stories : Table Manners
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I’m Vegetarian but I Eat BaconHow much can I tell a dinner-party host about my eating habits? |
Dear Helena,
I’m vegetarian, except I like to eat bacon. As you can imagine, explaining this ain’t easy. I told a friend about my eating preference, exactly as I’ve just told you, and he served me beef. But I’m no more a carnivore than a straight woman who occasionally makes out with other girls is a lesbian. Should I just tell people I’m a vegetarian, to make things simpler? Or is there a clear and polite way to tell the whole truth so as not to rob myself of future spaghetti carbonara? —Ba-curious
Dear Ba-curious,
Even as we become increasingly fastidious about what we eat, your bacon-friendly vegetarianism is a little unusual (though there’s a new word circulating for people like you: flexitarian). But it raises the same questions as any other personal eating practice would: How do you politely ask the host to respect your diet? And how far must he or she accommodate you?
The former chief of protocol at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Pamela Eyring, who has experience hosting military ceremonies and presidential visits, says you may ask the host to respect dietary “restrictions”—foods you cannot eat for religious, ethical, or medical reasons. An email saying, “Please note that I am kosher/vegan/fatally allergic to shellfish,” is acceptable. But unless you’re morbidly obese, you may not send an email saying, “Please ensure that the meal is South Beach Diet–friendly.” Or “I don’t like vegetables.”
The rules relax a little at occasions other than state banquets. Your friend does want you to enjoy your dinner. So try to minimize your quirks. Mary Burnham, a friend who is a consummate hostess, has a useful rule of thumb. She allows each guest two “ingredient vetoes” or one “category veto.” In other words, “I avoid mushrooms and eggplant” is acceptable. But you can’t add, “And I don’t eat meat.” Or you could say, “I don’t eat meat,” but you can’t add, “And I don’t eat blue cheese.”
You may not send an email saying, “Please ensure that the meal is South Beach Diet–friendly.”
So should you confide your ba-curiosity to your friends? According to Mary’s Rule, no. “I don’t eat meat” is a category veto, which means that’s it for you. Sure, when you confess, “But I eat bacon,” you are adding to the list of things you eat, rather than subtracting from it. But from the host’s point of view, it’s just something extra to remember.
Above all, keep in mind that when someone cooks a meal for you, he or she is giving you a gift. You shouldn’t tell that person what to cook, any more than you would tell someone what present to give you. Unless, of course, he or she asks.
Table Manners appears every Wednesday. Have a Table Manners question? Email Helena.
The traditional rule was smile, eat what you can, push the rest around a little ( so it WOULDN'T look untouched and hurt the hostess feelings) and make nice. Mary Burnham's adaptation is wonderful. My bee-sting-level allergy to peanuts, cashews, fenugreek(curry), and some other legumes is let the hostess know or to ask the content of some unknown item "Oh, I'm so sorry to seem picky but (my allergy blah blah), I really do apologize." Never fails except with complete idiots. - forthgb
Fair enough, bacon is the reason I could never be jewish
I was a vegetarian who ate bacon too! There's just no replacing that flavor. Everyone thought I was a weirdo, but there's really nothing else like bacon.
I had no idea there were so many baconarians. In my blog rant about "Health Vegetarians" a couple of months ago I wrote "as often as not these so-called vegetarians, it turns out, will tell you they eat fish. I’ve even met people who claimed to be vegetarians who ate poultry as well as fish. Fish and chickens may not be smart, but they’re not vegetables. ... Then there’s my 'vegetarian' friend who makes an exception for bacon, because she likes it too much to give it up. I do have a modicum of respect for that position."
http://petercherches.blogspot.com/200...
As a vegetarian who doesn't eat bacon, chicken, fish... well, anything that's actually an animal, a person stating that they're a vegetarian except for bacon makes it so much harder for a person like myself to explain what I don't eat. I cannot tell you how often I hear, "but you eat chicken?" or "but you eat fish, right?"
"I don't eat meat" is a perfectly acceptable explanation of this particular eating habit. When asked if you're a vegetarian, correctly inform that you're not and happily enjoy your bacon.
I'm not vegetarian, but I don't eat bacon. When so many recipes call for bacon to impart that smoky, cured flavor, I usually just skip that step, but have been wondering if there's a good substitute for us pork-free eaters. Smoked salmon cubes would deliver smoky, but maybe too much fishy. Bresaola (beef) is cured, but closer to proscuitto. Has anyone had luck finding a substitute?
A vegetarian who eats bacon is not a vegetarion. They're just someone who is picky!!!
I agree completely with JoshK. Someone who eats any meat at all is definitely not vegetarian. If you have no qualms about bacon, then other meats should not be a problem, except for personal preference.
No offense, but people who prefer only "certain" types of meat make it very difficult for those of us who do not eat (all) meat for other reasons.
@crlyhead11: in many recipes you can try adding liquid smoke flavoring (likely found in the condiment/Worcestershire sauce shelves of your grocery) as a meat and pork-free bacon substitute. It's not used on its own generally, but try mixing some into mayo, cream cheese, or other sauce.
