MovieChat Forums > Food, Inc. (2009) Discussion > I want to be a vegetarian now. Can you h...

I want to be a vegetarian now. Can you help me with problems I've faced?


Hi, thanks for checking this out! Now, I just watched this video in health class. I'm terribly disgusted by it and I would like to try vegetarianism. A few things you should know: I am in eighth grade. I have a cousin and a friend who are vegetarians (but it won't last with my friend, it probably will with my cousin though). I have not seen the last 15 minutes of this movie (we will be finishing it tomorrow...I *think* I hope we'll finish it).

I pretty much love meat once I see it. I love my mom's roast beef and barbeque chicken. I love the burgers from McDonalds and nuggets from Wendy's. I LOVE bacon...but the movie has completely scarred me. My health teacher said something today that will always stick with me: "When you eat a nugget, a chicken gave its life for that." Mr. Herr wasn't trying to make us vegetarians; he just wanted to show us where our food comes from.

So my questions are...
1) Any tips how to resist meat? When I see it, I don't remember the video, but after I'm done eating, I really want to puke. So can someone teach me a trick to make it look disgusting all the time?

2) My mom is okay with it, but my dad didn't believe me when I told him. Can someone tell me how to prove to him that I'm truly disgusted be meat?

3) As much as I hate to say this, this could be a phase for me. If it is, I want to get out of the phase now, so do you have anything to tell me on why vegetarianism can be bad or can you tell me something that wouldn't make me feel bad about eating meat?

4) Is everything in this video true? Was there something that was exaggerated? They made the businesses seem like evil people who only cared about money, but I don't believe that's how it really is.

5) Is there any foods that are 100% free of the chemicals they showed in the video? I can't remember the name, but they fed it to the animals to get more meat. Is there a way to tell if that stuff is in the food you are buying?

Well thank you for checking this out and helping with my questions. I do like this video, even though it grossed me out.

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If you're worried about chemicals, you'll have to switch to organics. You also have to remember, that when you eat a french-fry, a potato had to give up its life.

Not sure why the movie scared you away only from meat, it should have also scared you away from all the other foods you eat since the movie showed how all food companies are evil in their own way not just the meat ones.

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I don't count potatoes because...well I just don't, ha!

The movie only scared me away from meat becuase the one thing that really stuck with me was the way the animals were *usually* treated and how they were killed.

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"You also have to remember, that when you eat a french-fry, a potato had to give up its life."

A neat thought. A few ideas:

1) Go to a potato farm. Uproot a potato. Then go to a chicken farm. Hold down a hen and cut its throat. Let us know if you notice any difference.

2) When you eat a nugget, you're actually eating bits of thousands of different chickens ground up in a vat. (Not to mention the other fish and animal fillers that fast food restaurants routinely add.) This is not the case with french fries. Amazingly, they're still actually sliced from a handful of potatoes.

3) Look up the definitions of "central nervous system," "brain," and "sentience." Chickens have all of these. So do we. Potatoes sure as hell don't.

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Correction to your "few ideas" & a little enlightenment to your ignorant dark side.

1) The word "Difference" which you stated at the very end of your 1st point, clearly indicates in creating a borderline in your mind which divides plants from animals & see them as completely different entities. It becomes much easier for you to distinguish themselves from you for your own convenience but you're forgetting 1 very important fact which you are overlooking & i.e. All flora(plants) & fauna(animals) have life & shouldn't be looked as separate entities when the question is of their survival because, fundamentally & morally, all living things have the equal right to live(regardless of what the law has to say about it). Furthermore, we as humans consume life from either 1 OR both of these sources to continue living.

