I have to admit that I have never been much of a carnivore and have had periods of vegitarianism. As a kid, I had a real problem with eggs and veal. It was philosophical problem with eating babies (I didn't understand that most grocery store eggs are not fertilized). Funny, I don't recall having an issue with eating "adults."

Due to food allergy issues in two of my three children, I eat more meat now than I have since growing up in a "meat and potatoes" household. Like HK, one of my children could not get sufficient protein without meat. When you have a sibling who could not survive without meat, it tempers some of the "animal empathy" issues.