I've had great luck making vegetarian "BLT"'s using pan-fried soy tempeh, lettuce, and tomato slices on toasted bread using a mayonnaise-smoke flavoring spread. (Use about a teaspoon smoke flavoring for each half cup of mayo, add salt to taste). Your taste buds will have a hard time telling that the smokiness comes from the spread, not the crispy tempeh.
I actually have a relatively well-tested theory for the pescatarians (no "meat" except fish) out there: are they Catholic (or raised Catholic)? I was raised Catholic, and during Lent you cannot eat meat on Fridays but you can eat fish. I found myself not thinking of fish as meat, and most pescatarians I know where similarly raised. Its like a subliminal message that fish isn't meat.
What does that make you? A person who likes bacon would be my guess. Maybe an omnivore with meat restrictions. If you think bacon is good, try some foie gras or barbequed baby goat. Exquisite!
To the poster who asked about substituting bacon in recipes. I am of the opinion that there is really nothing on planet earth that can replace flavor for flavor, good crispy bacon, but there are some things that come darn close. I have had some fairly decent turkey bacon recently. It is much leaner than pork bacon, but if you find a way to increase the fat (I know, sounds gross) in another way (vegetable oil, etc.) turkey bacon can be a good porky imposter.
TMD218 - absolutely. It isn't that I don't grasp the point that fish is the dead flesh of an animal, it's that many - arguably most - of us don't *culturally* construe fish as meat. Kosher rules similarly separate meat from fish and/or seafood.
How many menus have you read that list salmon under "Meat"? How many grocery stores carry shad in the meat department? When's the last time you popped into your favorite local butcher for some grouper?
Additionally (and this may be unique to my region, my age or my social circle), it wasn't until the early '90s that I ever met a vegetarian that wasn't a lacto/ovo/pescatarian. In my world, veggies ate fish. My understanding of vegetarianism has evolved since then, of course, but I think it was a common belief at the time.
I love it: "Baconarians!"
i am an actual vegetarian: no fish, no chicken, and no meat. and was raised kosher, guess what? i love veggie bacon! i never ate bacon in my life but i love the tempeh strips---fakin' bacon, and other bacon substitutes.
to crlyhead11 | Posted on Oct 10 at 1:18pm
i would sautee (for crispiness) the fakin' bacon and chop it and add it to things that you want to flavor, i also have tried adding the liquid smoke with some interesting results.
crlyhead11***
smoked turkey wings (in soul food recipes like greens and beans) is a great substitute for bacon. turkey bacon is also available for other uses-- fry it in a little oil so the flavor spreads thru the dish. a lot of people don't eat pork and have adapted traditionally porcine recipes into ones featuring poultry sausage etc.
For a long time I stopped eating red meat but still ate chicken. My dad dubbed me a "chicketarian."
You should try Bacon Salt.
It is a fat free, zero calorie, vegetarian, Kosher approved, gourmet, bacon flavored seasoning salt that tastes like bacon.
http://www.baconsalt.com
Just say you're a vegetarian (even though you aren't - vegetarians don't eat meat, any kind of meat, regardless of how it tastes). That way you will not burden your host/hostess with the obligation to to try to figure out your peculiarities (and for the sake of good manners, skip the bacon if they serve it; the explanation is not worth the trouble to them or to you).
I too am a bacon vegetarian. And to all of you who posted comments regarding how hard this makes your 'true' vegetariansim', I suggest you go right ahead and proudly, and arrogantly, speak up and call yourself 'true vegetarians'. That is of course unless you don't eat...say brussel sprouts...in which case you MUST not call yourself a vegetarian but rather a brussel spoutless vegetarian...come on..loosen up. The only thing that probably makes being a vegetarian hard for you is your attitude.. Anyway..although I am a bacon vegetarian, I agree with Marsha that you have to do a little polite lie and just say you are a vegetarian so as not to burden your host with too many details. You'll have to get your carbonara fix on your own dime....
Many people misunderstand vegetarians wanting it to mean what it does in the dictionary as being 'strict' or 'arrogant'. However, its more about making life easier for both meat eaters and vegetarians if there is a clear definition. Its easier for both hostess and vegetarian guest if vegetarian means one thing only. Being vegetarian for me, and many people isn't about not liking meat, or feeling superior, its just a personal choice that is so closely held and so strongly felt, it is hard to explain, and I can see where some people would get the wrong impression.
Vegetarian = no meat in the diet, at all!
Period!!
Everybody should eat what they like. Call it whatever you want.
If you eat bacon, HOW and WHY do you call yourself a vegetarian? Is it really that important to have a title? If it is, you're an omnivore.
Vegetarians don't eat meat!
Personally I don't like meat but I like fish, so I don't eat meat but I do eat fish. I still call myself vegetarian
I think that vegetarians who eat fish call themselves "vegetarian" for ease. I know I do. A lot of people don't know what a pescatarian is. So a vegetarian who eats fish is easier.