2) Sure plants are different than animals in more than just 1 way but that alone doesn't give you the right to take their life, instead of animals, just because you can't feel their pain and sympathize with them by only assuming them as your own kind. Just imagine if you were one of the plant species & could easily relate to them(plants), feel their pain & suffering as they were being brutally slaughtered on a much larger scale than that of animals on a daily basis. Just think about it, at least animals have their limbs & can actually do something i.e. run, cry, roar all in terms of expressing their fear, pain, struggle & basic instinct of survival but poor plants can't even do that. They don't even have that luxury or means to express their desire of survival. They(plants) give us oxygen, good weather, shade, shelter(to many species of fauna), fruits, they basically give us life & what do we do in return? Cut them, chop them, burn them in cold blood & don't even a feel a thing.
WOW!!! what a display of humanity. Bravo!!!
'Poison Ivy' a character in 'Batman' understands & feel their(plants) pain but even that show is biased in the favor of humans.
Try uprooting a "Venus Fly Trap" instead of a potato & let us know if you notice any difference.

3)

Look up the definitions of "central nervous system," "brain," and "sentience." Chickens have all of these. So do we. Potatoes sure as hell don't.
Well I beg to differ because in biology, an organism is any contiguous living system (such as animal, fungus, micro-organism, or plant). In at least some way, all types of organisms(including plants) are capable of responding to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance of homeostasis as a stable whole. Try looking up the definition of "organism" for a change.
Chickens have all of these. So do we. Potatoes sure as hell don't.
See how easily & conveniently you differentiated plants(potatoes in this case) just because you feel sympathy towards your own kind(animals in this case)& you cannot see them being brutally slaughtered in that manner but you completely disregarded plants and labeled them as "not our own kind"(just because they lack the physical means of expressing their pain) & that alone gives you the perfect excuse to exterminate them as you please without feeling any amount of mercy for them. Now that's "Human Nature" kid. Under normal circumstances, we're all Human but when the question comes to survival we all start taking sides i.e. we become Americans, Russians, Indians, Romanians, Palestinians, Chinese, Japanese, Canadians, Mexicans etc. in order to ensure our own survival,safety & victory. You just declared Plants different because it's convenient for you that way as by doing so you can convince yourself under the false pretense that you are infact doing the right thing & in the process save your innocence from being corrupted by the thought that you're actually doing something very cruel in nature.

A Message to OP:- Just because you switch sides from a non-vegetarian to a vegetarian does not mean that you have cleansed yourself. You're as much guilty on this(vegetarian) side as you were on the other(non-vegetarian) side. The only thing changed is that your ignorance has shielded you & provided you with a false sense of righteousness & relief in addition to a clean insurance of your conscience & that's all there is to it.

BOTTOMLINE:- We consume life(either flora or fauna) & if we don't that then we die. It's hell both-ways. We are designed to feel guilty & sorry for a situation that we can't help but live with. It's sort of like an eternal curse so we've got to deal with it. Period.
I am an Omnivorous i.e. I consume both plant & animal life without feeling any kind of remorse for either kind. They(both flora & fauna) need to die or else we die of starvation & that's the only justification we can give in this situation. I'm sure if, by any chance, the tables were turned & they had the upper hand then they wouldn't have hesitated to kill & feed upon us for the very same reason that we do.



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It doesn't matter what another animal would do in your shoes--it only matters on what you would do.

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You speak well for an 8th grader and I'm impressed with your concerns. Here are my thoughts on your questions, from somebody who is much older than you:

1) It's going to be hard to become a vegetarian if you are really passionate about eating meat. There are no "tricks" ... the best thing you can do is find meat alternatives that you are equally passionate about.

2) He'll believe you when you are true to your word. Your words are worth little but your actions are what is important. This is true for most everything.

3) At your age you should be careful about switching to vegetarianism. If you're a girl you'll be better off (since you're nearly done growing), but if you're a boy you are probably just starting to really grow and changing your diet could really have a negative effect on your development. Be sure to replace the nutrients you are losing by not eating meat with other foods ... especially protein.

4) Any documentary is going to have an agenda and a bias. It is up to you to see through this bias. If there are things that seemed biased to you then you should research them for yourself. Everyone will have an opinion as to what things were stretched or exaggerated.

5) Growing your own foods is the only real way to know what chemicals are used. Buying from farmer's markets and other organics also helps, but you can never be sure.

Good luck with your lifestyle change!

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Thank you! I'm sure that I'll be using this information in the future! (And by the way, I'm a girl.)

