I get asked all the time if I’m vegan or vegetarian. I always struggle with how to answer that question. The truth is, no I’m not. I’ll eat a grass-fed, organic piece of beef every once in a while. And my wife’s brownies turn out a lot better if we use real eggs (cage free) than if we use the egg replacers. Don’t know why; they just do.
People ask me that question because almost all of the time I’ll opt for a vegetarian option at a restaurant. (I think it’s safer; I hope it is, anyway). While I strongly oppose the cruel manner in which most of this country’s meat is fabricated and I will not let any of that industrialized meat get anywhere close to my plate, the strongest reason for my food choices comes from my desire to be healthy.
We have a vegan bakery right up the street from us. They’ve got great looking pies, cakes, brownies, and a couple of warm dishes for lunch too. But I’ve talked to the owner and looked at the ingredients she uses. She may have pulled out the eggs and scary dairy to make it vegan, but she’s still using processed flours and sugars. There’s nothing healthy about that. So I sadly leave empty handed and drive home to bake something myself.
So am I vegan? I can’t honestly answer that one with a yes. 95% of the time that is how I eat. But 100% of the time I eat foods that are healthy for me, or if it’s a dessert that can’t really be labeled as “healthy,” I know for a fact that there are no processed ingredients in it. So until the world makes up a better word for what I am, for the time being I’ll call myself a “fooducian.” 🙂
Fooducian, I love that term. I find it sad that people always want to label things. I’m starting to get asked the same question too. My reply is that I love eating real food that has had the least amount of human intervention. The “realer” the food, the better I like it.
We share the same philosophy. But in most cases, eyes start glazing over if you don’t have a one-word label to give them. You can help us get Fooducian to catch on. : )