Do you love meat? Or not?

[Teaching3bears]

I have always thought of meat as something I have to eat for protein.  Otherwise, there are so many things I would rather eat.  As a child I hated it.  I like hot dogs and sometimes enjoy hamburger or steak if it is good and others are eating it but otherwise, I don’t care for it that much.  Anyways, I can’t relate to vegetarian products that are meant to taste like meat since I don’t think the taste of meat is so amazing.  Things I crave: fruit, chocolate, pizza and other things with tomato sauce and cheese, ice cream
Do most people crave meat?

[madteaparty]

Very much. I wish I didn’t. I don’t eat hot dogs or sausages though. 
ETA that I’m often anemic. 

Edited June 10, 2022 by madteaparty

[fairfarmhand]

I like it about as much as anything else. When I’m anemic, I crave it.

[Melissa in Australia]

I don't consider hot dogs meat, aren't they mostly filler 

I try to  eat meat every day. not a large portion. I don't eat processed meat really . I crave meat if I don't have it 

 I once went for close to 2 weeks without meat ( on a holiday). I became very week feeling and shaky. I found out afterwards that I have  anemia. I cannot get enough iron even with eating a huge amount of leafy greens and  a portion meat.

Edited June 10, 2022 by Melissa in Australia

[KidsHappen]

I eat predominately meat, fruits and vegetables. I can eat a pound of bacon in a single setting. I don't particularly care for most forms of carbs like bread, pasta, potatoes or most forms of sweets. When I do want a snack it is usually something salty like nuts, seeds or popcorn and if I eat candy it is usually something tart.

[mlktwins]

We all love meat in our family!  DH and I are trying to lower our cholesterol so not so much meat happening here these days 😩!

[Teaching3bears]

I had low iron as a teen but I still did not like meat much.

[HomeAgain]

Just now, fairfarmhand said:

I like it about as much as anything else. When I’m anemic, I crave it.

This is me.

I do tend to eat vegetarian/vegan on vacations (WDW actually has some really wonderful options for plant based meals) only because of issues I have with excess grease and possible cross-contamination.  But I am anemic, and have to balance my diet well at home. Meat provides the fat, protein and iron I need in one fell swoop and it tastes good.  I can appreciate a good filet mignon with dh's Bordelaise sauce or pork chops with a mustard-fennel glaze.

I have 4 homemade cookbooks: poultry, beef, pork,vegetarian.  We rotate through them, pulling 1 recipe from the first three and 2 from the vegetarian book each week, with lunches/breakfasts being almost always vegetarian.  Yesterday was a chickpea salad w/marinated tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado, along with hummus-coated arugula and pepitas on top.  Sooooooooo good.

[Paige]

I don't. I always hated dealing with meat when cooking and enjoy side dishes more. We are mostly vegetarian now and I don't miss it at all. My girls had seriously low iron and the pediatrician specifically recommended multi grain cheerios. They have 100% of the daily iron reccomendation. 

 

[WildflowerMom]

No, I don’t particularly crave it, not regularly anyway.  I do crave carbs, unfortunately.   Now, there are certain meats that I crave, I guess—Chick-fil-A nuggets, for example.  But I wouldn’t say I necessarily crave the meat, but the whole meal.  
I do miss the saltiness that meat adds in some dishes, but I’ve started making mushroom ‘bacon’ to get the same effect.  
I still do eat meat, because I live with meat eaters. One of the reasons I’m looking forward to dh going to Alaska for 1.5 mos is so I can eat what I want, lol.  

[WildflowerMom]

Like @Paige, I also hate cooking with meat.  Like seriously despise it.   It’s really gross and I’m constantly washing my hands, wiping the countertop down.  Life would be easier (and cheaper) if we cut out meat at home.  

[regentrude]

No. Never really liked it. I cooked meat for my meat-loving kid and will eat it if I am a guest, but I much prefer to eat other things. I prepare meat maybe once a month.

Vegetarian meat substitutes that try hard to appear and taste like meat hold no appeal for me.

