What is the difference between strict vegetarian and vegan?

i *think* (but am not certain) a strict vegetarian is someone who eats a vegan diet but does not live a vegan lifestyle (abstaining from animal products in every aspect of life, not just food).

I wouldn't get too caught up in the labeling aspect. It only really matters when it pertains to the food products that we purchase. People will always make up labels for themselves. Most people don't even recognize what a vegan is, so they won't know what a lacto-ovo-pesco-pollo-vegetarian is (just say I don't eat red meat or pork!!!). Plain and simple, veganism and vegetarianism both are means to an end: reducing animal suffering. We don't need to confuse people anymore with all the adjectives attached!!!!

I think strict vegetarian means you don't eat any flesh whereas vegan includes no eggs and no dairy. But maybe it does mean the same thing. Good questions. :)

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Technically a "vegetarian" is an herbivore (someone who sustains themselves by consuming species from the plantae kingdom), which is why it was thought necessary to specify dairy and egg consumers with the label "lacto/ovo". Though the term vegetarian is widely used to identify lacto/ovo vegetarians, which is why we then need to use the term "strict vegetarian" as someone who abstains from using dairy, eggs and other animal products.

I have always used "strict vegetarian" and "vegan" synonymously, but then you have to factor in the ethics behind our lifestyles, so....

For the purposes of this site it seems that:

VEGAN is for ethical vegans who abstain from ALL animal products and byproducts.

STRICT VEGETARIAN is for vegetarians who don't use most or all animal products and byproducts, but perhaps for health or religious reasons.

VEGETARIAN and LACTO/OVO are understood as synonymous. For vegetarians who do not consume animal flesh products such as meat, leather and gelatin, but may use other animal products like diary, eggs and honey.

Finally, OMNIVORE is for anyone who consumes any variation of the above, but does not abstain from consuming any animal product that causes direct death to the source individual (i.e. isinglass, collagen, glycerin, gelatin, rennet, leather, suede, fur, down, emu oil, lard, fish liver oil, etc.)

I also eat eggs, honey and dairy and consider myself a strict vegetarian.

However, I get my eggs from a local farm where all the chickens are free-range, which means when you pull up you have to watch out for them because they're running all over the place.

My honey comes from a local bee farmer who only sells natural honey (not pasteurized), unfortunately his bees have been decreasing in numbers since the "accidental" release of some hybrid bees (which are more agressive and don't produce good honey) several years ago.

I haven't been super picky about where my cheese comes from, but I do like to buy "Stonyfield Farm" products when they are available because their farmers seem to have a real respect for their cows.