A Vegetarian Life for Me: And 5 Reasons You Should Kill to Be One Too

Two weeks upon landing in this controversial little country of ours, I decided to become a vegetarian. Coincidentally, I've also been single for the same amount of time - so you can say I've been off meat for about six, seven months? However, unlike being single, I love being a vegetarian.... mainly, because I'm not one: I'm a pescetarian. For you foreigners and poor English speakers, a pescetarian is much like a vegetarian, except I eat fish. 

Which brings me to the number one reason I'm devoted to vegetarianism: nothing aggravates a vegetarian more than a pescetarian parading under the guise of a vegetarian. A good day is when I confess my vegetarianism to a dinner party, only to detect another vegetarian in the shuffle. At first they give me a nod of acceptance. I've made it into their exclusive, psuedo-superior club, and for a brief moment we connect. They respect me and I identify with them. Then it comes time to order. They order a vegetable salad, or something equally trivial, and I proudly ask for the salmon... no, wait, how is the Denise today? As I finish up my order, I feel the vegetarian's eyes, filled with rage, drilling a hole through me, waiting for the right moment to pounce and ask again: "Wait! I thought you were vegetarian?!"

Appearing confused, knowing all the while it's fueling their anger, I causally respond, "Yeah... I sort of eat a little fish.  They don't really count anyway, do they?" This of course prompts the whole, why did you become a vegetarian conversation, which brings me to reason #2 being a vegetarian rocks. I have no explanation for converting into one. I have no moral qualms with killing animals for meat. Are we not on the top of the food chain? 
Then there are the environmental reasons, which, sure, make me feel all do-gooder on the inside, but I wouldn't necessarily admit that's what propelled my vegetarianism. In short, I'm vegetarian because I choose to be one! I've never been such a big fan of meat. And in Israel, since kosher-ness (or Kashrut, for Hebrew speakers) is such an issue, restaurants offer great vegetarian - and pescetarian - alternatives to dinning out. Goat cheese sandwiches with tasty vegetables, falafel, fresh fish. What more could you want?

But there is also the matter of dining in. Eating at a friend's place can be slightly problematic, especially once they learn you're a vegetarian merely for argument's sake. But this brings me to reason #3 this new-found life is living at its core. When you're starving and food you can nosh is sparse, you have to make do with what you've got. It's an excellent exercise of will power (I know, I have psychological issues. whatever). Then there is the response I reserve for the most special of occasions:"Oh, I don't eat meat because no one in Hollywood does anymore. I heard Carrie Underwood is off meat too!"

This brings me to reason #4 I'm a vegetarian, and so should you. You don't have to eat bad meat. As student at Tel Aviv University, most of my friends are subsequently students, and thus, we are all living on a student budget. Which means, clean and tasty meat is a delacacy, and for many of us, an urban myth. Being a vegetarian means you also spend less on food, and escape becoming deathly ill over middle-eastern meat gone wild, the worst of all bad meats.  

Thus, saving money on food and unnecessary hospital visits only leads to one thing: More money for alcohol, and reason #5 you could/ should live better. I believe all roads in life should lead to the consumption of liquor, and, vegetarianism is like a highway to that ideal.  

If you are not fully convinced you should be a vegetarian, this should be what tips the scale. No meat equals one free drink a night. Seriously! 

So, next time you're about to pick up a tasty, chewy, and bloody piece of ribeye, I hope you remember these rules for saying good-bye to meat, and make the obvious, positive choice. Plus, Carrie Underwood really doesn't eat meat... just in case that influences your decision.

Love,

A vegetarian who cares... about herself