“While at John Moores University, Liverpool I constantly tried to explain to the catering staff that vegetarians don't eat fish. One day I went for lunch, asked what the vegetarian meal was, and the woman behind the counter replied tuna bake! I then explained how tuna wasn't a veggie food item as it is a fish, so then she offered me battered cod! I tried explaining again only to be told that her daughter is a vegetarian but she eats fish. I replied that she wasn't a veggie if she ate fish, but the woman didn't understand, so I left with no dinner. The university appears to take no action on behalf of veggies however they do feel that kosher dinners should be properly labelled. This was all very frustrating to me and made me feel like a second class citizen and that I shouldn't be bothering people with my beliefs.”
Sally

“I once ordered a salad. When it arrived, it had a dead fish lying on top. I haven’t yet figured out who was the more gutted, the FISH or I.”
Jaye

“I find that many Thai (and Chinese) restaurants use fish paste or shrimp paste in their 'vegetarian' curries (certainly the green curry, which is my favourite), and quite often, when I ask them if they can make it without, they say that they cannot. So I take my business elsewhere (usually to the local supermarket so I can make it myself at home!)
They just don't seem aware of the implications.”
Abigail

“I am constantly amazed at the amount of people that believe vegetarians eat chicken as well as fish. This has happened to me on many occasions and I go to great lengths every time to explain to people what a vegetarian does eat, and that I am a lacto-ovo vegetarian and what that means. That normally shuts them up but I am still amazed at how ill-informed restaurant owners can be (not to mention the dire choice of Veggie options available) and general members of the public are over what it means to be a vegetarian.”
Sarah

“When I've been asked if I eat fish as a vegetarian, I respond with "how many cod have you grown in your garden, because you should call the national papers for such a miracle". One which made me speechless (rare event) was the lady who said "ooh I could easily become vegetarian, I love chicken and fish". The alleged benefits of fish for empowering our brain cells was disproved in that sentence ...unless of course she has herring plants and chicken trees in which case I apologise to her. I just grow peas and carrots in mine!”
Christine