The Vegetarian & Vegan Thread

[cestmagique]

^So ridiculous. I mean, can they literally not eat anything that is meatless? Do they put ground beef in their chocolate chip cookies and sausage in their breakfast cereal? God, the suffering they must go through when they are deprived of meat.

 

[soymilkfreak]

So...you have another vegeterian aboard
I think...
I haven't eaten meat in over a month and not missing it.
I started thinking about becoming a vegeterian about a year ago but it was a slow process because I decided to start to eat meat rarely, like once in 2-3 weeks because I come from a family of big meat-eaters and was very attached to the taste of it, I couldnt just quit "cold turkey".
Two lovely ladies on TFS, Escale Cherie II and Teja recommended me to read "Skinny b!itch" a while ago and wow did that book open my eyes!
I was so disgusted by the food industry...I did not want to be a part of it anymore. Plus I always loved my vegetables and soy products ever since I was little
So I harassed my mom into start making more vegeterian-friendly foods and Im learning to make them myself as well
Plus I feel so much better, body and mind wise, not that I quit meat.

 

[WhiteMai]

Do you vegans find it very difficult eating out?

I am a strict vegan at home, but when I go out for a meal (rare as Im skint -and picky) I find it a bit hard not to say 'ok, it can have milk/egg/honey' in it.
I never ever eat meat or cheese, but I find that if I choose a vegetarian dish its always smothered in cheese! Then its probably NOT even vegetarian cos of the rennet!
So, yeah I feel like a bad person, but I cant go out for an expensive meal and only eat a simple salad cos they dont serve anything vegan.

Last night I went for our work christmas do, had to pay £27 for a lentil salad and a applecrumble without the crumble cos thats all they veganfriendly food they had! Booh!

Gosh, Im tight eh?

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I am not cheap & I would be totally hacked off too

 

[parisia]

Do you vegans find it very difficult eating out?

I am a strict vegan at home, but when I go out for a meal (rare as Im skint -and picky) I find it a bit hard not to say 'ok, it can have milk/egg/honey' in it.
I never ever eat meat or cheese, but I find that if I choose a vegetarian dish its always smothered in cheese! Then its probably NOT even vegetarian cos of the rennet!
So, yeah I feel like a bad person, but I cant go out for an expensive meal and only eat a simple salad cos they dont serve anything vegan.


Gosh, Im tight eh?

You're not a bad person. Unfortunately we all have to make compromises. I'm a pretty strict vegan but I also know that being a vegan is about choosing the most animal safe option available in certain circumstances.

I've been pretty lucky and I always thought eating out would be the hardest thing (going out to eat has always been one of my favourite things to do) but it's been pretty easy. There was a place I went to where EVERY single meal option has meat in it (?!) including the salads, so I just asked them to leave the cheese and prosciutto out and asked if they could add in another veggie instead.

Of course the waiter forget to ask the chef to put in something extra so I got a plate of only these strange yummy green leaves and a couple peach slices which cost me $19. BUT my mum convinced me that I should not be paying that much since the most expensive stuff was left out and they forget to add another veggie so they kindly gave me back $5 after I talked to them about it.

Okay, long story but I've managed to make it work, even if it's complicated!

 

[couturecouture]

This week I had to endure another discussion with a non-vegetarian about how I can't possibly enjoy my food because it's without any meat. Ugh, that's so stupid and of course you can savour vegetarian or vegan food.

Oh my gosh I totally can relate to that. My mom and I are both vegetarians but my dad isn't and people are always like "your poor dad, what does he eat when your mom cooks?" There are so many dishes (like lasagna for example) that my dad actually prefers without meat now... some people are so narrow-minded because there are many many dishes that can be made without meat, or substituting tofu for meat and I bet half of them would enjoy some of those recipes if they weren't so closed minded! It's like they can't have one meatless meal or they'll get an anxiety attack.