[Ailaena]

I stopped eating meat at 7 because I hated it (and hated the emotional, animal-eating part).  I will occasionally eat something chicken or turkey, but really don’t like the taste/texture of meat.  To the point that I cannot eat an impossible burger because it is too much like my memory of a beef burger 😞

Sometimes I drop down into an anemic range, but I still don’t crave meat.  

[Indigo Blue]

Meat repulses me. Literally. It’s a texture thing. If I were on an island alone and all I had was hotdogs, eggs, or steak, I would have a terrible time gagging and trying to eat it. It’s always been that way. 

When I was young, my mom would tell me I wasn’t getting up from the table until I ate the hamburger patty on my plate. I sat there, staring at the plate, not taking a bite. She’d be so angry. Horrible memory.

I don’t like “fake” meat. 

It’s a problem eating at people’s houses where they don’t understand how pervasive this is. It can be an embarrassing and difficult situation, because there is no “just eat it to be polite.” There have been times when it has accidentally gotten into my mouth and I start heaving and gagging until I get it out.

I don’t like to cut up raw meat with a knife or scoop the insides out of a whole turkey. So I don’t ever do that. 

Do I like meat?    No.

[Lillyfee]

I am Vegetarian since I am 11 years old.

You don't need it for protein. I did never pay attention on how to replace protein and I have four healthy babies and breastfed each for 3 years and my iron levels were always great even during pregnancy.

I do not miss meat a little bit. I could not eat it thinking what it is.

I feel Vegetarian is a 100 % save to do.

Edited June 10, 2022 by Lillyfee

[elegantlion]

Crave it? No. Eat it, yes. I eat a lot of chicken, and will eat pork generally on pizza. I don't like beef as much. SO and I were just talking about this today. He grilled turkey burgers yesterday - first time we've had those. I actually prefer them to beef hamburgers. 

I'm still a picky eater, so I like chicken for variety. 

[ScoutTN]

Yes, I enjoy meat. But I like most everything. Diabetic, so I eat lots of veggies and protein foods and fat, smaller portions of fruit, and few carbs/starches. I enjoy a good steak, burgers, lamb, bacon, pork chops, ham etc. We buy almost all our meat from local farmers - smaller portions, higher quality.
 

A vegetarian diet would send my blood sugars sky high and cause me to gain weight.
 

Fake “meat” has no appeal for me. 

Edited June 10, 2022 by ScoutTN

[ktgrok]

LOVE meat. Even when I was a vegetarian for over a decade, I never lost the desire to eat meat as far as taste goes. Especially steak. Chicken - meh. No big craving for chicken. But steak? Roast beef? Bacon? Burgers? yes please. 

I also am often low iron and/or anemic, so maybe that is why? In fact, that decade plus of vegetarian life ended when I was pregnant and anemic, I CRAVED steak - two-three times a week I went to roadhouse and got their smallest steak plate. I still think the perfect meal is steak, a salad or grilled veggie, baked potato, and creme brullee for dessert. 

 

[Pawz4me]

No, I don't particularly like meat. I eat some because I'm cooking for two others who are meat eaters. But more often than not I'll fix them something with meat and eat vegetarian myself. If left to my own devices I'd definitely be a total vegetarian. I dislike fake meat products, too. ETA: I was anemic for the majority of my life (from toddler until menopause) but I never craved meat.

Edited June 10, 2022 by Pawz4me

[HomeAgain]

1 minute ago, Lillyfee said:

I am Vegetarian since I am 11 years old.

You don't need it for protein. I did never pay attention on how to replace protein and I have four healthy babies amd breastfed each for 3 years and my iron levels were always great even during pregnancy.

I do not miss meat a little bit. I could not eat it thinking what it is.

I feel Vegetarian is a 100 % save to do.

That's great for you! 

I have always marveled at how everyone's body works differently and has different ways of processing, don't you?  How dietary needs are not a straight across the board "eat this/not that" and assuming that it works for everyone.  My own dietician was especially helpful in helping to create a balance for my own personal needs and learning how to really listen to my body when the normal course didn't work for my high metabolism and I had steep lows.

[livetoread]

4 minutes ago, Indigo Blue said:

It’s a problem eating at people’s houses where they don’t understand how pervasive this is. It can be an embarrassing and difficult situation, because there is no “just eat it to be polite.” There have been times when it has accidentally gotten into my mouth and I start heaving and gagging until I get it out.

