We can tell a person’s consciousness by what they eat and how they eat. There are people in mode of ignorance who like to eat all kinds of stale food or food that’s product of bloodshed, murder and horrible suffering. That is the food in the mode of ignorance. Then there is food in the mode of passion, which is very hot and simulating to the senses and the mind.
The vegetarian food is in the mode of goodness because it minimizes violence as far as possible. But even if we eat vegetarian food, it’s still sinful because it’s the property of God, and there is some violence involved. Not as much violence as in eating fish, meat, eggs and similar things. Violence is far less, but it’s still sinful. It will cause us to take another birth in the world. Best food is vegetarian food cooked and offered with love and devotion to God; that makes it free of all bad karma.