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Helloooo Vegetarians/Vegans

JoyceHJoyceH Raw Newbie

In light of recent posts I was just curious who is a vegan or vegetarian on Goneraw. I’m not throwing any stones at meat/fish eaters as I respect everyone’s choice. It’s a very personal decision and to each their own…. (although I secretly wish everyone in the world was a vegetarian or vegan).

Anyway, I’m a vegetarian, almost vegan and very much an animal lover. I can’t seem to fine a substitue for half and half and feel like I’ve tried everything. But I make sure my half and half is from a small local organic farm here in Vermont (Strafford Organic Dairy). And when I’m on holiday or in a difficult situation, I manage to stay vegetarian allowing cheese and dairy options.

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Comments

  • TomsMomTomsMom Raw Newbie

    I know it’s getting popular to say that vegetarians eat dairy and fish and eggs, but it’s not 100% accurate. My diet is the same as a vegan’s, but because I feed my cat a raw, carnivore diet, I can’t call myself “vegan”. Unpopular as it is, I’m just a plain old vegetarian:P

  • springleafspringleaf Raw Newbie

    I’m a vegetarian, but I eat few non-vegan items, just a small amount of (organic) cheese really, and the eggs that are in any cake are the only eggs I ever eat (maybe one small slice a month when it is someones birthday at work). I don’t like milk, never have done even when small child, sight and smell of it makes me gag, ugh! I don’t eat fish. People who eat fish are pescitarians (sp?) not vegetarians, but yes plenty of people eat fish and say they are vegi! Don’t have any pets so no meat there, although would love a cat, am worried about their carnivorous ways… TomsMom, you say about “vegetarians who eat – eggs” I thought vege’s definition included those who ate eggs? is there another definition? please tell.

  • CalebCaleb Raw Newbie

    I am still fairly new to raw, my week is typically about 80%raw now, mostly vegan with the occasional raw cheese sprinkled on a salad or raw pizza. When I am not eating raw vegan it is usually vegetarian with the occasional egg, turkey or red meat, but it tends to be turkey or egg. But I am starting to see a decline in my animal product eating. Even in social settings though I have managed to stay fairly vegetarian or even raw. I could potentially see myself going full raw-vegetarian though. Looking back at this past week I am surprised to see I think I only ate meat once. It sort of blew me away. Before this past week it had been maybe two-three times a week.

  • troublesjustabubbletroublesjustabubble Raw Newbie

    Clarification…..I don’t eat any dairy products because I’m allergic…

    I occasionally have meat. I avoid red meat like the plague, it does things to me. hehe

  • daniefondaniefon Raw Newbie

    I have been vegetarian for 15 years, on and off vegan. I have been 100% raw for 9 months!

  • iknikn

    I would call myself vegetarian. But I am mostly raw “beegan”. Occasianly at social gatherings I eat cheeze that are sprinkled on salads, or the dressing they have, I’m sure it’s not raw, but that’s ok. I also like good “gourmet” beer and wine. Haven’t had meat for 17 years. I’m not saying that I will never eat meat or other animal products, but at this phase in my life this is how I like it. It might change and that’s ok too.

  • RubyLaineRubyLaine Raw Newbie

    I am 95% raw vegan. I have been vegan for several years, so transition to raw was quite simple. Although, I would like to see the results from going raw as many as you have but I think the fact that I was vegetarian for several years, then vegan, then raw, that my results will be subtle. Although, like ikn, I too like a good beer or glass of wine now and then.

  • troublesjustabubbletroublesjustabubble Raw Newbie

    mmmmm I do enjoy a good beer. I’d have to say Chimay is my current favorite.

  • iknikn

    Wow Trouble! That’s my favourite too! Not many people ever heard about it.

  • springleafspringleaf Raw Newbie

    Me too, a nice glass of red wine now and again really enriches my life.

