#vegetarian)

[yesterdaysprint]

The Sketch, London, February 7, 1912

[gaytrees]

plant based diet. as opposed to meat cringe diet

[foldingfittedsheets]

When I worked at the place selling oils and vinegars I’d sometimes get asked about food. I was, and remain, wildly unqualified to ask about food, but thankfully it was pretty rare. Usually our shoppers were fully aware they knew more than me and they were content to ignore me.

One day a woman in her fifties came in. She looked at the pretty amphora displays and the sample cups before she turned to me. “What would go well with steak?”

“Oh, some of the fruit vinegars would be a nice finisher,” I said, talking out my ass. Like, I’d eat that but whether it’s conventionally accepted to douse a steak in mango vinegar is up for debate.

“I’ve been a vegetarian for forty years, but my doctor suggested I might need more red meat. So I thought I’d get a steak tonight and I don’t know much about preparing it.”

I stared at this woman. This fully adult human woman. Who had just spoken to a doctor. And I said, “Do not buy a steak tonight.”

“What? Why?”

“You’ve been a vegetarian for forty years?”

“Yes?”

“Then your body has no idea how to process meat. You will get so sick.” It was pure luck that I knew this. I had a few hardcore vegetarian friends who had been exposed to meat at potluck dishes and told me about the ensuing horrors as their gentle veggie gut biome was overrun with flesh. And how consequently their toilet overfloweth.

“Really?!”

“Yes,” I said, emphatically. “If you want to try to incorporate meat I would start with a tiny portion of fish, and slowly work your way up, but your insides will not know what to do with steak.”

“Wow! I’m so glad I mentioned that to you.”

I was likewise glad, and ended up selling her a light vinegar that would go nicely with fish. I don’t know if she didn’t have any other vegetarian friends or if her doctor hadn’t said anything to prep her for a radical diet change but it still blows my mind that she didn’t know she couldn’t just cook up and enjoy a steak.

[incognitopolls]

What would it take to make you eat less meat?

More/stronger evidence of an environmental benefit

Cheaper vegetarian options

More availability of vegetarian options in general

Tastier vegetarian options

Less social stigma/knowing that people wouldn't judge me or make fun of me

A specific nutritional need that I personally can't get with current veg options

Something would have to change MEDICALLY for me

Something else

Nothing/I would only stop eating meat if it was genuinely unavailable

I already eat very little meat, show results

I'm vegan or vegetarian, show results

Voting ended onMar 31

For this poll, options 2–4 (cheaper/more/tastier) assume as part of the premise that the vegetarian options in question would need to be filling; obviously this is not saying "just eat broccoli for every meal."

According to the EAT-Lancet report, individuals should not eat more than 105 grams of meat per week. EAT-Lancet is an international research initiative for people's health and the sustainability of the planet.

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We ask your questions anonymously so you don’t have to! Submissions are open on the 1st and 15th of the month.

[daily-deliciousness]

Creamy tomato bisque soup

[deep-dark-fears]

On a sesame seed bun. An anonymous story submitted to deepdarkfears.com/submit - thanks!

The holidays are coming up, and my book makes an excellent thing to read while you're trying to figure out what to get your weird relatives - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24388442-deep-dark-fears

[vegspoblr]

"I could be vegetarian but not vegan!"

Then go vegetarian!!!

"I couldn't go vegan, I love cheese too much"

Then go vegan except for cheese!!

"I'd go vegan but I just can't live without (non-vegan brand of cookies)"

Then go vegan except for that non vegan brand of cookies!!!!!

Ultimately everyone should have veganism as their end goal, but you NEED to start somewhere! You cannot achieve any goal if you just do nothing!