Going vegan/vegetarian

[Parks]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 2:16am

I haven't eaten meat in a few days, and I'm thinking I'm actually going to stick to it (I drove behind a truck FILLED with chickens on Friday and it really upset me). I'm also sort of considering going vegan (they're increasing the number of vegan foods they make, which makes it easier, I think)--but I'm not sure if I'm ready to give up cheese, so I might stick to being vegetarian.

Do you all have any tips for people planning on going vegetarian/vegan? Anything I might need to know?

Also--are there any decent cheese substitutes? I'm assuming we're getting closer to having a vegan/vegetarian substitute for everything--with technology getting better. I had some DELICIOUS meatless chicken patties tonight for dinner.

Thanks in advance!

[wizard2joe]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 2:35am

I think you shouldn't go right away to vegan. Go vegetarian first then vegan if you want to.
Don't forget to read the label before you eat anything.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 2:54am

When I was 14, I went vegetarian overnight. Literally. I ate a bunch of pork the night before, but even after that I was fine.

[Q]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 3:09am

However much I understand the philosophical drive to do this, I can't help but acknowledge our physiology - especially our teeth! - and think that we really are carnivores.

It's not THAT bad a path, and actually plays right into the nature from which we seem to have seperated ourselves.

Good luck with your process, if that's what you decide to do.

[Weez]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 4:09am

There are vegan cheese substitutes, but they are the very devil themselves. I managed to go full-on vegan for a while very easily (helps that meat, fish, and cheese are much more expensive than veggies, pulses, and pasta), but it was an accident more than anything and once I realised how much I did not like the vegan cheese substitutes, I went to pescetarianism (I also missed fish XD).

It's very easy to go vegetarian. Just stop buying meat and it'll follow. As long as you enjoy fruit and veggies, you'll be fine. You'll probably want to make an extra effort to definitely get protein into your diet, and don't forget to check candy ingredients for gelatine, but it really is very very simple to put into practice.

[Q]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 4:19am

"make an extra effort to definitely get protein into your diet"

Think BEANS!

[colleen_lee]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 6:26am

Beans and nuts will become your friend.

I found becoming vegetarian very easy. Though you'll want to take your time to research and discover where meat sometimes hides (for example, a lot of brands of yogurt use gelatin.) The more difficult part was telling my family and boyfriend at the time. I was concerned that they were not going to be terribly supportive, but it all worked out fine in the end.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 6:49am

I went Vegie about 6 months ago after watching a horrid video from a slaughter house. To be honest i dont really miss meat at all and it was very easy to do. The only thing i ever missed was chicken but that craving has gone now as well.

The options out there for food for vegetarians is great now

Just make sure you take iron suplements

[tazber]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 7:33am

I went veggie 13 years ago (also b/c of one of those propaganda films about animal cruelty) and I haven't missed anything for even a second.
There are several companies that make "fake" chicken and beef, and you wouldn't even know the difference.

Regarding cheese, kosher brands don't have that preservative that
is derived from stomach lining, so they're good. They're not vegan (only organic cheese will ever be vegan) but they are vegetarian.
Miller's is an excellent brand.



Q, I absolutely agree that we were meant to be carnivores. It's just a personal choice of mine.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 10:22am

Actually, we're meant to be omnivores.

[Q]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 10:26am

True, Stagey - which is why I've been known to eat almost anything

[Parks]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 10:37am

Thanks for all the advice, everyone! Everything has been very helpful--keep it coming if you have anymore advice!

So I should probably look into getting an iron supplement? Any others I should probably go buy? I was taking fish oil... I have a 180 ct. bottle of the stuff sitting next to me ... I know there are vegetarian fish oil supplements, but I don't know where I'd look to find them.

Posted: 8/13/09 at 10:42am

I'm not a vegetarian but have a close friend who is and he once said "I used to go crazy with details and rules (like the 'cruelty free' cheese Taz mentioned), and then I realized no one cares what I eat but me. I like Cheese, so I eat it. I don't like Meat so I don't." He was very happy and healthy eating as he pleased once he stopped worrying about what was acceptable as a "Vegan" or Vegetarian.
Updated On: 8/13/09 at 10:42 AM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 10:49am

Parks, have you decided what type of vegetarian you want to be? As a pescetarian (fish, but no meat/poultry) you can still take your fish oil. Other types include, ovo (eggs, but no dairy/meat/fish/poultry), lacto (dairy, but no eggs/meat/fish/poultry), lacto-ovo (dairy/eggs, but no meat/fish/poultry).

