Being Vegetarian or just fussy

[VenusInChains]

Have been contemplating about going vegetarian for a long long time. Didn't want to start while I'm pregnant but I'm thinking about starting after bub is born. I stopped eating pork/bacon/ham when I was a teenager. Nothing to do with religion, but because I really do think pigs are disgusting animals. I stopped eating red meat before I fell pregnant, so during pregnancy I have been still eating fish and chicken just so bub is still getting some protein.
Anyhow I have been doing a lot of research as to what food does qualify as vegetarian just so I'm aware of what I can and can't eat if I decide to become a vegetarian. I was a little horrified to find out that gelatine comes from dead animals, in particular the hoofs of dead animals. Most of the time, it comes from pigs so it's technically not Halal for muslims unless the product specifies it's beef derived. Gelatine seems to be in a lot of things, besides the obvious jelly and candies/sweets/lolllies. In Australia it's used in thickened cream and I have had a hard time finding gelatine free cream, it's also seems to be in most brands of ice cream here.
Cheese has been another painful thing to find vegetarian. Most cheese contains rennet, which comes from the stomach of dead calves. It's used to turn the milk thick and solid into cheese. The only way to be sure that cheese is vegetarian is if the ingredients specify that the enzyme is plant/vegetable derived.

SO basically, I feel a little rude if I go to somone's house for dinner and they serve something with cream or cheese in it and I want to turn it down. My mother in-law loves cooking lasagna and potato bake and she uses cream and chese in these things. She makes a vegie lasagna and a bacon free potato bake for me, but I don't want to tell her which brand of cheese and cream to use in these things, it just seems a little rude to me.

[Dorn]

By not eating gelatin you are making an active moral choice. That's perfectly fine. But by rejecting food offered to you (without recourse to either health or faith), you are indirectly declaring the host or hostess as morally inferior to you--and that will never work in the long run.

So yes, you're being too fussy.

Edit: Happy birthday, by the way.

[LifeChanges]

go to somone's house for dinner and they serve something with cream or cheese in it and I want to turn it down. My mother in-law loves cooking lasagna and potato bake and she uses cream and chese in these things. She makes a vegie lasagna and a bacon free potato bake for me, but I don't want to tell her which brand of cheese and cream to use in these things, it just seems a little rude to me.

I tried being vegetarian, and it worked great as long as I made my own meals. But then I went to my sister in law's house and meat was on the menu. I didn't want to offend her and I was ravenous, so I ate. You could always cook for yourself. Then on occasions eat meat when you have no choice.

[VenusInChains]

By not eating gelatin you are making an active moral choice. That's perfectly fine. But by rejecting food offered to you (without recourse to either health or faith), you are indirectly declaring the host or hostess as morally inferior to you--and that will never work in the long run.

So yes, you're being too fussy.

Edit: Happy birthday, by the way.

Thanks Dorn. The last time I ate at my mother in-laws place for lasagna and potato bake I didn't turn it down. My husband kinda made me eat it and I didn't really say anything eventhough I know she didn't make it "Vegetarian" lol. I guess it's not gonna kill me if I eat that once a month, and like I said, I don't want to seem rude.

I tried being vegetarian, and it worked great as long as I made my own meals. But then I went to my sister in law's house and meat was on the menu. I didn't want to offend her and I was ravenous, so I ate. You could always cook for yourself. Then on occasions eat meat when you have no choice.

I was thinking about bring my own food when I go out, but I find this a little rude aswell. I know a woman who does this, she isn't vegetarian, she does it for dietry reasons and it's kinda weird lol. She can't eat most food because it keeps her awake at night or some other reasons like that. Whenever I see her out at a dinner party, the topic of conversation always ends up about what she can't eat and why she can't eat it. It gets uncomfortable and boring talking to her so I kinda avoid talking to her lol

Most people that know me, know that I don't eat pork etc. The whole red meat thing has been fairly recent, about a year, and I haven't been out much to anyone's place for dinner so most people wont know that. At the moment I'm still 50/50 on deciding about being a vegetarian cause I really love eating chicken.

[LifeChanges]

I was thinking about bring my own food when I go out, but I find this a little rude aswell. I know a woman who does this, she isn't vegetarian, she does it for dietry reasons and it's kinda weird lol. She can't eat most food because it keeps her awake at night or some other reasons like that. Whenever I see her out at a dinner party, the topic of conversation always ends up about what she can't eat and why she can't eat it. It gets uncomfortable and boring talking to her so I kinda avoid talking to her lol

A know a woman who brings her kids food with them whenever they eat out. They're so finicky they won't eat anything anyone else makes. I do think it's a little rude. Being vegetarian is a lifestyle. Kind of hard to do that around meat eaters You can always eat veggie at home, and get the benefits of that. Meat once a month won't kill you, but it will tear up your stomach. Beware of that. Once you start eating vegetables your body has a hard time digesting meat.

[paulo]

i once had a friend that was a rastafarian and didnt eat meat for religous reasons, then once when someone cooked for us at a dinner there was meat on the menu and my friend ate it , i was suprised and asked why, he said that its more important to respect your host than following rules, i thought that this was a massive act of compassion on his part, and i respected him all the more for it.

rules are made for the obedience of fools and the guidence of wise men

[VenusInChains]

i once had a friend that was a rastafarian and didnt eat meat for religous reasons, then once when someone cooked for us at a dinner there was meat on the menu and my friend ate it , i was suprised and asked why, he said that its more important to respect your host than following rules, i thought that this was a massive act of compassion on his part, and i respected him all the more for it.

wow paulo that's very insightful, thankyou for sharing. I will keep this in mind when I eat at someone elses place.

[Dngr1]

f your still sucked in by the protein myth you need to do alot more research. Going vegan would be the best thing for your baby. Check out some of these websites, don't take my word for it. The word vegan has a stigma because like atheists that threaten religious peoples beliefs, vegans threaten your identity as a pizza loving bacon and eggs for breakfast lifestyle. And also it makes you frustrated as you realise you got duped.

Durianriders.org (or check him out on youtube) (My most recommended 'guru' for anybody)
Lowcarb vs Plant based on youtube
Notmilk.com
Goveg.com

If you care about your baby, you will want to find out the most you possibly can. Also... never compromise your own values and beliefs just to impress others. That isn't healthy. that puts you on a lower level than the other person and not to mention the unhealthiness of meat products.

[VenusInChains]

haha you know I was thinking about going vegan, but I love eggs and milk way too much. Although I don't have either very often.
If I chose a vegan lifestyle, I think I would have bring my own food whenever I go out cause pretty much nothing around here (I live in a small town) caters for vegans.

Veganism just seems to be that extra step too far for me. I mean its not just food, it's also no leather or using anything that has been tested on animals.

Oh and as for the whole mother-in-law thing with cheese, it actually was brought up in conversation, politely of course, and to my surprise the following week I found the vegetarian friendly brand of cheese in her fridge.

It's called Nimbin cheese, it's made in a place called Nimbin but this place isn't known for it's cheese. It's more well known for the pothead hippies that reside there.

[Dngr1]

It's been a while since i been here. Lol Nimbin... you live around the east coast of australia i take it? Hope the baby is doing well VenusInChains