Dear Editor,

As a vegan, I know exactly what it's like to be a teenage vegetarian (No Meat, no problem 9-12-03). I grew up in a household of meat-eaters and became vegetarian at age 17 out of my compassion for animals. It wasn't easy at first and it took a great deal of experimenting and often sulking over a plate of salad at restaurants. Having been vegan now for 7 years, I have a newfound love for cooking and a passion for food in general. Becoming a vegetarian didn't close doors for me, but opened up a whole new world of ethnic foods-many healthy and easy to prepare; foods that I would have probably never encountered in my relationship with steak and chicken nuggets. It's never been easier than now to be a vegetarian. There's no excuse not to be.

Sincerely,
Kristie Phelps
Program Coordinator
In Defense of Animals