It's a bit of an odd question: what do vegetarians and vegans think of Lent? I know I definitely feel the sacrifice, but if someone is already living that lifestyle, how does it work?
It's not just about food.
One thing you might run up against is that in Orthodoxy, one can be a vegetarian out of personal taste and preference, but not in principle (ie, you can't teach or hold that it is wrong to either kill animals for food or consume animal products.)
As I understand it:it is certainly wrong to consume animal products if it is viable for you to not do so.
Losing olive oil hurts!
I think you can hold that principle, and not just a matter of personal taste. Sinful and wrong aren't necessarily the same thing. It may not be sinful to eat meat, but given the rapid evolution of the world and population, resources, etc. it is certainly wrong to consume animal products if it is viable for you to not do so.
Well, that thought is wrong.
And what Cappadocious said.
It is certainly NOT wrong to consume animal products, and the Church specifically blesses their consumption at non-fasting (feast) times.
The father of the prodigal son (a parable spoken by... Jesus) does NOT call for the cutting down of their best corn as the chief focus of the celebratory feast.
It is actually sin to judge those who DO consume animal products, to teach that it is wrong. If I thought it might really help someone close to me, I might refrain (for a time) from animal products, but only until they "grow up".
I look forward to bacon next week...
Perhaps "wrong" is the incorrect term. I do, however, think that eating meat (only if it is viable for you to eat a veggie diet) is weak. It shows a weakness of the heart (do you know anything of where and how our American meat comes from?), and it actually harms the health of your body. If you are financially and otherwise able to do so, eating a vegetarian/vegan diet is tremendously better for your health, for the environment, for humanity itself, for the world, and further, it is a sign of compassion.
Again, I feel like you're confusing morally wrong with either "sinful" or some other term. Sure, bless meat. Celebrate Christ is risen! It is all very good, and I have no qualm with it. Eat meat and be a part of the Church and I will not judge you. I feel like you're missing how drastically life and the world have changed. Within 200 or so years our numbers increased by 6 billion, power has changed, resources and their acquirement have changed, etc.
Perhaps "wrong" is the incorrect term. I do, however, think that eating meat (only if it is viable for you to eat a veggie diet) is weak. It shows a weakness of the heart (do you know anything of where and how our American meat comes from?), and it actually harms the health of your body. If you are financially and otherwise able to do so, eating a vegetarian/vegan diet is tremendously better for your health, for the environment, for humanity itself, for the world, and further, it is a sign of compassion.
I would eat meat if I could afford prices from local farms (we have a farm in the area that raises and kills humanely). But most animal products are horrendously acquired, particularly in America, to feed such a growing and unheard of population. Meat and dairy are acquired in a radically different way this past century.
Think what you want, and be happy about your bacon. That's fine. I don't judge you. Neither does Christ, as he in fact has blessed the consumption of meat. But the better, stronger, healthier, more loving choice in our day and age is to either not consume animal products or TRULY know where you get them from. And to deny this blatant reality in today's world is either ignorance or, well, straight up denial.
(An edit to add my agreement and appreciation for Cappadocious' post.)