I honestly hope you're kidding. The FML isn't that the parents only screwed up 3 times in 11 years. The FML is that they can't get through their ******* heads that the OP is a vegetarian, after 3 screw-ups, therefore showing that they really don't care at all.

It's not like vegetarianism is a subtle dietary preference like, only liking spinach if it's raw, or tomatoes when they're cooked, or liking sausage on supreme pizzas, but not on meat lovers. Yea. Those are some of my weird-ass eating preferences that I don't expect people to get. Vegetarianism is very different and it's not like the OP went away to college and came back vegetarian. She's been this way for at least HALF OF HER ENTIRE LIFE. Her parents had to have made countless dinners for her while she lived with them. There's no reason they shouldn't know this by now. Messing it up once would have been bad enough. THREE TIMES? Completely inexcusable. I'm sorry. It just shows how little they care about their own daughter.

You live longer? uh, the Japanese have the longest life span and they eat pretty much all parts of the animal. The key to a long(er) life is not eliminating meat but having a varied diet full of vegetables *and* meat.

but not many people do that in the US. as long as you get enough protien. but vegetarians do live longer, in a general sense.

It's also a damnsight cheaper if you're on a tight budget like I am. ;) Seriously though, I've been veggie for 13 years and I'm fit, strong and healthy between that, all the drumming I do and cycling.

It really is a lot cheaper. I just made sure to eat some eggs, lentils, beans, or nuts everyday to get my protein. Especially the lentils and beans. They are really cheap and you can put them into all sorts of recipes that don't cost much to fix. When I had to move back in with my parents (town was dying, no jobs, plus a divorce) and started eating meat again, I was getting terribly sick. Hmmmm... maybe I should start the no meat thing again, I was starting to lose some weight (which is a VERY good thing for me.) OP, you just keep on sticking to your morals AND your dieting habits. Tell your parents that they are being very insensitive and childish. You are an ADULT! Stand your ground.

Oh one bloody steak won't kill you -.-

the less meat that is bought, the less they will kill animals to make meat if no one is buying it. supply and demand. I was an unhealthy vegetarian but most veggies I know don't just eat junk, they eat pretty healthy.

good job typing an essay

well thanks ;D

The obesity epidemic probably has much more to do with poor portion control than with the meat itself. The poor quality of cheap foods, coupled with the higher cost of healthy foods doesn't help either. I'm not against vegetarianism in any way, but I'm definitely in favor of "the simpler, the better" logic. Americans eat crap, and way too much of it.

Just FYI skaterboi- (And yeah, you can call me a hippie), But i basically boycott the whole process. yeah I know cows and pigs are still getting killed, but at least I know not a cent of my money goes to support it! I just don't believe in killing innocent creatures for my own pleasure. --and I'm not trying to sway anyone here, just sharing my view =)

i dont like the idea of battery farming or anything like that but that did not stop me eating meat. What stopped me eating meat was pregnancy and for some reason every bit of meat I tried to eat (and I'm talking good bacon and ham) tasted rotten. I have five weeks to go and now I can't even eat chicken or eggs. Hopefully I will be able to eat some meat again once all this is over with as I do like bacon. I don't think we should be eating meat everyday, meat should be saved for one or two portions a week and then we can pay for good quality, well looked after meat. This is probably the first time in human history that meat has been readily available for all to eat everyday so its hard to justify not having it if you can afford it. Just think about what you are buying, would you rather be eating an animal that had a good life and tastes good or an animal that spent its life in a cage or small pen.