Bonjour! Well he fell for it! He had know idea the quorn strips weren't chicken mwahahaha. I didn't tell him either but I asked him afterwards if he enjoyed them and he said "yes they were very nice". Been good again today, had beans on toast for lunch. Was speaking to a customer at work about me doing this vegetarian thing and she said I had done very well (yay) and how she is a vegetarian because when she was a girl she lived on a farm during the war (no it wasn't uncle albert) and she used to see the animals go in to the slaughter house and she didn't like it as she got attatched to the animals but she said I was being very strong to just stop eating meat for an assignment and not for any moral reasons. Go me!! On the menu tonight is a chinese takeaway as it's Friday so I'm going to have a vegetable curry and rice, yum. Think I'm doing very well in not touching any meat but I do miss it and can't wait to have a bacon sandwich when I finish to celebrate yummy!!

Had my law exam today eek! Don't know how well I did, well put it this way, the first question I was like "Eh?" so I'm guessing not good! Went fishing on my boyfriends Dad's boat last night, just over the side rod fishing, caught a few mackerel but I had to stop as I got a little sea sick. I actually thought it was quite cruel though because some of the fish were comin out with hooks through their back and through their mouths and watching them flap around in a box because they couldn't breathe I was tempted to throw them back in! But it made me think how some vegetarians are very strict on not eating meat because an animal is killed but they will quite happily eat a fish. But to be honest with you I think the way fish die is worse, because at least a cow or a sheep is stunned in a slaughter house and killed in the most humane way possible but a fish has a hook through its mouth and then suffocated basically. Not nice. It has made me think though about what I eat but, I suppose it's hypocritical really, but at least I haven't seen the way the cow or sheep has died that's on my plate but seeing those fish last night made me think I don't want to eat it, though I don't eat that much fish anyway. Ok so today as I had my law exam and didn't get home until about three all I've had for my lunch was a packet of cheese and onion crisps because I wasn't that hungry but thought I should eat something as my brain had been working since 8am this morning with revision! For tea I'm making potato salad, salad and some breaded quorn strips (supposed to be like southern fried chicken) don't think they'll taste that different but the texture might be. Going to try and trick my boyfriend in to eating these tonight, don't think he'd assume I'd try to trick him twice in a row but we shall see!

Attended a funeral today and had the after part of it at a restaurant where there was a buffet and I found it so hard trying to find something I could eat which wasn't a lot. There was so much meat there which I couldn't have obviously, and home made pasties which I was hoping weren't made with beef so I could have one but how wrong I was :( But realised how hard it must be for vegetarians at things like this and that they must have really good reasons to stay non meat eaters. I ended up being able to have egg sandwich, cheese sandwich, ready salted crisps, cheese and tomato quiche and some chips (but had to ask if they had been cooked in vegetable oil away from meat products) then had to sit while everyone else chomped on slices of ham and pasties and sausage rolls :( But it just made me think how hard it must be to go to things like this for vegetarians as you need to find out what is in everything (like some of the quiches had bacon in which you couldn't really see) and what things have been cooked in etc etc. Phew. Glad I'm only doing this for a couple of weeks and not a life time! Anyway. I tried the quorn spag bol. Put lots of garlic in it and lots of onion but it definately did taste different and the texture was different too, and my boyfriend could tell from the first bite. I didn't help myself by bursting out laughing as soon as he said "this tastes a bit weird" so I gave the game away and he was not happy. He ended up making himself a bacon sandwich but I perservered with the quorn spag bol, it didn't taste as good as a beef one but it wasn't the most revolting thing I've tried and at least I attempted to make him eat something vegetarian but he didn't fall for it. Nevermind. Better luck next time!!!

Hellloooo! Ok so the vegetarianism is going quite well. As my boyfriend had a tooth taken out yesterday he couldn't really eat anything solid so we had leek and potato soup for tea (yum my fave) so I wasn't tempted to pick anythin off his plate. Today during revision for my law exam I had a cheese salad (very boring) and about five packets of crisps as I was still hungry after the salad, thinking this veggie thing may even make me put on weight as all I seem to be eating is rubbish to fill me up from all the cheese and veggies. For tea I had veggie sausages, mash veggies and veggie gravy (my boyfriend had pork sausages and meat gravy, jelous!). Veggie sausages aren't that bad but don't think they really go with gravy, they're more of a breakfast thing, but either way would prefer the meat! Tomorrow have decided I am going to make spag bol with quorn and try and trick my boyfriend in to thinking its beef mince, mwahahaha. Do you think he'll fall for it? I'm thinking with lots of garlic and onions he won't know the difference, wish me luck!!