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You don't have to give up eating meat, just change where you buy it and who you buy it from.

The best thing to do is buy certified organic products because they have to follow certain agricultural laws in order to become certified organic food producers.

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Hmm...interesting. How would I know if a product is a 'certified organic product'?

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Although I have not yet seen the film, I can help you out on some of your questions regarding vegetarianism.

When I was younger, I loved Whoppers. I loved all food and had no problem eating meat.

Then, one summer, I worked with someone who was Vegan. She would not even eat honey, or drink milk or anything that came out of animals.

That fall, in my philosophy class, we talked about land and how if we have 2 acres of land, for example, maybe only a certain number of cows could live on that land and produce enough meat and milk for a small number of people. However, if we took that same land and planted crops like lettuce, corn, broccoli, carrots, etc., we could feed many more people.

Since then, I have not eaten red meat or pork, although I do still eat chicken and seafood on occassion.

It has been almost 15 years that I have had a mostly vegetarian diet.

A couple things that have helped me have been eating veggie burgers and veggie links and bacon. I have found that what I liked about whoppers was the ketchup and mustard and relish and pickles and mayo and all of the toppings. You can still use some of these toppings on veggie burgers to get the same flavor. There are also things like the Tastefully Simple bacon bacon dip which tastes like bacon but is actually made from soy.

If you like milk, try drinking soy milk or at least skim or fat free.

There are lots of good vegetarian products that taste almost like the real thing. You can still get some of the flavors without the guilt of eating an animal and/or meat product.

Also, try to grow some vegetables or fruit in your home. There are even some tomato and blueberry plants that can be grown indoors.

Even if you do not become a vegetarian, it is healthy to reduce the amounts of meats that you eat.

However, it can be difficult if you travel a lot to find vegetarian options on menus. That, for me, is why I still eat chicken and seafood on occasion.

Even my vegan colleague found out that the tortillas at Taco Bell had milk, and so she had a difficult time with some places we would go for lunch.

The good thing is that you are thinking about what you are eating, and making efforts to eat a more healthy diet.

Good luck with your endeavor! :-)

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Ooo, thank you very much! You gave me a couple of things to think about now.

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Not all meat should be viewed as "disgusting". As someone else suggested, try to eat organic meats or as close to organic as possible (meaning free of anti-biotics and growth hormones but not necessarily 100% pure grass fed free range). This is what I have been doing, yes it is more expensive but it's a start if we want to change the landscape of the factory farming practices.

For starters, I'd definitely stay away from buying meat from the grocery store, they typically get their meat from the big corporate meat guys (i.e Cagrill, Tyson, etc) and it's also typically of lesser quality and hence lesser taste. I don't know where you live but ask your parents to find a good butcher or a specialty store that carries cleaner meat and/or meat from local farmers and not from the big boys, talk to your butcher and ask him questions (where does he get his meat from, what is the animal fed, etc...etc..).

The next step is to minimize your consumption of fast food joints and eventually cut them out all together. This is not real food, this is highly processed meat filled with scrap meat that can't be sold individually, fillers, preservatives and God knows what else. To this day I don't understand how this frankenstein "food" is approved for sale (besides the mighty $$$ of course and the lobbyists in DC).

I'm a pretty big meat eater but I am trying to cut down on the portion size and weekly consumption. I haven't seen Food Inc. yet, but I recorded it as it was the featured documentary on CBC over the weekend. I have read Pollan and Schlosser's books so I'm familiar with where they stand on the food industry.

Yes, those big agri-business guys do only care about $$$$ and that's it. This is why we as consumers need to start buying from our local farmers and not from these massive factory farms. Don't forget that chemicals also appear on our fruits and vegetables not just our meat. Read ingredient labels, ask questions, don't buy products with long lists of ingredients you can't pronounce. I understand it's sometimes difficult but at least start being conscious of it and start to at least cut down on these products, no need to go cold turkey.

The chicken I buy is free of anti-biotics and hormones but it is fed corn and soy, the pork I buy is from a shop that sells pork directly from it's own farm (again, no anti-biotics or hormones are used), same with the beef and lamb I buy.

