I've been vegetarian for half my life, by my own choices, no one else. And it's been a wonderful half of my life being vegetarian, and no, I don't miss meat and yes, I eat eggs. Did I say vegan? Nope. And yes, it's not hard to be a vegetarian.
Below are fifteen things that I've been told or asked over the past decade that still make me roll my eyes every time I hear them. I get it, you just want to know what you're curious about, but most of these are common sense that even meat eaters can guess when they find out someone is vegetarian.
1. So...do you eat eggs?
I'm not vegan so of course I eat eggs or things with eggs in them. That's not an animal, it's just a byproduct. Like milk, which you then probably ask...
2. Or do you eat milk and dairy?
Yes. I love me some ice cream and chocolate milk. Again, I didn't say vegan.
3. Oh, so you eat fish?
No. That's pescetarian. Meat means any animal flesh/muscle. Fish are animals; they have flesh and muscles that people (who aren't vegetarian or vegan) consume. So, again, no.
4. Do you ever miss meat?
Not really. That's a big reason why I'm still vegetarian soooo...
5.Wow, being vegetarian must be SO hard!
It's not really...there's a lot to eat that isn't meat, believe it or not, and a lot of it is healthier and tastier. Plus, at a certain point, being vegetarian just becomes routine.
6. I only went two weeks being vegetarian, ha ha, then I realized meat is way too good to give up.
Good for you for going two weeks without eating meat, but I don't talk about me being a vegetarian at this point (except in this article because it's supposed to be a fun, light-hearted thing my fellow vegetarians can relate to), so I don't need you telling me how great meat it. I don't care.
7. Do you only eat salads?
I may enjoy salads, but if that was all I'd eat, that would be a sad life. Believe it or not, there's things like fries and milkshakes and casseroles and pastas and lots of fruits and veggies I can eat instead!
8. I hate vegetables. How do you even like them?
I just do. And I don't need to know that you don't. So, anyways, you gonna eat that broccoli or nah?
9. Oh, so you're vegan?
Um, did I say "vegan"? No, I said vegetarian, and those two are not the same thing.
10. Are you a hippy?
No. Not every vegetarian is a "hippy". Weird concept, I know, but it's true.
11. For personal or health reasons?
Maybe both, maybe one, maybe I was forced into it by some alien lifeform, who knows?
12. Did you watch a documentary or something that made you stop eating meat?
For many vegetarians that I know or have heard of, this is the actual case. But I've honestly never seen a single documentary on the meat industry or health problems, soooo, no, I have not, and not every one has to to stop eating meat.
13. Plants are living, too, so you shouldn't eat them.
Yeah, they are, but I still need to be alive and more many, many reasons I could explain on here but will not, plants and animals are vastly different, so I feel okay eating them. Same with the foods that are byproducts of animals (ex. dairy products and eggs) and not the actual animals themselves.
14. Do you get enough protein/Where do you get your protein?
Milk, eggs, beans, legumes, breads, cheese, yogurt, tofu, protein shakes, veggie burgers, tempeh, etc. etc. They're actually filled with a lot of protein, weird right?
15. C'mon, just take ONE bite!
No, I won't take one bite because I don't eat meat, and your pestering isn't going to make me want to eat any.
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Rant over. Everyone, meat eater or not, go out there and grab you a delicious meal of whatever your heart desires and enjoy every bit of it.