I have a question for you all since it's the holiday season. . . when you go to a friend or relative's house for a holiday meal where everyone brings a dish, do you bring a few dishes in case there is meat in everything else? Do you ask if there's meat in the other dishes? I am cautious to eat any casseroles that anyone else makes because people think just because there's no "meat" in it that chicken stock doesn't count and I'm sure to eat things that I'm 100% sure are meat-free but I sometimes feel as if I'm rude. I kind of feel that I'd be ruder if I was like "oh excuse me Auntie, are there any meat products in this dish?" my family knows I'm a vegetarian but they so easily forget, it seems as if I have to constantly say "no I don't eat fish".. "yes that's right, I don't eat chicken". Maybe I am just extremely paranoid but I have even avoided dinners with my boyfriends parents before because I don't want to avoid being in an awkward situation. Okay I'll stop rambling before I come off as being weird.

 

[cygnenoir]

Do you vegans find it very difficult eating out?

It can be tough.

I read up on new places before I go. I'll check out the reviews and look at menus online. Sometimes I'll call in advance - more than a few times a chef has created something special for me. This is in regular places, not really expensive restaurants, btw. I've found that many chefs get bored making the same thing all the time and enjoy a little challenge.

It is not always possible though. One of my friends is a vegan at home, vegetarian on the road. He travels a lot and even being vegetarian in some smaller towns is very difficult.

 

[cygnenoir]

I have a question for you all since it's the holiday season. . . when you go to a friend or relative's house for a holiday meal where everyone brings a dish, do you bring a few dishes in case there is meat in everything else? Do you ask if there's meat in the other dishes? I am cautious to eat any casseroles that anyone else makes because people think just because there's no "meat" in it that chicken stock doesn't count and I'm sure to eat things that I'm 100% sure are meat-free but I sometimes feel as if I'm rude. I kind of feel that I'd be ruder if I was like "oh excuse me Auntie, are there any meat products in this dish?" my family knows I'm a vegetarian but they so easily forget, it seems as if I have to constantly say "no I don't eat fish".. "yes that's right, I don't eat chicken". Maybe I am just extremely paranoid but I have even avoided dinners with my boyfriends parents before because I don't want to avoid being in an awkward situation. Okay I'll stop rambling before I come off as being weird.

Oh, yeah, I think we've all been there.

Yeah, I always ask how things are made and what's in things. I'm sure it's annoying, so I always make a big point of saying how delicious something looks and be as complimentary and sweet as possible.

I find I'm usually not the only one asking. There's always someone who's allergic to something or who doesn't like mushrooms or whatever.

If it's a big chaotic event where it's unclear who brought what and how they made it, I just steer clear of those dishes to play it safe. And yes, sometimes it means I just eat the stuff I brought (ha ha) and the raw veggie plate.

 

[ChloeFrancoise]

I came across this site called gluttonous vegan the other day and it has some recipes that look really good that include ingredients I usually have in the house. I'm making one for Christmas and this potato salad recipe looks good too.

http://www.thegluttonousvegan.com/2009/07/easy-creamy-potato-salad.html

 

[papa_levante]

I'm really ready but I'm not sure where to start. Of course, I could start by not eating meat. But as for vitamins and supplements, what ought I take? B12 I know is important because last vegetarian time around, I was SOOOO tired all the time.

 

[cestmagique]

^Are you wanting to be vegetarian or vegan? 'Cause if it's the former, you don't really need to worry about B12. People don't need much of it because it lasts for a very long time in the body... it would take several months without any animal foods or supplements for you to become deficient in it. Of course you could have been lacking something else though the last time you tried being veggie, another B vitamin or iron, for instance. The safest and most cost effective bet would be to take a multivitamin that covers all those bases. Besides a multi, you might need an additional calcium supplement (my multi has calcium, but it's like 8% of the recommended daily value, kinda pointless ). So just those two things each day... easy peasy.

 

[cestmagique]

I came across this site called gluttonous vegan the other day and it has some recipes that look really good that include ingredients I usually have in the house. I'm making one for Christmas and this potato salad recipe looks good too.

http://www.thegluttonousvegan.com/2009/07/easy-creamy-potato-salad.html

Thanks for this! Looks delish.

