#they are made from pigs and I am a vegetarian and very grossed out as well as morally conflicted bc they're also made by nestle

[sapphicautistic]

my GI system is so unpredictable at the best of times I have no idea if these stupid digestive enzymes I don't want to be taking are doing anything. and i want to know asap so i can go off them if they aren't. 😔 it has been Less Than A Whole Week though so I guess I will keep taking them a while longer.

[onisionquotes]

I’M IN PAIN (Veganism vs Vegetarianism)

Hey guys, I hope you don't mind a real talk kind of video. I wanted to discuss my transition from veganism to vegetarianism. I have had consistent struggles. My struggles basically fall in line with a consistent problem. And my consistent problem is that when I convert to veganism from vegetarianism I start to get physical negative repercussions. And what I mean by this is the first time I transitioned to veganism I didn't have enough energy and this was because I was not eating enough food. Like I was not consuming enough calories. And because I was not consuming enough calories, I felt winded, I felt like very low energy sleepy. I walked up the stairs and got really tired from that alone. So my second shot at veganism - what I did was I ate a ton more bread. Like, I know bread isn't like the most healthy thing in the world but I wanted to increase my calorie intake and that was a good option for me and it was successful. So I've been eating a ton of healthy vegan foods. Like green beans, like regular beans, like broccoli, like corn, you know a number of vegetables like potatoes etc. Everything you would expect a vegan to eat but here's the big issue. And maybe someone, a vegan can help me with this and I hope it's not in the form of a protein powder or some kind of supplement because I can't stand those. I hate those. They defy the whole logic that veganism is natural. If it's natural then we should be able to accomplish it with out doing a supplement. A supplement is something you do because there's typically something wrong with you. You have a deficiency in some area and that's basically it. So why am I taking a supplement if my diet is deficient. Right? Maybe I should have a different diet. Okay, so that's my logic there. So I don't want any supplement suggestions. I tried supplements and as I said they completely and consistently taste like crap. So, if you know a food that can help me with the issue I'm about to discuss; I would love to consider consuming it as long as it's vegan. I have been waking up with horrible back pain. At first I thought it was because I slept wrong but now it's like if I try to lift an object in a not so perfect manner my back starts hurting really bad and this has never been a thing for me. So I recently transitioned to the vegan diet like a month ago, about. And now I'm getting all these pains. Right? So I had the initial near crippling back injury where I was moaning in agony every single time I moved and that slowly over a period of like five days healed. And then I got an additional back pain from lifting something in a non-perfect way. Meaning my back was slightly bent. Your back is suppose to be strait when you lift objects, otherwise you could injure yourself. So that was something I wasn't use to because typically my back can handle it. But on top of that I did this. Where I… I don't want to do it because I don't want to be in pain again. But I stretched by putting my arms out and it felt like the center of my chest was about to rip open. That is not a thing that I've ever experienced since like maybe seven or eight years ago. A long time I've not experienced that and it just coincidentally happens around the time I transitioned to veganism. So, if you haven't picked up on it, I really want to be a conscious eater. I want to care about the environment. I want to care about my own health. I want to care about animals health. I want to care about everything that's productive and healthy and logical. Right? But if your diet causes you to be in agony, if your diet causes you physical discomfort, like significant physical discomfort. You're starting to lose the sales pitch on me. I'm starting to lose my interest. Okay? So the main difference between my diet right now, witch is veganism and the former diet I had witch was vegetarianism is even when I was a vegetarian I'd avoid dairy because it was illogical. Like people have to violate cows. They have to force impregnate cows to make milk. Right? That's horrible. If an alien species invaded us on that bases alone we would have a losing argument. We kill billions of animals every single year. It's absurd. We're disgusting. We're gross creatures to do this. Like when we put pigs in their pens or whatever. Their pens a lot of times are so small they can't even turn around. So they are one of the smartest animals in the world and their put in this little cage. That's insane that we would do that. All for the sake of what? Flavor? Because we know red meat is bad for us. So you're doing it because of a taste, right? And that makes you kinda of terrible if you actually take part in pepperoni pizza, pig bacon etc. But yeah, I don't take part in red meats at all and I don't want to take part in the whole dairy thing so as a vegetarian I avoided cheese. I avoided cheese, I avoided milk. Sometimes there would be a milk ingredient and I wouldn't care because I didn't do everything with a fine tooth comb. I wanted to be a normal human being that avoids the majority of things but I'm still by definition a vegetarian at the time because occasional milk doesn't violate what my diet stands for. But the point is I drink almond milk, I have vegan cheese, etc. The main difference between my diet now and my diet then is egg whites. I would regularly consume eggs and eggs are just chicken periods typically. Vary rarely they have anything inside them that's like an actual baby or anything. It's literally like, it's a disgusting analogy but I have to do it so you actually understand. It's like if a women saturates a tampon in period blood and then you eat that tampon. That's basically what an egg is. With out the tampon. You're just eating the menstruation part. Yeah, it's disgusting. It's gross that we even consume chicken eggs but we do. We've been accustom since birth to do that and that act by itself doesn't harm anything. Anyways, I've gone on this whole separate rant. Not intentional. What this rant is really about is me debating if I should eat egg whites. I know there are down sides, like one downside, to eating egg whites but I've known people that have eaten meat, red meat, their entire lives and they're in their 90's or 80's. Late 80's, you know. So maybe they haven't lived the most pain free life. Maybe they have a lot medical problems up to their point. They likely do because that's insanely bad for your arteries. It's bad for your body in general. It will give you cancer etc. If you consume meats you have a 50% chance of dying from cancer or heart disease or both. So it's obviously not good for you but there are people that have made it that far. So what I'm saying is if people who have eaten those foods, those terrible-terrible foods, have made it that far. Then I think me eating egg whites - I feel like I at least will live healthfully with very little health problems to a ripe old age unless I get hit by a bus or something. So anyways, I thought about this in depth. So if you guys in the comments can you please cover the issue of why egg whites are so terrible to consume because I'm getting a lot of physical pain by not eating egg whites so it seems. And also just as a bonus can you please explain why honey is bad because I'm still trying to figure that one out. Like bees pollinate crops. They pollinate like 30% of our entire countries crops, right? Then make honey. So what is so bad about collecting that honey so long as we treat the bees well? Anyway, this was a very adventurous rant. I did not expect it to be but I just wanted to talk to you guys about this because I want to be transparent with what my diet choices are. You can follow me on instagram to see some of the foods that I eat. Thank you so much for watching. That you so much for liking this video and appreciating my venture to have the most superior, beneficial diet for both myself, planet, animals etc. It all matters. It's not like one thing matters and I should kill myself you know. If I only really cared about the planet and didn't care about myself at all, I'd literally just jump off a bridge or something. Because lets face it we trash this planet. We are very consumer driven. We are like insects. Lets not go into that though. It sounds a little bit creepy. But the reality of our existence is horrifying. Anyways, thank you for subscribing to this channel. Thank you for watching me and enduring me. I hope you have a wonderful day and look forward to your feedback.

