why are you vegan/vegetarian/dairy free/vEGGan?

[Jemma Rider]

Hello everybody! I wanted to see if there are any other vegans/vegetarians/whatever elses out there who can share their stories on why they cut out animal products. I'm not vegan nor will i ever really be, i have chickens and I'm not about to let all those eggs go to waist but I've been dairy free for six months now and i am starting to cut out more and more, this month I'm cutting out red meat, next month is white meat, and then finely the next month will be seafood.
I am going vegan (or i guess you could say vEGGan, if you want to be specific *snicker*) for ethical reasons now but I'm wondering what made all of you go vegan too for inspiration. I grew up on a meat and cheese based diet, so it's going to be super hard cutting out literally all of my favorite foods. If anybody has any plant based recipes as well I'd love to hear them.
Ok here's my quick story it's nothing spectacular but i figure why not.
The way it works in my house, you have breakfast usually with cheese and eggs, luch usually a cheese sandwich, then finally dinner, usually something with cheese in it. I had heard about the dairy free lifestyle but never looked into it much because my parents told me that cows liked to be milked so i just never second guessed it. Then i watched a video on YouTube called "dairy is scary" and i went cold turkey the next day. My best friend went dairy free with me and my parents went along with it thinking it was just a phase, i haven't had dairy since.
My family (cousins aunts uncles grandparents) were all very opposed and a few of them made fun of me for being "too sensitive". Now I'm taking the leap and cutting out all animal products except for my chickens eggs (i can't wait to see the haters faces). My parents are taking it seriously this time since i proved them wrong with the dairy thing.
So there, now i want to hear why you cut out animal products, or meat or dairy. You don't need to be vegan to participate either feel free to leave your thoughts.

 

[rjohns39]

I try to be a "Clean" eater. I want foods that come from animals humanly raised and fed what they were intended to eat. I focus on sustainable farming. My milk is raw and comes from a farm, I know where the girls aren't production hounds. They eat grass, they calve every other year and no meds or hormones. I make my own cheese as well as buy from cheese producers who follow similar husbandry. I buy pork that's been fed a non-GMO ration and allowed to be pigs and live like they were intended to. Currently I have two pigs on pasture that will feed us next year. I grow all my own poultry and eggs. They have a great life, living the way they were designed to and meet a quick and humane end. I drive my feed mill crazy, because I want to meet the person who grew the ingredients. I want to know how they farm and I want to know who their neighbors are and how they farm. I generally don't want to eat industrialized food, processed food, or stuff that comes out of a box (well, maybe taco seasoning is ok, as I haven't figured it out yet). So I guess I fall into the category of food snob.

ETA: I also grow or buy my herbs and vegetables locally from sustainable natural farms.

 

[1cock2hens]

I go vegan sometimes because the kinds of girls i date our usually vegan I was vegan for a little over 4 months this year now I'm mostly vegetarian, flexitarian? I just feel better when I'm not eating dairy because of inflammation so I try to only eat it like 2or 3 times a month and I eat meat like once a month when I get to really craving it.

 

[Stayc]

I have been vegetarian since i was 21 (almost 20 years now) i started because i caught my grandpa slaughtering a pig. I continued because i worked at p.e.t.a. i always loved eggs and cheese and could never make the plunge to go vegan. I found out alot about p.e.t.a working there. They say they care about animals but 98% that walk in their door are euthanized. Most of which are healthy. I have my own hens now for eggs. Had i known the difference between factory farms and what my grandpa was doing i probably wouldn't have felt the same. Production animals have the worst life imaginable and is why i "raise" my own eggs now. Culling your animals isn't a bad thing. You gave them a better life than they could ever see on a factory farm. Thats 1000% true. Below is a link for a GRAPIC PETA VIDEO showing why not to buy chicken or turkey from the supermarket.

 

[Jemma Rider]

I try to be a "Clean" eater. I want foods that come from animals humanly raised and fed what they were intended to eat. I focus on sustainable farming. My milk is raw and comes from a farm, I know where the girls aren't production hounds. They eat grass, they calve every other year and no meds or hormones. I make my own cheese as well as buy from cheese producers who follow similar husbandry. I buy pork that's been fed a non-GMO ration and allowed to be pigs and live like they were intended to. Currently I have two pigs on pasture that will feed us next year. I grow all my own poultry and eggs. They have a great life, living the way they were designed to and meet a quick and humane end. I drive my feed mill crazy, because I want to meet the person who grew the ingredients. I want to know how they farm and I want to know who their neighbors are and how they farm. I generally don't want to eat industrialized food, processed food, or stuff that comes out of a box (well, maybe taco seasoning is ok, as I haven't figured it out yet). So I guess I fall into the category of food snob.