Ok so forgot to write another post yesterday, woops. We didn't end up getting takeaway, we went out for dinner instead to the meadery. Unfair I think as I love the pork ribs at the meadery but I had to have the vegetarian lasagne instead :( my boyfriend had the ribs though and I was so tempted to have some but I didn't you will be pleased to know. Was tempted to sit at another table though as he was teasing me with them. Went for breakfast this morning and had to have a vegetarian fry up. The veggie sausages were ok, not as good as meat sausages and I couldn't have any bacon. Don't really understand why vegetarians refuse to eat meat, but will eat something that looks like meat such as the veggie sausages, they also do vegetarian bacon as well which I think is quite strange. The friend I interviewed the other day used to eat it and she said it tastes like bacon but obviously isn't. It's a perfect rectangle shaped product that tastes like meat but doesn't contain any meat. I can't see the point in it to be honest, you may as well eat the actual thing! Hmmm so as you can see only a few days of turning veggie and I'm resenting it already. I am determined to stick to it though but can't wait until it's all over! My boyfriend wants to have a roast for tea tonight but I told him no, as I think that's very unfair as I couldn't even have the gravy :( So clearly although he's said he's not turning veggie with me, I'm saying he's not allowed most of the meat meals he loves, I think that's only fair though. If I'm not allowed to then he's not either!

So sorry I didn't write yesterday, I was at work and then I spent the rest of the day revising for my Law exam, not the best way for a 21 year old to spend her Friday but it's got to be done. So instead I will write two posts today. Ok so as you know Thursday was my first day of turning veggie, I had my cheese sandwich which I told you about but I didn't manage to have my veggie sausages and mash as I was called in to work so I ended up having a jacket potato with cheese and beans. Got very tempted when I finished work though as my boyfriend decided to cook steak and even offered me some! You'll be very happy to know that I didn't touch any though, instead just sat and drooled while he ate it. Yesterday as I was at work I had an egg on toast for dinner and a cheese and onion pie with salad for tea. I think I've done very well so far as I usually have some sort of meat for tea. Not sure what I'm having for tea today, think we're having a take away as it's a Saturday night so wish me luck that I'm not tempted to have KFC! Mmmmm KFC. I'll write again tonight to let you know what I've had and how hard it was for me to choose a meat free version :(

Sorry sorry sorry, I know I haven’t written for a couple of days, I’ve been so busy with other assignments which had to be in this week so had to get them done. Ok so today is the day I start my vegetarianism. Eek. I’m at college today so made myself a packed lunch of cheese and salad sandwiches and a packet of cheese and onion crisps (very creative I hear you cry). I do like cheese though but think I will get a bit bored of it as I can’t think of many other fillings I can have except salad on its own? Erm maybe not. Still trying to get my boyfriend in to it to make life easier (and cheaper) for myself, but now he’s just resorted to raising his eyebrows at me so I’m taking it as a “stop asking me I’ve already said no”. Still going to try and trick him though. For tea I’m going to make vegetarian sausages mash, peas and onion gravy (vegetable gravy obviously). My boyfriends going to have normal pork sausages (as I know he’ll be able to tell the difference, he’s not just a pretty face) so we may have to eat at separate tables so I’m not tempted to pick at his! I will let you know tomorrow how my first day has gone. Wish me luck!

