Would I still be vegetarian?

Question

I know all I do is ask vegetarian questions, but I really don't have anyone to run to and some of people's answers tend to help.

So, I was thinking, I've been vegetarian for almost 6 months now and it gets harder the longer I do it. I know it's a personal choice, that's why I consider this issue a personal choice. I don't want to go back to eating meat, for as long as I live. But if i were a vegetarian, but still ate food that meat had been taken off of, or food that had been cooked in the same place animal had been cooked in [such as frying oil]. Would I still be considered a vegetarian, or would I be hypocritical? It's really not hard giving all that food up, and I understand that this is a personal choice and I can choose what I want to eat and what I don't want to eat, but I'm just really unsure about this issue.

Looking back, this is a dumb question, but I still want to post this and see what I can get from it.

Answer 1

Vegetarian means you don't eat meat.  It doesn't mean you are against the killing of animals for food.  If someone offered you a slice of pizza and you picked off the pepperoni and ate it,  you would still be eating the meat fat that melted off the pepperoni.  If you try to take vegetarianism to the extreme of going vegan you will find that its almost impossible to eat anything you don't cook yourself.  I would take the easy way and simply not eat meat but not try to worry about the little details.  You don't need to drive yourself crazy about it.

Answer 2

It is your opinion that matters here. I would think no, since it is a personal choice and not a staunch vegan lifestyle or a religious rule. I would think that you are clear unless you yourself aren't comfortable with it. Make up your own mind.  

Answer 3

If you're vegetarian for ethical reasons, and you did the things you mention, I would definitely call you a hypocrite, and not consider you a vegetarian. But if it's a health thing for you, then you probably aren't concerned with animal rights, and I (or other ethical veg'ans) wouldn't consider you veg'an, but as far as you're concerned, you would be. I hope that made sense.

On a side note, if you are veg'an for ethical reasons, you should really just go vegan. There is much more cruelty involved in the egg & dairy industries, than in meat, and by consuming dairy & eggs, you're actually supporting the meat industry anyway. Ethical vegetarianism is  an oxymoron. Go vegan! :)

Answer 4

If you don't actually eat meat, then you are some form of a vegetarian.  Vegetarians do eat dairy and eggs.  Just don't be a vegan.  A vegan can only eat plant-based foods.  

Answer 5

You would still be considered vegetarian.     Picking off the meat is disgusting, since it still leaves a meat residue, it doesn't disqualify you from being vegetarian.  (Please try to avoid this whenever possible, so other vegetarians aren't put in this situation.)  And if you're vegetarian for ethical concerns about animals, then don't order items that contain meat.

Many vegans will eat food cooked on the same grill or in the same oil as meat.   Others, including me,  won't eat anything cooked in the same restaurant as meat.

You're only a hypocrite if you tell others not to eat foods cooked into the same oil while you continue to do it yourself.

Being inconsistent or even dishonest is not the same as being hypocritical.  A lot of people misuse the term.

Answer 6

If you are asking this, you should just worry about eating enough instead of worrying about the vegetarian label. Eating food with meat juices is not vegetarian but if it is difficult for you to avoid such things, you should just worry about being vegetarian when you are older.

If you are ok with just picking out the meat, that is your choice. It shouldn't matter if you are vegetarian or not.

Answer 7

It's really a personal choice, if you feel okay picking meat off of a dish (and you're vegetarian for the health benefits), then go for it. If you're doing it because you're against eating animals for the ethical aspect, then you may as well just eat the meat because you're increasing the demand for it.

However, I must warn you that if you do that, many of the more argumentative vegetarians will start criticizing you for calling yourself a vegetarian.

It's very easy to get dishes without the meat, if you're at a restaurant, explain to the waiter that you're a vegetarian and would like your food prepared without the meat. Usually they will respect your wishes and tell the chef. If there are absolutely no dishes that are vegetarian or that can be altered to be vegetarian (this is very rare), you can ask for a simple dish, such as a sandwich with just veggies on it. You may leave feeling hungry, but you'll be able to have something vegetarian to munch on until you can find something more substantial.

As for cooking on surfaces shared with meat, it's sometimes really hard to avoid. I consider it to still be vegetarian, though. I'm a vegan, and when my friend put my portobello mushroom on the grill next to the meat, I just didn't say anything because I don't want to get a reputation for being a nitpicky, annoying vegan.

Answer 8

This is a difficult question, and it depends on who you ask.  Personally, I would never just take pepperonis off a slice of pizza and eat it.  That would be like eating meat for me, but someone else may not think so.  It just depends on your level of commitment and how involved you are.  Some people are more casual about their vegetarian lifestyle, others more strict.  What matters most is what you feel comfortable doing in your own life, and that may change as the years go on.  There is no right or wrong answer, really.  Just do what you feel is right for you and you can't go wrong.

Answer 9

Depends.

If, say you order chicken alfredo at a restaurant and then pick off the chicken, then you are not a vegetarian. But if you order a veggie burger that was grilled in the same place as a flesh-burger, then you are a vegetarian, in my eyes.

You are not contributing to the exploition of animals by ordering that veggie burger, you are, however when you order that chicken alfredo. Another thing, if someone is eating a steak that is dripping all that steak juice all over that plate, and they have some fries and you'd like to steal one, that is ok as long as you take one that wasn't soaking in steak-juice. Do you understand?

Answer 10

It depends on your own viewpoint and why you are against eating meat.

In my opinion you would still be deemed a vegetarian, but by ordering products with meat and picking the meat off, you are encouraging the growth of the industry.