I cannot recall the number of times I have been asked if I am a 'proper vegetarian' or if I eat chicken as well.
I'm sure if I was a svelte size 10 people wouldn't be surprised when I say I am a vegetarian. I am a 'proper vegetarian' I don't eat meat including chicken, or fish. However if it happens that the roast potatoes are cooked with the meat, so what? And if Percy Pigs contain pork gelatine, that's fine with me. I'm not an animal rights activist. I don't have a problem with the rest of my family eating meat, although I'd rather not cook it!
I am vegetarian mainly because I don't like the texture of meat. The thought of chewing some beef really turns my stomach. And I'm not keen on the taste much. Fish I have never got on with. I used to have tuna in my sandwiches as a child and mix it with salad cream and vinegar to get rid of the flavour, I might as well just have had a salad cream sandwich!
I have been a veggie since I was about 12 years old, so more than half my life. Things have definitely improved since then with a better choice for vegetarians. I can remember months of meals as a teenager with just Linda McCartney sausages instead of whatever meat my mum was cooking (which I now can't stand as they are too much like my memory of meat sausages). Food places tend to have more than just veggie burger or veggie lasagne as a vegetarian option. However some places still can't seem to offer a good veggie alternative and on more than one occasion in the last few years we have had to leave a restaurant because the only thing they could offer was the salad without the chicken - exciting. Oh and I don't like mushrooms, again another texture related issue which isn't helpful when places think all we eat is portobello mushrooms!
So, why would a vegetarian not be a size 10? Because she likes cake, and chocolate, and chips, and cheese (veggie or not!). These 4 C's are just some of the things that have added to my weight and they are things that I cannot give up as I love them too much. I am trying to reduce my intake but if I really fancy a slice of that Chocolate Caramel Cake I am going to have it, but just one slice, not the whole cake!
I'm sure if I was a svelte size 10 people wouldn't be surprised when I say I am a vegetarian. I am a 'proper vegetarian' I don't eat meat including chicken, or fish. However if it happens that the roast potatoes are cooked with the meat, so what? And if Percy Pigs contain pork gelatine, that's fine with me. I'm not an animal rights activist. I don't have a problem with the rest of my family eating meat, although I'd rather not cook it!
I am vegetarian mainly because I don't like the texture of meat. The thought of chewing some beef really turns my stomach. And I'm not keen on the taste much. Fish I have never got on with. I used to have tuna in my sandwiches as a child and mix it with salad cream and vinegar to get rid of the flavour, I might as well just have had a salad cream sandwich!
I have been a veggie since I was about 12 years old, so more than half my life. Things have definitely improved since then with a better choice for vegetarians. I can remember months of meals as a teenager with just Linda McCartney sausages instead of whatever meat my mum was cooking (which I now can't stand as they are too much like my memory of meat sausages). Food places tend to have more than just veggie burger or veggie lasagne as a vegetarian option. However some places still can't seem to offer a good veggie alternative and on more than one occasion in the last few years we have had to leave a restaurant because the only thing they could offer was the salad without the chicken - exciting. Oh and I don't like mushrooms, again another texture related issue which isn't helpful when places think all we eat is portobello mushrooms!
So, why would a vegetarian not be a size 10? Because she likes cake, and chocolate, and chips, and cheese (veggie or not!). These 4 C's are just some of the things that have added to my weight and they are things that I cannot give up as I love them too much. I am trying to reduce my intake but if I really fancy a slice of that Chocolate Caramel Cake I am going to have it, but just one slice, not the whole cake!