Why do you think people say they are veg*n when they aren't?

[Jennifer 3FC]

I think a definition of something can be useful and a timesaver, as long as there are enough people that know what the word means. Saying one is pescatarian or lacto-ovo vegetarian only works if the other person knows what that means.

Kaplods - you bring up a good point of 'vegetarians versus normal'. In a lot of places I'm sure that idea still exists, but overall the numbers of vegetarians and eco-awareness of food choices are rising, and 'labels' or definitions are becoming handier. In my opinion.

[nelie]

My husband is reading a book called "Mad Cow" which is by a cattle rancher turned vegetarian (vegan? not sure).

He says to me the other day, "This book is funny, it calls vegetarians who eat eggs and dairy ovo-lacto". He had never heard the term ovo-lacto or ovo or lacto vegetarian before. Here is a guy who has been vegetarian for 2 years and is in his mid 30s

[Arianwen]

I *hate* it when people think vegetarians eat fish. I've been a lacto-ovo 'tarian for 20 years and I can't count the number of times people ask me if I eat fish. FISH ARE ANIMALS. What are they, made of broccoli? *sigh*

[JulieJ08]

I hate the fish thing too!

I'm just grinning because I saw this thread today, and realized I posted in it last year when I was just thinking about becoming vegetarian, and now I have been vegetarian for over a year

[UrthWurm]

I normally just tell people that "I eat Salmon on occasion, but beyond that I don't eat any other kind of meat". At restaurants or with new acquaintances I normally keep it short and just say "I don't eat meat." So there's no confusion. I'm very picky about the Salmon I eat; organic wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Also I don't want to be eating it on a constant basis. It's a rare treat for me, and I fear people relying on it so they don't have to leave their "meat meals" comfort zone.

I've been "pescetarian" for just barely a year. It's been a new and exciting change, finding out how to cook healthy nutritious meals, discovering that I actually DON'T despise veggies/beans. I'm still working on letting go of the Salmon, but beyond that I'm happy with my diet. The only other non-Vegan food I eat is eggs (just recently started again) as it's a quick, filling source of protein in the mornings for a very very poor college student.

I understand the confusion on both sides of the fence when someone says "I'm Vegan, but.." You're contradicting your previous statement by clearly saying that you eat something outside of that doctrine. I think that ends up coming out of mouths more often than it should because A) people are misinformed or confused about the actual terms they're using, or B) when put on the spot it's the easiest, quickest way to describe their diet. Let's face it, we don't always say the most intelligent or correct things when someone is questioning us and our beliefs.

[EZMONEY]

Originally Posted by JulieJ08

I hate the fish thing too!

I'm just grinning because I saw this thread today, and realized I posted in it last year when I was just thinking about becoming vegetarian, and now I have been vegetarian for over a year

How time flies, do you still eat fish?

[JulieJ08]

Originally Posted by EZMONEY

How time flies, do you still eat fish?

You better be careful, EZ. You keep hanging out in the veggie forum and you never know what might happen ...

[EZMONEY]

True story....

tonight....I am making my first ever spaghetti squash!!

a casserole...already cut it in half....knew I wasn't supposed to use the seeds but I threw the slimy stuff out too...

gonna bake it for an hour then shred it and do the rest..

wish me luck!

[JulieJ08]

Bake it good and long - it stays pretty crunchy for a long time. Or you might like it that way.

[kelly315]

Some people use it as an excuse to politely not eat (often as part of an eating disorder).

[Arianwen]

There have been times in my life where my dairy consumption was virtually nil, and for years I hated honey, however, I would never label myself a vegan. I was eating less dairy probably for financial reasons. I am one of those rare adults that is lactose tolerant, not intolerant, I believe for me personally, I am meant to consume dairy, my ancestors obviously adapted to consuming it as adults to get nutrition through long, dark winters in Europe.

I appear to suffer no ill effects from not consuming meat, though.