Admittedly yes, that means you're not actually a vegetarian, the same as a vegetarian who eats pork products is not vegetarian by definition.
At the end of the people are getting pickier and pickier about what they eat and back to the original question, you can’t expect a host to cater to your every whim, simply say your vegetarian, that’s usually more than enough for any meaty to cope with let alone throwing in random requests, if you miss out on some bacon just have it when you get home!
This is ridiculous.
I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, but once or twice a week I eat some bacon or fish.
Guess what?
I'm not a vegetarian! Because I eat meat! It's that simple.
I know that the original point of the conversation was about discussing how to make things easier on dinner guests, but since, it has evolved into a discussion of the nature of defining one's eating habits. To those who are insisting that eating only vegetables is the only way to define vegetarianism, let us compare this topic to one that was provided in the teaser for this article: sexuality. We have strict definitions for this in our culture, with many insisting on a rigid definition of heterosexuality vs homosexuality. The reason this is so is because those subscribing to this definition are trying to uphold a moral standard. Society dictates that certain types of behaviors define what one is, but many others view that this type of definition is ultimately oppressive. Historically, sexuality was not so rigidly defined: historian George Chauncy has argued in his book "Gay New York" that for instance that among many groups of working class men, those who thought of themselves as "straight" could engage in certain types of sexual behavior with men and not be declared "gay" by their peers. Such is not the case today; before I get off on a tangent, my point is that such things are socially constructed. Ultimately, those who are trying to define vegetarianism are attempting to reify their definition for the same reason that people maintain strict boundaries in regards to sexual behavior: to maintain a moral standard. I smell a hint of oppression here - I think people should be able to define themselves as they wish. At the same time I don't think people should deceive others about the true nature of themselves, unless they think that that they are going to be oppressed for being who they are. Ideally, A person should be able to define his/herself as "bi" without being pigeonholed into being "straight" or "gay," not to mention not have to suffer the stigma and shame that goes along with it in our society. Same thing goes with bacon-eating vegetarians. As a final note, I am using the discussion of sexuality for illustrative purposes, not to start an argument about that topic, which is outside of the realm of germaneness. If I have gone too far in this direction, I apologize in advance.
what purpose does the label serve if it's false? why do people need the labels in the first place??
you are clearly not "vegetarian" per definition if you eat BACON. whatever your reason for not eating meat, bacon being just too good in your opinion does not change the definition of vegetarian - at all. what if you ate prosciutto, pork chops, boiled ham, as well does that mean you could still call yourself a "vegetarian.?"
vegetarian in it's common usage is someone that doesn't eat "meat" obviously pork in any form is meat. fish is not meat, nor are eggs or dairy.
Sorry, but the "Unless you're morbidly obese" line is ridiculous. If you have a very specific diet that regular people don't typically follow i.e. South Beach, then don't go to a dinner party. It's not fair to impose a whole way of eating on your host and their menu. Now that you've been invited and accepted their invitation, they need to change things or make a whole other meal? I know that there are a lot of dietary restrictions these days, but not every host is prepared to accommodate five different requests. They're not a restaurant.
And I agree with the other posters. If you eat bacon, you're not a vegetarian. Would I be a vegetarian if I ate veal and vegetables only? Nope, you're just partial to vegetables. Vegetable partial.
There are definitely some religions/cultures that consider fish or seafood to be not quite in the same realm as meat. As someone pointed out, Catholics can eat fish during Lent. Jews consider fish to be parve, which means you can eat it with either a dairy or meat meal (which are never mixed). The literal translation of the French word for seafood is 'the fruits of the sea'.
On the other hand, when the Greek Orthodox fast before taking communion, they cannot eat meat, fish, any type of oil, or dairy - a more 'vegan' approach.
Its amusing to note that "vegetarian" and "arrogant" come up together in the same sentence above. Apparently Im not the only one who has met an arrogant, self-righteous vegetarian. That said, I've met plenty of nice ones too, who will politely eat their salads at lunch and NOT try to make everyone feel guilty about their Kobe burgers.
I suspect the bacon-eating vegetarian's friends probably already know that he/she falls off the vegetarian wagon when tempted by the smoked-pork product (who wouldn't be?) But if you're going to call yourself a vegetarian then, be one. As the arrogant vegetarians will gladly inform you (whether or not you ask) it does NOT include the occasional BLT or carbonara If you feel the need to explain this to your hosts, just tell them you consider bacon a "condiment" -- and wait for the debate to ensue.
I'm a gay, Jewish, I eat bacon and shellfish yet I observe Passover. Am I less Jewish because I eat bacon and shellfish? Oh wait, I also keep a kosher home but eat unkosher food in restaurants. Just eat whatever the hell you want and don't label yourself. That's part of the problem, I think. Too many labels..
you should politely let them know that although you are not vegetarian but you are a fabulously picky eater.
