Going Cold Turkey: Vegetarianism (Part II - First Meat-Free Shopping Trip)

Having finally offloaded the last bits of meat in my freezer, the slate was wiped clean, and I was excited to stock up on some new products and go in search for items that wouldn't usually make the list.

I was mostly interested in meat-replacement services like Quorn and Tofu as I had never thought or looked twice at these products before I turned. Though, I have had Quorn before in the uncanny shape and demeanour of a sausage, I can't quite remember how I felt about it at the time, but I don't think it was at all negative. This time around I bought Quorn 'chicken' and 'beef' and await the response of my body to these fungi in disguise.

I've seen mixed reviews of Tofu and wanted to make my own mind up, but unfortunately I couldn't find any inside the belly of supermarket beasts Aldi or Tesco and so will look elsewhere. Unless I missed the secret passage that I'm to be lead down by whispering a code word inside one of the workers ears.

I'd hoped I wouldn't experience any kind of food snobbery, especially being a vegetarian noob after only just converting, but as I found myself skipping the 'poultry' 'beef' and 'fish' aisles there was an inkling of thought that slipped through, telling me I was more morally accomplished for throwing butternut squash in my trolley instead of a leg of lamb.

I was handed another moral dilemma as I was searching for eggs and having to check with my conscience which ones to get. Now I have to look for organic, free range, 'don't worry we gave them warm clothes and fed them treats in a luxurious garden before we forced them to shit out an egg' eggs, so as to not have a double standard about how I believe it is wrong to kill an animal for food, but that its OK to keep them cooped up in a shit filled B&B until they've eaten so much they might explode.

There I was, however, shopping in a supermarket, creating the demand for these shithouses by feeding a mass producing grocery retailer. But until I have enough space to house chickens and cows that can produce eggs and milk with a smile on their face, I will continue to be a cog.

I wasn't tempted to meat-out during this shop, despite my accompaniment for the trip flashing steak cuts and chorizo sausages in my eye-line, s/o Dan Morris for doing so.