Earthlings Documentary... can't look at meat the same way an

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Aroz25
Aroz25 Posts: 40
in Food and Nutrition
I watched a doco the other night called Earthlings all about animals and the suffering they go through in slaughter houses, cage farms, fur farms etc. It was very disturbing to say the least but it made me a lot more concious about where the meat I eat actually comes from and what those poor animals had to endure in the process. Now I can't even look at a steak again the same way I used to after watching that doco. I've decided to stop eating pork and red meat for a start and just stick to fish and chicken for now until I can find suitable replacements. I know it will be a slow process cutting out all meats but I just can't look at meat the same way after watching that doco! What I'm wondering is if anyone else has gone through this process of cutting out all meats and what are your recommendations for meat replacements and any recipe ideas are welcome :)

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  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    Earthlings is rough - they don't call it "The Veganmaker" for nothing. I was already vegan when I saw it the first time, and it was still a really tough watch. It's something that I believe anyone, vegan or not, should watch at some point.

    I went the "cold turkey" (haha!) route and sort of went vegan overnight, but easing yourself out of meat is a great method too. Start experimenting with lots of different proteins - tofu, tempeh, seitan, meatless strips from Trader Joe's, lentils, and veggie burgers. It's important that you understand that things won't taste "like meat" anymore, so if you set yourself up to be fooled into thinking seitan is steak, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Enjoy these new foods for what they are - they have exciting new flavors and textures to offer!

    It might be a good idea to start milling around some tried-and-true vegan recipes - The Post-Punk Kitchen and The Fat Free Vegan are two of my favorite sites, but I'm sure others will chime in with theirs!

    Most importantly, don't be afraid to ask for help and recipe ideas! We have some great meatless groups and recipe threads on here! Welcome to the wonderful world of plant-based eating :)
  • Ziiox
    Ziiox Posts: 5
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    I literally just finished watching Earthlings, but I'm already an ovo-lacto vegetarian. I thought it was okay, but I study neuroscience so I noticed a ton of inaccuracies. That part really really irritated me. Too much rhetoric. Anyway, I don't usually eat "meat replacements" other than tofu. I find most packaged meat substitutes to be too overprocessed. I recommend eating beans, nuts, tofu, eggs (if you want), and loads of veggies and fruit. I also swear by sweet potatoes and whole grain carbs (I run as well).
  • _VoV
    _VoV Posts: 1,494 Member
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    I also went 'cold turkey' overnight--but from eating meat to vegetarian. That worked for me just because of how I'm wired. But, there's nothing wrong with being a flexitarian, and gradually increasing your repertoire of veg*n foods. I think it eases the transition until you work out what belongs in that 1/3 of the plate that used to be meat. And by that I mean, what you come to like.
  • macnotes
    macnotes Posts: 210 Member
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    I agree with Ziiox, I really don't like the meat replacements because they try too hard to be like meat and really, vegetarian/vegan items can taste great on their own. For me, it was a somewhat unconscious transition to being meatless. I decided to go meatless for a trip to China after watching the movie Shark Water. In that movie, I was disgusted by how sharks were treated just for their fins. In China, I figured I'd be offered shark fin and I wanted a polite way of saying "no thank you". You'll also notice certain times you'll make connections with the food you're eating and the living being. It's that circular relation that gets me to stop and think about what I'm eating. When I can see the "dead" food on my plate and the living thing right there beside me blinking and wondering what I'm doing, that makes it hit home. Eg. my pet fish and the sardines I was eating. Also looking at my pets...when my dog looks at me, I know I couldn't kill him to just eat a little steak shape out of him. I do crumble sometimes, but it's mostly chicken stock in a soup I get from a restaurant. Sometimes they don't have replacements and I'm feeling sick and want that specific thing. Happens rarely though.
  • Aroz25
    Aroz25 Posts: 40
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    Even though I want to cut out meat, I'm not quite ready to get rid of eggs just yet because they are really filling and I love eggs! I just found out the farmers market down the road from me sell organic farm raised eggs from a local chicken farm where I know the chickens are well looked after so I'll be buying my eggs from there from now on. The main concern for me was knowing animals had to suffer to provide us with food so at least this way I can still keep my eggs without feeling too guilty about it :smile:
    I'll definitely check out those recipe sites. I love sweet potato (we call them Kumara in New Zealand) and tofu too, actually I think there is a kumara in my pantry calling my name right now :tongue:
    Thanks for all the helpful advice everyone, I think this transition will go easier than I thought
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    I just found out the farmers market down the road from me sell organic farm raised eggs from a local chicken farm where I know the chickens are well looked after so I'll be buying my eggs from there from now on.

    Please note that I'm only mentioning this because we are in a vegan/vegetarian topical thread.

    Exploitation of animals is exploitation of animals, whether they are "treated nicely" or not. I absolutely understand the need to phase things out and ease into a more compassionate lifestyle, but be careful not to kid yourself into thinking that just because it's not from a factory farm, it doesn't involve suffering. When those hens stop producing eggs, they will be sent to slaughter, and the demand for eggs creates the demand for more hens to be introduced into the cycle. Also, there is the simple fact that male chicks are not needed in egg production, so when they're born, there's really only one path they can go down.