Don't call yourself a vegetarian because you are eating a meat type.
You're giving vegetarians a bad rap. How did you stumble upon this choice? Hate meat flavors, killing animals, find meat unhealthy? You already failed those accounts. Really, try to explain without making it sound like you want the world to revolve around you. Or are your choices so predominantly superior to anyone else's needs that a host could only ever want to serve fettucine alfredo?
I would like to concur with all those posters who point out that if you eat bacon, you're not a vegetarian. And proper carbonara is made with pancetta. Bacon in that dish is heresy. So does that mean that the exceptions are now for all types of cured pork? Interesting definition of vegetarianism.
I think emmybee has a nice way of handling it!
And regarding a bacon substitute - bacon salt (as someone already posted. Boy, I need to get a hold of some of that!) would be grand but also - smoked turkey products. You can stew greens with smoked wings and they get a nice flavor. Also chopping and then frying turkey pastrami gives you some flavor.
And I confess an odd weakness for fried turkey bologna. It tastes naught but it's not completely...!
You know what makes "fake-on" (texturized vegetable "bacon") taste really good? Cooking it in really-o, truly-o BACON GREASE.
Also, to add to the pedantic tone... actual, classic, authentic, "proper" carbonara is made with guanciale (pancetta is a "passable" substitute, but expect your Roman guests to quibble... with their mouths full).
There are a lot of reasons why someone can be vegetarian. If you are a "meat is murder" vegetarian, then you will see anyone who eats any meat as non-vegetarian. If you are "economic" vegetarian ("meat is inefficient"), then ANY reduction of meat consumption is welcome and you will probably see meat consumption as a spectrum. If you are a "vegetarian" simply because you don't like most meat, then why wouldn't you eat a meat that you like if you happen to find one? So, in effect, who is a vegetarian is based your own motivations behind your diet.
On top of that, the definition of vegetarian is different by culture. In western cultures, vegetarian usually = no meat, but eggs and dairy. In parts of Asia (specifically certain regions of India), vegetarian means no meat, no eggs, but dairy. A recipe including eggs is not vegetarian. On the other hand, friends traveling in Europe have reported that vegetarian is seen as equivalent to pescetarian in parts of France and Spain at least.
In summary, the only way to be sure you get what you want is to explain it. Balance that with a desire to not inconvenience your host. How important is it to you?
If you host asked you if there were any foods you avoided, you could make a joke of your love of bacon. Say something like "I don't eat meat, but I make an exception for bacon in any form." Said with a big smile, you might get that spaghetti Carbonara for dinner after all.
How about, "The only meat I ever eat is bacon"? That way you're not defining yourself as a vegetarian or opening yourself up for questions. Also, your host then knows exactly what your carnivoral limitations are.
Bacon *IS* the gateway drug for vegetarians.
don't be so goddam high maintenance.
if you don't eat it, don't put it on your plate.
your issues are NOT other peoples responsibilities.
that being said, enjoy your bacon.
p.s. try living in a different country for.... three months. your food options will radically change. you may pick and choose but don't expect people to cater to you specifically.
This letter could only have come from a person packing a boatload of unearned privilege. The vegetarian/kissing girls comparison is highly revealing. She wants the forbidden fruit without any commitment or sacrifice. Don't we all? Have the bacon. Just don't be surprised when the vegans tell you where to go and that cute lesbian leaves you at the bar for a girl who wants something more than a make out show.
pickitarian.
fussitarian
both awesome suggestions to describe someone who doesn't eat most meats, but does eat some.
prerequisite: a readily accessible sense of humor. (maybe you don't have that? but seriously man... you're a veggie but you eat pork? wtf? that's like being a vegan and still eating tripe....)
Vegetarians already have to explain what they mean by "vegetarian" since so many people mean different things. Wishing that wasn't true isn't the same as it not being true.
The bacon-eating-vegetarian can describe herself as a vegetarian for simplicities sake in most instances. If she is speaking to someone who is close to her she can explain the veggie w/bacons bit.
Also, Cecile16, (unless you are physically unable to digest meat) vegetarianism is a personal preference regardless of the motivation--ethics, religion, whatever are all personal.
I'm a quite strict vegetarian, what most people call "vegan." on the one hand I am happy you eat less meat than most people, because that's less animals being hurt. On the other, however, emotionally, I find the word "vegetarian" a little hard to swallow. Flexitarian really does the job better. Just for the sake of accuracy.
I'm actually kind of wondering why not just say: "the only meat I will eat is bacon." Calling yourself vegetarian when you're not confuses people. Thus the friend with the beef. Vegetarianism isn't really a continuum.
Now you can call anything by any word you like, but you should probably be prepared for lots of people objecting to your (for example) calling the door a window and doing all kinds of somewhat predictable things that may not me what you meant (like opening the transparent thing when you wanted the opaque thing opened.) Of course, to return to the bacon/vegetarian issue, if your bacon fix is worth what must be endless conversation about the subject, it's your time.