    Sideline: I have been vegi for 21 years I am 31) so I went vegi at 10 years old, if anyone else went vegi as a child do they remember the exact moment they decided? I do, we were on a family walk and my mum stood next to a gate of a field with little lambs in and said “mint sauce”. The rest is history….

  • troublesjustabubbletroublesjustabubble Raw Newbie

    ikn! Awesome! I hadn’t expected anyone to hear about it. Not many people around here know about it.

    I had it in a French resaurant a couple years ago and was hooked. There are only a few stores that sell it. Where are you from? There’s a local brewery here that makes really good craft beers too. They only sell within the region but perhaps you’re around Missouri?

  • JoyceHJoyceH Raw Newbie

    We are fans of nice beers and especially microbrews. Yes, we have heard of Chimay and buy it occassionally. It’s fairly common here. Can get it at most beverage stores….maybe start a beer and the occassional meat eating tread?

    I’m realizing most people on goneraw eat occassional meat/fish but was more interested in those who don’t eat any types of creatures :-)

    Not to judge or throw stones, I just wonder why some choose to eat meat on occassion instead of just going for a vegetarian option with cheese or dairy. Please I don’t really want to get into another debate. I just wanted a thread for us vegetarians/vegans to hang out and talk about what it’s like to be a veg head, challenges, benefits, etc :-)

    Kinda like the christian thread where I would never go and hijack…

  • iknikn

    Trouble , I received my first bottle of Chimay as a gift, along with the special glasses with the logo on. and there it is, love at first sight! (taste to be more precise =) )

    I live in Sarasota, FL,. Yiengling has a brewry in Tampa.

    I like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale too.

  • 1sweetpea1sweetpea Raw Newbie

    I’ve swung back and forth since I was 16 from omnivore to vegetarian to vegan, back to omnivore and now mostly raw vegan. I’m new to raw veganism and mostly loving it, but i’m concerned about B12, so I don’t sweat it if once a week a social outing means eating a bit of fish or shellfish. It wasn’t tough to give up red meat since I don’t really like it anyway. It doesn’t make me feel good at all. Neither does dairy, though I occasionally break down and nibble on a bit of stinky sheep’s milk cheese if it it comes my way. Basically, what I’m saying is that I’m perfectly happy as a vegan, but it doesn’t pay for me to be so rigid that I can’t enjoy a meal in a restaurant that simply doesn’t understand what vegan means. Being raw vegan is even more rigid. What I do in my own home and on my time makes me feel great. A meal or two that strays a bit also makes me happy, but for different reasons. Does that make me a bad vegan? I guess so, but I’m only accountable to myself and I’m at peace with my choices.

    I DO remember what pushed me toward vegetarianism. On a class trip to a market, I observed a poultry stall where chickens’ throats were cut, their heads were cut off, then they were roughly plucked. I was traumatized. Most kids were grossed out, but laughed it off. I was shaking. I ate meat after that, because my parents forced me to, but as soon as I was old enough to make my own food choices at meals, I announced that I would not eat meat. For many years after that, I did not.

  • troublesjustabubbletroublesjustabubble Raw Newbie

    ikn-that’s so crazy because Sierra Nevada is one of my very favorites. I just enjoyed some of the last of their Summer seasonal last night with my husband. So good.

    Our brewery is Boulevard Brewing Co. They have a whole range of things from pale ale to stout to wheat but then they have a craft beer line that is amazing. Very rich. An IPA, a Tripel, a Quadruple and a Saison. All very good.

  • iknikn

    1sweetpea, You’re not a “bad vegan”!! =) I have had similar experience. As a child I grew up in a small town in Hungary. We had chickens, rabbits and ducks. My grandma use to kill the chickens, cut its throat then steam it and pluck it. Horrible! And the smell! I must have been about 5 when I realized that the cute chicken or bunny I was playing with during the day was on my dinner plate a few hours later. I remember I was cying and called her a murderer. After that it was constant struggle with my parents and grandma because I didn’t want to eat meat. Then I got smarter, didn’t say a word but when they weren’t looking I gave the meat to the cat who learned really fast to stay close by my chair during dinner. At 18 I came to US to study and since then I’m on my own and nobody will ever tell me how to eat!