[livingwithlaurel]

Sunday me and Mario got to visit @luvinarms animal rescue in Colorado. It was such an amazing experience! ❤️❤️❤️ Many of you, if you've ever met me in person, know that I grew up on a small family farm. As soon as we walked onto the Sanctuary, I felt at home. Hearing all of the stories about the rescued animals both broke my heart, and filed it with joy to see them all thriving on the farm. I have always loved animals deeply from a young age. I couldn't understand why our farm animals that I loved and cared for, had to be killed for our food. If someone had told me as a young child what veganism was and told me that it wasn't necessary to kill and eat animals to thrive, I know I would have made the choice then. I was a very picky eater as a kid. Eggs grossed me out if they were wet, or if I thought about where they came from and what they were. I rarely ate pork, and would only eat ground beef well done to the point of being burnt, or mixed in with other things. Ive never had ribs or a steak in my life. Eating meat while it was on the bones grossed me out, because it reminded me that I was eating another living creature. When I was in 5th grade, the first of our farm animals, our pigs, were sent to the local butcher. From that moment on I would only eat kosher meats, and touch nothing with pork in it. A couple of years later when I was in junior high, our cows got sent to the butcher. My heart was broken, Marilyn, the calf that I had to bottle feed in our home because she was born prematurely, and then grew up to half two of her own calfs, was now sitting wrapped in butcher paper in our freezer. At first I refused to eat any of the beef from our farm, and only would eat it from the store. But it just didn't sit with me, and I eventually stopped eating it all together. Then, in 2005, after starting High School being the picky eater who only ate chicken, I found out about PETA somehow, and made the switch to become vegetarian, and then vegan. That was 12 years ago, and everyday it brings me joy when I eat my food, because I know that I am not causing pain, or causing another living creature to die for me to live my life. ❤️

[wellimhavinga3outof10day]

All right, so @thislifeisawasteland tagged me to answer a bunch of questions that are actually an ask meme, but w/e. (There are kind of Riverdale spoilers in this post? I’m bitter, sue me.) Here we go:

Full name: I’m not really gonna tell you that, so settle for Jessica

Zodiac sign: Taurus

3 Fears: Death, spiders... that I’ll never fall in love?

3 things I love: Chocolate, green tea, & my laptop

4 turns ons: Humour, kindness, bad pick-up lines, goofy smiles

4 turns offs: Racism, homophobia, an annoying voice, a terrible smell in general?

My best friend: Like all of them

Sexual orientation: Bi

My best first date: I’ve only had one first date, so walking around the mall

How tall am I: 5'8"

What do I miss: My friends, knowing Jughead was safe and happy smh

What time was I born: 9:04 a.m.

Favourite colour: Red

Do I have a crush: Not unless we’re counting fictional characters

Favourite quote: *gross sobbing* “It’s like my home.” Nah, I’m kidding, I don’t really have a fave quote

Favourite place: My library

Favourite food: Chocolate

Do I use sarcasm: No, never...

What am I listening to right now: "Leave” by Jojo (lmao, idk why)

First thing I notice in new person: Their hair, tbh

Shoe size: 6 1/2 (yes, I have tiny fucking feet)

Eye colour: Blue

Hair colour: Brown/blonde

Favourite style of clothing: Casual, comfy

Ever done a prank call? Yes and omg worst experience of my life, almost had a panic attack, never again

What colour of underwear I’m wearing now? Pink

Meaning behind my URL: It’s a line from White Collar

Favourite movie: He’s Just Not That Into You (it’s on Netflix now, I’m so excited!!), also Pretty in Pink

Favourite song: Atm, “Prom Queen” by Molly Kate Kestner

Favourite band: ??? idk man

How I feel right now: Pretty good

Someone I love: Jughead Jones (honestly, fight me)

My current relationship status: Single af

My relationship with my parents: It’s good

Favourite holiday: Christmas

Tattoos and piercings? My ears are pierced and I have no tattoos

Tattoos and piercing i want: I kinda want a sternum piercing, and a rose vine tattoo up my side

The reason I joined Tumblr: I was filling out my social media quota before I went to uni

Do I and my last ex hate each other? Well, I didn’t think so but then she made me answer all these questions, so? It’s up in the air ;)

Do I ever get “good morning” or “good night” texts? Nah, never (unless you count my mom checking to see if I’m awake when I’m home alone)

Have I ever kissed the last person you texted? Nope

When did I last hold hands? ...? Fairly recently probably, I hold my mom’s hand all the time.

How long does it take me to get ready in the morning? 20 minutes, maybe?

Have I shaved your legs in the past three days? Nope

Where am I right now? At my desk

If I were drunk & can’t stand, who’s taking care of me? N/A, never been that drunk

Do I like my music loud or at a reasonable level? Reasonable (pretty quiet actually if you ask other people)

Do I live with my Mom and Dad? Yup

Am I excited for anything? Jughead to be loved and cared for and warm and safe, for the love of god.

Do I have someone of the opposite sex I can tell everything to? All right, well “can” and “would” are different words, so technically yes, but I wouldn’t?

How often do I wear a fake smile? Rarely

When was the last time I hugged someone? Last night?

What if the last person I kissed was kissing someone else right in front of me? Eh, might bug me a little, but you go girl. (I mean, as long as it’s not an old man.)

Is there anyone I trust even though I should not? I don’t think so?

What is something I disliked about today? Today just started, buddy. Umm... for some reason my hands are really sweaty? I hate that?

If I could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? Atm, the cast of Riverdale, but that’ll change in like a month if not a day.

What do I think about most? Probably w/e I’m writing atm.

What’s my strangest talent? ...? I don’t have very minute talents, idk what to tell you. I’m very talented at drinking too much green tea and procrastinating things I actually want to do.

Do I have any strange phobias? Mustard

Do I prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it? Behind, probs.

What was the last lie I told? ...? I lie a lot, idk. I probs lied on here. Kidding, don’t think I have. Umm... I honeslty have no idea. It’s anyone’s guess.

Do I prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online? Both are horrible and probably the worst forms of communication, but I’m gonna go with the phone b/c I have an unnecessary grudge against Skype.

Do I believe in ghosts? How about aliens? Maybe? and yes.

Do I believe in magic? Little magic, sure.

Do I believe in luck? To an extent.

What’s the weather like right now? Sunny, average temp

What was the last book I’ve read? I’m in the middle of Crooked Kingdom right now, but the last book I finished was I’ll Give You The Sun

Do I like the smell of gasoline? Yes

Do I have any nicknames? Yes: Jess, Jessie

What was the worst injury I’ve ever had? I broke my wrist by getting knocked down a hill and landing on concrete.

Do I spend money or save it? Save it.

Can I touch my nose with a tongue? Nope

Is there anything pink in 10 feets from me? Yeah, more things than I expected too, tbh.

Favourite animal? Pigs

What was I doing last night at 12 AM? Talking to Rachael on Tumblr/watching Misfits

What do I think is Satan’s last name is? Claus (yes, I know it said Satan not Santa, but it’s a conspiracy)

What’s a song that always makes me happy when I hear it? I Don’t Wanna Be Sad by Simple Plan

How can you win my heart? Be nice and funny and care about me (honestly giving a shit about me is really all I need, my standards are fucking low as shit)

What would I want to be written on my tombstone? Idk but something kind of weird and maybe a quote I like?