Or, you could try a BLT made with Lightlife Smart Bacon - at least part of the time, this might stem the yearning. (For best results fry in olive oil for 2 minutes per side on med. high.) Vegenaise brand vegan mayo is also delightful.
If it helps, bacon was the hardest thing for me to give up, but I did it, and I can no longer imagine putting that in my mouth. The idea really gives me the heebie-jeebies. I've come to enjoy the Smart Bacon, believe it or not. (And yes, to anticipate foodie-snob putdowns, I have a good, and sensitive, palate. For me, it's just not worth hurting animals to indulge that particular sensory system in that particular way.)
It surprises me that anyone who eats bacon can call oneself a vegetarian. Being a vegetarian means you don't eat meat. If you eat bacon, you're not a vegetarian. You are a very selective eater and an omnivore.
Saying you're a vegetarian who eats bacon is like saying you're a heterosexual who occasionally has homosexual relationships, but you're by no means a bisexual (to extend the letter writer's analogy). You're only fooling yourself.
A big part of the problem is that, no matter what your reason for being a faux vegetarian, you're likely violating your principles by eating bacon whether your reasons are nutrition-based or ethical. It's no wonder your host doesn't take your "restrictions" so seriously.
Hi, Orchid64, I'm mainly with you here. But it doesn't pay to get all upset about it. I find that the more upset people get the less anyone listens!
Notice the fact that there are some comments from other people who also say they do the same thing. I'm just happy they aren't eating the rest of the animal flesh that's available. They're saving lots of animals from getting hurt this way, even if they're still contributing to the harming of pigs.
I do wish they wouldn't cheapen the word "vegetarian" in this way, but I feel the same about people who eat dairy products and eggs. However, you have to pick your battles, at least if you want to make an effective difference, so I don't get too wrapped up in the nomenclature.
PS - Orchid64, I love the bisexual analogy. It's perfect! It outlines a very similar situation and carries a similar emotional impact. Good one!
So many of the "real" vegetarians on here are missing the point. We use these labels as a means to communicate a lot of information rapidly (and often politely). If I am a vegetarian who eats bacon once a month, 89 of 90 meals and 29 out of 30 days I am a strict vegetarian.
I rather doubt there is a single "vegetarian" on here who has never in their lives eaten meat, but last I checked there were no required number of days or years in a row one must eat a purely vegetarian diet before you get to use the label. If you feel you must "back up" your veggie claims with a number of years, I think there are many pissing contests with other vegetarians in your future.
So, no, being a vegetarian does not mean, "does not eat meat" *unless* you want a definition which no human on the planet fits (does a vegetarian eat insects?). It's an individual who *primarily* does not eat meat (define primarily I guess) or any other cute, logical, and clever definition you may want to come up with.
Even if I eat meat every single day, if I completely distrust a host's ability to cook meat safely, I'd say I'm a vegetarian to quickly, powerfully, and succinctly express what I'll be eating that night as well as spare the host's feelings. My white lie doesn't sully your precious definition. Nobody knows but me.
I like the flexatarian term, but since nearly no one who is quizzing you about your eating habits is familiar with it, it fails as a useful label (today), unless what you are really looking for is a discussion of eating habits. I have traditionally told people I am a "nearly a vegetarian" as time and time again, over and over, when I eat as I choose to eat, I am always grilled with "are you a vegetarian or something?"
Unfortunately, "nearly a vegetarian" tends to spark an unsought discussion about 50% of the time if I tell a meat eater my invented label... and about 95% of the time if I tell a "real" vegetarian this (often unknown to me at the time and a discussion that always ends tragically).
When I invite people over I really try to be sensitive to their dietary needs in terms of religious or health concerns. That being said, I don't think it's appropriate to act like one is ordering in a restaurant when one comes to someone's house for dinner. Just tell the host you are vegetarian to keep it simple, and learn how to make your own carbonara!
This makes me think of a term that a friend of mine came up with years ago. I was living with my vegan then-boyfriend and she was a vegetarian married to a former meat-and-potatoes man. I kept our house veggie (no way was I gonna give up cheese and milk for the fakey stuff!) but if we went out, I sure ordered meat if I wanted to, and he did too.
My friend dubbed myself and her husband "90% vegetarian by marriage" and that pretty much summed it up for me!
Now, I eat a mostly vegetarian diet, not for any reason but the fact that as a broke single mom, meat is a splurge, not a regular part of my diet. But I don't sub fake meat for the real stuff; rather, I just go without. Rice and beans+veggies+cheese and sauces= perfect meal!
But I thought bacon IS a vegetable?
http://www.gumbopages.com/looka/image...
>>Unfortunately, "nearly a vegetarian" tends to spark an unsought discussion about 50% of the time if I tell a meat eater my invented label... and about 95% of the time if I tell a "real" vegetarian this (often unknown to me at the time and a discussion that always ends tragically).<<
Wow-- "tragically"? I never would have thought vegetarians had the strength to lift the weaponry necessary for a "tragic" end to a discussion. Good to know, though...
