My wife and I are both vegetarians for 20 years. Most of our kids are as well. Our oldest eats fish outside of the house. He tried beef for the first time when he was 9 and almost landed in the emergency room – he said never again. Not so easy to eat meat when you haven’t trained your body to do so. Our other kids are not interested yet. We won’t stop them (why should they be crazy like us?) from eating meat, we’re just not going to encourage it.
So why do I hold this way? I hate the taste. I’m no more an animal rights activist than the next guy on the street. I just don’t like the taste, texture or flavor. I asked a shaila of a big Rav in town, and I have a heter to refrain from eating meat 365 days a year. Unless the rav I spoke to is unaware of das Torah and our whole community has been duped, I’m quite sure the RBS’O is just fine with my decision.
And Baruch Hashem, I have no issues with blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, diabetes, etc… Just sayin’