsY

dearg lady · 14-10-2012 01:27PM

darlett wrote: »

Awh bugger! A quick google gave me that as Pescetarianism-which just aint catchy enough!-and dates back as far as 1993. A tasty but culturally insignificant step

Most 'veggies' I know are actually pescetarian. It bugs me when people say I'm vegetarian but I eat fish. I gave up most red meat for 10 years, and I think I could easily do that again. It would be harder for me to cut out fish and chicken. I like the idea of a meat free day a week as a start. I notice a lot of people on here say their initial diet when going veggie wasn't great. As I already have a poor immune system, I couldn't really afford that, but if I could ease into it, slowly improving my veggie cooking skills I could probably do it. I'll start with one day, deffo

telecaster · 14-10-2012 01:47PM

I live opposite a piggery. The pigs are indoors in cramped smelly conditions all their lives bar the day the door opens and they are hustled on to a truck to meet their humane death.

They have a miserable existence in despicable - though I am sure entirely legal - conditions. Its all well out of sight of the consumer of course, not the kind of clips you're likely to see on a super valu ad with rolling pastures and idyllic production values.

iamstop · 14-10-2012 02:57PM

I've been veggie for about 12 years. I find it very easy. I became veggie because of living in the US and reading about all the steroids and hormones they get fed. The cruelty doesn't help either.
I rarely get sick.

MJ23 · 14-10-2012 03:02PM

I could never give up batter sausages.

Raminahobbin · 14-10-2012 03:11PM

dearg lady wrote: »

Most 'veggies' I know are actually pescetarian. It bugs me when people say I'm vegetarian but I eat fish. I gave up most red meat for 10 years, and I think I could easily do that again. It would be harder for me to cut out fish and chicken. I like the idea of a meat free day a week as a start. I notice a lot of people on here say their initial diet when going veggie wasn't great. As I already have a poor immune system, I couldn't really afford that, but if I could ease into it, slowly improving my veggie cooking skills I could probably do it. I'll start with one day, deffo

Yeah, most veggie when they start out are definitely not healthy. I started trying to go veggie when I was 11, finally succeeded when I was 14 (old enough to use the cooker so my mam wasn't cooking separate foods all the time). I lived mainly on meat substitutes and veggie burgers. Lentils and beans were unheard of and not really encouraged in the house, plus I didn't have my own money to buy them. It's only really when I got a job and especially after I moved out that I started enjoying cooking and trying new recipes.

It's a great idea to ease in to it if it's something you want to do. I notice a significant amount of meat eaters view their meat as the main event, and the veggies as a bland 'chore' to scoff down 'cos you have to.' My mother is terrible for this- dinner is typically potatoes / meat / 3-4 spoonfuls of awful frozen veg mix (peas/carrots/sweetcorn/green beans) that I hate with a passion.

Put a bit more effort into your 'sides' and you'll start to enjoy them a little bit more, then experiment with full meat free dishes.

I cooked this for the first time during the week for a few friends I had over for dinner and it went down really well. It's really easy to make, is actually vegan depending on the sausages you use (I used Linda McCartney ones) and some of you on this thread might enjoy it! I'm gonna try a few variations to make it a wee bit more flavoursome, but it's pretty great as it is if any one is curious

Also, check out the vegetarian forum as Tar suggested, there's an amazing thread with tonnes of ideas for veggie dinners!

stateofflux · 14-10-2012 03:34PM

i want to, i really do...but the smell from that juicy marbled fillet steak on the pan gets me every time

Shenshen · 14-10-2012 03:41PM

I've been vegetarian for about 4 years now, my husband sort of converted me (he's been vegetarian for well over 20 years now). The difficult bit was more or less forgetting most recipes I knew, and coming up with new ideas. I try and avoid meat substitutes, as they can be pricey.

The only time I'm missing eating meat now is when going out for meals with people, and looking sadly at the only vegetarian option on the menu, usually either pasta boiled to paste or aubergine with goat's cheese, or goat's cheese with aubergine.

I can't imagine eating meat again, there just is no attraction any more. More often than not, the smell of it actually makes me feel slightly sick now.

Fr_Dougal · 14-10-2012 03:51PM

dlofnep wrote: »

Er, no they don't. They are vegetarian alternatives, made out of beans and what not.