Wow. You're so right, Aunt Jenny. Vegetarians ARE wimps. I mean, look at that wet noodle, several-time olympian Carl Lewis. Ironman Triathlete Brendan Brazier is such a pushover. And I'm sure you could beat any of the others on the following list of vegan or vegetarian athletes with one hand tied behind your back.
:-D
Vegetarian athletes:
Ruth Heidrich, Three-Time Ironman
Debbie Lawrence, 5k Record Holder
Jim Kaat, Baseball Player
Tony Larussa, Baseball Manager
Hank Aaron, Baseball Player
Bill Pearl, Bodybuilder
Marv Levey, Buffalo Bills Coach
Robert Parnish, Center (Bulls)
Joe Namath, Football Player
Lawrence Phillips, Football Player (49ers)
Steve Bellamy, Founder of the Tennis Channel
Surya Bonaly, French Figure Skater
Brendan Brazier, Ironman Triathlete
Sally Eastall, Marathon Runner
Andreas Cahling, Mr. International Bodybuilder
Carl Lewis, Olympic Track Star
Edwin Moses, Olympic Champion
Leroy Burrell, Olympic Champion
Murray Rose, Olympic Swimmer
Pat Reeves, Power Lifter
Bill Manetti, Powerlifting Champion
Ed Templeton, Pro Skateboarder
Mike Manzoori, Pro Skateboarder
Brian Anderson, Pro Skateboarder
Jamie Thomas, Pro Skateboarder
Forest Kirby, Pro Skateboarder
Brian Sumner, Pro Skateboarder
Andrew Reynolds, Pro Skateboarder
Jen O'brien, Pro Skateboarder
Matt Field, Pro Skateboarder
Chris Lambert, Pro Skateboarder
Brad Staba, Pro Skateboarder
Geoff Rowley, Pro Skateboarder
Rick Mc Crank, Pro Skateboarder
Moses Itkonen, Pro Skateboarder
Sergei Trudnowski, Pro Skateboarder
Laban Pheidas, Proskater
Steve Berra, Proskater
Anastasia Ashley, Surfer
Martina Navratilova, Tennis Player
Bille Jean King, Tennis Champion
Peter Burwash, Tennis Champion
John Salley, Toronto Raptors
Lucy Stephens, Tri-athlete
Stan Price, World Record Bench Press
Killer Kowalski, Wrestler
list quoted with thanks from: http://almostvegetarian.blogspot.com/...
Oh, for pity's sake, Bettina, I was making fun of the term "tragically," NOT vegetarianism. OF COURSE there are healthy-- nay, INCREDIBLY healthy-- vegetarians... and even MORE horribly unhealthy, mindless meat-eaters. I've happily cooked for, lived with, and even (gasp!) BEEN a vegetarian (from time to time) myself in my career as a cook/eater/human.
I'm sorry if I offended you OR ANYONE; if I did, I sincerely apologize, as that was not my intention... but I've read some recent studies that indicate there IS a direct connection between bacon and a sense of humor...
...I'm just sayin'...
P.S. You might want to reconsider adding anyone named "Killer Kowalski" to your witness list if a court case ever comes up (this is on the advice of my attorney... ALSO a vegetarian, by the way)-- credibility is EVERYTHING, I'm told...
And, dear Auntie, I was making fun of YOU! :-D
But you knew that. Thus the intensity (and all the capitalization.)
Random strangers from the internet are incapable of offending me.
Lighten up, get a life, etc.
Oh, and if you actually want to communicate with people I suggest that you lose some of the sarcasm, it's very unattractive. You're right in the sweet spot if you just want to drive everyone from you, however. Remember, a little sarcasm applied with a light hand can be funny, a lot is just - oh - where have I heard this word before - tragic! (You can sound intelligent without trying to wither the hair off of your conversational partner.)
:-)
Bettina
By the way, flexitarian might actually be a terrible label, because it communicates either very little or actually the wrong information.
Vege-tarian, an individual who eats only vegetables.
Flexi-tarian, an individual who eats only flexibly? Everything? Omnivore?
Flexitarian doesn't contain any sense of a primarily vegetarian diet, which is (I think?) its intended use, a subset of vegetarianism.
Wikipedia has a reasonable definition.
"Flexitarianism is a term used in the United States to describe the practice of eating mainly vegetarian food, but making occasional exceptions for social, pragmatic, cultural, or nutritional reasons. There is a wide range in the circumstances and outer boundaries of their dietary practices, which resist easy classification. The term semi-vegetarianism is used to convey roughly the same meaning as flexitarianism."
Some people also say "almost vegetarian" or "mostly vegetarian" or, more simply, "no thank you" (that last when offered animal foods they wish not to eat) or whatever.
There is no need to discuss or justify your food choices, folks! If you feel like talking about it, fine, but please don't feel you owe anyone an explanation.