  • springleafspringleaf Raw Newbie

    1sweetpea How horrible!!! Ugh, no wonder you went vegi!! Was that in the US?

    JoyceH I don’t eat any meat or fish ever, have forgotten what they taste like and honestly don’t get grossed out by raw meat/fish. or people eating meat/fish any more, just like on my radar it’s not counted as food. Only exeption is frying beef mince UGH that stuff stinks!!! how can anyone smell it cooking and want to eat it?!

  • 1sweetpea1sweetpea Raw Newbie

    My chicken slaughter experience was in Toronto, at Kensington market, which is otherwise a very cool place. I have a Croatian friend who tells a very similar story about visiting her grandmother’s house. She played with the bunnies all day, even named them, then watched her favourite one become dinner. To this day, she won’t touch rabbit, despite being a committed carnivore.

    IKN, I’ve been to Hungary. It is a wonderful country. It’s a good thing I wasn’t veg then, though, because it was virtually impossible to eat veg there, unless you self-cater. Meat, potatoes and sour cream seemed to be coming my way whether I liked it or not. However, I think I fell in love with cabbage (and peppers) on that Eastern European vacation.

  • JoyceHJoyceH Raw Newbie

    springleaf – I was a vegetarian as far back as I can remember. I really loved animals as a kid (wanted to be a zoo keeper) and the thought of killing animals made me so sad. In college I was vegetarian with a love of beer and starchy foods. In my mid to late twenties I was a serious road bike racer. I got onto a national level team, racing all around the country. At one point I was on this team with a real mean and nasty team manager who passive agressively threatend me that I better eat meat (even though I was doing very well racing as a vegetarian). I remember that fateful time in a restaurant outside of San francisco eating some chicken for the first time. It was terrible but I was tough and sadly threw away my morals & values to keep on racing. It was like I sold my soul to the devil (which I believe is only a mythical character..hehe). My racing went to hell, had serious knee problems and digestive problems. When I went back to being a vegetarian, I was then fine again (except for my knees which is a more complicated story). Living Ireland I ate the occassional salmon dinner the year I was there and again this did bad things to my body and digestive system. Anyway, I just feel soooo much better physcially and emotionally not eating anything that has a face….

    I have no intention of ever eating a living creature in spite of my past which still makes me sad. But it’s the present moment that’s important and I can’t change the past and my meat/fish eating mistakes. Going forward I have every intention of being a vegetarian and maybe a vegan :-)

  • ungratefulungrateful Raw Newbie

    I consider myself a thoughtful omnivore.

    I grew up on a farm, chickens, rabbits, goats and learned all about how THAT works pretty early. I decided I wanted to be a vegetarian when I was 11 and have been not doing very good at it since then :P :)

    Right now I have been vegan for the first time since the mid nineties, for 8 days. Cheese has something addictive in it, I swear, but this time I didn’t have any withdrawals. I attribute this to the fasting I have been doing off an on since May.

    I don’t buy or prepare any animal flesh or animal products right now and I am dabbling in being raw. I’m having a great time with smoothies :) yum… However, if I go to your house and you make a flesh containing meal, I will eat it! and not even complain!

    I don’t eat meat because i don’t want to fall into the media trap of eating meat. the USDA requirements are a sham perpetrated by the meat and dairy industry, don’t get me started.

    I eat raw because I don’t want to eat food that comes in packages that I have to put in a landfill or recycle. Since I started eating this way, my garbage output is almost zero. Composting takes care of most of it, recycling takes care of the rest.

    I believe that since every body is different, everyone needs a diet suited to their body. If you can eat some animal products and you feel good and healthy, then by all means enjoy. Some people cannot or choose not to. It’s a personal choice.

