A vegetarian is someone who chooses not to eat meat, which includes beef, pork, chicken, fish, and other animals. Vegetarians do eat foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, nuts, eggs, milk, and cheese. The choice often comes from caring about animals, wanting to be healthier, or believing it's better for the environment.

People become vegetarians for different reasons. Some feel uncomfortable with the idea of killing animals for food. Others discover they feel better physically when they don't eat meat. Some families raise their children as vegetarians because of religious beliefs, like many Hindus and some Buddhists who practice vegetarianism as part of their faith.

Being vegetarian takes planning because protein, which helps build strong muscles, often comes from meat. Vegetarians get protein from beans, lentils, tofu, eggs, and dairy products instead. A vegetarian meal might include a bean burrito, vegetable pasta, or a peanut butter sandwich.

Some people use the word more loosely: a person might avoid red meat but still eat fish, though strict vegetarians would say that's not truly vegetarian because fish are animals too.