If the only meat you eat is bacon, well, who cares? Technically, you are not any kind of vegetarian. You might almost or mostly be one, but really, you aren't a vegetarian.
Now you may be saying to yourself, and to anyone else who'll listen: "If I say I'm a vegetarian I AM one, no matter what I eat!" but if you are doing that then you are distorting the meaning of a word beyond the limits of what it is conventionally held to mean. You can try to change the meaning of the word, but it's difficult to do.
A case in point is how we now use the word vegetarian for people who eat milk and eggs. I think this usage is a stretch, but so many people have used it that way for so long that it has come to be accepted. Back in the 70s when I became an ovo-lacto vegetarian that was the way it was said. I was ovo-lacto, and people who didn't eat any of those things would object if I called myself a vegetarian. But that was a smaller distinction that most people had never at that time even considered, and we now have the word "Vegan" for people who eat and use no animal products at all. "Strict vegetarian" is also an accepted usage.
However, no matter what, vegetarianism has always meant eschewing the eating of meat, 100%. It stands for something.
For me, I didn't want to put the dismembered and dead bodies of animals in my mouth so I didn't. Not any of them. Not even bacon, which (along with lobster) was the hardest thing for me to give up. Yet in the instant that I decided to become vegetarian, I did give both of those up along with all other meat foods, including "hidden" ingredients as far as I could, like gelatine. I didn't know about the problems with milk or eggs, so I continued to eat those things.
And once I learned that drinking milk contributes to the veal industry (male calves of dairy cows are unfit for regular beef production so they ALL go straight into the veal torture-crates) and that eating eggs contributes to concentration-camp-style torture for chickens, not to mention the crushing (or chopping up or simply leaving in piles to die of starvation) of millions of live male baby chicks by egg producers, I stopped eating those things as well.
Other people don't eat these things for health reasons. It's been my experience that people who give up all animal products for health often find that once they've done so, their feelings for the animals involved become much stronger. It is as if they were in denial while they were eating animals, but once they stopped, they were able to think about this side of the issue without feeling guilty.
My point is that there are powerful reasons why those of us who do not eat these things do not eat them. Calling yourself a vegetarian when you are not one muddies the waters but I don't really care all that much. It bugs me a little, but in the vast scheme of things, not so much. Same goes for people calling us names for being vegetarian, making us the butt of stupid jokes (such as moronic put-downs like the one about vegetarians not having strength) and otherwise trying to make us look bad. No big, because the people who do those things only look bad themselves.
And if your friends give you a hard time because you eat this and not that, then you either need new friends or a thicker skin. If you eat less meat than most other people, I support you in your almost-vegetarianism, really I do! Eat bacon to your heart's content, it won't bother me a bit. Certainly not more than the people I know who eat many animals a week- several birds, a couple of swimming things, not to mention at least several or more large quadrupeds each year.
The deaths of those animals bother me. That they were bred and kept in the most squalid and horrible conditions imaginable while they grew to an age where they were killed for these peoples' pleasure, and the ways in which they were killed, all of these things bother me. But you are eating less animals than most other people, and I find this a delightful fact!
And, by the way, I agree with the Wikipedia entry while remembering that Wikipedia entries carry no weight at all, academically speaking. Wikipedia cannot define anything because it's just random people from the web writing what amounts to their opinion. Please remember this about Wikipedia, folks, it's not an authoritative source of information on anything at all. It is a good starting place for many questions and ideas, but it's not the last word on anything.
Look, I'm not for holier-than-though vegetarianism (I eat fish on the rare occasion, usually when someone has served it to me), but I still say there's no such thing as a vegetarian who eats bacon.
This infuriates me! How dare you even attempt to call yourself a vegetarian! It's either be a vegetarian or eat meat. You can't be both. You have to completely give up meat no matter how much you love it, to be a vegetarian. Dumbass...
For the past month I have cut meat out of my diet but am still eating fish as I just love the health benefits. It was very hard trying to explain to someone what I was willing to eat. I have since found out what it is called - a pescetarian. Not that anyone is going to know what this means when I tell them but I think it will put the true vegetarians at ease. I also saw the post about the term 'flexitarian' and that is a more simple word I think normal eaters (if there is such a thing) will understand better.
I agree with BBettinaB's first post.
Vegetarians don't eat meat, not even bacon. While the dairy and egg industry is just as horrific as other factory farms, dairy and eggs aren't meat. However, fish is meat. You eat fish, bacon, hamburgers, ect. you're not a vegetarian. I think you can safely eat dairy and eggs and call yourself a vegetarian, and if you decide to give those up with all other animal products, ta-da, you're a vegan.
These labels do matter. It's a way for other people to characterize the people around them and safely plan dinner parties without offending the guests. I'm *not* a vegetarian. If someone told me they were a vegetarian and then ate one the BLT sandwhiches I put out for a picnic or something like that, then I would be offended. It narrows down what *I* can cook and what *others* can enjoy if you misinform the hostess.