What is my favourite word: Feral

My top 5 blogs on tumblr: Ugh, I don’t want to do this.

If the whole world were listening to me right now, what would I say? “I love you, take care of yourselves.”

Do I have any relatives in jail? I don’t think so...

I accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow me with the super-power of my choice! What is that power? Flight

What would be a question I’d be afraid to tell the truth on? Umm... lots of things, I’m sure.

What is my current desktop picture? It’s a city that Natasha made for a class and it’s super pretty and green.

Had sex? Nope

Bought condoms? Yes, actually

Gotten pregnant? Nope

Failed a class? Nope

Kissed a boy? Nope

Kissed a girl? Yup

Have I ever kissed somebody in the rain? Nope

Had a job? Yes

Left the house without my wallet? All the time

Bullied someone on the internet? I don’t think so, I hope not

Had sex in public? Nope

Played on a sports team? Yes

Smoked weed? No

Did drugs? No

Smoked cigarettes? No

Drank alcohol? Yes

Am I a vegetarian/vegan? No

Been overweight? No

Been underweight? No

Been to a wedding? Yes

Been on the computer for 5 hours straight? Yes

Watched TV for 5 hours straight? Yes

Been outside my home country? Yes

Gotten my heart broken? Eh, probably not

Been to a professional sports game? Yes

Broken a bone? Yes

Cut myself? No

Been to prom? Graduation in Canada, but yes

Been in airplane? Yes

Fly by helicopter? No

What concerts have I been to? So I went to like three in a row a few years ago: One Direction, Marianas Trench and... shit, I thought there were three... it might have been two... oh! Shawn Mendes! (And I’m listening to him right now and I forgot that, lmao)

Had a crush on someone of the same sex? Yes

Learned another language? Kinda

Wore make up? Nope

Lost my virginity before I was 18? Nope

Had oral sex? Nope

Dyed my hair? Yes

Voted in a presidential election? Federal election yes, I’m Canadian

Rode in an ambulance? Nope

Had a surgery? Nope

Met someone famous? Nope

Stalked someone on a social network? I don’t think so

Peed outside? Nope

Been fishing? I have.

Helped with charity? Nope

Been rejected by a crush? Yes

Broken a mirror? Nope

What do I want for my birthday? *laughs* Umm... not a clue. 

How many kids do I want and what will be their names? 4: Marcia, Whit, Eli, & Beth

Was I named after anyone? My middle name is my Oma’s middle name too, but my first name’s not from anywhere

Do I like my handwriting? I used to b/c it was literally flawless when I was younger, but now it’s like a mess, so no.

What was my favourite toy as a child? Should I even remember this? Barbies, probably.

Favourite Tv Show? Atm, Riverdale

Where do I want to live when older? Not a clue. Probably Toronto or Vancouver? Maybe somewhere in Europe. Who knows?

Play any musical instrument? I used to play guitar but I probably can’t remember any of it.

One of my scars, how did I get it? Idk if I have any scars, man. There’s like kind of a scar by my elbow? But how I got it is a mystery.

Favourite pizza toping? Green peppers

Am I afraid of the dark? Nope

Am I afraid of heights? Nope

Have I ever got caught sneaking out or doing anything bad? No, I don’t think so. (I once was caught squirting water in a guy’s face? But he kind of deserved it.)

Have I ever tried my hardest and then gotten disappointed in the end? I don’t think so...?

What I’m really bad at: Figuring out my life

What my greatest achievements are: I once predicted the end of a book, does that count? And my highest post here is almost at five thousand notes?

The meanest thing somebody has ever said to me: "I love you, but sometimes I just don’t like you.” (Honestly, I deserved it, but it was savage af.)

What I’d do if I won in a lottery: Buy a house, buy a lot of fandom merch, invest a bunch... 

What do I like about myself: I’m pretty laidback, I know what I want for the most part, and I try to be a good person.

My closest Tumblr friend: Not this again.

Something I fantasise about my ex: (lmao my first instinct was to put “dying” and that’s not true, my babe, I’m sorry) Honestly? Just having sex, like nothing fancy.

[awrldalone]

2nd June 2021, 10.01pm

Yesterday, after online classes were over, I walked to the train station. There was a public transport strike, so I could not take the bus or the tram, and it was uncertain whether there would be a train. I went to Padua, because B. threw a small party for her birthday.

I under appreciate train stations. They might be dirty, and dangerous after the sun sets, and men might be scary, but they have this transitional quality that I love. The amount of people that pass through it, the variety of clothing, hair color, luggage, shoes that hop on and off the wagons. 

I was scared I would miss my train, but everything went smoothly and I managed to meet up with the people who took the train in Venice, on the last but one carriage. There was C., A., Ca., and there were F. and E. 

Sat across from me, there was an attractive boy. His hair was curly, his clothes were effortlessly formal: a dark blue pullover, jeans, clean shoes, a backpack. He also had an apple watch at his wrist. Before I caught the train, F. made some remark on the group chat we have together, about how this pretty boy had “stolen” my place. Then he said he was prettier than me, then he said he was joking. I do not think he was. 

In Padua, I was travelling light: as usual for a night out, I packed my face soap, moisturiser, toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, and perfume. I use Mirto di Panarea, by Acqua di Parma. I also had a change of clean clothes, clean underwear, spare masks, the usual. This time I also had to bring a formal change - a suit and a white shirt - because B. wanted everyone to be dressed ceremonially for her 18th birthday. In a paper bag, I carried my present for her, and my camera, as she asked me to take pictures at the party.

Of course, I could not say no. Besides, this summer I would like to take photography classes, just to have a certificate at the end of them to have a greater chance of being hired as a photographer. I need some experience to build up my portfolio; so far I have my sister’s first communion, the school yearbook, this party.

At the station, V. and Cl. were waiting for us. They’re cousins, they’re both very smart. And rich, I would say. V. was supposed to host F., E., and I for the night, while Cl. was going to give a bed to C., A., and Ca.

We briefly went to V.’s house. It’s an apartment in the city center, and it is jaw-droppingly beautiful. Books everywhere, painted walls, artwork of every kind framed and hanged, a beautiful piano. We washed our hands, said “hi” to his mother while F. was enviously and eagerly eyeing the piano, and after V. had taken his formal clothes, we walked to an apartment they usually rent out.

It was austere, sort of cold in its grey tones, but it was better than nothing. We immediately put the bottles in the freezer, and V. left to take care of some things. We played checkers, then we played burraco (I lost both times), and finally we got ready. 

Wearing formal clothes makes me feel conflicting things. I feel hot. Sexy, even. Attractive, in a way. But I also feel gross, masculine, out of place, uncomfortable. Thankfully, I have learnt how to place bricks around these insecurities of mine, because, though they might still be there, hitting the walls with a battering ram to take me down, I am content with sedating them for a few hours.