Vegetarianism is your choice (whether it be for health, moral or spiritual reasons). I personally couldn't do it nor I do care to as I enjoy food too much from both a vegetarian and a carnivore diet. I think the main thing is to eat "smart" and stay away from highly processed foods (this is my philosophy at least when it comes to food). My wife and I went to the local supermarket just last night to pick up some bottled water, she wanted to get some Planters Peanuts in a jar. It's unbelievable how a product as natural and simple as the "peanut" could be so processed and have a list of ingredients so long, it boggles my mind and I refused to buy it (this is exactly why I stay away from grocery stores). It's peanuts, the only ingredient in a jar of peanuts should be, "peanuts", the end....not modified this and hydrogenated that and corn starch and on and on.

Vegetarian products are still processed so beware and yes grow your own veggies if you can. You'll never want to buy another grocery hothouse tomato once you've tasted your own natural one free of "fakeness".

Good luck, it's good to see the younger generation caring about what they put in their bodies. Just stay aware of what you are eating and where it's coming from, the less processed the better. Yes, anything could get tainted, from tomatoes, spinach to meat to naturally raised meat.

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Ooo! Thank you, this gives me a lot of the advice that I needed!

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Taybar1996, you've been getting some good advice.

You don't' have to become vegetarian, it's still a personal choice. Just be sure to eat healthy, and to get the nutrition you need. Check with the professionals, like a nutritionist.

If I were to advise American adults in general I would say they could reduce their meat intake rather than go totally vegan. It's a matter of learning to appreciate non-meat based foods. Several ethnic cultures have meatless dishes that are fantastic. Americans have grown up with diets consisting of a large meat portion surrounded by a garnish of vegetables. According to the latest dietary guidelines it's something that needs to change.

This change takes time. It can be done, and it's not that hard. In many ways it's preferable and more enjoyable to have a vegetable/carbohydrate based diet over a meat-centric one.

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Oh, cool thanks!

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Hey good for you for wanting to change your life & the world around you.
I became a 'vegie' at 19 & that was 25 years ago. Its not always easy, it involves some planning ahead: you cannot get fast food like you use to and developing a thick skin! I have lost count how many times I have tried to justify my stance, I tend to get a little prickly with people now asking me why, so for me that is the biggest issue. I am a fairly regular blood doner & my iron levels are fine & I am not skinny.
Its actually not that much work, once you are in the routine, you can't imagine going back.

Television : The people medium, for medium people.

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One thing to watch out for. When you become or are starting to become a vegetarian, you see all these produces made from soy, and they have like this milk substitute made from soy. When I first got into vegetarianism I was going wow, I've got to choose all these alternative soy-based products. There are just so many products that simulate meat and other foods we are used to eating based on soy. But then later on I started hearing about that soy was actually bad for you. Amazing but that's what I heard. First of all, we now know that soy is one of the most heavily genetically modified foods out there right now. But there's a bunch more. I just did a quick google search and came up with these web-pages:

http://www.foodrenegade.com/dangers-of-soy/
http://www.naturalhealthstrategies.com/dangers-of-soy.html

Its a shame to have to tell someone just starting out trying to be a vegetarian that its not all nice and clear once you switch over, but that's the way things are here in the U.S. The huge soy industry is just waiting for people like taybar to start buying their products as a substitute for meat (and milk if you want to get off of that).

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Oh god, thanks! I was actually going to get my parents to start buying soy products, but not anymore!

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Just get the non-GMO soy products. It will say on the packaging.

~If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian. ~Paul McCartney.~

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I tried at many different points in my life to become a vegetarian but my family had meat, as the center of each meal so trying to cut it out was hard. Finally at the end of my senior year in High school I decided to try it again and it stuck. I'm not sure what made it different or after so many failed attempts what finally made this one work, other than I would just not allow myself to eat it.

