I'm just curious what you guys think. I'm a vegetarian and have been for the last two years, yet I always have to cook for my brothers and boyfriend (which, needless to say is ALWAYS including meat). They are definitely not vegetarians. They love meat - everything about it.

I'm not going to change them into vegetarians, nor am I going to cook only vegan foods for them. Being a vegetarian is my own personal choice and I'm the only one in the household.

So what do you think?
Is cooking meat though you're a vegetarian hypocrisy in your opinion? Or do you believe there's certain circumstances where it's perfectly fine and normal?

I don't think it's hypocritical at all.......If you said you were vegetarian but then ATE their meat, that'd be hypocritical. I've had issues in the past with even cooking meat when I was vegetarian, just cause I thought it (meat) was nasty, but that's a whole 'nother story.

Being a vegetarian is about what you eat, some people make it about what you wear, what laptop you have, what car you drive, and lotion you use, what pet food you have..........but essentially it's only about what YOU eat. You don't eat meat, you're vegetarian. It's that simple.

I think you do what you need to do

I'd personally have a hard time cooking animal products but I know others who do it. You could also tell them to cook their own meat if they want which is also I know others do as well. It basically depends on your own comfort level.

i concur with the other responses. sometimes i cook meat for my boyfriend. nelie does bring up something that i have been thinking about though, the longer i stay committed to being vegan the more i try to change my mind about "meat" and resensitize myself, so there might be a day I just can't cook it.

Well, if you're a hypocrite, than I am, too. My husband just is NOT going to go vegetarian, although he's right on board with eating much less meat than he used to. It does gross me out pretty badly sometimes, but if anybody's ever had any success in guilt-tripping or badgering anybody else into vegetarianism, I've never met them. I really wish there was an easy answer to this, but just as he's not going to be a vegetarian, I am not ever going to be the kind of person who's comfortable being a hardliner about vegetarianism, so I just try to make do as best I can. It's really hard to deal with sometimes, though, so you have my sympathy.

I have a somewhat similar situation with my boyfriend and I do what I call damage control.

His intake of vegetables and grains have increased tremendously, while the meat in the dish is quite small and definitely not the main feature (and he often grills it on the side). Because I cook such a small portion for his food, he rejoices in buying the absolute best. I also never cook with dairy.

So, I think his animal consumption is MUCH less than before we met, when he ate meat and dairy as the center for all his meals (haha, which were usually take out).

I'm still getting him used to the land of beans and tofu. The problem with giving him too many beans/vegetables at once is the fiber issue - since he has never ate so much fiber in his life, it tends to give him embarrassing gas! Baby steps....

Just cooking meat sometimes makes me queezy. I just hate seeing blood and everything. That's why I asked the question.

Thanks!

I don't cook it. If DH wants some meat, he can purchase it and cook it when I'm not home, or outside on the grill where I don't have to smell it. It smells (rightly so!) like burning flesh to me. Sometimes he'll get a craving for a hot dog or hamburger that a veggie version just won't take care of, and when it happens he usually stops somewhere and gets it on the way home, and eats it outside.

He used to be a HUGE meat eater, but he said he would go veg at home as long as the food wasn't boring. And he's yet to complain about my cooking in almost 10 years, so we're both happy.

I don't know that I would call you a hypocrite, but if cooking it makes you uncomfortable, then don't do it. If they want something other than what you cooked, they can cook it if it bothers you.

I agree with the previous poster. I don't think it's hypocritical -- I've been giving small amounts of meat to my toddler on occasion, but only if it's something someone else already cooked! I've always been uncomfortable with cooking meat, even when I would eat it myself. For example, I would eat hamburgers that were cooked by other people, but I couldn't stand the sight of ground beef. Well, now that I'm a vegetarian, I'm thinking...uh, there was a reason it grossed me out! I should've listened to my instincts then.

Anyway, back to your dilemma -- there's no reason your boyfriend and brothers can't cook their own meat, right? My husband eats a lot less meat since I became a vegetarian, but occasionally he wants it, so he buys it or cooks it himself. He refuses to give up bacon (not that I've asked him to), so he fries that sometimes. There's no way I'm going to fry it for him!

It may not be hypocritical...it depends on why you are veggie, but neither should it be required.

My friend doesnt allow meat in her house, her dh eats it when he goes out to eat. On the other hand she was veggie when they met, so he knew the deal when they married.

I eat lots of meat and can barely tolerate handling raw meat, I would never ask someone vegetarian to. boyfriend and brothers should buy and cook their own.

^ ^ I could have written this, as it sums up my situation exactly. I even have to shop for the meat my family eats, and I always buy local, organic, free-range blah-blah-blah, which we all know doesn't mean diddly when it comes to how the animals spent their last few days or hours on this earth.

I think it depends on the reason you are a vegetarian. If it is because you disagree with killing animals, then it is definately hypocritical. If it is for health reasons, then not so much.

Its hard to change other people, they need to be ready to change on their own time line if they change at all.

I think its a personal choice about cooking meat or not for friends and family. Personally, I've continued to cook meats that I don't eat for friends and family b/c that's what they like. They are offered veggies burgers, etc., though generally turn them down - surprise, surprise!

i dont think so at all. We are woman, wives mothers ect. We feed our families food they will eat. I dont espect anyone in my family to be a veg just because I am. Although i do cook alot of vegetarian meals at home. Sometimes im just having a salad or something so ill make meat for my DH and DS. My SIL is strict strict vegan and she wont at all. Its a personal choice and other people should mind there own business. IMO

I cook meat for my bf from time to time, though when we have meals together I try to cook something without it that we can both eat. He usually eats meat when we're not together (ie. lunch)

When I have guests and I cook for them (I love cooking) I always make a non-meat meal, even if it's just to prove that you can actually serve a decent meal without it. I would hate to be cooking hamburgers for guests! o_O

However, I get increasingly grossed out by it too.. and not just cooking it but buying it... You should see me at the butcher's as the guy points to the large pieces of (ugh...) and tells me "oh this is really tender"... I'm sure he can see in my face I'm disgusted (yuck, just thinking about it...)