The place was an agritourism, a nice restaurant in the middle of the countryside. They had farm animals too. All the girls were wearing beautiful dresses: B. was pretty in blue satin, El. looked extremely elegant in her black dress, C. was wearing a vintage white dress, A. was a pink light beam of sparkles. The boys too were nicely dressed. All suited up. K. said he envies how good I looked, because he thinks I just “have a way of carrying myself” that makes what I wear look good. He was just being too nice, exaggerating. 

We dashed to the drinks. B.’s family has a wine business, and the wine was indeed delicious. There was also a small buffet, as a starter, or an apertitif, before we sat down to the tables. Neatly placed four-seats tables sprawled across a gazebo, to respect covid laws. 

While the sun was still out, I took pictures of everyone. Skin glistening in the sunset, fake smiles, happy laughs, funny poses, strangers. We went to see the animals. There was a pig, there were rabbits, chickens, horses, anything you could have imagined. 

The dinner was nice. Light and vegetarian. I drunk a lot of wine, sitting across from V., next to El., who was sitting across D. We talked a little about politics. Our disinterest towards any current political party. Our fear of not knowing what to do with our lives. 

Things got fun after the last course, because the music got louder, people got up. It was funny to see some stumble, others scream the songs out of the top of their lungs. I realised how little popular songs I know, and how little I like them; with the years, I have learnt that part of being more sociable is going with the flow, learning to enjoy what you might not usually like: this type of music is the epitome of that. I smoked a cigarette with two snobs from my school, talked with other people, discovered that Car. had broken his phone and now sported a white iPhone 5C, took a few photos in the dark.

The time to open gifts came, so we sang happy birthday. B. does not like being the center of attention. She received a sparkly bracelet that looked like it was made of diamonds, but it was Swarovski crystals; my vinyl (her face brightened up with joy, which I am proud of: the record is by one of her favourite artists.); another bracelet; and the amazing gift of a three-day trip to anywhere in Europe, from her childhood best friends.

We cut the cake. Drunk some more. Laughed. Danced until it was 11pm, and V.’s father came to pick us up, so that we would not infringe the curfew.

-c.

[sydneylassen-blog]

ANIMALS DESERVE RIGHTS TOO

WEEK #12

When I think about animal rights, I have nothing to say because I know nothing about Animal rights and it is not something that I am interested in so this week might be a struggle for me. Growing up, I never ate meat and that was only because I was a picky eater and my mom never ate it either. I never had pets growing up so really I have never been around animals daily. I do not know anything about animal rights and do not know why exactly they are a big deal and that's probably because I am very uneducated. After reading these articles and watching the video, I have been enlightened as to what some of the views are towards animals and now she fights for animal rights as something different. Below are the pieces that I have read to support my opinion of what animals rights are and what they mean.

Readings: 

1. “Eating Animals” by Jonothan Safron Foer

2. “Communicating Chapter 7 by Julia Corbett

3. “Why Not Eat Insects?”

Starting with “Eating Animals” By Jonothan Safron Foer, I was very concerned as to what I may read with a title like this. There are many consequences for eating and not eating animals. For many it is a religious practice and for others, it is a good source of proteins and builds muscle. Jonathan Safron Foer, the author is a vegetarian and wrote the piece to help his son learn why people do and why people do not eat meat. All of the interest in feasting on animals started when Jonathan started his own family and got a family dog to bind the group together but he could not get his mind around why we do not eat dogs but we do eat pigs and cows. Foer explains in Chapter 1, “... it must have something to do with personal companionability and cultural differences, as dogs are eaten in other countries.” I agree with this statement because I have always grown up knowing that specific cultures and countries normalize animal eating and to many, it supports the Gods of which they praise each day. Growing up Christian, the only thing that I had to participate in was the eating and drinking of wine and bread and I was not too fond of the grape juice they served to me as an 11, 15, and 18 year old. This is besides the point but just another statement of me reiterating the minimal knowledge I had about animal eating, but I also learned that from an accident, factory farming became a huge industry for people raising animals and wanting to sell them dead. Some animals are brought up in terrible conditions and only live for a few weeks before dying. I had not known that about a lot of factory farming and think that it is a terrible way to treat animals. I believe that the main reason for factoring farming and why many people see it as necessary is because it is the only source of farming that is easy and quick enough to reach the consumer in the smallest amount of time. Overall, this reading opened some doors for me that I had not yet discovered and now I do think differently about how animals are being treated and what is being done to make the process of eating animals cleaner and just nicer.

The second source was Julia Corbett’s, “Communicating Nature” in which we read chapter 7 talking about perceptions of animals and interactions within that. Julia Corbett describes that many interpretations that we have because of animals are based on pop culture influences. There are also human preferences to kinds of animals and the nature that we interact with these animals. Animals may be represented in advertising which is discussed in chapter 7 as well as in the news media. I have only ever dealt with wild animals in a controlled setting and that is because it is safe. I know that a lot of animal rights advocates get upset at the fact that animals are locked up in cages for the people to see when they are abused behind what the people see. That is the only safe way to see these animals. There are a lot of animals that live in their natural habitat but we do research on things we would like to know about. It would probably be in the best opinion of zoos to open sanctuaries for a lot of these animals because I agree, they do not deserve the right to be boxed up instead of roaming free, but if we must keep the population and the species, alive we should put some in a sanctuary so that they can grow and start new generations of species. I think that living animals should be treated with the same amount of respect that we give our beloved pets at home because those animals know they are loved and these wild ones should at least feel some love too. Overall, that reading was very interesting because it made me think a lot about my experiences as an active zoo goer.

The last source was actually, a video and I was concerned about listening because it is titled, “Why not eat insects?” That is gross. Very gross. My reaction to this video was fear because this man confidently does so everyday. I did not know that we consume bugs each day and I was amazed. I know that the population is growing and we have a lot of mouths to feed but the question is how are we going to feed all of them. Each person eats roughly 120 kilograms of meat in a whole year in the United States. I did not know that we are hurting our agriculture so much that we cant eat what the world is made out of which is bugs. I did not know that 80% of the world already eats bugs but I am not willing to join that number because that is just gross. Power to the people that can though. From this video I learned a lot about the economy that we may need to be if we are going to feed all of these mouths. I think it's a cool concept but a hard picture for me to paint in my mind.

I enjoyed each of these sources and have learned a lot about animal rights and things relatable.

Resources:

Corbett, Julia B. Communicating Nature: How We Create and Understand Environmental Messages. Island Press, 2006.

Dicke, Marcel, director. Why Not Eat Insects. TED, 2010, www.ted.com/talks/marcel_dicke_why_not_eat_insects.

Foer, Jonathan Safran. Eating Animals. Penguin Books, 2018.

[tipsycad147]

Leandra Witchwood

In the practice of Kitchen Magick, bones can play a key part in adding power to any Magickal recipe or spell.

Tasty and useful, bones are essential to cooking and Magick. They create rich, flavorful broths, offer vital nutrients, and embody a powerful Magickal essence. Today we will take a look at how you can use bones in Kitchen Magick as well as other types of Magick.

