Definitions

What does being vegetarian mean to me? Twelve years ago, I stopped eating all meat, including beef, chicken, and pork. I had never liked eggs very much, so I avoided those most of the time. I also eliminated any products made with meat, including broths and soup stocks.

Mid-way through college, a kid I was babysitting for saw me eating Lucky Charms at his house and asked, "Why are you eating marshmallows if you are vegetarian? Don't you know they have gelatin?" I hadn't known that gelatin was an animal product! After a call to the Jell-o company, in which they tried to assure me that despite being made from animals, their gelatin was still kosher, I sadly stopped eating Lucky Charms (and any other foods made with gelatin).

When I was about 23, PETA sent me information about the process of making milk from cows. I was disgusted, and stopped drinking it. I continued to eat some other forms of dairy, though, including cheese and ice cream. Part of me would like to go all the way and become vegan, but in general I do enjoy eating some dairy.

About that same time, I started eating a little bit of fish. Today I average 2 fish meals per month. So I know I'm not a complete vegetarian, but I still think of myself as one.