Can I still be a vegetarian if I eat cheese containing rennet?!

Depends on how you define "vegetarian".

Some people say vegetarian means eating no meat. In that case, you're good.

If you're stricter, you might say vegetarian means eating nothing with animal products. In that case, you're up a creek.

If you're thinking vegetarian means vegan (ie no animal products or byproducts), then you're definitely up a creek.

Kudos for going veggie! Be sure to substitute in a lot of beans and other legumes for meat. Check out vegetariantimes.com for great recipes. If you're a female, be sure you're getting enough plant-based iron. Also, look at vegetarian starter kits like at Compassion Over Killing. They give great advice for the first-time vegetarian or vegan. :)

By the definition & theory no as vegetarians don't consume any slaughtered products be that meat, gelatin or rennet. But i wouldn't really get too hung up on it & what other vegetarians think, though alternative cheeses taste the exact same & are in Ireland the same price (so i assume elsewhere be similar).

BQ: download the podcast ''vegetarian food for thought'' some of the episodes are good for both ethical, diet & health related tips

vegetarian

yeah, a vegetarian just doesn't eat meat (pork, beef, chicken, fish, ect.) a vegan doesn't eat any animal products at all (meat, dairy, eggs, honey ect.)
tips:
maybe find a friend or family member that'll go vegetarian with you so that you can help each other with ideas for recipes and it's just...easier idk
you said it's hard not eating meat- if you're craving meat they sell fake burger patties that are vegetarian, you can find them in the frozen section in the grocery store. the burgers are from the company Boca and they also have "chicken" patties and other things like that. 100% vegetarian
if you're the only vegetarian in your family it might be easier to pack your own lunch for school, you can do different combos of sandwhiches and salads, or mac and cheese, or a pasta salad, or anything you would normally eat just minus the meat
if you are afraid you're going to forget and eat meat, ask ur family and friends to keep reminding you not to eat it

hope this helped! good luck!

i'm a vegetarian too :)

Hmm. Tough question. If you wouldn't eat gelatin, lard, broth, or another non-flesh slaughter product, you should skip rennet. It isn't too hard to find vegetarian cheese. My local Safeway has a good selection, as does Trader Joe's. However, if you avoid meat because of a taste preference or for health reasons and don't have strong feelings about not supporting animal ag/the slaughter industry (that is, ethical, philosophical, environmental, or spiritual reasons), actually being vegetarian might not make sense for you. If eating stuff made out of dead animals really bugs you, don't do it.

By the way, Kosher doesn't always mean vegetarian, just that the rennet came from a Kosher animal. Go to cheese.joyousliving.com for more info on vegetarian and non-vegetarian cheeses. Good luck!

Yes. You can be whatever you want. If you don't want to eat animal-derived rennet, then switch to Kosher cheese. All Kosher cheeses use alternatives because meat and milk cannot be mixed. Halal cheese is the same way.

non animal rennet yes