Diane

 This is not meant to offend anyone.  This is my take on vegetarianism and how others view it based on being a vegetarian for my entire life.

 First and foremost is the belief that vegetarians actually like vegetables.  I did not get to be more than 250 pounds by eating my veggies.  I don’t like them.  I never have.  Broccoli and cauliflower are particularly difficult for me to eat. 

Second - being vegetarian doesn’t mean that any vegetable makes a good pizza topping.  Give me green pepper, onion and black olive.  Carrots, peas, corn and broccoli are not pizza toppings, they are vegetables (and a grain, I know, I know) to be eaten sometime other than on a pizza.

Third - vegetarians do not eat fish and poultry.  That means broth, too.  A vegetable soup made with chicken broth, or worse yet, beef broth is a vegetable soup, not a vegetarian soup. 

Fourth - not all vegetarians are vegetarians because of the cruelty to animals.  Yes, it does help not want to start eating meat, but personally, I am vegetarian because that is how I was raised and I don’t want to eat a dead animal.  I don’t like the smell or sight of it, but I don’t care if someone else chooses to eat it.  My husband and kids eat meat.  I never will.

Fifth - Vegetarians have healthy diets.  Hello!  I struggle daily with eating healthy.  See point one again.  I love chocolate, pastries, ice cream and, since my Poland days, cheese.  I don’t like whole wheat bread and, after one experience with whole wheat pasta, will never touch it again.  I do eat Barilla Plus, but that’s as close as I get.  I didn’t learn these habits as an adult.  And as I mentioned before I was raised vegetarian.  The one thing I have done right is that I don’t like butter or margarine.

So, if anyone has any pointers for getting in veggies, please let me know.  I’m getting sick of cucumbers and tomatoes.  And I can’t eat onions very often.  Too often and I get a migraine.  And this is a whine, but I really, really like them.  I just haven’t eaten them in months.