Can I be vegetarian but still consume dairy products but no animal meat whatsoever?

Question

Hi all! I'm a declared vegetarian but I'd like to become total vegan. The only problem is that most stores don't sell vegan foods as a whole. I love and respect animals and I'm very happy to know that I no longer consume animal meat anymore. The only meat I'll ever eat anymore is vegetarian meat. While I do regularly consume dairy products made by animals, can I be vegetarian but still consume dairy products with no animal meat whatsoever? I feel that I'm not directly consuming a food product that the animal had to die for. However, I do realize that these corrupt and evil factory farms kill these innocent animals after they're deemed uselss, which should be illegal and called murder by the way, but I feel that I'm doing no harm becuase I'm just consuming what these animals produce. If a person didn't slaughter them, they wouldn't die at all on their own for just producing a food product for humans. That's how I make peace with myself. Any advice for me? Thanks!

Answer 1

Vegetarian mean- No meat but YES dairy

Vegan- No meat No dairy  

Answer 2

You can't be vegan and consume it. But yes, you can be vegetarian and consume dairy.

Answer 3

just don't eat cheese... you might as well eat a steak.

Answer 4

Dear Seeker,

     The short answer is YES.  You are still a vegetarian if you use

milk and eggs (unless the rooster has been in the hen house).  

It is difficult for a vegetarian to get full neutrition ,  but it can be done.

A vegan has a harder time of it.  You could also go "fish only".

Fish are really kinda stupid.   A resterant that serves India style

food is good for vegetarians, and the owner will be proud to help

you out.    The day will come when "the lion will lay down

with the lamb, the lepord will eat grain like an ox, and the young

child will play on the addar's nest."  

     By the way, It is healthier to drink beer than to drink

cow's milk.

Answer 5

Of coarse!

You can eat milk and eggs and honey.

If you're vegan you can't eat anything from animals. No honey, milk, eggs, youghurt.

Answer 6

You are in denial.  Sorry.  There is as much cruelty in a glass of milk or a slice of cheese as there is in a steak.  How can you turn a blind eye to what you already know to be unthinkable cruelty?

Those cows would not produce milk for you to consume if they were not artificially inseminated, fed hormones, had their babies stolen away to maximize profit and ultimately make veal, and hooked up to milking machines.  Every dairy cow ends up in a slaughter house.  The dairy industry produces the veal industry.  

Your rationalizations do not hold up.  Dairy cows are horribly abused and if you consume dairy, then you give your consent, approval, and aid to this cruelty.

Search your conscience.

Answer 7

You can get "FREE RANGE" eggs and milk that comes from free range cows, that you don't have to feel bad about. Don't let the fanatics get to you.

But like they said

Vegetarians = No Meat, Yes Dairy.

Vegan= No meat, no animal by-product/dairy

Answer 8

You can be Vegan but you can be vegitarian! cuz you arent hurting the animals by eating eggs or milk thats just wat they produce!

Answer 9

Dairy has no animal parts, and no the animal is not killed for the dairy, they do have to go through some suffering (unless they are very well taken care of). I won't go on about what some people can do to animals, and there is no such thing as vegerarian meat unless you mean boca burgers or meatless items.  

Answer 10

Technically, yes, you're a vegetarian so long as you don't eat the flesh of animals.

However, you have a really good point. By buying and consuming dairy and/or eggs, you are directly supporting an industry that is responsible for killing animals. The ones that can no longer produce get sent off to the slaughterhouse. In short, if your primary concern is with whether or not animals die as a result of your food choices, you should go vegan.

Keep in mind, however, that all dietary choices will have an impact on lives other than our own. For example, entire ecosystems are destroyed (along with the plants and animals that live there) in order to make room for crops. You kind of have to pick your own battles. What's important to you? If you care mostly about the quality of life for these animals, then go ahead and eat dairy and eggs. Just be sure that you choose farms whose animals are pasture-raised and not treated with hormones. (You can probably find local ones like that.) Ditto if you care about the environment. But if you care mostly about whether animals are killed as a result of your food choices, you should probably go vegan (and make an effort to eat locally and in-season).

The fact that you have to "make peace with" yourself demonstrates to me that you believe what you're doing is wrong, at least on some level. I'm not going to try to talk you out of your beliefs. (Sorry.)  So either accept that you're going to be supporting the slaughter industry (less directly than by buying meat, of course), or go vegan.  

Answer 11

You can be vegetarian and still consume dairy, but you can't declare yourself a vegan and still consume dairy products.  

And your logic is kind of weird...you say people that eat meat are murderers but at the same time you enjoy dairy products made possible because the cows are given meds and have their calves taken from them.

Answer 12

hello you cant be vegan consuming dairy its still animal products being vegan means no animal products whatsoever you dont even need animal products to surviv do some research and read some books on the subject here are some suggestions for you i suggest you check them all out

http://search.caringconsumer.com/

http://veganessentials.com/

http://allveggielinks.com/

http://veggielinks.com/

http://vegan.alltop.com/

good luck

Answer 13

yes you can be a vegetarian and eat dairy. Vegetarian is a blanket term used for people that dont eat some meat or no meat. Some people say they are a veggi becauce they don't beef and pork but they eat fish and chicken and more. some people eat only fish the list can go on. You are a true vegetarian becauce you dont eat animal flesh. a vegan take it to higher.   a side note you can go Vegan in a supermarket just know what to look for read the box.