Additional questions

What should I do with my leather shoes?

You’ve just become vegetarian and you’ve got leather shoes, leather belts, and a leather handbag. What should you do?

Don’t buy any more is the simple answer. And inform all your family and friends not to buy any Christmas or birthday presents for you that contain any dead animal products.

Meanwhile, you have a couple of basic choices. Wear everything out until the item or items are ready to be thrown away. If someone challenges you and calls you a hypocrite, explain to them that you have recently become a vegetarian and your leather shoes remain from your meat-eating days; stress that you would no longer buy such products. Alternatively, sell or give away any leather items so that you immediately make a clean break. We have occasionally had donations from the sale of such items and the money is put to good use.

Is a vegetarian diet suitable for children?

Yes, a vegetarian diet provides all the nutrients a person needs and this includes all that is essential for a growing child from birth.

My boyfriend loves his meat. What should I do?

Talk about why you have become vegetarian. Explain that you no longer want to cook meat for him. Ultimately, be yourself. He probably loves you for your thoughtfulness, sensitivity, and values (as well as your good looks!); this is who you are. Good honest communication is essential to all lasting relationships.

Is it expensive being vegetarian?

Meat is expensive in comparison to many vegetarian foods, so you should find changing to a vegetarian diet actually saves you money. Avoid trendy “health food” shops which often charge much higher prices than supermarkets. Organic food offers no real benefit.

What difference can one person make?

One person can save the life of quite a few cows, sheep/lambs, pigs, chickens, turkeys, and fish etc over the many years of a human lifetime. By becoming a vegetarian, you are taking yourself out of a market that is based on supply and demand. Meat is produced for profit for people who buy and eat it. Markets expand or shrink according to what is required by customers. Furthermore, you can also be a role model to others; it is probable that your example will prompt others to think more and become vegetarian themselves.

What about Christmas dinner?

Turkey is the usual choice for meat-eaters.  Most people only eat it at Christmas (unless they’re Americans, who also associate turkey with Thanksgiving).

So, one guideline is to pick something special that you’ll only have for Christmas dinner.  

Nut roast, for example, topped with a delicious garlic tomato sauce.

There are many different recipes for nut roast, but one of the simplest uses peanuts. 

Boil red lentils. 
Fry chopped onions. 
Use a blender to grind the roasted peanuts.
Mix together, adding breadcrumbs to thicken. 
Add extra taste with basil/mixed herbs, black pepper, and salt.  
Put the mixture in a greased loaf tin and roast in the oven. 

Prepare the nut roast, plus the garlic tomato sauce, on Christmas Eve and refrigerate.  The taste will improve overnight.  It can then be easily re-heated on Christmas Day.  Serve sliced with roast potatoes and a selection of your favourite fresh vegetables.