Vegetarian and/or vegan members of BYC!

I just wanted to post to have a thread where we vegetarians (including vegans, of course) of BYC can talk! I know there are at least a few of us on here who have chosen not to eat animals for whatever reason, and it's always nice to have other vegetarians to talk to who understand. This is NOT a thread to bash people who choose to eat meat, so please be polite to all members of BYC regardless of dietary choices, but of course we can share our viewpoints and whatnot.

Here are some questions to get us started:

1. How long have you been vegetarian?

2. Why did you choose to go vegetarian?

3. Has raising and caring for poultry changed your opinion of farm animals, or helped affirm your vegetarian lifestyle?

4. What are some of your favorite foods?

Here are my answers:

1. I was lucky enough to be born to vegetarian parents, so I was raised lacto-ovo vegetarian from birth. I've never actually had meat before, except maybe trace amounts on accident in things. I've since become even more of a proponent of animal rights than my parents are, so I'm very glad that they decided to raise my brother and I as vegetarians to begin with. I've been thinking of going vegan for a few years (or at least eating a lot less dairy, as obviously eating the eggs of my own chickens isn't a problem--they're spoiled and loved!), but I haven't quite gotten the courage to make the switch yet. Most because of ice cream. Ice cream is my weakness. Hopefully at some point in the future I will figure out a way to balance my enjoyment of dairy foods with my anti-animal cruelty sentiments, as I don't approve of the way dairy cows are treated and then slaughtered at a young age. Whether that means going vegan, getting my own mini cow, or something else entirely remains to be seen. It's something I think about often, though. Regardless, I'm proud that I don't buy eggs at all any more, and the only eggs my family and I eat come from my own happy, healthy chickens who stay with us until the day they pass on of old age. I keep my chickens as companion animals first and foremost, and eggs are just a nice bonus.

2. As I said above, I've been vegetarian since birth so I didn't really "choose" to go vegetarian, but if I was to make the choice it would definitely be because of the treatment of animals. I am fully against the slaughter of animals, I value human and animal life equally, and the conditions that most meat animals are raised under make me sick and horrified. I have to admit I am even against "humane" meat, though. While it's not nearly as terrible as factory farming, I just can't bring myself to approve of animals being killed for any reason other than euthanasia. To me, all animals deserve the right to live out their full, natural lives in happiness and be treated with respect, regardless of species.

3. Sure! Since I started keeping chickens eleven years ago, I've only grown more adamant in my belief that they deserve good, long, happy lives as much as any of the animals that are more traditionally kept as pets. They are all such enjoyable individuals, it's impossible for me to just seem them as a means to an end. They are so wonderful.

4. I love pasta! Also, tofu, veggie burgers (not any imitation meat kind, though! Can't even bring myself to eat imitation meat ), peanut butter toast, any kind of fruit, artichokes, ice cream (unfortunately), and um...lots of other things! I've got to admit, though, for being a "vege"tarian, I don't care much for vegetables.

*I'm vegetarian off and on. I might eat meat once every 4-5 months. It's hard being a runner and burning everything I eat off so fast. I eat the meat once in awhile to keep my dad happy. I eat a LOT of peanut butter. I also like fruit so that helps! I eat alot of grain too. We went to olive garden and I got a meat-less mannicotti like the size of my face!, 9 garlic bread sticks, 2 salads, and I don't remember how many glasses of water. I try to keep off the pop but I'm human and I slip. I also don't think the cross country coaches like my choice of being a vegetarian. They see it as an inconvience and think I could do better eating meat. There are very successful Olympic Vegetarian/Vegan runners.



1. How long have you been vegetarian?
Its an on and off thing for months at a time. Started back 3 or 4 years ago? I can't be full-time vegetarian until I move out because my parents don't agree with it.
2. Why did you choose to go vegetarian?
I love animals and I don't like supporting the killing of something I love.
3. Has raising and caring for poultry changed your opinion of farm animals, or helped affirm your vegetarian lifestyle?
Yes. Raising chickens and ducks was one of the reasons to try to become vegetarian.
4. What are some of your favorite foods?
STRAWBERRIES!, anything garlic, I love Italian or Asian. We have a vegetarian restraunt here called Zen's my friends kidnapped me (SERIOUSLY BLINDFOLDED ME AND TIED ME UP!) and drove me across town to eat there. I love my friends. They were willing to try something new for me.

