Frequently Asked Questions About Being Vegetarian

I’ve been vegetarian for, let’s see, 5 years. I’m always getting these questions, literally always. Here are a few of the most common ones:

Q: Is being vegetarian hard?

A: Yes and no. It’s true, you do have to give up some things. There’s also meat in so much that you don’t even thing about, like gelatin in marshmallows and candies, and rennet in cheese. Still, after a while, you get used to it. Once you get into the habit, it’s not that hard.

Q: Don’t you ever want to eat meat?

A: Of course. I think the key to being a successful vegetarian is never giving up, even if you do slip up and eat something you shouldn’t have. You just have to keep working at it. A lot of people just say, “Oh but I had that turkey sandwich. I’m not vegetarian any more.” That’s never going to get you anywhere.

Q: What was the hardest thing for you to give up eating?

A: It wasn’t hard giving up big chunks of meat, like hamburgers, but it was hard giving up all of the random things that meat has worked it’s way into. As I mentioned before, there’s this thing called gelatin in all sorts of chewy candies, and even some random other meals. There’s rennet in cheese, and when you can’t have it you find that cheese is in everything.

Q: Why did you decide to become vegetarian?

A: I just really didn’t want to eat an animal that used to be alive and think and have emotions, just like me.

Q: What’s the difference between vegetarian, pescatarian, and vegan?

A: A vegetarian is someone who does not eat any kind of meat, any animal (including fish) that was killed. A vegetarian does eat milk, eggs, and honey. A pescatarian does not eat any kind of meat, except for fish. A vegan does not eat any kind of meat or animal product, such as milk, eggs, or honey. I’m just vegetarian, so I do still eat dairy, eggs, and honey.