--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Honestly, I would eat cardboard rather…" description: "\"Honestly, I would eat cardboard rather than go back to eating animals.\" — Ellen DeGeneres" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-th_2955571.jpg" --- # Honestly, I would eat cardboard rather than go back to… ![“Honestly, I would eat cardboard rather than go back to eating animals.” quote by Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-th_2955571.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-th_2955571.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-th_2955571.jpg) > “Honestly, I would eat cardboard rather than go back to eating animals.” [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a plant‑based diet over animal products reflects strong ethical convictions. **In simple terms:** Prefer plants over animal food. Key Takeaway Adopt compassionate eating. Themes ethics diet compassion Mood lighthearted empathetic Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - restaurant choices - grocery shopping - social events - travel meals Key Concepts animal rights environmental health Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your food choices? - How can you influence others? A Different Perspective Convenience may override ethics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) [Cardboard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cardboard/) [Eating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating/) [Eating animals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eating-animals/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) ## Related quotes > [I honestly eat chocolate all day long. I do realize how blessed I am to be able to eat what I want and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-giraud/i-honestly-eat-chocolate-all-day-long-i-do-realize-how-blessed-i-am/) [Joyce Giraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-giraud/) > [I don't like that the government is going to manipulate the information to try to convince me that what I'm eating is not what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/i-don-t-like-that-the-government-is-going-to-manipulate-the/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [“The way to stay young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/the-way-to-stay-young-is-to-live-honestly-eat-slowly-and-lie-about/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [I eat everything. I'm just an eater. If it's free, I honestly eat everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-jessica-parker/i-eat-everything-i-m-just-an-eater-if-it-s-free-i-honestly-eat/) [Sarah Jessica Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-jessica-parker/) > [The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/the-secret-to-staying-young-is-to-live-honestly-eat-slowly-and-lie/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucille-ball/the-secret-of-staying-young-is-to-live-honestly-eat-slowly-and-lie/) [Lucille Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucille-ball/) > [“It's neat how money smells nothing like anything in the world except money, just like cardboard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusten-burroughs/it-s-neat-how-money-smells-nothing-like-anything-in-the-world-except/) [Augusten Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusten-burroughs/) > [My first playpen was a cardboard box.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lee-chin/my-first-playpen-was-a-cardboard-box/) [Michael Lee-Chin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lee-chin/) > [“Burgers. But not just any burger. Here, try this.” I’m expecting tin foil wrapped mounds to come out of the fancy bag, but instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-santos/burgers-but-not-just-any-burger-here-try-this-i-m-expecting-tin-foil/) Alyson Santos > [“Street people use cardboard all the time, and bum alleys are just shanties or lean-tos, though. They’re nothing like my house! Mine is deluxe!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendelin-van-draanen/street-people-use-cardboard-all-the-time-and-bum-alleys-are-just/) [Wendelin Van Draanen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendelin-van-draanen/) > [I usually start by doing one or more color studies of the subject on a piece of canvas taped to cardboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beth-mckenzie/i-usually-start-by-doing-one-or-more-color-studies-of-the-subject-on/) [Mary Beth McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beth-mckenzie/) > [My study is a converted garage which is largely lined with bookshelves and cardboard boxes filled with manuscripts of my film scripts, plays and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-nicholson/my-study-is-a-converted-garage-which-is-largely-lined-with/) [William Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-nicholson/) > [“Should I have a doughnut or my disgusting cardboard?” asked Gwynn, as she drew up languidly before me at a study table in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-amory/should-i-have-a-doughnut-or-my-disgusting-cardboard-asked-gwynn-as/) [Daniel Amory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-amory/) > [The most common way to identify a soldier is by the disc around his neck. But these were made of compressed cardboard and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-roberts/the-most-common-way-to-identify-a-soldier-is-by-the-disc-around-his/) Chris Roberts > [where the dead walked and the living were made of cardboard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-pound/where-the-dead-walked-and-the-living-were-made-of-cardboard/) [Ezra Pound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-pound/) ## More by Ellen DeGeneres > [I wanted to have money; I wanted to be special; I wanted people to like me; I wanted to be famous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-wanted-to-have-money-i-wanted-to-be-special-i-wanted-people-to-like/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I think there's too much mult-tasking going on. I think people need to quiet down and focus and be still more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-there-s-too-much-mult-tasking-going-on-i-think-people-need-to/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [We can sit and worry about what's going to happen to us two weeks from now. I'd rather focus on the amazing things happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/we-can-sit-and-worry-about-what-s-going-to-happen-to-us-two-weeks/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [It's our challenges and obstacles that give us layers of depth and make us interesting. Are they fun when they happen? No. But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/it-s-our-challenges-and-obstacles-that-give-us-layers-of-depth-and/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I had done a sitcom and a movie and hosted the Emmys, and all of a sudden, I lost everything. As someone put it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-had-done-a-sitcom-and-a-movie-and-hosted-the-emmys-and-all-of-a/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [The thing everyone should realize is that the key to happiness is being happy for yourself and yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/the-thing-everyone-should-realize-is-that-the-key-to-happiness-is/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Save a life this Thanksgiving, and join me in starting a new tradition by adopting a turkey instead of eating one through Farm Sanctuary's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/save-a-life-this-thanksgiving-and-join-me-in-starting-a-new-tradition/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Answers to Frequently Asked Questions: Yes. Yes. No. One time in high school. Three times in my twenties. Rocks no salt. Yes. Four. Never.