    The last animal flesh I ate was smoked salmon. Actually, a bagel with lox and onions and cream cheese. Then I took a math test and passed it.

    Coincidence? I don’t know, lol.

    :)

  • RubyLaineRubyLaine Raw Newbie

    I remember being young sitting at the dinner table fighting with my parents that I was not going to eat that steak on my plate. So I never ate much meat growing up. But then when I was 20 I saw that movie “Faces of Death”. I am not sure which one, there were a few. From that moment on..I was leaning that way anyway but that sealed the deal for me. Don’t miss it at all. For me, it’s ethical, moral, compassion for all living things. I have no regrets and never will.

  • beate64beate64 Raw Newbie

    Hi Springleaf, uh, I agree totally with that frying meat smell, ugly, brrrr, ;))) You were asking for some clarification about the veggie terms before, here they are: A Vegetarian does NOT eat eggs and dairy and NO meat. An Ovo-Vegetarian does eat eggs, a Lacto-Vegetarian does eat dairy, and an Ovo-Laco-Vegetarian does eat both, eggs and dairy products. A Vegan does exclude any animal products from his life, like honey, cloths made out of silk, wool, leather,etc., anything that includes anything from an animal is excluded. Also most vegans dont do alcohol either and many are against having a pet. I learned those definitions years ago in Germany when I did a degree in nutrition. I myself am vegetarian as I still have bee pollen for vitamin B12 and my husband likes honey from a local bee farmer. So we cant call us vegans, but because many people think as vegetarians you still eat dairy and eggs, we use the term ‘vegan’ so we dont have to explain everything… We have not had fish in 8 months, as fish was our ‘transition food’... but other meat we have not had in years. I do admit that I have sometimes cravings of fine raw wild salmon in sushi… but it might just end up like a craving for smoked wild salmon I gave in a while ago… I ate a bit and gave the rest to my neighbour who was delighted… it just wasnt me anymore. But I think it is important to give in every once in a while, just to see that this is not your way anymore and you moved on… and if you still like it… well, then choose wisely and make your decision… as I said earlier in a different post, there is no one standing with a note book behind you… and it is not a race either… The decisions we make should be made conscious and whole hearted. If we have the occasional exceptions in our diet, that is fine too. Yes, I agree, if all would be veggies, this world would look probably different and different consciousnesses would arise, but with everything that the people here on this board are doing we are on a good way :))

  • ungratefulungrateful Raw Newbie

    One last thing,

    There is no such thing as “bad food”, only food that has been treated badly.

  • Hi Joyce,

    This is a good thread. : ) I’m mostly vegetarian with the exception of the 1/2 and 1/2 – like you, I just can’t find something that substitutes in the coffee I love! (although I’ll do almond milk somtimes). Eating eggs (and feeding my children them) help me feel better about obtaining nutrients since at this stage of my life I’m either pregnant, nursing or both. Right now I’m nursing an almost 16 month old who really could care less about eating food other than breastmilk. So I have to be extra careful to get the nutrients she and I both need. We’re high raw, but feel better being partially cooked and allowing the eggs and occasional cheese as a small part of a meal here and there. (My daughter makes amazing vegan spelt muffins!). And we do have bee products as well…

    For social occasions, we usually figure something out. Even going to a chain resturant, one can ask for a large order of fresh guacamole with tomatoes, and a large vegan salad. Often though, at other non-vegan potluck gatherings, my kids tend to fill up on bread and watermelon. At least they avoided the fried chicken!

    I noticed on another thread about your plans for an outdoor pizza oven! That has been a longtime dream for me and my husband is working on some different designs so he can build one. I can’t wait! flatbreads, pizzas, etc… yum. Joyce, What sorts of grains will you use to make your flatbreads and pizzas?

    Anyway, I just feel soooo much better physcially and emotionally not eating anything that has a face….

