Oh Shit, I’m Going Veggie

The title of this post says it all really but it’s true, I’ve decided to go veggie in the new year. I realise that I’m not the first person to make the change after a lifetime of meat eating and even last night I tucked into a Thai Chicken Curry. I’ll probably be eating some form of meat tonight at the dinner party we’re attending but when the clock strikes 12 that’s it. Goodbye chicken, beef, pork, fish and all.

The weird thing is, I like meat. A meal without the central focus of meat or fish is something I always find a bit bland. Even things like pizzas always seem to be missing something when there isn’t any ham or pepperoni etc. I think it might be in my mind because I was brought up believing that the meat in a meal was the most important aspect of the food placed before me. If I was full I could leave stuff as long as I ate the meat. I even think I eat in a particular way that pays homage to the steak of pork chops on my plate. That’s going to go in (checks clock) a little over 12 hours time. Eeek!

So what’s the deal, why am I making what amounts to a lifestyle changing decision? Here are a few random things that have influenced me:

• I like animals. Especially cats. Particularly our cat George. I think I’m a bit obsessed with his well being and I like the fact that we got him from a rescue centre. We saved him and that’s cool. So, how can I justify loving my Georgey so much and then tuck into, for example, Roast Duck. I mean, I like ducks! I was watching an Animal Rescue program on telly the other day and this RSPCA guy was trying to capture an injured duck on a riverbank. The guy got the duck and they sorted out the injury. Hurrah. Except I also like to eat duck. Imagine some alien observers watching our day to day goings on. RSPCA guy saving a duck in one scene while a restaurant serves up duck in another. The aliens would think we were crazy and hypocrites. We probably are.
• A few years ago I had to frequently visit a slaughterhouse. I always felt really uneasy about it. On one occasion I found myself at the rear of the building and I saw a little fenced off area containing several lambs. They were all looking at me and behind them was a green door. On the other side of the door was death. Not good. During the same period in my life I would often follow vehicles carrying large amounts of chickens. All piled on top of each other and they’d be staring out at me not knowing what was going on. They were on their way to the chicken processing factory. Not good.
• In another period of my life I attended quite a few human post mortems. I’ve seen human bodies of all ages sawn open and witnessed the removal of vital organs. Once the internals are out, you may as well be at the butchers counter in Sainsbury’s. There’s no difference. So whenever I have to cut up chicken or beef, I wonder what my reaction would be if I were cutting up human flesh. Chicken = OK, Human = Throwing up. But there’s no difference, meat is meat.
• If I were marooned on a desert island and had to kill to stay alive, I could probably bring myself to do it, even if I wouldn’t like it. Could I accompany say Jamie Oliver to a farm, select a goat, kill it and then cook it? Not a bloody chance. Can I go to the supermarket and buy a joint of beef where it’s all sanitised and the death and slaughter is kept hidden from me. Course I can. More hypocrisy.
• I know animals kill other animals for food, I know there’s a food chain and we’re at the top. I know my rejection of meat isn’t going to change the world. It’s my choice though and I don’t want to eat something that has a face and eyes and can look at me.
• Of course there are a few other reasons to turn veggie, such as green issues. Fewer cattle means less carbon emmisions and more grain for humans. I understand all that. There’s the health advantage from not eating red meat etc. I understand all that too. They aren’t my reasons though. My carbon footprint is a bit shite due to my techy interests and I can’t claim health reasons since I probably knock days off my life every time I quaff copious amounts of Brothers Cider.
• So how about eating lesser animals. Like prawns and lower life forms. Well, I have a problem with that too. Where do you draw the line. Who decides what’s on my vegetarian Schindler’s list. So I’m not drawing the line. No animals directly or indirectly. I will drink milk though. That’s going to make me a lacto-vegetarian apparently.
• I’ve also started to think about animal products that I don’t eat. Leather springs to mind. So I’m going to avoid leather products as well. I’m not going to throw out all my belts and shoes but after mid-night tonight I won’t buy any more.

I realise that my life is going to be a bit more complicated from now on. People are going to have to go out of their way to accommodate me. I’m going to have to work a bit harder to find tasty nutritional meals and I’ll be scouring the ingredient panels on food I buy but I’m up for the challenge. There will be things I’ll really miss. @MilliesMum has agreed to join me but I don’t think she’ll go the distance. Perhaps I won’t but I’m going to try my hardest to give it a good go.

It’ll give me a few things to write about on here anyway!