A vegetarian mum has been slammed online for banning her children from eating any sort of red meat, while still allowing them to chow down on animals she deems less "intelligent", including chicken and fish.
The mum explained she's been vegetarian for 20 years, but doesn't want to impose her lifestyle choices on her children until they're old enough to decide for themselves whether they want to continue eating meat.
But while she's happy to let her kids eat meats such as poultry and fish, she doesn't want them munching on any red meat from animals such as cows and pigs, and has even banned them from enjoying a ham sandwich.
In a post on Mumsnet, she said: "I'm vegetarian, have been for 20 years, [my] partner is not. Since before [our children] were born, I've said I'll let them have chicken, fish etc, but not red meat including pork.
"Once they're old enough to properly understand that meat was once an animal, then they can decide for themselves whether they want to eat red meat too or be veggie if they like, [it's] their choice.
"Partner thinks I'm ridiculous and said 'Why can't she have a ham sandwich' at a party yesterday, 'What harm will it do?'. There were plenty of other options there anyway: chicken, cheese and egg sandwiches, quiche, fruit, etc."
The mum also gave an explanation for her red meat ban, and said she thinks pigs and cows are "too intelligent", so should not be eaten at all, and that allowing them to eat chicken and fish was a "compromise" on her part.
She added: "In case you think it's relevant, my reasoning behind no red meat is that I think cows and pigs are too intelligent. They know exactly what is happening when they arrive at the abattoir and I think that's just too cruel (and lambs are babies).
"Allowing chicken and fish until they can make their own informed decision was my compromise. If it were purely up to me, I'd be happy raising them veggie!"
Commenters on the post slammed the mum though, as they said that if she's happy to let her children eat chicken and fish, then those animals are "no less alive" than cows and pigs, so she shouldn't ban her kids from certain meats.
One person said: "Are chickens not animals? Do you believe they’re not intelligent enough to realise they are about to die?"
While another added: "I'm vegetarian. The rest of the family eats meat, that's their choice. If your child is eating chicken and fish, then a ham sandwich is exactly the same, so it doesn't make sense to object. A chicken is no less alive than a pig."
And a third posted: "I think it should be up to your children whether they eat ham sandwiches or not. It's [crazy] to me that you'll let them eat chicken and fish but not pork. What's the difference?"
Other commenters who understood the mum's viewpoint, however, noted that eating a lot of red meat can be bad for you. The NHS states that while red meat can form part of a healthy diet, too much red and processed meat can potentially increase your risk of bowel cancer.
While more commenters said that although she is free to restrict what her kids eat when she's the one feeding them, she should allow her partner to give them whatever he wants when it's his job.
Someone said: "The distinction between chickens and red meat is arbitrary and ridiculous. Also, you can't veto what parenting choices the other patent makes; provided they are objectively safe."
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