3 Questions Every Vegetarian Gets Asked

 

When you tell people (as in meat-eating people) you’re a vegetarian, there’s always this “look” they give you.

This is true even when you’re a part-time vegetarian, as I am these days.

It’s as if you’ve crossed over to The Dark Side, pledged your allegiance to a religion they’ve heard about, but aren’t too familiar — or comfortable — with.

They look at you differently — and it’s usually more with confusion than admiration.

Because here’s what I wonder: Has anyone ever informed a meat-eater that they are a vegetarian only to have that person respond, “Wow! That’s fantastic! I wish more people would become vegetarians, and I’m even considering it myself!! What a great thing to do for the planet, your health and the animals!”

For me, the answer to that question is NO.

In fact, I am usually hit with the following three questions, in no particular order:

1. You don’t eat meat? Or chicken? Well … what DO you eat?!

2. I guess you eat a lot of salad, right?

3. What do you do on Thanksgiving?!

The last question, to me, is the funniest, because Thanksgiving — as every vegetarian knows — is the best day of the year.

There’s an infinite number of side dishes to eat and even though I now include fish in my diet, I never bother on Thanksgiving. Who needs it? There’s tons of other stuff.

If there’s a question you’d like to add to the list, let me know.

And don’t forget to follow me on Twitter for the latest news in food, health and healthy food!

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A Hypocritical Vegetarian: True Story

That’s what I am — a hypocritical vegetarian.

Because I still call myself one, yet in reality I’m not.

I was a 100% bona fide vegetarian for at least 10 years. Because I love to cook, it was a fun challenge creating satisfying meals with complete proteins (not to mention all those essential vitamins and minerals) without using chicken, beef or fish.

I probably own at least 35 vegetarian cookbooks — most of them excellent.

I loved — and still do love — eating quantities of beans, grains and vegetables.

So what was the problem?

I didn’t mind going out to restaurants and finding, in more than a few cases, my dinner was going to be a salad and as many rolls as they could fit in their bread baskets. (On an organized trip to Quebec one year, I wisely packed 2 loaves of Pepperidge Farm Cinnamon Swirl bread. I figured it would travel well, and I was right. It’s what I lived on for 5 full days — losing as many pounds. So much for low carbs being the key to weight loss.)

And I got used to telling friends (especially new friends) when they’d invite me over to dinner, “I’d love to, but here’s the thing …” Because I knew it was better to tell them upfront I wouldn’t eat anything “meaty,” rather than have them feel mortified at the dinner table because “There’s nothing for Carin to eat.”

And to be honest, I’d even find it kind of funny when I’d visit someone and they’d spontaneously suggest they make us some lunch or dinner. Naturally, I’d tell them “I’m a vegetarian” and their reaction would be something like this: “Oh, geez! A vegetarian! Well, can you eat … let’s see .. peanut butter? That’s OK, isn’t it?” Like I was from some far-off culture and they weren’t certain what my customs were in that strange land.

And then there are those words every vegetarian who’s ever had any non-vegetarian cook a meal for them has heard: “Did you get enough to eat? All you ate was vegetables. I don’t feel like I made you enough. What else can I get you?!”

I have found vegetarians spend a lot of their time reassuring other people, “I’m fine! Everything’s fine!”

So all of that was OK, and it still is.

But.

I knew my energy level wasn’t where I wanted it to be.

Maybe I was doing something wrong. I don’t know. Maybe it’s just the peculiarity of my own body.

But about a year or so ago, I decided to put fish back into my diet. Just to give it a try.

And here comes the hypocritical part: I don’t believe in killing animals for food. Or clothing. Or furniture or pocketbooks.

Yet I’m glad I’m eating fish because I feel a lot better. I feel healthier, and I have energy to spare.

So I suppose I am a “pescatarian” with the mindset of a vegetarian.

I do go through weeks where I refuse to eat any animal foods — because in my heart I don’t believe in it. But I find myself missing the fish in my diet and I go right back to it.

Anyone else ever considered straying from the vegetarian path? I’d love to know. And make sure to follow me on Twitter for the latest food, health and healthy food news!

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