    Back in the 1980’s, there was this PETA poster that I put on my parents fridge that had a picture of the face of a pig and the caption read, “Does your food have a face?”

    My parents put up with a lot…

  • iknikn

    Trouble, just saw your reply about the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, That’s too funny! Maybe I can get a business trip to Missouri and visit that brewry. It sounds really good!

    Sweetpea, – you made me smile about the meat, potatoes and sour cream, how acccurate! yeah it’s hard to be a vegetarian in Hungary. I’m glad you liked the country.

  • WinonaWinona Raw Newbie

    I don’t know about the statement ‘most vegans don’t do alcohol’... most vegans i’ve known over the years definitely drink!

    I am BEEGAN! and proud of it. Meat cooking smells NASTY, I hate seeing people eat meat, and I especially hate being near piles of raw meat like at grocery stores. BLECHHHHH!

    I’ve been vegetarian for 8 years – ever since i was a pre teen and realized what my parents were feeding me. NASTY a** meat.

    I’ve been beegan two years, and select my raw honey from a loving local beekeeper. LOVE to all you vegetarians out there – thanks for saving animals!!!

  • springleafspringleaf Raw Newbie

    beate dur, feel thick sometimes, I already knew about the lacto and ovo tags for use where nessasary, but had completely forgotten them!! sometimes I wounder about myself ;-) The only thing I ever crave is smoked salmon or anchovies, for the anchovies I have found out what I really want is sodium and for the salmon, any one of the “mock fish” raw recipies works wonderfully. Lemon and celery together somehow replicate what my mouth is wanting. My mum used to try and transistion me to vegi by giving me smoked salmon, I used to put in in my mouth, leave the room and spit it out and give it to next doors cat! he loved it funnily enough.

  • springleafspringleaf Raw Newbie

    ikn I have also been to hungary, it is a beutiful country, but yes, not good for vegi’s! befoer I went we tried to look up hungarian vegi food, found a mushroom soup recipie and its first ingredient was bacon!

    Had forgotten about the smell of the meat isection of the supermarket, or a butchers, ugh, you would think it would put people off, unfortunatly no such luck…

  • JoyceHJoyceH Raw Newbie

    I remember someone telling me that for every person that becomes a vegetarian, one acre of rainforest is saved in the Amazon. Not sure how true it is but I know in my heart, not eating anything that has a face is definitely a good thing for our fragile planet as well as my own individual health. Now if I could just get myself off that darn half and half.

    Mamamilk – not sure what kind of grains I’d use for flatbread pizza as I don’t really have much experience making pizza, just eating it :-) I do love the primative aspect of making wood fired pizza and bread (I love to sit by the oven at this one restaurant on a cold winter day and watch the pizzas going in and out). I think the big step for us is making the oven. And first we have to build a stone patio which hopefully will happen next spring.

  • Wow – I am really shocked by how many people on this forum eat meat. I make no moral judgements (I eat cheese, and I wear leather shoes), but I just figured that most of us were at least vegetarians if not vegans. I went vegetarian at 15, so I really don’t remember how fish, poultry, and red meat taste. I never felt right eating meat as a kid – it just rationally did not make sense to me to put something that had died into my mouth. My parents fought me on it for years but finally gave up. I usually don’t care what other people pick as labels for themselves, but it has always been a huge pet peeve of mine when people who eat fish call themselves vegetarians. I don’t understand why they would consider themselves to be veggie when they are eating dead animals. It’s not as if we get special parking spots or some kind of tax break. In my opinion, if you call yourself a vegetarian, it means you eat vegetarian ALL the time – not that you occassionally have some sushi but mostly don’t. Also, I think if you call yourself a raw vegan, it really means you do it 100% of the time. I eat probably about 80% raw vegan, and I do not call myself by that label. I specifically say I eat mostly raw and vegan foods but that I also eat some bread/grains and probably a bit too much cheese (man, I love cheese).

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