I was raised vegetarian and have never eaten meat on purpose. I'm the same way - meat repulses me and I can't just gag it down. I think I would throw up if I tried. Recently I thought I would try some salmon but when I had it in front of me I just couldn't take a bite. When I was younger I was at a boyfriend's house and his mother knew I was vegetarian. She gave me some soup which was really nice but it had pieces of chicken in it and she told me to just eat around them. I felt really bad but couldn't manage even a bite. Just seeing the chicken fat on top made me want to heave. It doesn't bother me if people eat it in front of me though I just try not to look closely at things like bloody steak. It's thinking of putting it in my mouth that is gross.

[Scarlett]

Not particularly.  I love beans of all kinds and vegetables and fruit.   I can do without bread too. But I crave  chips. 
 

We do eat meat.  We buy a half a cow every year.  I usually do a couple of meat meals a week including chicken and fish.  

[YaelAldrich]

Now that I'll surrounded by vegans, vegetarians, and for health not meat eaters , I miss meat and chicken quite a bit. We used to eat chicken twice a week and beef or lamb twice a month or so. We eat vegan or vegetarian every day here so I've started ordering meat or chicken when I go out (2-3 times a month) whereas I used to order whatever tickled my fancy. I bought steak and lamb for home consumption and I've eaten that some. I miss some chicken dishes I used to make that aren't good units I do a bunch at a time. 

[ktgrok]

I should add that along with craving meat, my body just does better eating mostly meat and veggies and fruit. I wish it didn't - that's expensive! But my decade of vegetarianism corresponded with the low fat craze in the US, and I ate a LOT processed simple carbs, gained weight, and messed up my metabolism. I don't like or digest beans well, and am a super taster who HATED most veggies until I hit my late 30s and discovered roasting them, so that left well, simple carbs that were highly processed. So I'm not blaming the vegetarianism thing, but HOW I ate during that time. 

After becoming morbidly obese with a messed up metabolism I now have to compensate with limited carbs. I can't eat tons of fiber without serious GI problems, 20 grams is about my limit, and things like beans, cabbage, anything with chicory/inulin, flax, leave me in distress, so yeah, at this point meat, eggs, certain veggies, and fruit are my go to to keep my insulin and appetite in check. 

If I eat a bowl of beans and rice I NEVER stop being hungry, I could literally eat a whole pot of it and still crave more. A normal or small serving of say, chicken salad, and I'm full and content for hours. So..yes, I like meat, taste wise...love it actually. But I also do best eating it. (I also LOVE carbs...but do not do well eating those..sigh)

[Scarlett]

Oh and I also have a difficult time preparing meat.  It oftentimes grosses me out so much I can’t even eat it once it is cooked.  

[wintermom]

Meat itself doesn't taste like much; it's the fat and seasonings that make it delicious - at least that's what many cooking shows seem to state, and I tend to agree.

Fresh ocean fish and seafood, maybe not technically 'meat' as far as the OP goes, tastes pretty awesome without any extras. Maybe it's the sea salt already present.

I love umami, salt and sweet tastes. Give me chocolate for sweetness and animal/fish protein with some fat for umami. I don't care about the shape of the final product (sausage, patty, cubed, etc.).

I did have a few years as a vegetarian, mostly because the meat I was surrounded by wasn't prepared in a way I enjoyed. Once I found out how I like it prepared and the type of cut, I fully enjoy a complete omnivore diet.

[Kalmia]

I don't really crave anything, but I prefer meat, vegetables & fruit with very, very limited whole grains. I do not do well on a carb-heavy diet and gain weight, feel sick, and hold on to the weight no matter what I try. I do believe that regenerative agriculture in which animals and plants are farmed together ecologically is an ethical choice. In regenerative agriculture, the animal waste produced on site feeds the soil the plants grow on and the animals (chickens especially) control some of the insect pests. This is much better for the planet and for  wildlife than extractive agriculture that separates and concentrates the production of animals and plants into different locations and in which the plants require massive inputs of chemical fertilizer and pesticides. So despite it being expensive (though with recent increases to conventional meat prices, not as different as it was) I source all my meat and eggs from local regenerative farms, many of which are organic. I wish there were subsidies for these farmers like there are for massive industrial farms so that everyone could afford to eat foods (meat and plants) that are raised humanely and do not wipe out the wildlife in the growing area.

