How to explain to someone why you don't eat meat?

Could she be anymore disrespectful of your beliefs. I'm so tired of meat eaters. They fail to see outside of the box they live in. Sure you could go into the animal cruelty side of it all but why don't you ask why she eats meat? Turn it back round onto her.

Their reasons are always the same "because your missing a food group if you skip meat" or "its unhealthy to not eat meat" or "all the vegans I know are scrawny and unhealthy looking" riiight like they know about every vegan you meet.
Oh! and then there's the ones who seem truly offended by your not wanting to eat meat so they get all defensive and start trolling you with a "they put them down humanly and they don't feel a thing you idiot" kind of comment.
Credit where credit is due though and you do 'rarely' meet a meat eater who actually has compassion but for one reason or another can't seem to stop themselves.

I say, "Health Reasons," to people I don't know.
To my friends, I just say, "Ethical, environmental, and health reasons."
And that is all I say.
If they pursue me more, I'll tell them.
But usually it doesn't get to that stage unless they are really curious/feel threatened by sole plant eating.
It works.

I think I'm a mixture of cowardly and non-confrontational, but it really does help avoid conflict. :/

Unfortunately, through this method, you can't really get word out about the abuse without seeming like a 'preaching vegan'.
It's annoying.
Honestly, I've found meat eaters more preacher like than what we are!

This week's highlight for me:
Friend: "You know milk has all the important nutrients we need to be healthy right?"
Me: "Source please."
Friend: "....everybody knows that."

"Everybody knows that." = "I saw it on a milk ad on TV."

I would turn it around on her and ask her "why don't you eat dogs?" and then after she says how awful it would be eating a dog say "well, that's why I don't eat cows, sheep, pigs etc." and then change the subject/strike up a conversation with someone else. Maybe it will make her think.

I had this conversation with a good friend of mine the other day.

He said "You need meat"
I said "We don't, I haven't seen anything to prove we do need meat and I've been looking"
He said "Tell that to a lion"
/facepalm (besides the obvious completely different anatomy)
I then showed him this:

Vegetarian Diets

Volume 109, Issue 7, Pages 1266-1282 (July 2009)
Abstract

It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes. A vegetarian diet is defined as one that does not include meat (including fowl) or seafood, or products containing those foods. This article reviews the current data related to key nutrients for vegetarians including protein, n-3 fatty acids, iron, zinc, iodine, calcium, and vitamins D and B-12. A vegetarian diet can meet current recommendations for all of these nutrients. In some cases, supplements or fortified foods can provide useful amounts of important nutrients. An evidence-based review showed that vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate in pregnancy and result in positive maternal and infant health outcomes. The results of an evidence-based review showed that a vegetarian diet is associated with a lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease. Vegetarians also appear to have lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, and lower rates of hypertension and type 2 diabetes than nonvegetarians. Furthermore, vegetarians tend to have a lower body mass index and lower overall cancer rates. Features of a vegetarian diet that may reduce risk of chronic disease include lower intakes of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, soy products, fiber, and phytochemicals. The variability of dietary practices among vegetarians makes individual assessment of dietary adequacy essential. In addition to assessing dietary adequacy, food and nutrition professionals can also play key roles in educating vegetarians about sources of specific nutrients, food purchase and preparation, and dietary modifications to meet their needs.

At the end of the day it seems all we can do is raise awareness to the problem and explain to people how easily it can be fixed.

I think the main problem is generally vegans as compassionate beings won't turn the tables around on them because we have respect (not saying all meat eaters don't but she doesn't sound like she does) and as such we get these questions which are out of place and rude thrown in our face while we're too polite to do so back. Though I usually do. haha

The animals, my health and our environment. I would love to have a mature respectful discussion about this with you, but some people would say it's not terribly appropiate at meal times, as it's not very pleasant. Feel free to bring it up with me later?
Something along those lines is good when you don't feel like having an immature uninformed argument.

Thanks so much for replying everyone, its good to hear other peoples thoughts and especially when mine are exactly the same. Unfortunately she did think differently off me, and also tried to tell me that if i didnt eat the meat, the chicken would have died for nothing. I find it very disrespectful towards myself, and take it as an insult. I would asume no meat eaters would cut up their family cat or dog to fry on the BBQ, so why should we eat any other animal. Also, whenever people ask me why i am vegetarian, i would LOVE to say to them, "if humans were put on the menu, would we try them? and also if we knew that humans were being raised in cages, being abused, mistreated and not fed, would you still order the human?" Of course they wouldnt. That would be unethical. Animals feel too, they just dont have voices to tell us. Thanks all!

Hi guys, this is my very first post. Im in America at the moment & Texas of all places. Probably the worst place for a vegetarian to be! I was at a family barbecue the other day and when people found out I was vegetarian, I was confronted with so much ignorance omg! They asked why I'm vegetarian, I say I don't feel good about eating animals. One said "But animals are made for us to eat them." I'm thinking ummmmmm, no, they're not, but being at a family gathering could not be bothered getting into a debate with someone! Then I was told "There is a passage in the bible where the gates to Heaven open and the animals came running out & Jesus said, "Eat my children", so that's what we're meant to do". What can you say to that? Seriously! I never thought before becoming vego that it would be such an issue for other people? Its one of the things that's surprised me the most. I have been lectured & all, as I'm sure others have experienced!