ETA: I also grow or buy my herbs and vegetables locally from sustainable natural farms.

That's awesome, i wish i could get the good stuff like you do but I'm in no position, it's hard enough to convince my folks to get me almond milk, hoping to get a job sometime soon so i can buy my own substitutes. I personally don't have any issues with meat, it's just so hard to find a good source in my neighborhood.

 

[rjohns39]

That's awesome, i wish i could get the good stuff like you do but I'm in no position, it's hard enough to convince my folks to get me almond milk, hoping to get a job sometime soon so i can buy my own substitutes. I personally don't have any issues with meat, it's just so hard to find a good source in my neighborhood.

Problem with clean food is it's more expensive, a lot more expensive than factory farmed. When I lived in your neck of the woods, I'd go up to PA and buy from the amish.

 

[rjohns39]

I have been vegetarian since i was 21 (almost 20 years now) i started because i caught my grandpa slaughtering a pig. I continued because i worked at p.e.t.a. i always loved eggs and cheese and could never make the plunge to go vegan. I found out alot about p.e.t.a working there. They say they care about animals but 98% that walk in their door are euthanized. Most of which are healthy. I have my own hens now for eggs. Had i known the difference between factory farms and what my grandpa was doing i probably wouldn't have felt the same. Production animals have the worst life imaginable and is why i "raise" my own eggs now. Culling your animals isn't a bad thing. You gave them a better life than they could ever see on a factory farm. Thats 1000% true. Below is a link for a GRAPIC PETA VIDEO showing reasons to be vegetarian but u should look into chickens on factory farms. They are (by far ) treated the worst.

Food Inc is a good one to watch as well. It's an hour long, but well done. And you're right about chickens in factory farms. I'm also not hot on USDA inspected processing plants, there are a few good ones but they are few.

 

[Stayc]

Food Inc is a good one to watch as well. It's an hour long, but well done. And you're right about chickens in factory farms. I'm also not hot on USDA inspected processing plants, there are a few good ones but they are few.

Always breaks my heart to see it. If slaughterhouses had glass walls we would all be vegetarian -Paul McCartney

That's awesome, i wish i could get the good stuff like you do but I'm in no position, it's hard enough to convince my folks to get me almond milk, hoping to get a job sometime soon so i can buy my own substitutes. I personally don't have any issues with meat, it's just so hard to find a good source in my neighborhood.

It's hard everywhere, i think its intentional Don't dwell on it. You know and thats half the battle.

 

[Peckadoodle]

Vegetarian for health reasons...had to drastically decrease protein and sodium intake. Next thing noted was a big boost in energy and wellbeing!
Eggs provide an easily digested and metabolized protein source, so chickens are very important around here. My organic garden also plays a major role. Roasted vegetables over rice or pasta, or an egg sandwich on low sodium homemade bread are mainstays.
The important thing is to eat healthy by being aware of what you put on your plate and where it came from. And, enjoy every bite...life is too short not to appreciate eating.

 

[Jemma Rider]

I have been vegetarian since i was 21 (almost 20 years now) i started because i caught my grandpa slaughtering a pig. I continued because i worked at p.e.t.a. i always loved eggs and cheese and could never make the plunge to go vegan. I found out alot about p.e.t.a working there. They say they care about animals but 98% that walk in their door are euthanized. Most of which are healthy. I have my own hens now for eggs. Had i known the difference between factory farms and what my grandpa was doing i probably wouldn't have felt the same. Production animals have the worst life imaginable and is why i "raise" my own eggs now. Culling your animals isn't a bad thing. You gave them a better life than they could ever see on a factory farm. Thats 1000% true. Below is a link for a GRAPIC PETA VIDEO showing reasons to be vegetarian but u should look into chickens on factory farms. They are (by far ) treated the worst.

[/QUOT

I have my own girls and only eat their eggs, can't speak for my family though. I've seen all the peta videos, they are a great resource for exposing the industry to people like me who just never thought to question "the norm". But From What I Know They Arent very Ethical At All.