Does anyone else frequently dream about meat?

[KaylaBeanie]

For quick background, I have been vegetarian(lacto-ovo) for just over three months (though, it feels like FOREVER...in a good way!) and I don't miss meat. Occasionally I'll think "hmm, it would be so nice to have a hamburger" but then I actually think about it and realize that it actually sounds kind of gross and knowing how sick it would make me after this time with absolutely no meat totally kills any remaining urge. So, I really have zilch desire to eat meat ever again. However...

I ALWAYS dream about eating meat. As in several times a week. Last night, I was delving into a huge salami sandwich. I've dreamed about hamburgers, steak, chicken, pepperoni...all of it. The dream is always the same, I pig out like CRAZY and then as soon as I'm almost done, I realize that I'm eating meat and freak out, then wake up. It's not like they're nightmares, and it amuses me, but I wonder if anyone else has this happen. They're so realistic, and I hate that horrible dream-guilt I feel, haha.

[annethcz]

I was a lacto-ovo vegetarian for about 6 years. During the last year or so, I started craving meat and dreaming about eating meat. I also craved meat when I was pregnant. I eventually decided to go back to a more omniverous diet. I don't dream about eating meat anymore

[eepster]

That happened to me when I first became a vegetarian over 2 decades ago. It gradually tapered off. I haven't had one of those dreams in years.

[Sayward]

Only once. I dreamed I had to eat a hamburger as part of a relay race. It tasted like a slaughterhouse smells and I cried the whole time. Ha!

I think it's normal. You may be missing the comfort associated with all your old foods. Food is hugely emotional, after all. I'd say splurge on making yourself some terribly tasty and less than healthy savory delight that fits the bill of traditional comfort food. Once you establish new patterns and associations with vegetarian options, I'm guessing the subconscious meat yearning will disappear.

[CatsCradle]

I've been a vegetarian and sometimes vegan for over 20 years. Like a PP above, I did dream about meat in the early years, but haven't in a long time. The same thing happened when I quit smoking. Dreamt about smoking a lot for several years after I quit, not so much anymore. Dream a lot about people in my life who have passed away. Dreams come from the subconscious and dreaming such things is normal, in my humble opinion. I don't think that it is necessarily your body craving for those things, I just think that memories resurface for whatever reason when we least expect it. Your past follows you...even in your sleep!

[KaylaBeanie]

I'm so glad to know I'm not alone! I think a big issue is that I live at home, and the rest of my family eats meat. They're really supportive, I cook several meals a week, and they'd never let/encourage me to fall off the veggie bandwagon, but when 5+ times a week I hear about their great new chicken recipe, or smell some porcupine meatballs cooking, it's hard to just turn off my brain and not think about meat. Not hard as in I crave it(in fact, it looks and smells so gross to me), but it's just a common topic. I think it'll be a lot easier when I'm on my own and have a completely vegetarian kitchen.

I do want to pay homage as to how amazing I feel though. Every day without meat, I feel better physically and spiritually. I had no idea that giving up meat could transform so much.