It WAS hard at first because 1. I wanted the cheeseburgers and bacon etc. and 2. Eating meat was just a habit. Going out to restaurants and cooking became more of an effort I had to actually look at what was on the menu or stop myself from unconsciously popping a piece of chicken into my mouth when I was cooking. There are literally THOUSANDS of great websites with meat-less recipes and over time it became easier for not only me, but for my family to become accustomed to the change. My mom hated the idea of trying to find food to fit everyone’s needs so I started cooking meat-less meals. This gave her a day off (which she loved) and me a chance to cook something new (Which I loved). I'd highly suggest finding some recipes online and trying to cook them at home so you'll have some nice alternatives.

Not eating meat opened me up to many different realms of cooking that I'd never explored before because meat was the main dish. Foods like beans, quinoa, tofu or tempeh can become the "meat" of your meal. You get to elaborate on how to cook different types of vegetables that were before just plain side dishes. The different types of food and ways to prepare them that not eating meat have opened me up to is great!

Also not being able to meat cuts down on a LOT of things you can eat a fast food restaurants so (for me at least) that meant I ate at fast food places less (which is a plus after watching Food Inc.) Burger King though does have a pretty dank veggie burger. I love sushi and see the need for that protein in my diet so I still eat fish (And I know a lot of vegetarians that do) -That also makes it easier to eat out.

It took about 6 months to get used to not eating meat/to not long for it (I specifically remember standing in my kitchen salivating at the thought of a big sub sandwich with layer upon layer of deli meat just DYING for a sandwich), but now it's been almost 2 years and I no longer really have a desire for it. I see it as muscle and flesh and understand it's a part of our culture but now am honestly grossed out by it. I certainly don't condone the eating of it; it's just something that I’ve made the choice to no longer eat.

One thing I didn't expect was for SO many people to have views (mostly negative) on my choice to not eat meat. I still find myself defending my reasons to be meatless to people and still have people try to "trick" me into eating meat. It caught me totally off guard and I’m not sure if it's the same with everyone but just a heads up-even though its a healthy choice some people may give you crap about it.

If it doesn't stick this time, don't worry about it! I started trying in 8th grade as well and it took until my Senior year to finally "catch" with me-It's great that you're considering the food you eat and its impacts on the environment and your body already-You're a step ahead of your peers :) Good luck!

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Good information and good advice!

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Thanks, but if you don't mind me asking, why did people not like your choice of vegetarianism?

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dear taybar,
some thoughts to encourage your decision, all from my personal experience...

i still remember the last meat i've eaten (~10 years ago) - i cooked it together with my brother - i remember it being very delicious. at this time i thought about becoming a vegetarian for quite some time, but i simply could not imagine NEVER to eat ANY meat in my whole life again. that was the thought that pulled me off most.

however, since the day when i finally decided not to eat meat or fish anymore, it actually has been surprisingly simple. you don't have to "get off meat" - you simply just start eating vegetables, grains, beans, lot of fruits...

some may say that you will limit your choices - when actually you will eat many more varieties of food by not sticking to pieces of meat and fries each day. and yes: vegetarian food is way more delicious than you probably imagine.

some argue with malnutrition (when millions of people are proofing them wrong every single day). just vary your dishes and you will have NO problem at all.

some might mock you - my favourite stupid argument is why stop eating animals since a potato is also a living being (i've seen this one in one of the replies to your post).
just compare for yourself: killing a screaming, scared pig, bringing the knife down and spilling the blood with your very own hands - to digging out some potatoes, peeling and cooking them or to grinding some wheat for baking bread.
which action brings more pain to this world?

if you go for it,
- you will never regret such a decision at any time in your future life.
- you will see the time you have been meat-eating as a "phase for you" which you eventually got over with.
- your might experience some subtle changes in your life as a result of not stuffing meat into you every single day
- you will not understand anymore, what made you believe that this last piece of meat of yours was delicious

kind regards and all the best for you - wolfgang

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Thank you, if you like it that much, it seems to me that being a vegetarian will be more rewarding than I though?