Before we look at the use of bones, there are a few points I need to touch on. Bone Magick is a sacred Magick, and the ingredients you acquire and use must also be treated in a respectful and sacred manner. With that said, there are some dos and don’ts in this practice. So are cultural, and some for spiritual, and all are important. While Animals hold their Magickal essences, it is not acceptable to go out into the wild, (or to any other location for that matter) and kill an animal without the proper licenses, permissions, and so on. It is also not acceptable to kill an animal solely for a single body part like a bone or the fur. In most states, hunters are required to obtain proper hunting licenses and are permitted to only hunt in designated areas at designated times. Please follow the rules and laws of where you live.

If you are not processing the animal for consumption, (aka cooking the animal for food) using found animal parts is an acceptable form of acquiring discarded animal bones for your non-edible spells. Otherwise, it is smart to get your bones (and other animal parts) from doing your hunting or from reputable farmers and butchers. The key is to ensure that your animal was treated with the highest respect throughout its life and during its carcass processing. Like I mentioned above, this is a sacred observance. Using Animals in Magick is a divine act and should always be held in high regard. When you obtain or mistreat your ingredients, you taint their Magickal essence, therefore, contaminate you and harm your Magickal intentions.

It is the versatility of bone that has made bone like ivory a popular commodity in many cultures. While I do not advocate the use of ivory, the use of ivory displays the value of bone in different ways. I believe that the Elephant has more use for its tusks than we do and should not be sacrificed in this way. As I stated before, all animals are sacred and should never be defiled or wasted. To kill an animal solely to harvest their tusks, antlers or any other body part is an act of dishonour and disrespect.

Also, I know, the idea of discussing the “processing” of animal parts seems like a gross practice to many people. However, if you are to practice any non-Vegan/Vegetarian style of Witchcraft you will need to get over it. Especially if you are an omnivore. The idea that an animal has to be processed is a reality. None of this makes the practice of Witchcraft evil or demonic. It is a simple fact of life. For life to continue a life must be sacrificed. Nature is very clear about her cycles. She is also very clear about nothing ever going to waste. When we follow Nature’s laws, we clearly understand and realise her ebb and flow, and deliberateness in continuing the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

Okay with that said let’s move on to why you came!

Using Bones

It is a long-standing tradition in my home that whenever a chicken or turkey is cooked, we save and dry the Wishbone. Once dried the bone is held at opposite ends by two women of the household (usually the cooks) or by the two youngest members of the household as each makes a wish. As the wish is made each person pulls their piece of the bone to break it. The person holding the largest piece of the broken wishbone will have their wish.

In some traditions such as these are superficial and are only done for entertainment. However, to the Kitchen Witch, this is Magick!

There was a time, not all that long ago when animals were viewed as sacred. Each holding it’s own divine vibrational essence, unlike many current views where animals are looked at and treated as commodities. At one time, animals were killed with care and reverence. The family or tribe hunting would never take more than they needed and would often conduct specific rites to honour the spirit of the departed creature. Once the necessary rituals were performed, and respects were paid, the meat was used for food. It was thought blasphemous to waste the remaining parts of the animal and so the rest was used in a variety of ways. In some cultures, it was believed that the spirit of the animal might return to your home with a deadly curse or with severe misfortune if its remains were mistreated or wasted.

The reverence for our animal brothers and sisters encouraged people to use the entire animal for daily life and in sacred rites, not just the bits and pieces as we do today. The skin, hair, teeth, bones, and so on all had a purpose. Bones became a primary component in most divination and Magickal practices. This incorporation of animal parts into sacred rituals makes perfect sense, even to this day. All life is sacred, making the food we consume sacred. Treating animals with respect is a given when you are walking a Magickal and spiritual path.

Divination

I am sure you have seen some horrible and misleading renditions of bone divination in movies. Typically portrayed is a dingy blind hag tossing bones into a bowl or onto cloth as she murmurs an evil curse. While these representations are dramatic misrepresentations of the truth, they are loosely based on actual ancient practices.

Different bones have a different meaning, much like ruins or tarot cards. How the bones fall will determine the message that is read by the skilled Diviner. Many cultures from South African to Mongolian, European, and South American, all have their styles and rituals for reading bones. Some use the knucklebones of sheep while others prefer a mix for rib, spine, and leg bones. In some cultures, a combination of various animal bones is preferred, giving the Diviner a variety of sizes and shapes to read.

While in the movies we see the Diviner receiving a large amount of information determining the outcomes of a critical situation, in reality, the Diviner will often only answers yes or no questions. Others will break up the divination into as many as 4-parts with simple answers received. While there is no single form of bone divination, many traditions have been mingled to create new styles of reading. A great example is South African, European and Native American traditions as displayed in some new world traditions like Hoodoo and Southern Conjure.

Bones as Tools

Longer or larger bones of pigs, turkeys, and beef make great tools. You could effectively create a Magick wand for directing and focusing your energy from larger longer bones. Bone can be smoothed, carved and burned to represent your path with symbols that are specific and meaningful to you. You can create your divination set from pieces of bone, or carve bone to create altarpieces.

You can use large bones to grind herbs and spices for your Magickal recipes much like a Pestle. You will want to make sure the bone is strong enough, large enough and that it has been appropriately cleaned for this kind of task. I have found that the ribs bones of pig and beef work very well. You will want to make sure they are uncut bone, keeping the bone as close to its original state as possible.

Discussing this reminds me of stories I have heard and read about how some practitioners of Magick will acquire the bones of a powerful Witch after his or her death for this purpose. It is thought that the bone of a powerful individual will help infuse spells, potions, and other Magickal workings with the remnant power of the deceased. It is for this reason that many powerful Witches would instruct their apprentices and family members to keep their graves secret or choose to become cremated. The purpose is to prevent the contamination of their resting place. I don’t recommend raiding tombs to acquire powerful bones, it is not only spiritually dangerous, but it is also highly disrespectful to disturb the dead. The idea has significance as we use animal bones to infuse our Magickal recipes with the animal’s specific Magickal essence.

In addition to using bones as a pestle type tool, you can also use larger bones for stirring soups and other Magickal recipes. Animals are usually considered a symbol of abundance and prosperity when used in Magick. The bones of animals will help infuse your spells with this Magickal essence. It only makes sense to use bones in the conjuring of spells related to prosperity, abundance, financial gain, and so on.

If you were able to know the animal personally by raising it on your own or through sponsorship, you will also have the chance to know and understand its unique personality. This will also help you determine what magickal essence the animal will provide to your Magickal Recipes. Since raising our beef, poultry, and pork is an issue for most of us living in urban locations, the sponsorship of an animal is an ideal way to ensure your animal is treated humanely and respectfully. To learn more about how to sponsor an animal read:

Magickal Recipes

In recent years, the Marrow of beef and ox has made a comeback in high-end restaurants. It would almost appear that the wisdom of our ancestors is slowly making its presence known through the indulgence of high society.

