# Meat eaters: Could you be a vegetarian? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768 "2015-11-17T01:42:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jayrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jayrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayrey)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/41 "2015-11-17T17:10:12Z")
I tried being a vegetarian for several weeks and became listless and depressed. It’s definitely not for me. I love meat. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/42 "2015-11-17T17:12:25Z")
yes. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/43 "2015-11-17T17:16:40Z")
Today I’m eating vegetarian, not by any design but because it just worked out that way. Breakfast: Plain greek yogurt with some granola mixed in and a piece of cheese Lunch: Pasta with red sauce and some ricotta and spinach Dinner: Three bean chili over rice with a green salad It doesn’t have to be a vegetable fest (though I love vegetables). ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/44 "2015-11-17T17:18:10Z")
I could live on a steady diet of salad. If there were chunks of meat in the salads. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/45 "2015-11-17T17:20:20Z")
Yes, easily. In fact, if it wasn’t for my SO, I would be eating almost no meat. I doubt I would ever quit meat completely, I see no reason to be that firm about it, but I know it would probably be once a month or less. I would be totally happy being veg. The thing about being flexible and not being firm, is you can eat things with bacon bits on them or whatever. When you are completely firm you have to examine every food to make sure there isn’t a speck of meat. I know from experience when I was a vegetarian that it’s easier just to never have meat as the main course. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/46 "2015-11-17T17:26:07Z")
Cheese and dairy are not negotiable; I’m not giving those up. Some people would still define that as vegetarian, so I guess I can say yes. This combination still leaves me with pasta, pizza, burritos, pancakes and the like. I know there are some vegan options for those things, but most of them are just not the same. As with others, though, I just don’t see why I would want to. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/47 "2015-11-17T17:26:33Z")
No. Tried it. Hated it. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/48 "2015-11-17T17:27:07Z")
I could probably give up everything except turkey. I have a turkey sandwich (of some kind) for lunch almost every day. I’d also seriously miss hamburgers and chicken, but I just can’t imagine life without turkey. So, no. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/49 "2015-11-17T17:47:08Z")
Nope, not happening. I like meat too much and the vegetarian games with food really put me off. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/50 "2015-11-17T17:49:02Z")
Could if I had to. The wife and I eat vegetarian several meals a week anyway. I just don’t **want** to. ---
**Author:** ![Reluctant\_A](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@Reluctant\_A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reluctant_A)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/51 "2015-11-17T17:59:48Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I could live on a steady diet of salad. > > If there were chunks of meat in the salads. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mPRj7r26QAQ/hqdefault.jpg "Miller High Life--Salad") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPRj7r26QAQ) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/52 "2015-11-17T18:09:59Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > If I _wanted_ to I’m sure I could. But the thing is, I don’t. Same for me. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/53 "2015-11-17T18:50:26Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > As long as I could still have dairy (specifically cheese), I don’t think it would be a problem at all. Yes. Assuming the Op means “vegetarian” in it’s classical definition, and not the way radical vegans would redefine it, then sure. I could give up meat. I can’t answer the poll until that’s clarified. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/54 "2015-11-17T18:55:09Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > If you eat birds and fish you aren’t a vegetarian in my book. I realize some people feel “not eating mammals” qualifies but that’s always seemed bizarre to me. Historically, fish was included in a vegetarian diet. But not fowl. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/55 "2015-11-17T18:59:24Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > If you eat birds and fish you aren’t a vegetarian in my book. I realize some people feel “not eating mammals” qualifies but that’s always seemed bizarre to me. Well, fish is not considered meat for kosher purposes (think bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon), so it doesn’t seem to bizarre to me. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/56 "2015-11-17T20:32:32Z")
Hell yes!! I have tried vegan stuff and that “fake” meat and it tastes good. Plus too much meat is not good. And there is that animal cruelty factor for me. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/57 "2015-11-17T21:09:38Z")
After nearly 60 years of happy carnivorehood, I would not could not give up my meat. My DIL is a vegetarian and when I visit the kids, the menu is not only vegetarian, but very light on seasoning. I eat it, but I don’t much like it. That being said, I enjoy one sometimes two meatless meals a week, because I think it’s good for me. But when I do the cooking/heating up, I add spices, so it all tastes much better to my jaded palate. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/58 "2015-11-17T21:16:33Z")
I could be, but in the long run I’d probably end up less healthy. Diabetes runs in my family, and while I like vegetables, I’m not one of those people who can have a diet predominantly made up of them; cutting out meat would probably up my simple carb/sugar intake. Having learned too much about factory farming for my own good, my solution is to try and only eat ethically produced meat. Admittedly I’ve probably broken that rule in restaurants, at friend’s houses, etc, but I see it as a reasonable compromise. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/59 "2015-11-17T21:18:44Z")
No problem at all. Hell, I’d eat people kibble if it were minimally tasty and nutritionally sufficient. It is just fuel. During a couple of years recently when I was working away from home and living by myself Monday through Thursday, I don’t think I prepared meat a single time for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I’m sure I ordered meat at least some of the times I went out to eat - which would have been no more than 1-2x/month. When I came home for the weekend, I would cook/eat meat if that is what my wife wanted. During this time we did quite a bit of reading - The China Study, Forks Over Knives, etc. Even if you don’t give up meat entirely, it is pretty easy (and IMO a good idea) to consider reducing the amount you eat. Maybe I eat 3 meals containing some meat per week - a lot of that is fish. But if I go to a pig roast, don’t get between me and that tenderloin, baby! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768/60 "2015-11-17T21:38:46Z")
I did give up meat for a couple of years and didn’t miss it. However, my eating habits were still crap. I lost too much weight and looked downright scary. Plus, like **snowthx** mentioned, I didn’t want to be a picky eater. Since I was the sole cook and grocery shopper, I dragged the kids along on my vegetarian adventure and they didn’t care for it. Although they will still happily eat Boca burgers! I might try it again someday…have to see how I feel when someday gets here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-eaters-could-you-be-a-vegetarian/737768.md?page=4)