Eating Small

So far I have posted blogs, both new and old, to introduce myself, and to discuss my take on and my goal of "living small". One thing I have not mentioned yet, that again deals with both who I am and the "small is beautiful" ideals, is that I am a vegetarian. I am not a vegan, although I would eventually like to take that step. It is difficult enough trying to find enough vegetarian food while living in Oklahoma... it would be almost impossible to live as a vegan here.

I never thought I would become a vegetarian, although it did make perfect sense considering what a huge animal lover I am. But I always thought it would be way too difficult to give up the foods that I loved. Before becoming a vegetarian, some my favorite foods included Philly cheesesteaks (they held the number one spot), chicken strips, calamari, and cheeseburgers. Just prior to making the decision to become a vegetarian, I was in a zoology class in which we had to dissect a pig fetus, and numerous other things. I was definitely grossed out and disturbed by it, but even then I wasn't entirely ready to give up eating meat. I even made a comment to my lab partner that I would love to be a vegetarian, but I could never stop eating meat.

Shortly after making the above comment, my boyfriend (who is now my husband) and I tried out a sandwich place on campus called Fat Sandwich Co. They make all kinds of crazy, ridiculously fatty, not to mention disgusting, sandwiches, but they also make authentic Philly cheesesteaks. Now, for those of you who have never had a cheesesteak from the actual city of Philadelphia, you may assume that all cheesesteaks are the same... but this is so, SO wrong. I grew up in Philadelphia, and was devastated when my family and I moved to Texas and I had to learn the hard way that no one outside of Philadelphia has the ability to make a cheesesteak. But anyway... the owner of Fat Sandwich Co. not only know how to make a real Philly Cheesesteak, but orders in all of his ingredients from Philadelphia. With the first bite of a cheesesteak from Fat Sandwich Co., I was in love. I had finally found the real thing outside of Philadelphia, and in Oklahoma of all places!

Isn't it ironic that the day after I finally found a real, delicious cheesesteak in Oklahoma, I also finally decide to give up eating meat? What could have possibly possessed me to make this decision? The decision to give up, not only my number one favorite food in the world, but every other food at the top of my list as well? I watched some videos.

I don't even remember what prompted me to start watching all of these videos. What I remember is witnessing the horribly gruesome deaths experienced by animals in slaughter houses. I remember the terrible conditions in which the animals both lived, and died. Long before I had decided to give up meat, I had already chosen not to eat at KFC for it's brutal slaughter of chickens. The beaks of chickens are filled with sensitive nerve endings, and yet their beaks are torn from their faces while they are still alive. Their feathers are then plucked from their bodies, and they are thrown into boiling water and oil. And that is when they are finally relieved of their excruciating pain... in death. But after watching several of these videos, and then doing a lot of research on the subject, I found that almost every piece of meat we eat has gone through the same ordeal as the chickens at KFC. It is impossible to determine whether the animal you are about to ingest was slaughtered humanly, or brutally. I witnessed people cutting off the legs of a cow while it was still alive, crying out in pain. How could I support something like that?

Before totally giving up meat, I first looked into "free-range" and "organic" products. What I found is that the term "free range" is not regulated by any government agency, so the term could be applied to essentially anything, regardless of whether the animal was actually a "free range" animal or not. The term "organic" is regulated by the government, and does require that the animals receive a certain amount of room to move and grow, and a somewhat more humane approach to the slaughter of the animal. However, I also found that government inspections are rare, and it is only when a company is caught that the consumer becomes aware of any false claims of "organic" product. You would think companies in the meat industry would want to brag about their ethical and humane treatment and slaughter of animals if, in fact, they were doing so. But none do. So how is the consumer ever supposed to determine which supplier to go with? It's impossible. Unless you live on a farm and raise your own animals for slaughter and consumption. So I just chose the best possible scenario for me, which was to become a vegetarian. And I haven't had even the tiniest piece of meat since making that decision.

It was a step towards living small. Becoming a vegetarian also supports the environmental movement in several ways. Apart from that, along with becoming a vegetarian, I also discontinued my use of any products that are tested on animals, and attempt to purchase only products with no animal by-products in them. While I do not always agree with Peta's methods and ideology, they have great resources that include vegetarian starter kits, shopping guides, etc., so if you are considering taking the cruelty-free approach (and the living small approach) to life, it is a good idea to visit their website.

Becoming a vegetarian in a state like Oklahoma is sometimes difficult. In other areas of the country you can find a veggie burger, or similar item, on the menu almost everywhere you go (I'm talking hot dog stands, museum snack areas, etc.). But in Oklahoma, you're lucky to find anything specifically made for vegetarians. If anything, I usually have to order the Chicken Fettucini with no chicken (but I still pay for the chicken)! So whenever I find new restaurants, try new recipes, or discover new vegetarian foods at the grocery store, I will post them to my blog. That way, if anyone else is having a difficult time creating variety in their vegetarian diet, they can benefit from what I have been able to find.

Until next time... Live Small and Eat Small, my friends!