Edited June 10, 2022 by Kalmia

[Wheres Toto]

When pregnant I crave steak with A1 steak sauce.  Something I never want to eat at any other time.

I eat meat but I definitely don't crave it.  It's just something I eat for the protein and because dh is the one that cooks and I just eat whatever he happens to cook for dinner.  If we go out to eat I pretty much always get pasta and seafood (does that count as meat?), even at steak restaurants.   Second choice from pasta/seafood, is probably fish, then chicken.  

I crave carbs unfortunately.  I think I'd be a lot thinner if I ate more lean chicken and less carbs.  

[MEmama]

I was vegetarian for around 25 years (I did add occasional fish in there at some point). I am much healthier now that I’ve incorporated chicken into my diet; my blood sugars are more stable and I need to eat less to feel sated. 
 

Edited June 10, 2022 by MEmama

[Indigo Blue]

17 minutes ago, livetoread said:

I was raised vegetarian and have never eaten meat on purpose. I'm the same way - meat repulses me and I can't just gag it down. I think I would throw up if I tried. Recently I thought I would try some salmon but when I had it in front of me I just couldn't take a bite. When I was younger I was at a boyfriend's house and his mother knew I was vegetarian. She gave me some soup which was really nice but it had pieces of chicken in it and she told me to just eat around them. I felt really bad but couldn't manage even a bite. Just seeing the chicken fat on top made me want to heave. It doesn't bother me if people eat it in front of me though I just try not to look closely at things like bloody steak. It's thinking of putting it in my mouth that is gross.

Yes! Solidarity! It’s good to know there’s someone else out there….😂😂

[Selkie]

Thanks to decades of marketing and lobbying by the meat industry, there is a mythology built up that meat is a healthy and necessary component of the human diet. But science is pretty clear that consumption of meat and other animal protein is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality, whereas consumption of plant protein is linked with lower all-cause mortality - so it's no surprise that the healthiest and longest-lived populations in the world are the ones that eat the least meat. There are many studies showing that animal protein increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and other diseases. 

[Ausmumof3]

I don’t really. I love dairy. If you gave me the choice between a nice cheesy vegetable pasta dish say spinach ricotta and pumpkin for something I’d most likely pick that over meat. But I do feel hungry, irritable and not satisfied when we don’t have it. I assume if we put the effort into more nutritionally balanced vegan meals that might not be an issue though:

[livetoread]

2 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Thanks to decades of marketing and lobbying by the meat industry, there is a mythology built up that meat is a healthy and necessary component of the human diet. But science is pretty clear that consumption of meat and other animal protein is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality, whereas consumption of plant protein is linked with lower all-cause mortality - so it's no surprise that the healthiest and longest-lived populations in the world are the ones that eat the least meat. There are many studies showing that animal protein increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and other diseases. 

I wouldn't be surprised if we learn eventually that gut biomes play a big role in how well people do on certain diets. Maybe those who are used to a meat diet and try vegetarian or vegan feel worse because they don't have the right microbes for that diet. 

[Lillyfee]

31 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

That's great for you! 

I have always marveled at how everyone's body works differently and has different ways of processing, don't you?  How dietary needs are not a straight across the board "eat this/not that" and assuming that it works for everyone.  My own dietician was especially helpful in helping to create a balance for my own personal needs and learning how to really listen to my body when the normal course didn't work for my high metabolism and I had steep lows.

I did not want to offend anyone and everybody should eat what they think is best.

I just realized when I came here that Americans are really concerned about their protein.

At home a lot (if not most) of my friends are Vegetarian, have babies and normal iron without taking supplements. Most Doctors promote Vegeterian diets or are ok with it in all life stages. 

When i came pregnant to the US people were  very concerned about me not eating meat. I also never took maternity supplements.

