Have you ever heard your friends say to a vegetarian, ‘look at this delicious, juicy burger – I bet you’re jealous’ or ‘don’t you crave McDonald’s chicken nuggets sometimes?’
Maybe you’re the vegetarian these comments are directed at. Maybe you’re the one making the comments.
There are so many misconceptions and myths about what being a vegetarian actually means; whether that be concerning the nutritional values of it, the cravings we have or even what we actually eat. If you’re curious about any of this, or you’re a fellow vegetarian looking for a laugh, you’ve come to the right place – these are vegetarian myths: debunked.
We don’t get enough nutrients
Believe it or not, meat is not the only food that contains the substances we need to live – in fact, if you eat more than 90g of red or processed meat a day, you could face serious health risks.
Meat is known as the best source of protein which may be true ratio-wise, but there are so many other foodstuffs that contain it! Nuts, eggs (unless you’re vegan), beans, soy and tofu products are all perfectly good substitutes.
Being vegetarian can be good for you if you do it right – remember, there are so many foods out there, especially in this day and age!
We follow a super healthy diet
On the other end of the scale, many people view vegetarians and vegans as people who have it all together and eat fruit and veg all day everyday. That’s just not true, or at least not all the time.
Everyone is different and yes, I’m sure some people who follow the lifestyle avoid processed foods, never pick up vegan chocolate and don’t live off carbohydrates – but that’s not for everyone.
In 2021 it’s actually very easy to not be stereotypically healthy what with all of the processed ready meals and alternatives that are filled with ingredients high in fat and carbohydrates. For me, I’m obsessed with Quorn nuggets (even if you’re not vegetarian I highly recommend) and although I do enjoy salads and various fruit and vegetables, I eat my fair share of meatless junk too!
It’s expensive
Well… that assumption depends on what you eat.
As I mentioned before, you can buy a lot of veggie ready-meals which can be a little bit pricey. Plant-based milk and cheese can also be extortionate, but, it’s all about being savvy.
Look at the supermarkets that surround you. Which brands do they carry? Which ones are the best value? Are you willing to spend a little more on milk and cut back in other areas?
The best way to save (and this also works for any other diet) is to cook your own meals! I know that cooking can be time consuming, but you can save a few minutes by doing meal prep at the start of the week or by finding quick recipes from cook books or websites online. If you read my first reading post this year you will know that I raved about Katy Bescow’s ‘15 Minute Vegan’ cookbook which has so many easy meals and snacks consisting of ingredients that you most likely already have at home – they barely take up any time at all!
We crave that burger you wave in front of our noses
First of all: no.
That’s all.
But in all seriousness, being vegetarian or vegan is usually a choice, not an obligation. If we wanted to eat a beef burger, we could and we would; but we have chosen against it for whatever reason. I personally don’t eat meat because I don’t like the thought of eating dead animals, so when you wave a burger in front of me it makes me feel queasy more than anything else. That being said, I’m not going to make my friends who do eat meat feel bad (another myth debunked), it’s a personal choice for me so mutual respect would be appreciated!
The Food we eat is boring
False. False. False.
Being vegetarian almost forces you to be more creative in the kitchen because we choose to avoid so many meaty meals. It’s not just salads and fruit!
I’ve been vegetarian since I began this blog in 2018, so I have an entire (and ever-growing) page of recipes that you could take inspiration from.
Or alternatively, Pinterest is my favourite place to look for new meal ideas and bakes. Everything is so pretty and colourful on there, as well as tasting incredible.
Just remember – meat is not the only food out there! In 2021, as well as being able to use natural ingredients such as chickpeas or mushrooms as the ‘main’ part of our meals, we can buy so many meat-alternatives such as meatless-mince and as I said before, I 100000% recommend Quorn nuggets!
I hope that this cleared any doubts or misconceptions in your mind, or that you at least got a little giggle out of this post! I certainly enjoyed writing it.
I think the most important thing to remember is that everyone’s diet is their own choice (unless it’s concerning allergies etc.) and we shouldn’t make fun of anyone else just like we wouldn’t about someone’s choice of job or hobbies. Vegans and vegetarians don’t usually make fun of meat-eaters, so don’t make fun of them!
I love talking about my lifestyle because I’m passionate about what I do, but I would never force my choice on anyone else, however I am happy to help and support if you do want to be vegetarian also!
Are you vegetarian? Have you heard any of these misconceptions before? Let me know!
CoffeeAndCream 
Good read! This is such an informative post, I learnt a lot more about vegetarians. I’ve stopped bothering vegetarians with questions because I thought they might find it rude or annoying. One of my goals in life is to become a vegetarian, I tried many vegetarian and vegan choices but I’m not yet ready to be completely vegetarian. Great post ❤️
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Such a great post!! I myself am not vegetarian or vegan but I have had plenty of vegetarian and vegan meals that are delicious! You inspired me to try new recipes of this type!
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