    Again, I completely understand the need to gently ease into a lifestyle change - things don't always happen overnight, and I give you a lot of props for standing up and taking action after you've been exposed to information. The biggest thing to think about though, is how everything is connected - eggs to poultry, milk to veal, etc. I feel like it's just very easy to buy into that image of the "bucolic farm" that is fed to us by the food industry.

    There are a lot of great "eggy" recipes using tofu, etc, from scrambles to omlettes to frittatas - really anything your little heart desires!
  • missfancy1980
    missfancy1980 Posts: 326
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    I'm a veggie for over 19 years, well, pescetarian really. I still haven't watched earthlings as I already know what goes on.. did my school work placement in a slaughter house lol (yes i'm weird, but i also believe you don't have the right to an opinion unless it's an informed one!)

    Meat substitutes -
    Quorn (can get all kinds like chicken style peices or fillets for curry, stir fry, casserole, stew etc, and mince for bolognaise and chilli)
    Tofu (cut up and add to anything you like as it takes on the flavour of the meal)
    Soya protein
    Tempeh
    TVP
    Seitan

    Some vegetarian brands to look out for - quorn, linda mcartney, couldron

    I tend to rely quite heavily on the above, but am trying to incorporate more things into my diet like beans, lentils and whole grains for protein, nuts, seeds, and fatty fruits/ veg for b-vits, and iron and calcium can come from leafy greens and beans.

    Be advised though, may of the "meat substitutes" are not vegan friendly as they contain dairy, or use egg as a binding agent. Check the label carefully before you buy :drinker:
  • missfancy1980
    missfancy1980 Posts: 326
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    organic farm raised eggs from a local chicken farm where I know the chickens are well looked after

    Good on you for sourcing out alternatives to battery farmed/ long hauled eggs. Don't be too put off by what one of the posters above said about this - one saying I have always lived by is you cannot change the world overnight, you can only change the way you percieve it. Similar to "be the change you wish to see in the world". Little by little, inch by inch, you can make a difference, just by making this small change from battery farmed to free range :flowerforyou:
  • Aroz25
    Aroz25 Posts: 40
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    I just found out the farmers market down the road from me sell organic farm raised eggs from a local chicken farm where I know the chickens are well looked after so I'll be buying my eggs from there from now on.

    Please note that I'm only mentioning this because we are in a vegan/vegetarian topical thread.

    Exploitation of animals is exploitation of animals, whether they are "treated nicely" or not. I absolutely understand the need to phase things out and ease into a more compassionate lifestyle, but be careful not to kid yourself into thinking that just because it's not from a factory farm, it doesn't involve suffering. When those hens stop producing eggs, they will be sent to slaughter, and the demand for eggs creates the demand for more hens to be introduced into the cycle. Also, there is the simple fact that male chicks are not needed in egg production, so when they're born, there's really only one path they can go down.

    Again, I completely understand the need to gently ease into a lifestyle change - things don't always happen overnight, and I give you a lot of props for standing up and taking action after you've been exposed to information. The biggest thing to think about though, is how everything is connected - eggs to poultry, milk to veal, etc. I feel like it's just very easy to buy into that image of the "bucolic farm" that is fed to us by the food industry.

    There are a lot of great "eggy" recipes using tofu, etc, from scrambles to omlettes to frittatas - really anything your little heart desires!

    You have a good point there and I will take that into consideration, I do plan to phase out eggs once I know I am ready to but like another poster mentioned it's making small changes at a time and this is just the first step to eventually phasing them out completely :smile:
  • Aroz25
    Aroz25 Posts: 40
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    Another question for future reference.. Can anyone recommend a healthy alternative to dairy milk? I have heard differing reviews about soy milk so just wondered if their are other alternatives?
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
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    Another question for future reference.. Can anyone recommend a healthy alternative to dairy milk? I have heard differing reviews about soy milk so just wondered if their are other alternatives?

    Silk makes an absolutely delicious almond milk! The unsweetened original variety is only 35 calories per cup!
  • Aroz25
    Aroz25 Posts: 40
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    Another question for future reference.. Can anyone recommend a healthy alternative to dairy milk? I have heard differing reviews about soy milk so just wondered if their are other alternatives?

    Silk makes an absolutely delicious almond milk! The unsweetened original variety is only 35 calories per cup!

    That sounds yummy I will keep my eyes peeled for it, can you get it from the local supermarket or only at organic stores? I can already tell I'm going to be seeing a lot of changes in my grocery shopping :smile:
  • Kincar
    Kincar Posts: 601 Member
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    I second almond milk. I prefer it over soy or coconut milk. It's really good! You can get it at any super market. My local one doesn't carry too much "exotic" stuff and they have it.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    If you buy from local butchers you're supporting small farms and the animals are treated much more humanely. It's a bit more expensive, but so are the meat substitutes. Also make sure you avoid the farm-raised fish.
  • macnotes
    macnotes Posts: 210 Member
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    I like almond milk as well, and I try to find the stuff that's fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Try to avoid any sweetened kind. I don't like Soy as it really has an off taste and I find you need the sugar in it to make it taste good.

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