Being a Vegetarian

First off, people say, "I'd love to be a vegetarian but I could never give up meat." A lot. I don't know why, obviously you are not going to relate to that, but I guess it's just something people say. Secondly, for me at least, it is not as hard as you would imagine. I have been a vegetarian for four years now, so maybe its different after longer, but I found that it just became a part of my life and now I think nothing of it. I only really notice it when people are surprised to find out I am a vegetarian. Again, the fact that I was never a massive meat lover may mean this is not the most representative account, but I do still miss meat. However, for me it is worth it.

Of course, there are downsides. We travel to Continental Europe a lot of skiing holidays, and my family always get frustrated when we spend a good portion of the night looking for a restaurant that does a vegetarian option, which always makes me feel bad. But seriously, in some areas there are absolutely no options, and if there are, it is usually the same for all the restaurants so you end up eating cheese fondue every night. We seem to stay in to eat more often on holiday now, but I don't know whether that is down to the recession or me.

So if you are thinking about becoming a vegetarian, this is what it is like for me. It may not be as hard as you think it is and, if you really believe in it I say go for it. On another note though, I don't believe that everyone should be vegetarian or that all meat eaters are murderers. I simply felt it was the right choice for me, and I have felt this way since I was a young child, and I never like the idea of eating meat so I stopped. I am not trying to push my ideas onto anyone, I am just saying that those who think they could never live without meat may be able to if they tried.

A good thing about this lifestyle is obviously the health benefits. It wasn't a reason I became a vegetarian, but it certainly helps me to feel better about eating chocolate and crisps and all the other crap I love. At least I can think I no longer eat burgers or red meat or any of that other stuff that is bad for you. On the other hand, I do find it hard to get enough protein and iron in my diet, but I am quite a picky eater, so if you have more accepting taste buds than mine it shouldn't be a problem. I still eat animal products such as dairy and eggs (incidentally, do people not understand the difference between vegetarian and vegan? I get asked whether I eat cheese etc, after saying I am a vegetarian, and I just thought people were aware of the difference?) which are probably my main source of protein, but beans and lentils are also good for this, and green vegetables are a good source of iron.
Becoming a vegetarian opens you up to a whole new world of recipes, and there are so many meat free meals out there if you just look. So for all those people who ask, "What do you eat?" I eat plenty; there is plenty out there aside from meat.

As a vegetarian, I have discovered a range of new food, such as aubergines and courgettes, which I had never tried before. Another thing worth noting is that, if you do love meat and can't imagine not having it, there are some pretty good imitations out there. Although they are not perfect, vegetarian burgers and sausages, if done well, can resemble the real thing, and the brand Quorn produces a massive range of products, from burgers and sausages, to scotch eggs, 'bacon', 'turkey slices' and mince meat, all of which are suitable for vegetarians. Many people have a negative opinion of vegetarain substitutes such as these but most of these people have never tried it.

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