"The only meat I eat is bacon" is just as simple as, "I'm kinda a vegetarian."
I have given several dinner parties for my friends, enough of whom are vegetarian to elicit me often offering two different main dishes: one for the meat-eaters and one for the veggie eaters (some won't go for a veggie-only meal). That's something I plan for. However, if you're invited to a dinner party and the person/organization inviting you doesn't know enough about your eating habits to know that the only meat you like is bacon, make it simple for their sake or just don't go. The dinner party probably isn't all about you, so don't make it so. (If it is all about you, then feel free to make as many picky choices as you want!)
I have several friends with different eating "styles" I find it an excellent challenge cooking for them. I would absolutely love to cook for a vegetarian that likes bacon as well. There is such a multitude of veggie dishes that have bacon in them or use bacon grease in the dressings. I am a carnivore working towards being a flexitarian for health reasons. I look forward to the challenges that will be in my culinary expansion but I do know at times a Steak and a baked potato WILL be dinner.
For me because both my honey and I have food allergies I tend to ask if I can bring a dish for the meal when going somewhere for a dinner party. Most hosts are happy to have people help out and if they say I don't need to I can then explain my "pickinesses" and then let them decide. For me I know if I bring something I can eat then I never have to worry about being sat down to a dinner entirely made of shellfish that I can not consume. :-) (living in the NW this is actually something to be concerned about) heh
I hope you find people that can accommodate your style. If you are ever in the NW give me a holler. I would be happy to.
~L
You don't owe anybody an explanation for your food choices, and you don't need to label yourself. It shouldn't matter to anybody whether you avoid a food for religious/ethical reasons, health concerns (general and allergy-related), you just don't like the taste, or because the aliens told you to do it during your last abduction.
But for practical reasons, sometimes you need to alert food providers about what you will and won't eat. One easy approach in your case is to say "I need to eat vegetarian" and let them assume you are deathly allergic to dead animals and will keel over dead yourself if you eat them. That way, you haven't labeled yourself (leaving yourself open to attacks by the orthodox) but have given some potentially useful information or at least some backstory when they see you are feeding certain foods on your plate to the cat.
Probably to keep the peace you will need to also avoid the bacon around people who don't know you well, unless you think they can understand "I have to eat vegetarian except for bacon", letting them assume you're on a peculiar bacon diet or something. Or be more explicit and say "I can't eat any meat, seafood, or fowl except for bacon" if you think they can handle it but might be fuzzy about the term "vegetarian". But your experience with beef boy shows that you can't even assume that will work, since some people have no idea where their food comes from.
I would have personally educated beef boy with a picture of a cow and a pig and pointed out that beef is dead cow and bacon is dead pig and they're really quite different mammals.... But since I really am vegetarian and should be vegan for both religious and health reasons (allergic to dairy and eggs), I learned long ago not to assume anybody really knows what the term vegetarian means anyway. Then there are the folks who are convinced that "a little bit" of the religiously repulsive or allergenic food won't hurt and will sneak it into something anyway. That may not be a problem for a more casual baco-vegetarian like yourself, but it is a problem for me, especially when I could be arrested for driving under the influence of eggs.
I don't trust anybody, since I really really don't want to eat dead animals (yuck, ptooie) for both religious and health reasons and also have other allergies. People are just too clueless if they themselves don't have any ethical problems or allergic concerns about any foods. So I just tell people I won't be eating or bring my own food! Sometimes I can convince them not to smother some simple food in allergenic or dead animal-containing sauces and such and let me eat some acceptable foods unadorned.... but it's a losing battle. In your case,though, a less drastic approach should work.
If you're tired of explaining exactly WHY you are a baco-vegetarian to both those of a carnivorous and a veggie persuasion, try to come up with some easy way to deflect the topic entirely. People have an odd tendency to get very defensive about their food choices, no matter what their label. Guess it's because food is all wrapped up with culture in general. Family especially can feel threatened if you won't eat what everybody else eats for any reason. If you reject mom's cooking, you're rejecting mom. Then there are those who feel compelled to define your preferences and beliefs, deciding that you are being inconsistent and therefore should cease and desist with your funny eating habits forthwith.
I've found that telling the truth can sometimes cause more trouble than it's worth, and I don't really like having to endlessly explain why I eat the way I do. Sometimes a hostile carnivore will push me into admitting that I do have ethical objections to eating other animals and even worse, admitting that I really am bothered by other humans eating dead animals around me even though I put up with it (some of my best friends are carnivores). People are getting more flexible today, but some will act as though I'm holding a gun to their heads, telling them to drop the burger or else. Sometimes when they persist in asking "Why don't you eat [whatever]" (preceded by their standard rant about how humans are supposed to eat dead animals, and how I'm murdering plants and thus being inconsistent , etc. etc.), I reply "Why don't you eat baby human? I hear it tastes like chicken." That's usually a conversation stopper.
I am a vegan but I have this penchant for human feces.
Is that technically an animal by-product, even if it were to come from another vegan say?