In Magickal recipes, the use of bone is essential to making stocks.  Stocks have many uses and should not be confused with broth. While bones can also be used in the making of broth, stocks are a bit different. While broths are usually made from the meaty parts of the animal, stocks are made of the bones resulting in a richer flavor as the gelatin and marrow are released. In either method, you can add a variety of vegetables to the cooking process to deepen and enhance the flavor.

While other forms of non-edible Magick allow the use of found bones, I cannot recommend using found bones inedible recipes. You will only want to use bones you have purchased fresh or processed yourself.

So there you have it, Bone Magick (in a nutshell) for the Kitchen Witch! Bones have many uses and are another sacred ingredient you should always have in your Magickal Kitchen! I hope you are inspired to use bones in new ways and that you have found a new reverence for animals in your work!

Bright Blessing!

Leandra

http://www.themagickkitchen.com/bone-magick-for-the-kitchen-witch/

[maaliwalli]

CRUNCH TIME : Insects as the sustainable protein of the future

They are the biggest species group in the world, outnumbering humans 200 million to one. Marcel Dicke, Professor of Entomology at Wageningen University, forerunner in the research of edible insects, says it best - "We are not on a planet of Men, we are on a planet of Insects." Who rules the world?

Around 1900 insect species are already being eaten by two billion people in the world. Two billion. They eat tarantulas in Cambodia, the mopane worm has an annual trade value of over $85 million in Southern Africa and flying termites are a treasured delicacy all over the world from Mexico to the small village in South India that I live in (treasured because they are only in season for the first 4-5 days of the monsoon every year, in both countries.)

Turning to insects is not new. The bible mentions it, South America does it, even ancient Rome and Greece did it. We should know, here in India insects having always been a part of our culinary tradition. From eesal in Tamil Nadu to the ant chutney made by the Gond tribals of Chattisgarh. The Bodos of the North East still consume insects as the main staple of their diet - eating caterpillars, termites, grasshoppers, crickets and beetles everyday. But we don't, do we? However old our family recipes go - very, very few of them contain insects. Why? Was it a caste thing, or was it perhaps the sneaky colonisation of our food and the way we think about it?

The gross out factor is real, at least, amongst the billowing middle class that makes up the majority of our nation. Ironic, because the FAO (UN's Food and Agriculture Department) declared Entomophagy, or eating insects, as the solution to feed the growing middle class around the world. As economies in the developing world get richer and richer, the demand for animal protein increases. By 2050, the planet won't be able to provide the 9 billion mouths that need to be fed.

Enter the scary future of our planet.

Current livestock production systems are dismal. Rainforests are being razed to grow feed for animals that end up on the plates of a wealthy minority.

“The math is simple,” writes Crowley -- creator of the hugely successful Chapul bars  (What? You don't eat cricket-flour protein bars yet?). “If we shift even a small fraction of our protein consumption to environmentally friendly, healthy (and tasty!) insects, we can reduce the huge amount of water…which irrigates the massive, mechanized farms that exist solely to feed cattle and pigs." Forget the land and water it uses - livestock is incredibly polluting, especially with the horrendous hormones and pesticides used to keep operations 'sanitary'. The clincher? Industrial livestock production emits more greenhouse gases than planes, trains and automobiles combined.

On the other hand - let’s compare a cow with say, a cricket. It takes almost 15,000 litres of water to produce 1kg of beef while it takes barely 8 litres to produce a kg of crickets. This is mainly because crickets use 6 times less feed than cattle. If a family of four ate insects once a week for a year - they would help save 650,000 litres of water. That’s the size of a lake.

Even better, you can actually use food waste to feed the crickets without having to use any agricultural land (only about 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted every year on this planet). Add to this, upto 80% of a cricket can be used for human consumption - compared to only 40% of a cow. This makes crickets 12 times more efficient than cattle.

And they are better for you. 200 calories of beef contains around 22 gms of protein, compared to 31gms of cricket flour. Crickets have less fat, more than double the omega 3 and lots of fibre (beef has none). I’m not the first to say it - crickets are a perfect workout food. Oh, and the flour is gluten free.

But how do they taste?

Surprisingly, I knew a lot of people who had given it a shot. Mickael ordered these online, “In Asia it's over fried, but this French version is healthy and organic. I am trying to have a better diet and am looking for other protein sources." Elektra tried them out in a fancy restaurant in Mexico but ended with, "For now, I'm gonna stick with dal for my protein." (She’s a ‘political’ vegetarian) Personally, I really enjoy the maggots sold on the streets in Bangkok; perfect as a snack with your beer. But, like Mickael says, ”with their spices and deep frying, the Thai can make anything taste good.”

Luckily, we got none other than 3 Michelin star Chef Rene Redzepi at Noma - arguably the best restaurant in the world, teaching us how to eat them. In 2008, he started The Nordic Food Lab -  an open source culinary research institute that 'investigates food diversity and deliciousness'. They ran a 3 year project which involved two researchers -  one a chef, the other a Yale graduate, Ben Reade and Josh Evans, circumnavigating the world looking for delicious insects. (Their journey was documented into a movie, Bugs.)

And boy, did they find them. Mexican 'escaroles' (desert ant eggs) that taste of blue cheese, sweet and sour honey ants in Australia and the famed saúva ants of South America. Their aim, though, was never to bring back truck loads of escaroles from Mexico. Noma prides itself on being completely local (they don't even use olive oil!). The aim was to understand how insects can be processed in a kitchen to extract as much 'deliciousness' (it’s one of Redzepi’s favorite words) out of them as possible -- and of course, to find insects they could use in Denmark itself. Danish ants are now on the menu at Noma, providing flavors that otherwise can't be grown there (citronella!).

This is important - top chefs around the world create food trends, literally dictating what we eat. And thus, grow. New foods are served up in fancy restaurants before trickling down to us plebs. Sushi is a great example - yes, it had to be hidden in a roll of rice but who would have thought japanese raw fish would one day become so ubiquitous, we would literally be causing tuna species to disappear (another story).

Farmers are already catching on to the new trend and there is some serious money to be made. Insect farming in Thailand now constitutes a multi-million dollar (and growing!) industry there, with up to 20,000 new farms exporting insects wholesale to Europe, America and the UK.

The chefs at Noma understand that cardinal rule of good food - mise en place doesn't start in the kitchen, it starts way before that. I was going to say, it starts in the farm, but Evans and Reade declared insect farms (in the Netherlands, at least) a failure because the star ingredients were nearly flavourless. As chefs interested in good food, they know that upscaling insect production and creating a global insect trade like other industrialised food systems is not the answer. Farmed, freeze dried insects that have traveled halfway across the world and are god knows how old - taste like cardboard. Ecologically, if those are the problems insects are supposed to cure, it cannot be done within mainstream food systems. You would simply be replacing one industrial protein production system with another.

The best tasting insects are of course, wild ones.

I spoke to Gitika Saikia, who does food pop ups in Mumbai; often serving up insects. She is very certain of their 'deliciousness' but worried the wild insects in Assam are going extinct. Red ant eggs only come for 10-15 days in April, just in time for Bihu - the New Year festival in Assam. They now cost up to 1000 bucks a kilo, and every year, it gets tougher to get a hold of them. She worries they won't last longer than 5 more years.