From everything I have read you will be much better off staying lacto-ovo health wise. Vegans suffer all sorts of health issues, this is well documented, especially in the case of vegan women, where it is very common for vegan women to stop menstruating and vegan women have a most terrible time becoming pregnant.

Best of luck with your way of eating.


...JP

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I admire your courage for becoming vegetarian even though your parents don't approve! I'm sure that makes it more difficult for you, but I also bet it feels good to be making a good moral choice for yourself. It's good to know that some people DO get chicks and ducks and then realize they don't want to eat meat any more... I have a hard time understanding how someone can look an animal in the eyes and then eat that animal, but...different strokes for different folks, as they say.

It's silly that your cross country coaches don't like your choice when there are successful vegetarian/vegan runners.

Mmm, I love strawberries and Italian and Asian food, too! One of my favorite things is vegetable sushi--I just love it! I wish it wasn't so expensive or I'd eat it every day and be super-healthy. Also, it's great that your friends are being supportive! It's great having friends who don't question your vegetarianism. I have a few vegetarian friends, and then the rest of my friends are all really cool with me being a vegetarian.

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Ah, I've read quite a bit about veganism, and while it CAN cause issues, if you're careful and eat correctly it can also be just fine. That said, I doubt I'd go truly, fully vegan--after all, what else would I do will all the chicken eggs I get every day? Hatch them all? I think that would just get out of control. It's more that I just don't want to support the egg industry (already don't, thank you my birds!) or the milk industry because I really disagree with how the animals are treated for the sake of profit.

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Ah, I've read quite a bit about veganism, and while it CAN cause issues, if you're careful and eat correctly it can also be just fine. That said, I doubt I'd go truly, fully vegan--after all, what else would I do will all the chicken eggs I get every day? Hatch them all? I think that would just get out of control. It's more that I just don't want to support the egg industry (already don't, thank you my birds!) or the milk industry because I really disagree with how the animals are treated for the sake of profit.

Veganism can cause problems but meat can too.

I became a vegetarian about 8 months ago. But we still eat fish, eggs and dairy. Haven't quite made the big leap to vegan. Taking care of chickens definitely made me not want to eat them And having a friend who is also vegetarian made a big difference.

Hi fellow vegetarian! Thank you for starting this thread and thanking for asking for no bashing. I've been bashed before on this forum for my vegetarian ways. I struggled at first with whether or not I could bring myself to eat a fertilized chicken egg. Well, after seeing just how those chickens most of the time couldn't care less about what happened to their egg after they laid it, I got over it and enjoy them very much. I too am lacto-ovo. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You sound just like me!

1. How long have you been vegetarian?
I was 11 years old when I decided to give up meat. I went "cold turkey." So that would be 23 years now.

2. Why did you choose to go vegetarian?
I was always an animal lover. As a child I would bury all of the mice, moles, birds etc. that my cats had killed. I made little coffins for them out of tissue boxes and hold funerals and cried for them. Eventually I just could no longer bare the thought of eating a creature who had once been alive. It horrified me.

3. Has raising and caring for poultry changed your opinion of farm animals, or helped affirm your vegetarian lifestyle?
It has helped affirm my vegetarianism. I've thought often about the possibility of selling chickens for meat or to feed my family. Forgot to mention, my husband and children eat meat making me the only vegetarian in the family. I just can't do it. The closest I'd be able to do is sell newly hatched baby chicks before I could even tell them apart. Even that I'm not sure I could do. Maybe just the fertile eggs then.

4. What are some of your favorite foods?
PASTA! Asparagus, all fresh veggies when they are in season and CHEESE! I love cheese...all kinds!

To the OP....I think if you had your own dairy animals you'd certainly enjoy your dairy again. If you can't get any for yourself, how about buying raw milk from a dairy near you? You can do a search online for a co-op you can join for your raw milk. Buy from a place you can visit and get to know the animals if possible. Then you can learn all the joys of making your own yogurt, butter, cheese and even ICECREAM!

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Actually many athletes are vegan. Some athletes will go vegan just while they are in training.