Why I don't have Turkey for Christmas

 By Lauren Michelle Daldry

My Christmas Dinner last year

One of the first things people say to me when I tell them I'm a vegetarian is "how can you not eat meat?!". Another is "what do you have for Christmas dinner then as you can't have turkey?". The answer to the first question is simple I don't really like meat and to be honest I don't miss it. The answer to the second is simple: Quorn.

I have been a vegetarian for around 7 years now it was over the summer between being in Year 8 and going into Year 9 at school that I decided not to eat meat after watching an episode of Gordan Ramsay's F Word where there was a section of show where Janet Street Porter was rearing veal and in the last episode of the series had to take them to the abattoir to be slaughter for meat. This is where my love for meat ended as I found out how this animal had been slaughted using an electronic bolt gun to stun and kill the animal.

Another factor of me becoming vegetarian is in Year 9 in food technology. We found out about battery chickens and how they live in tiny compacted cages. Although, there are free range chickens and they live freely and well they are still obviously are killed which in my opinion I don't like the thought of.

Recently, I watched an interesting documentary film called Earthlings where in the film they show you how meat is made and how animals in some countries like stray dogs in the world are treated. This also got me thinking. Here it is if you want to watch it: (warning there are some upsetting scenes in it so if it's not for you don't watch it please)

Obviously to survive, people need to eat sources of protein and for vegetarians it can be difficult but with eating Quorn I don't find it's a problem. Most people assume it's tasteless and boring. In actual fact there are many kinds of quorn like bacon, sausage, chicken fillets and I found out this year, Turkey. This means now I can have Turkey and not feel guilty of killing an animal to eat it.

This blog post isn't saying stop eating meat and become a vegatarian, it's saying maybe think about where and how the meat you eat on the 25th December comes from.

Blog question: What bit of the christmas dinner do you enjoy the most?
Leave a comment below. Mine would be stuffing.

Hope you all have an awesome Christmas
CiaoCiaoForNowNow
Lauren ^__^