Perhaps as this BBC documentary highlights, there might be a sustainable way to grow (and make sure they don’t go extinct) delicious insects. Organic farmers spend a lot of time on eliminating pests - the most effective way is to get ducks or chickens to do it for you (it’s what we do!). But, if these ‘pests’ can bring you a value addition to your farm? Plucking insects would be no different from harvesting any other crop. Most people living out in the ‘country’ have a vast knowledge of these insects already and this could become a very viable source of income creating new livelihoods especially where organic crops are grown.

And so, as always, the answer to environmentally healthy eating is diversity in growing and eating good, locally sustainable foods. Reade said something awesome (for another interview), “It’s not the insects themselves that are going to make it sustainable. It’s the humans.”

as published on www.loverand.co 

[savviscouts]

Recently, Boyfriend had to go to Romania for work. For six weeks. As soon as I discovered that there was a holiday during his stay, I got the green light from him to meet him in Bucharest for the three day weekend! I did some research on how to spend a weekend in Bucharest. I made a long list of all of the places I wanted to see and things I wanted to do while I was there. Unfortunately, that list included things like seeing Pele’s Castle (home of Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula) and hiking the most beautiful parts of Transylvania, which, with everything else on my list, would have taken more than a week’s worth of time. I had to cut a lot of stuff.

I really wanted to hike, but the forecast was rain. This would have been fine, except the temperature was supposed to be in the mid-thirties Fahrenheit, like 3 degrees Celsius. Not only would I not be able to get any good pictures from the top of the mountain (where, on a clear day, you could just barely see into Ukraine), but I would also probably get pneumonia and definitely die. I get sick if someone with a cold, 400 meters away from me, sneezes. So hiking was out.

The bad weather, coupled with my sh*t immune system, forced me to stay in Bucharest. While I do need to return to Romania to experience all of the outdoor adventurous activities that Transylvania has to offer, I’m glad that I got a really good feel (and fill- lots of food) of Bucharest!

Bucharest: City of Graffiti

Some people say that Bucharest has character. Others come right out and say that it is an ugly city. Well I think those people are wrong. I think that Bucharest is beautiful in its own way… Let me explain.

Bucharest was built on a swamp, but then the landscape changed. The swamp eventually dried up.  Because of this, there are many areas where the road is uneven, or the steps are sunken in. This is also why many of the older buildings are not very tall- the swamp would have eaten them!

A Brief Recent History of Bucharest

The reign of communistic tyranny ended in 1989, with the fall of the Berlin Wall. (I’m telling you, no matter where I go, I can’t get away from Germany.) During communism, many families would share rooms in small houses. The state owned all of the property, and there wasn’t any new infrastructure.

When the wall fell, bringing communism with it, many of these families all claimed ownership to the places where they were living. Sometimes, they still even had their paperwork from the bill of sale, completed sometime before the state confiscated everything. Many times, multiple families all had paperwork- whether real or fake- to the same properties. The court proceedings to determine the true owners would sometimes take decades. Meanwhile, the houses started to fall apart due to lack of care. This is why you will see buildings that look like a strong wind might take them out, right next to beautiful baroque-style architecture built in the early 90s. Some people say this makes the city ugly, but I say it makes it beautiful.

There are also stray dogs everywhere. They defecate in the streets, with no owner to clean it up. You have to watch your step everywhere. On several occasions my sandal-clad foot just narrowly missed a big pile of poo.

Not only is a large portion of the city literally falling apart, but it also smells.

What to Do During Your Stay

You will probably only be here once, so make sure you don’t miss anything!

Romanian Food to Try

Let me tell you about Romanian food. It’s possible to be a vegetarian in Romania, but it is much more difficult in Romania than it is in other parts of Europe. Romanian food is basically a bunch of dried meats and cheeses. I could stop there without you really missing out on any Romanian cuisine, but I won’t do that to you.

Romanian cuisine is kind of a mix of the flavors of some of the surrounding countries. The food has been influenced by Ottoman, German, Serbian, and Bulgarian cuisines, along with others.

Here are some Romanian dishes for you to try:

Mici. This is the generic name for delicious grilled sausages.

Tobă, or “head cheese”. This cheese is made with meat from the head and then stuffed into the pig’s stomach to cure. It sounds like a gross concept, but it was actually quite tasty.

Polenta. Polenta can be eaten by itself, or as an accompaniment to other dishes. I tried some with cheese and horseradish. It was very good, but very filling.

Caltaboș or chișcǎ. This is a cooked sausage stuffed into pig’s casing.

Pastitsada. This is macaroni with meat.

Sarmale. Cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meats, rice, and other yummy things.

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Local wine? (So they said) It was great though.

Delicious chicken (according to the boyfriend)

Local Beer

A Romanian breakfast

Another Romanian beer

A classic Romanian lunch

A Romanian appetizer sampler

Bonus: Food Hood

If you like food trucks, do yourself a favor and go here. It’s in Old Town. It’s just several food trucks and a bar with open seating. We didn’t find it until our last night, just after eating a large meal. Quite the disappointment. But it’s rated highly on TripAdvisor!

Places to See in Bucharest

I would recommend getting a hop-on hop-off style bus tour of Bucharest if you are interested in seeing all of the sights. This is something I wish had done, but didn’t because of time, rain, and the fact that I was recovering from a bad cold and needed a nap.

The Old Town in Bucharest is pretty small, and has great historical landmarks you don’t want to miss. That said, there are many, many amazing things further out of the city that are also must-sees. You just can’t walk to all of them.

Click here to check out a full list of places you need to see.

Shopping in Bucharest

You can just go into your Google Maps and type in “shopping” to get to the malls. So I’m not going to talk about those (although I did get a great pair of polarized sunglasses with a cool case for less than $20).

What you really need to check out is the local markets. We went as part of a tour with Urban Adventures (see below for details), and I am so glad we did! I would’ve probably never found it on my own.

The market has fresh local fruits and vegetables, as well as homemade goods, meats, and cheeses, all for extremely low prices. You will find an open market with individual stands, as well as an indoor market with stands as well as permanent storefronts (mostly delis and small restaurants). Next door to this is an indoor flea market. It’s completely packed with clothes and purses and jewelry and pretty much anything else you may want.

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It’s right off of the Obor subway stop in northeast Bucharest. Look for Parcul Păsărari and you will find it!

Where to Stay

If you can find a good place, stay in Old Town for sure. I highly recommend our hotel, Old Town Boutique Hotel. It was very nice, had a great little Romanian breakfast buffet (included), and the location was absolutely perfect. It’s in Old Town, but it’s on the back (or front?) of Old Town, so you’re not next to any busy bars or loud music. You can go party, then walk two blocks back to your quiet little hotel to sleep.

Bonus: Tour with a Local

I cannot tell you how great our walking food tour with Lala from Urban Adventures was! Lala was born and raised in Bucharest, but her English was perfect. She gave us the history of Bucharest not just that you get from guidebooks, but that she actually lived. The fall of communism was pretty recent- 1989- and she told us about how it affected her daily life. She also took us around and fed us delicious small plates served with tasty local beer and wines. If you’re headed to Bucharest, I highly recommend! You can check out the different offerings here.