So I wanted to say that in general the fear about not getting enough protein is not true but if anybody feels better with meat they should eat it.

[Ausmumof3]

It always seems so surprising to me when this comes up how many on the forum are either vegan, vegetarians or only eat meat a couple of times a week. The vast majority of people in my social circle are still meat plus three veg types. I mean it might be spag bol or stir fry but the proportions would be similar. It’s just funny how different our pockets of civilisation are from each other.

[ScoutTN]

7 minutes ago, livetoread said:

I wouldn't be surprised if we learn eventually that gut biomes play a big role in how well people do on certain diets. Maybe those who are used to a meat diet and try vegetarian or vegan feel worse because they don't have the right microbes for that diet. 

I have wondered about this.

I also wonder about the differences between how factory farmed meat differs from pastured/grass fed in the human body over decades. 

[mommyoffive]

No I don't really crave it.  I mean if there is a good hamburger or something like that, then sure.  But day to day not really.   I am more a chocolate, nuts, veggies, and chip craving person.  

[wintermom]

24 minutes ago, Selkie said:

Thanks to decades of marketing and lobbying by the meat industry, there is a mythology built up that meat is a healthy and necessary component of the human diet. But science is pretty clear that consumption of meat and other animal protein is associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality, whereas consumption of plant protein is linked with lower all-cause mortality - so it's no surprise that the healthiest and longest-lived populations in the world are the ones that eat the least meat. There are many studies showing that animal protein increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia, and other diseases. 

This is pretty typical of an anti-meat perspective, and pretty insulting to many cultures throughout the world.  Go ahead and slam a large proportion of the world with these kinds of sweeping statements, but just don't be surprised if you annoy and humiliate many people that are already the target of condemnation of the white, Western world. 

There are still a large number of hunters and gatherers and farmers carefully raising healthy livestock,  cultures in the world today, and some respect for their ways of life without incorrectly stating that their choices and cultural habits are a myth.

ETA: Inactivity is shown through research to have a direct link with cancer, heart disease, diabetes and many other diseases. It helps to look at the whole picture of a human and their health, rather that focus in one one part of a diet. 

 

Edited June 10, 2022 by wintermom

[HomeAgain]

2 minutes ago, Ausmumof3 said:

It always seems so surprising to me when this comes up how many on the forum are either vegan, vegetarians or only eat meat a couple of times a week. The vast majority of people in my social circle are still meat plus three veg types. I mean it might be spag bol or stir fry but the proportions would be similar. It’s just funny how different our pockets of civilisation are from each other.

It's the same in our circles.

It took dh and I a long time to find vegetarian meals that worked for us and went outside our norm for how we approached plants.  He grew up with everything coming from a can and cooked within an inch of its life.  I grew up with nearly all plants served raw (except corn) and straight from the garden/farm.  We didn't have the tools when we first got married to see veggies beyond how we were used to them, so it was a lot of meat + veg meals.  We had to intentionally seek out how to do things differently.

Now that we've explored a lot more options, we've centered on an "honest food" approach, where all prep is meant to bring out the best in simple ingredients.  It means no fake meats, like Impossible, but finding a place for meat within a larger variety of other foods.  We still eat meat about 3x a week, possibly slightly more in the winter, but know how to make good main dishes centered around plant options.

[Selkie]

9 minutes ago, livetoread said:

I wouldn't be surprised if we learn eventually that gut biomes play a big role in how well people do on certain diets. Maybe those who are used to a meat diet and try vegetarian or vegan feel worse because they don't have the right microbes for that diet. 

Actually, research shows that animal protein is harmful to the microbiome. When people eat animal protein, their gut microbes produce a toxic substance called TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide). People who have high levels of TMAO are at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and cancer.

 

[BlsdMama]

1 hour ago, Melissa in Australia said:

. I became very week feeling and shaky. I found out afterwards that I have  anemia. I cannot get enough iron even with eating a huge amount of leafy greens and  a portion meat.