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the only trick you need for stopping eating meat (and chicken and fish) is undoing the human tricks of language: killing any living animal, be it a cow, sheep, pig, chicken, fish, horse, dog or human is M-U-R-D-E-R. we con ourselves by using other words which for some reason have less horrible/evil conotations. Forget what anyone says about needing meat and the rest as part of a balanced diet - there is plenty to be had from the fruit, veg, legumes, organic milk and eggs that's available.

you put your beliefs first, remind yourself why you're abstaining from meat, etc, and you'll soon have no desire for it.....

good on you

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I always get freaked out when I remind myself that what I'm eating has some traces of blood in it. But thank you for giving me something new to look at!

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There is nothing wrong with eating meat. You just need to take care you purchase it responsibly just like everything else.

Stay away from the lunatic fringe would be my best advice to you.

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Taybar, as Mark said, beware of the lunatic fringe from both ends. Relating a cow or a fish to a human and saying that it's murder is beyond ridiculous, these people lose all credibility. As I mentioned in my other reply in this thread, eat responsibly. Again, ask yourself why you are even thinking of abstaining from eating meat, is it for health reasons or is it because of the "poor animals" and how they die.

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Thanks but, again, what is 'lunatic fringe' meat?

And I want to stop eating meat because I don't like the thought of eating another living thing.

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Thanks but what is the 'lunatic fringe' meat?

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I became a vegetarian when I was your age and I'm 23 now and haven't looked back.

Here's an interesting statistic for you...

" In addition, animal agriculture is a large source of greenhouse gases and is responsible for 18 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions as measured in CO2 equivalents. By comparison, all of the world's transportation (including all cars, trucks, buses, trains, ships, and planes) emits 13.5 percent of the CO2. Animal farming produces 65 percent of human-related nitrous oxide and 37 percent of all human-induced methane. Methane has about 21 times more Global Warming Potential (GWP) than carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide has 296 times the GWP of CO2."

Your parents may have a problem with it if they buy and cook your food for you. I know mine did.

My favorite cookbook..http://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Vegetarian-Slow-Cooker-Recipes/dp/1558322566

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"Lunatic fringe" describes the extreme radicals of a movement who will do anything to get their point across. i.e. PETA, Al Qaeda. No one can change your mind, if you have problem with eating something that was alive then you won't enjoy it.

As much as I'd like to think I respect people's decisions I personally find the words of Anthony Bourdain to be fitting;

"Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter-faction, the vegans, are a persistent irritant to any chef worth a damn. To me, life without veal stock, pork fat, sausage, organ meat, demi-glace, or even stinky cheese is a life not worth living. Vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food. The body, these waterheads imagine, is a temple that should not be polluted by animal protein. It's healthier, they insist, though every vegetarian waiter I've worked with is brought down by any rumor of a cold."

— Anthony Bourdain (Kitchen Confidential)

I enjoy all food too much to go veggy and food is too important to me, but if that is what you choose, good luck. Different strokes for different folks.

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Human beings are omnivores. We've been eating meats, nuts, grains, veggies, fruit (and so on) for hundreds of thousands of years.

Being a vegetarian is tough; being a vegan is tougher. It's not impossible, and particularly if your mother supports it, that's a lot of the battle right there. Be sure to help her with shopping and food prep!

I'm trying to eat less meat and more organic meat/veggies/fruit. Amazing how much better grilled Amish chicken tastes than chicken from Tyson or Purdue, or a lean grass-fed piece of beef rather than corn-fed beef. I'm also cutting down on milk (and, yes, it's helping my allergies - I didn't expect that). I can't imagine giving up cheese or ice cream completely, but I have been cutting back.


Laurie Mann
Pittsburgh Flicks - Movie-making in the 'Burgh
http://www.pghflicks.com/

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I'll have to try some of that stuff if this vegetarian thing doesn't work out. And I could never be a vegan...I would kill myself (not really, but you get the point...).

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Oh thanks for the new definition and luck. But between you and I, I don't think I'll make it. I've already eaten meat 5 times since watching this video (which was a bout 1.5 months ago).

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Thank-you, but I never really par attention in Health or Science or anything dealing with chemicals, so I'm a bit lost, ha!

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