Friday 13 January 2012

Vegetarian (2)

I am going vegetarian from tomorrow.

I am going to try anyway.

Why tomorrow? Because that's when I leave the host family, it's easier to start as a vegetarian when I don't live with meat-eaters... I think so anyway.

So today I have had what might turn out to be my last pieces of bacon and my last burger made of meat (which was actually shaped like Australia. Minus Tasmania.)

I have been thinking about becoming a vegetarian for a few years now. I actually wrote a post about it nearly one year ago: Vegetarian.

Like I said in my old post I was almost a vegetarian for 18 months with the first family I au paired for. And I didn't really eat much meat after I moved from them either. I hardly had any meat until I moved back to Norway. And I only then started because I was living with my mother and I couldn't be bothered to make my own meal. It's the same now that I've been an au pair. I can't be bothered to make one meal for the family and one meal for me.

I've been eating meat regularly for almost 2 years now though, so I don't know how hard it will be to not eat any meat at all suddenly. Part of me still want to try some meats that I've never tried before though. Like kangaroo and snake and those types of meat you can't always get at your local supermarket, so I might try those if I get the opportunity. Just to try them though, so I can say I've done it... That sounds bad.... But I like trying new things.

I think I will miss chicken, bacon and gelatine (in lollies) the most. Chicken and ham and pineapple pizza was what I missed when I lived with the vegetarian family in England... Those two things, along with salami was pretty much the only meat things I had while in the UK.

It's not so hard to be a vegetarian in the UK though. There are loads of substitute products, and things are marked saying if they're suitable for vegetarians or not and when you go out for a meal most places has vegetarian options. I have already noticed that it's going to be hard here in Australia. There is so many things with meat in it, bakeries, cafes, restaurants, etc doesn't always have a vegetarian option. There are even ads for eating meat! Seriously, people get told to eat pork and lamb and all that!

Why am I wanting to become a vegetarian?

I still want to do it because it's better for the environment. I also want to do it because it's healthier (if you do it "right"), and because I don't think an animal should be killed just to feed me where there are loads of other options.

I have actually thought of becoming a vegan. But I'll see if I'm able to be a vegetarian first. I'll take it one step at a time. If I'm able to stay vegetarian for a year, and I still want to become vegan, I'll give it a try then.

The only thing I'm not looking forward to is telling my mum. She's not very pro-vegetarianism. I don't think she'll try and talk me out of it, but I do think it will be a long discussion and she won't "accept" that I'm doing it.

Don't worry though. I'm not going to be one of those vegetarians that look down on people that eat meat or anything. I hope not anyway. What you choose to eat is your own choice.
(source)
Does anybody have any hints or tips for me as a new vegetarian?

2 comments:

Felicity Grace Terry said...

Loving that poster, I also hate plants. My only advice would be to eat as much variety as possible. I also find meals that are really colourful make the meal seem much more interesting and will, very often, have meat eaters drooling as well.

Look Mummy No Hands said...

My elder son went vego on his fifteenth birthday. He's now 27. He has recently added fish to his diet becauswe he wasnb't getting enough protein. That's my tip - make sure you find a way to really get your protein in so you still have lots of energy. Mushrooms and legumes will be your best friend. Good luck - more power to you.

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