I spoke to my friend Katie who used to be a vegetarian so I’m going to ask her the reasons why she became a veggie, and the reasons she is not now:
Hannah: Hello my lovely, how are you? I would like to ask you a couple of questions on your vegetarianism if that’s ok?
Katie: Of course ask away
Hannah: Ok, first of all what made you decide to become vegetarian?
Katie: Well I was sharing a house with some friends who were all vegetarians so that was probably one of the reasons but also I just didn’t like the thought of an animal dying for me to eat, when I can easily live off vegetables and stuff.
Hannah: How long were you a vegetarian?
Katie: A few years
Hannah: Ok Cool. Did you find it hard being a vegetarian as in making your own food?
Katie: No it was really easy, and I love cooking anyway so I liked experimenting with different vegetables and stuff.
Hannah: What about eating out? Was it hard finding restaurants that did a range of veggie meals?
Katie: Well some restaurants I found only do one or two veggie meals but a lot of restaurants have a good range of veggie meals so I stuck to those places.
Hannah: What was the meat you missed the most?
Katie: Definitely a bacon sarnie
Hannah: So you’re not vegetarian anymore, what happened there?
Katie: I met my boyfriend who is a big meat eater. As simple as. He put bacon in my mouth and I haven’t looked back since!
Hannah: But do you still feel guilty about all those animals that are dying for you to eat them?
Katie: Yeah but it tastes so good
Hannah: Fair enough, how do you think me turning vegetarian is going to turn out?
Katie: Terrible, you like your meat too much!
Hannah: Well thanks for the vote of confidence!
There you have it, a personal insight in to a vegetarian who couldn’t give up the good stuff, and doesn’t think I will be able to either!

As I live with my boyfriend who is a big meat eater too, I’m thinking that me going vegetarian is going to be quite expensive as he’ll still be eating the meat and I’ll be having all the vegetarian produce. I think I may try to trick him though and maybe make a dish that includes quorn or something and see if he can taste the difference. Have asked him if he would like to turn vegetarian with me “it’s only for 28 days” to which he replied “you’re mad” so I’ll take that as a polite no. But what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. And if he does taste the difference, I’ll just say I accidentally used it for his meal “oopsy”.

Ok so I’ve been looking at the ingredients of Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages. For 6 sausages the ingredients are: rehydrated textured wheat protein (63%) (made from soyflour), vegetable oil, water, pea and wheat protein (4%) flavourings, rusk, stabiliser, hydroxyl propyl methyl cellulose (an alternative to animal gelatine, used for thickening). The textured wheat protein contains wheat and starch. The flavourings contain dextrose, salt, onion, yeast extract, colour, red iron oxide. The rusk contains wheat, flour and salt. There's 101 calories per sausage. Yum. Seems like a lot of additives that don’t sound that good for you, but it’s all to spare an animal!

I looked at http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/articles/vegetarianism.htm which has 21 reasons to become a vegetarian. It’s a very biased and hard hitting site. It says that being a vegetarian means you’ll have less fat intake and if you eat meat you increase your chances of having a heart attack or getting cancer. Nice. It tries to make you feel guilty for eating meat for the pain and suffering animals go through to die in a slaughter house. I’m sure there are a minority of slaughter houses that don’t kill the animal in the most humane way, but I do know that in the majority of slaughter houses the animal is killed in a pain free way and does not suffer. This is what the internet site actually says: “Animals who die for your dinner table die alone, in terror, in sadness and in pain. The killing is merciless and inhumane.” I mean come on, who’s writing this?! You’ll have to look at the site yourself to see what other things are being said on there. It’s outrageous. I do understand vegetarians views to not eat meat, I am an animal lover myself but clearly not enough to stop eating them! What I will say is vegetarians slate meat eaters for doing what we do but a meat eater won’t sit down and tell a vegetarian to eat meat, yet vegetarians always try to change our minds and get us to stop eating meat (trust me I’ve had a few people do this to me) and this website is a perfect example. Basically in life we have meat eaters and we have non - meat eaters and that’s just the way the world works, it will never be perfect!

My first ever post. So as part of my journalism degree (as I’ve already said) one of my lectures is all about how the internet is affecting the media and so for an assignment I have to fill in this blog for 28 days on a chosen topic. As I am a big meat eater I have decided to turn vegetarian as I think it will be good to see how much willpower I have and use this blog as my online diary to tell you lot how I am doing (or not doing). Haven’t actually turned vegetarian yet, trying to keep it off as long as possible as I am dreading it! So I’ve decided to do some research in to it - see why other people do it and the down sides to it such as the unhealthiness of it etc.