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Me and the bf, enjoying the tour

Beautiful Bucharest building

Beauty bordering poverty

Sistine Chapel. JK! it’s an orthodox church

Local beer

Romanian breakfast

A cafe from our tour

Another local beer

Lunch place by the market

Sausage and beer lunch

Vlad statue

For more information, click here to check out “Places to See in Bucharest”

What to Do in Bucharest, Romania Recently, Boyfriend had to go to Romania for work. For six weeks. As soon as I discovered that there was a holiday during his stay, I got the green light from him to meet him in Bucharest for the three day weekend!

[thedalishelves]

Hey! I saw that you were vegan and I have a bit of a problem that maybe you could help with (or not, it's cool either way). I have wanted to change my diet to be a vegan for the longest time, but my parents just deadass don't respect it? I'm young, so I live with my parents and I eat what they cook and etc, and when I expressed the desire to be vegan, or at least vegetarian, they ignored me. Sometimes I have to go days w/o eating bc they cook meat n such. Any tips or is this unfixable for now?

first of all that’s really cool that u wanna go vegan and thank you for asking me!! i dealt with this too! i first went vegetarian when i was 13 and my parents convinced me to just give up red meat. after about two months i excused myself from the dinner table one night and just sobbed in the bathtub for like 20 minutes because i felt so bad about eating a chicken. after that they realized how Extra i am about this and reluctantly let me do my thing (with some persuading from me: tips will follow)

also this is gonna be long sorry omg this is what happens when ppl ask me about being vegan jfdkshafks i’m putting it under a cut just bc it would literally take up people’s entire dash

so i’d recommend going vegetarian first for sure. it’s what i always recommend anyway. slowly phasing out animal products will help SO MUCH with adjusting and cravings. i was vegetarian for 4 years before i went vegan! but for you specifically it’ll expand the amount of stuff you can eat that your parents make. meat is the staple in a lots of families’ meals, but i’m guessing they’ll often make a little side dish or something? eat a lot of that!! 60% of what i ate was the green beans and rice my mom always made for a side dish

ask to help your parents with cooking! try to separate your food whenever possible. so like if they’re making spaghetti with meat sauce (gross ik my dad always used to make it), just say you’d prefer it without the sauce and grab a little bowl before it’s mixed in with the meat. (i used to add butter to it.) basically just any dish that could be vegetarian: take a little serving before the meat is added. i did this all the time and it gave me a lot of good meals (another example in case this is vague: i’d scoop a bit of salad into my bowl before my mom added bacon to it)

also i found it really helpful to ask for VERY cheap vegetarian/vegan foods. i’d always ask my dad to buy beans and lentils and because they’re like 50 cents a can or whatever, he couldn’t reasonably say no. (these are so versatile, even if you don’t know how to cook. making a bean salad is so easy and i used to eat them all the time! also AMAZING source of protein and iron and so much other good stuff)

there are also quite a few sneaky “accidental” vegan foods that you can request from the grocery store that won’t make your parents think: ‘ugh she’s a vegan now.’ some examples: oreos, most cake mixes (there’s lots of recipes online where u just add water and/or soda!!), loads of different chips, many cereals (if u eat them dry), instant ramen (even the ones that say beef and chicken). i know that’s a lot of junk food, but there’s also some healthier(ish) prepackaged meals: this list is good (even though peta is a garbage company i reluctantly admit they have good resources sometimes) (it’s american centric tho but there’s loads of these lists online!). since i’m guessing you don’t go grocery shopping so you aren’t able to look at the labels, you can look it up online and ask your parents to buy it (and you can do this in an indirect way if they’re not cool with it, like ‘hey can u buy the sweet spicy chili doritoes instead of the other flavour next time i like it better’ that kinda thing)

so those are some tips on how to get some food! you should also ask for multivitamins since if you’re basically going to be picking and choosing what your parents put in front of you then you might miss out on crucial vitamins that is otherwise easy for vegans to get if they’re picking their own food.

obviously the ideal thing here would be to get your parents to be on your side!! i have no idea what your relationship with your parents is like so this might not be applicable at all, but in case it is i’ll give you some tips that worked for me.

the best thing that worked for me in the beginning was that i promised i’d cook my own food. as a wee 13 year old, my mom still made my lunch but i asked her for just a plain cheese sandwich and she was okay with that. for dinner, she’d still make the same old side dishes that i could eat, but if she was making chicken, i’d fry up my own tofu or put a couple veggie dogs in the microwave. i don’t think she’d have let me be vegetarian if she had to cook my stuff separate for me. (also, by the time i was vegan i was so used to cooking my own food i just made all my own meals and had gotten good at it by that point!)

at first i just explained to my parents that it was unbearable for me to eat animals. like i literally could not put it into my mouth unless they essentially force fed me. (once again, i was super extra) as my anecdote at the beginning explained, they saw how serious i was lmao. however, my mom did not understand me being vegan until very very recently!!! over the years i’ve casually mentioned various facts about the meat and dairy industry that have opened her mind a bit. and she’s even stopped eating pigs now!! i always find it helpful to say that i do it for multiple reasons: for animals, for the environment, and my health. that usually gets through to people because they realize i’m not just doing some dumb trend or whatever. if at all possible, show them a documentary?? i’m guessing they’d be like ‘hell no’ but just in case (and for your benefit too!) my favourite is cowspiracy (on netflix). it has changed SO MANY meat eaters’ minds!! (the documentary maker was a meat eater too!)

but i realize how engrained this is in certain cultures. my dad is italian and by this point (after 10 years) he realizes that being vegan is a sustainable diet (which he didn’t believe before) but i think he’d rather die than give up meat. and my other side is polish which means their diet is basically carbs and meat and carbs with meat. none of my extended family understand what the hell i’m on about. it’s very frustrating but if you stick with your resolve to not eat meat then they’ll eventually realize you’re serious and maybe make one dish for you at christmas instead of just giving you a piece of bread

if they REALLY are against you going vegetarian, then i obviously absolutely cannot recommend that you starve. you can always go vegetarian/vegan when you move out, and that wouldn’t be your fault at all!! a compromise might be to go pescatarian or even just cut out red meat. (though if you’re anything like me this might not end well haha. it’s worth trying though as a last resort)

i know it’s such a tough situation!!! my sister is vegan too and literally EVERY DAY we text each other about how ignorant and disrespectful our family members are about this. it’s something pretty much every vegan goes through i think, because there are some WACK ideas about eating animals and those who choose not to.

so tl;dr: if you can, try to tell your parents honestly how you feel and try to give them facts. offer to cook your own meals. ask to help your parents cook so you can try to make the food vegetarian. request foods from the grocery store that are a) cheap and/or b) accidentally vegan.

i really hope this helped!!! i was so scared and overwhelmed when i first when vegetarian and had no idea what the fuck i was doing and it makes everything so much worse when your family is unsupportive. i truly wish u the best and please come to me with any follow up questions!!!