You might try a sublingual B12 supplement . I struggled with anemia for years and I’m finally good again. Even with enough iron coming in, if your B12 is low, the iron isn’t absorbed. 
 

i love meat. I only really crave beef. I’d love to eat more vegetarian but supper doesn’t feel like the right meal without meat. I’m not trying very hard. 😕

[Selkie]

7 minutes ago, wintermom said:

This is pretty typical of an anti-meat perspective, and pretty insulting to many cultures throughout the world.  Go ahead and slam a large proportion of the world with these kinds of sweeping statements, but just don't be surprised if you annoy and humiliate many people that are already the target of condemnation of the white, Western world. 

There are still a large number of hunters and gatherer cultures in the world today, and some respect for their ways of life without incorrectly stating that their choices and cultural habits are a myth.

 

Don't be mad at me, be mad at the science.

As Kim Williams, former president of the American College of Cardiology, famously said: "There are two kinds of cardiologists: Vegans and those who haven't read the data". (For the record, he is non-white. Thought that might be of importance to you since you (inexplicably) brought race into a discussion about nutrition science.)

[Lillyfee]

I do cook meat for my family though but I am very strict which one. Only cage free organic chicken and poultry or grass fed organic beef from local farms. I feel it's a matter of respect to the animals 

I do judge my husband really bad  when he gets cheap fast food for him and the kids like on road trips 

[wintermom]

Just now, Selkie said:

Don't be mad at me, be mad at the science.

As Kim Williams, former president of the American College of Cardiology, famously said: "There are two kinds of cardiologists: Vegans and those who haven't read the data". (For the record, he is non-white. Thought that might be of importance to you since you (inexplicably) brought race into a discussion about nutrition science.)

It's the arrogant method of trying to communicate a message that makes me mad. Broad sweeping, hyper-critical statements aren't science at all. Those are your choices. 

[Laura Corin]

It's fine. I'd rather eat veg or fish.

[Lillyfee]

And I believe meatless or a lot less meat is the future as raising meat needs so many resources we won't have forever and it also hurts the environment. There will be just too many people at one point.

 

 

[Selkie]

1 minute ago, wintermom said:

It's the arrogant method of trying to communicate a message that makes me mad. Broad sweeping, hyper-critical statements aren't science at all. Those are your choices. 

They are broad, sweeping statements because they are true in a broad, sweeping sense. It's not like there is only one type of animal protein that is bad for you, or one type of vegetable that is good for you. A plant-based diet is much healthier than an animal-based diet in a broad, sweeping sense, according to science. However, I realize that people do not like to hear bad news about things they enjoy, so I'm not surprised that you turned to a personal attack. 

[HomeAgain]

2 minutes ago, Selkie said:

They are broad, sweeping statements because they are true in a broad, sweeping sense. It's not like there is only one type of animal protein that is bad for you, or one type of vegetable that is good for you. A plant-based diet is much healthier than an animal-based diet in a broad, sweeping sense, according to science. However, I realize that people do not like to hear bad news about things they enjoy, so I'm not surprised that you turned to a personal attack. 

Well, no. 

I looked up two different peoples, the Metis, who rely heavily on hunted foods, and the Japanese, which have more access to plant based foods.  There IS a difference in lifespan, but it's not huge.

Your statement also fails to recognize the environmental impact of eating local vs. non-local and the problems with crops that set out to destroy indigenous species and biosystems.

Recognizing that there are many factors in diets is a big part of reducing disease and global impacts.  There is no single answer.

[Brittany1116]

I could eat meat 2-3 times a week and not mind. I don't usually crave meat. However, my mother's blood type is prime rib and my dad thinks it isn't a meal without meat. My husband and boys tend to agree with Pop.

[Lillyfee]

I do believe that humans can deal with a lot of different diets and also with long periods of not perfect diets. 

My dad was born 1940 in Germany.  When he was school age they had no food. Some bread and apples, that's it. No meat. One meal a day. My dad had nightmares for months my grandmother said. 

Then American soldiers came to school to give out one hot chocolate made with milk in the morning. My dad's nightmares stopped with starting to drink milk.  

Now he is 82 years old,  rides his bike every day and is a healthy person. I do believe genetics just plays a big role too. 

I feel people need much less than we sometimes think and I feel most of us just eat to much stuff.

I am very sugar addicted for example.

Edited June 10, 2022 by Lillyfee