 

[papa_levante]

^Are you wanting to be vegetarian or vegan?

I think "vegetarian." It isn't for animal reasons as much as it is for health reasons. I guess I could start by not making a turkey sandwich for lunch. What is a good multivitamin to take? Flintstones Chewables seem the way to go. Like Centrum?

 

[cestmagique]

^Personally I take New Chapter. Multivitamins can vary in a few ways:

*composition: some have more of various nutrients than others and the origins of the nutrients differ (natural vs. synthetic, vegan vs. animal)
*dosage: one daily, 18 a day at 4 second intervals with a gallon of water apiece, etc.
*and target group: male/female, kid/adult/senior.

You're young and female so don't go taking Centrum Silver. Obviously you need an adult vitamin tailored to women. The rest of it-- how often you want to take it and so forth-- is up to you. You can find a vitamin for any preference. As for the whole transitioning thing, try to look at it as a glass half full. Instead of cutting out your turkey sandwich, you're adding in new meals and foods you haven't tried before, ones you might like as much or more. Picking up some vegetarian magazines is fun if you like to cook, because it's impossible not to look through them and want to try some of their recipes!

 

[fashionista-ta]

My understanding about vitamin B (which I got from my dr) is that stress burns it off. If you're stressed (and who isn't), it's quite easy to be deficient whether you're a vegetarian or not. I have tested as vitamin B deficient, and it's actually quite dangerous (I believe my dr mentioned nerve damage) & the symptoms are also unpleasant.

Many people have difficulty metabolizing Vit B, so the best form is not a pill but the sublingual form, which is liquid you put under your tongue with a dropper and hold for 30 seconds before swallowing. Some brands taste a lot better than others; I've found one I like.

 

[Ryan Riverz]

My understanding about vitamin B (which I got from my dr) is that stress burns it off. If you're stressed (and who isn't), it's quite easy to be deficient whether you're a vegetarian or not. I have tested as vitamin B deficient, and it's actually quite dangerous (I believe my dr mentioned nerve damage) & the symptoms are also unpleasant.

Many people have difficulty metabolizing Vit B, so the best form is not a pill but the sublingual form, which is liquid you put under your tongue with a dropper and hold for 30 seconds before swallowing. Some brands taste a lot better than others; I've found one I like.

I hadn't heard that stress burns it off, that's very interesting

 

[tullepen]

I take New Chapter too,the Women's One Daily Mutlivitamin.Also their Host Defense is fantastic,but the man who designed it died and they are discontinuing it!!!!! It's really great when you are getting sick,has tons of life shields from mushrooms in them.

 

[cestmagique]

My understanding about vitamin B (which I got from my dr) is that stress burns it off. If you're stressed (and who isn't), it's quite easy to be deficient whether you're a vegetarian or not. I have tested as vitamin B deficient, and it's actually quite dangerous (I believe my dr mentioned nerve damage) & the symptoms are also unpleasant.

There are many different B vitamins; I was talking about is B12, which people can do without for months because of how it's stored. Not that it's a super plan to ignore it because after a while without it you can develop irreversible brain damage (way on down the line with other, much milder symptoms coming first), but vegetarians freak out too much about being B12 deficient. And anyway, feeling tired or weak is a side effect of a LOT of non-diet factors as well a huge variety of dietary deficiencies, not just B12-- protein, calories, any of the other B vitamins, iron....

 

[papa_levante]

So I guess none of you buy the excuse that we are natural meat eaters, then? I read a study about teeth and how they are designed to tear at meat. But someone fought it, so I guess it's an up-in-the-air concept.

 

[ilaughead]

^I don't know where exactly you stand on it, but I personally don't care whether we were 'meant' to eat meat or not. With our technology today, we have the option to avoid it, and in doing so cause less suffering. That's what's important to me at least.

(I can, however, see how an idea like that could factor into a person's views if they are considering vegetarianism or veganism from a health-conscious or biological efficiency standpoint.)