If they're Walsh's Spice burgers they definitely contain meat.

Feathers · 14-10-2012 03:59PM

My girlfriend is vegetarian, so I'm eating veg-only for half my meals at the moment, but don't think it's something I could go to full time.

As well as meat itself, it's the extra things that would get to me — no Guinness, parmesan (jelly babies, etc.) Couldn't do it!

Real Life · 14-10-2012 04:01PM

i dont think id become full vegetarian but i would certainly like to cut down a lot on the meet i eat, maybe eventually completely but i have a lot of digestive problems and i cant eat fruit & veg or nuts so i dont know what i would eat

mf240 · 14-10-2012 04:13PM

Hi all small irish dairy farmer here.
Found that video upsetting myself people can be so cruel.
I cant speak for everybody but I know animals in ireland are treated a lot better than that. They are on our farm anyway.
There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian (far from it) but if anyone is concerned about animal welfare the best thing to do is make sure to buy irish beef and dairy products and free range irish eggs and poultry.

jugger0 · 14-10-2012 04:14PM

TheFruitarian wrote: »

Yawn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk6NUAieNsY

My point stands.

Da Shins Kelly · 14-10-2012 05:55PM

mf240 wrote: »

Hi all small irish dairy farmer here.
Found that video upsetting myself people can be so cruel.
I cant speak for everybody but I know animals in ireland are treated a lot better than that. They are on our farm anyway.
There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian (far from it) but if anyone is concerned about animal welfare the best thing to do is make sure to buy irish beef and dairy products and free range irish eggs and poultry.

Absolutely, I think that, for the most part, Irish farm animals do get a better quality of life than the factory farm animals in the US. There is a butcher who lives up the road from my parents house and my parents buy all their meat from him. The animals are reared in the fields around our house, so my parents always know where their meat is coming from. I'm still not going to eat it, but at least it isn't mass produced that's being pumped full of hormones and given a horrible quality of life.

bb1234567 · 14-10-2012 07:28PM

Really surprised by the amout of veggies !:eek: I only know about 3 or 4 in real life.

ScumLord · 14-10-2012 11:22PM

Irish sheep and cattle have as good a life as a domestic animal can expect. They're free roaming and get good care, for the most part they seem to trust and like their farming captors.

I'm against intensive farming, I avoid chicken and pork as much as possible because I think they suffer horrible cruelty so that the consumer can pay a little less for the food they eat. I believe people should be willing to pay a good price for meat to ensure the animal is treated well. I think domestic animals should be treated with a lot of respect almost to the point of idolising them like you had in the past when people knew the value of an animal.

Light Switch · 14-10-2012 11:47PM

What was in that video is so cruel

Still not going to become a veggie though.

another question · 14-10-2012 11:56PM

I have been vegetarian for nearly 10 years, lots of people I meet who aren't ask me idiotic questions like why am I vegetariana and exaggerated versions of 'like what do you eat then?' Sorry what? I eat everything else except for meat and fish you tool!

I love animals and always have done even before I was vegetarian but that wasn't my primary reason and neither was health. I just all of a sudden couldn't comprehend eating something that I considered was the same as myself - only a dumber, less intelligent version. Chickens, cows, ducks, lambs, fish, pigs....I consider them 'not people' obviously but as close as....they live, breath, run around, have feelings, communicate in their own way etc...and have no say in the fact that the species above them, kills and eats them because they are more intelligent than them.

On the other hand, I have met alot of 'extreme' vegetarians to say the least, who are embarrassingly vocal in their opinions. I would never, in a million years inflict my opinion on someone else who was a meat eater. People who eat meat/fish do not offend me, it is just not something I would ever be able to do again.

Duddy · 15-10-2012 12:06AM

Being veggie's cheap. if you're not a complete tit and buy ready meals all the time. If you can make spag bol, chicken curry or fry some steak then you have all the cooking skills you need to make healthy, cheap veggie meals.

Its strange how there seems to be a much larger proportion of self righteous omnivores than self righteous herbivores...

Feathers · 15-10-2012 12:10AM

another question wrote: »

I have been vegetarian for nearly 10 years, lots of people I meet who aren't ask me idiotic questions like why am I vegetariana and exaggerated versions of 'like what do you eat then?' Sorry what? I eat everything else except for meat and fish you tool!