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/answers-to-frequently-asked-questions-yes-yes-no-one-time-in-high/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Actually this is really funny - one time she accidentally forgot to leave a note and I had no idea she had even moved.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/actually-this-is-really-funny-one-time-she-accidentally-forgot-to/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [A circus! 100 clowns of injustice have climbed out of the tiny clown car of this court room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/a-circus-100-clowns-of-injustice-have-climbed-out-of-the-tiny-clown/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Gratitude is looking on the brighter side of the life, even if it means hurting your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/gratitude-is-looking-on-the-brighter-side-of-the-life-even-if-it/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [What's New Orleans without music? And what's music without dancing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/what-s-new-orleans-without-music-and-what-s-music-without-dancing/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [The legend goes that St. Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland. I was thinking... that must be hard to put all the tiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/the-legend-goes-that-st-patrick-drove-the-snakes-out-of-ireland-i-was/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [Quick decision makers are often stuck behind annoying people in line at Starbucks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/quick-decision-makers-are-often-stuck-behind-annoying-people-in-line/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) [Explore all 450 Ellen DeGeneres quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) ## More Animal quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Animals know nothing of themselves, and they also know nothing of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/animals-know-nothing-of-themselves-and-they-also-know-nothing-of-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Humans are animals too, but some do not like to work from expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/humans-are-animals-too-but-some-do-not-like-to-work-from-expectations/) Mak\_786 > [When grubbing for necessities man is still an animal. He becomes uniquely human when he reaches out for the superfluous and extravagant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/when-grubbing-for-necessities-man-is-still-an-animal-he-becomes/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [I'm 38 and I'm single, and I'm having my most intense and gratifying relationship with a dog. But we all learn about love in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-knapp/i-m-38-and-i-m-single-and-i-m-having-my-most-intense-and-gratifying/) [Caroline Knapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-knapp/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“it is a federal system of sadistic torture, vivisection, and animal genocide, which has been carried on for decades under the fraudulent guise of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/it-is-a-federal-system-of-sadistic-torture-vivisection-and-animal/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [“What does it mean to be a self-conscious animal? The idea is ludicrous, if it is not monstrous. It means to know that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-becker/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-self-conscious-animal-the-idea-is-ludicrous/) [Ernest Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-becker/) > [We must love animals in such a powerful way that we should reject to eat them!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/we-must-love-animals-in-such-a-powerful-way-that-we-should-reject-to/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [This brings me back to the image of Kafka standing before a fish in the Berlin aquarium, a fish on which his gaze fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/this-brings-me-back-to-the-image-of-kafka-standing-before-a-fish-in/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [That dog, I say that dog is lower than a snake full of buckshot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/foghorn-leghorn/that-dog-i-say-that-dog-is-lower-than-a-snake-full-of-buckshot/) [Foghorn Leghorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/foghorn-leghorn/) > [I bet plants go like 'Weeeeeeeee!' whenever they're swallowed by a giraffe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-bet-plants-go-like-weeeeeeeee-whenever-they-re-swallowed-by-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Animal rights without veganism is like human rights with slavery. It makes no sense. None whatsoever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-l-francione/animal-rights-without-veganism-is-like-human-rights-with-slavery-it/) [Gary L. Francione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-l-francione/) [Browse all 13,456 Animal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animal/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Honestly, I would eat cardboard rather than go back to eating animals.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ellen DeGeneres" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-than-go-back-to-eating-animals/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Animal" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-than-go-back-to-eating-animals/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-th_2955571.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-th_2955571.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/ellen-degeneres-604_animal_honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-th_2955571.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Honestly, I would eat cardboard rather than go back to eating animals.” — Ellen DeGeneres", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ellen DeGeneres", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Honestly, I would eat cardboard rather...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-than-go-back-to-eating-animals/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/honestly-i-would-eat-cardboard-rather-than-go-back-to-eating-animals/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```