Updated On: 8/13/09 at 10:49 AM

[JerseyGirl2]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 10:49am

Whole Foods carries some great, but pricey, meat alternatives. They have some veggie "chicken" wings that are heaven!

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 11:33am

I've always been a vegetarian, never ever tasted meat, and now I'm a vegetarian, border-lining fruitarian. Basically, all I eat is fruit and dairy. I'm totally in LOVE with dairy, and could never give it up. Eat what you want to eat and don't care about what category you fall into!

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 11:48am

Because of some of my own dietary restrictions, I've cut red-meat out of my life, and stick to the free-range chicken and turkey (I think the term is polloterian.)

Also, and I may be really wrong, I thought vegetarians only cut out meats. Animal products were still ok, it was just meat that wasn't.

And be very very careful about going vegan. A friend of mine converted over and it was...a nightmare. She was very unlenient towards parties (Where communal food was less vegan-friendly), or even going out to eat.

[KathyGriffinLovesYou]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 11:55am

I literally can't eat out besides specific health food and vegan restaurants, but if you're used to it and just eat before coming it's not a big deal.
Huskcharmer, vegetarians don't eat meat, vegans don't eat any animal products.

[Ariella]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 12:05pm

I've been vegetarian for over 5 years, and keeping up protein is definitely your biggest concern. All of the suggestions above are really good, and as Joe and Kathy have noted, there's no need to get too caught up in labels. Determine the intersection of your taste, health, and/or ethical reasons for going vegetarian - keep what you need to stay healthy and eliminate things you can do without.

[Parks]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 12:53pm

I LOVE fish, but that DAMN PETA video on their site "Top 3 reasons to not eat fish" got me!

That's what I really don't like about PETA--all I want are some facts stated in bullet form--not a video showing me a dolphin getting gutted.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 12:59pm

People are free to eat whatever they want and in our identity-based culture I guess they're free to call themselves whatever they want or invent new words to capture their experiences accurately, but if you eat fish you're not a vegetarian.

Also, I understand the appeal to some people of the "we're 'meant' to eat meat" argument and the teeth evidence that allegedly supports this, but we're "meant" to do all sorts of things. We're "meant" to stalk, kill, slaughter and prepare the dead animal flesh we're "meant" to eat, we're "meant" to walk on all fours which is why chronic back pain is endemic among homo sapiens, we're "meant" to die by our 30s, which is why these fabulous teeth that are ever so obviously designed specifically because we're "meant" to eat meat almost universally start falling out and end up needing professional intervention to function by our fourth decade.

I think it's worth looking at giving up consuming dead animals not just because of the positive health outcomes that result for most people, but because it's better for the planet. The earth simply can't support the rapacious carnivorediet of it's human inhabitants.

Updated On: 8/13/09 at 12:59 PM

[Q]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 2:05pm

Very valid points, Namo.

[Jane2]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 3:19pm

Namo, are you saying there won't be enough cows, chickens and fish?

[Yero my Hero]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 4:36pm

only organic cheese will ever be vegan

Um, how? Cheese is made from milk. Milk is an animal product, no matter how organic it is.

vegetarians don't eat meat, vegans don't eat any animal products.

Nearly every vegetarian I know cuts out any animal product that involves killing the animal. Basically, they eat eggs, dairy, and honey, but they don't eat gelatin, glycerin, or wear leather or fur. (FYI - that means no Oreos!)

By the way, my best friend from college is vegetarian and she loves Starburst jelly beans. They are the only brand of jelly beans that are vegetarian, even though regular Starburst, ironically, is not. They're also delicious.

[RadiGal2]

Posted: 8/13/09 at 6:16pm

Fresh and Easy sodium free black beans and cheese. Yum. Yogurt is also an excellent source of protein, oddly the Kroger band at 9% has far more than most of the name brands than only range from 4-6%.

Alas, may have to resign myself to eating meat during basic training...yuck.