'Why are you a vegetarian?' sounds like small-talk rather than an "idiotic question" in fairness

Though I'm sure you're sick to the back teeth of it if everyone who comes across you says the same thing. Must be like being a taxi driver :pac:

I can also see why people go for the 'what do you eat then?' A lot of people in Ireland would have meals that are built around meat & that may be fairly plain without it. You can make fantastic vegetarian dishes, but if you're used to a nice bit of chicken with gravy & some boiled veg, it can look very bland when you take away the meat.

Think that attitude should go down a bit though — seems to be more of a move towards Italian/Asian/North African dishes these days which lend themselves a little better to removing meat from your diet.

Aoifey! · 15-10-2012 12:13AM

Feathers wrote: »

'Why are you a vegetarian?' sounds like small-talk rather than an "idiotic question" in fairness Though I'm sure you're sick to the back teeth of it if everyone who comes across you says the same thing. Must be like being a taxi driver :pac:

I can also see why people go for the 'what do you eat then?' A lot of people in Ireland would have meals that are built around meat & that may be fairly plain without it. You can make fantastic vegetarian dishes, but if you're used to a nice bit of chicken with gravy & some boiled veg, it can look very bland when you take away the meat.

Think that attitude should go down a bit though — seems to be more of a move towards Italian/Asian/North African dishes these days which lend themselves a little better to removing meat from your diet.

I don't mind people asking why I'm vegetarian or what I eat, although I do get asked those a lot :P

What I do mind is when someone comes out with "Vegetables have feelings too ya know" and things like that.

Cork24 · 15-10-2012 12:16AM

Fare enough some ppl have their reasons on going down that road but what I don't get are the

vegan kind.. I only know one vegan and by Christ she looks like the colour of me after a night out every single day and she's taken more pills then a body builder...

dearg lady · 15-10-2012 12:16AM

Feathers wrote: »

A lot of people in Ireland would have meals that are built around meat & that may be fairly plain without it. You can make fantastic vegetarian dishes, but if you're used to a nice bit of chicken with gravy & some boiled veg, it can look very bland when you take away the meat.

Ha, this just reminded me of being in cuba and asking for a veggie meal in the house we were staying in. I got one boiled egg cut in half and boiled vegetables. they don't really get vegetarianism there!

Feathers · 15-10-2012 12:24AM

dearg lady wrote: »

Ha, this just reminded me of being in cuba and asking for a veggie meal in the house we were staying in. I got one boiled egg cut in half and boiled vegetables. they don't really get vegetarianism there!

There was a café near where I was in college that did a fantastic full Irish. One of the girls asked for a vegetarian breakfast once — got about 3 eggs, 2 tomatoes & chips

Jimoslimos · 15-10-2012 12:31AM

TheFruitarian wrote: »

Yawn.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Zk6NUAieNsY

A bodybuilding vid is probably one of the poorest example to use in trying to demonstrate of how veganism can be healthy.

Aoifey! wrote: »

What I do mind is when someone comes out with "Vegetables have feelings too ya know" and things like that.

Nope wouldn't say that, but people claiming that veggies can be cheaper than meat-based meals tend to blissfully unaware of the effect large scale crop farming has on wildlife, y'know animals and stuff.

dearg lady wrote: »

Ha, this just reminded me of being in cuba and asking for a veggie meal in the house we were staying in. I got one boiled egg cut in half and boiled vegetables. they don't really get vegetarianism there!

Was it a fertilised egg? Otherwise I don't think you really get vegetarianism.

Da Shins Kelly · 15-10-2012 12:41AM

jugger0 wrote: »

My point stands.

Mike Tyson is a vegan, as is Carl Lewis.

dearg lady · 15-10-2012 12:48AM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Was it a fertilised egg? Otherwise I don't think you really get vegetarianism.

The point was not that they don't know what vegetarianism is, but that it's just not the done thing, so you actually just get a standard meal, minus the meat.

humbert · 15-10-2012 12:50AM

Da Shins Kelly wrote: »

Mike Tyson is a vegan, as is Carl Lewis.

Tyson seems to have become a vegan in around 09 and this article isn't encouraging for Lewis.

Vegetarianism - would you try it?

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