Vegan Forum

I'm a vegetarian, planning on going vegan when I'm 18. I'm....very young. I'm so worried that when I go vegan I won't be able to eat out at all because I don't know what's in the food!!

Anyone got any tips on what they do to avoid eating eggs and such?

I don't know.. just ask the waiter if the food is vegan.. ask about ingredients..
The best option is to find vegetarian restaurants.. they should know what vegan means..

Being vegan is not about being strict and such.. it's more about compassion and spreading the idea.. giving an example to others...
Only this way we can make a difference.

If you ate a peace of cheese and didn't know about it , it's not the end of the world.. The idea is to ask the waiters, to write in suggestion books.. to show that there is a demand for vegan food. So that next time when you come to the same restaurant there will be something specially for you

Also if you go to a vegan restaurant, try to bring as many friends as you can with you.. they may like it.. or at least you can find what they would like and suggest it to the restaurant owner..

Hey, thanks!

As a vegan, do you feel that eating an egg is as shocking as if you'd eaten a piece of meat? I've always wondered that because the thought of accidentally eating meat s me. But if I became a vegan would I feel the same about eggs and milk??

By the way, I looooove hot chocolate, but I knew as a vegan I wouldn't be able to have it. But I found this great alternative. It's from the brand VitaSoy, and you can drink it warmed or chilled. It has a peppermint flavor too, and it's totally vegan. Not only that, but it's delicious! I reccomend it to all chocolate-milk or hot-chocolate lovers.

Hi,
First, check out http://www.happycow.net/

I've found if you ask for vegan food, and maybe suggest a vegan alternative to a dish on the menu (e.g. can I have the tomatoe pasta without cheese? Would it be possible to have extra mushrooms instead of egg? That kind of thing) most places will be happy to accomodate. Especially if you go to a locally run place, instead of a franchise burger bar or pub (though they will sometimes find you something, even if you just end up with salad sandwiches!). Smaller restaurants tend to make food from fresh, rather than having it all pre-prepared, so can alter it more easily.

Some cuisines lend themselves to being vegan more than others - I dread French-style restaurants (everything's dripping with butter!). But Thai and Japanese restaurants tend to have a few vegan dishes on the menu, and a lot of Chinese and Indian restaurants cater for vegans too. Italian restaurants and pizzerias can usually be persuaded to make tomato pasta dishes or cheeseless pizzas. You may have other world food (Ethiopian, Moroccan, Kosher) in NY, which can also be vegan. These types of cuisine tend to use vegetable oils instead of animal fats, though it's worth confirming (note - some indian restaurants will use ghee which is clarified butter, but others will use vegetable ghee).

Some places have started displaying a vegetarian or vegan society logo with their food - burger king, and some pasta bars. Or they will state if something has dairy content (apparently an increasing number of people are severely allergic to dairy?) The vegetarian or vegan societies in your country might publish guides to where to eat out.

The real pain in the *** is those working lunches or social occasions - but the joys of hummous and cucumber are slowly infiltrating even these! It's best to make sure catering staff know you're vegan early on (and, if they give you a frozen pizza with the ham picked off, quietly hint that you could sue )

I guess how you feel about eating dairy is up to you. I originally turned vegan for health reasons - It didn't really hit me where milk and eggs came from until I started wanting children of my own (and then it grossed me right out!) So, yep, it's pretty shocking to me, but I can't say if that's the same for everyone

Sorry about the insanely long post - Hope that helps

No need to be sorry, I enjoy reading

Thank you for all of your help. I'm so glad I found this forum, or I'd be lost! I would have never considered becoming a vegan if it wasn't for "Be the Change You Want to See in the World", a book written by Julie Fisher-McGarry. She was so enthusiastic about veganism, and it really inspired me.

Anyway, thank you again and again and again for all of your help!
Its nice to talk to people of like mind

Thanks for the book tip, and the VitaSoy recommendation - I got a massive chocolate craving today. My small-town shops didn't have any VitaSoy but they did start stocking a Green & Blacks organic and vegan hot chocolate drink highly recommended

I think people become veggies for a reason.
If you want to become vegan but have doubts about eating or not eating something, I'd suggest you to think more about the reasons why you want to become vegan. Not eating something because other people consider it wrong - that's just hilarious Learn to trust yourself. Learn to trust your decisions. For that think about it first. You decide what to eat and what to not eat. Don't listen to brutal meat eaters. Neither do listen to vegan zealots.

As a vegan, do you feel that eating an egg is as shocking as if you'd eaten a piece of meat?

Hm.. I didn't ate eggs while I was vegetarian so it wasn't very different from meat. In the sense that I don't consider it food.
And it's directly linked to killing something.

But milk products that's a different story.. it is the baby cows food, and I still consider it food. So if I ever be in a situation where I starve I have no doubts about eating it. In the end I've totally gave up diary products for health reasons.. I have noticed I feel much better when I avoid them.. plus the ethical arguments made the thing for me

Lord of the Posts.


Thanks everyone...
I like it here. Hahaha

I'm making my parents a vegan candlelight dinner for Valentine's Day...I can hardly wait!!

Wow - the valentines meal is such a lovely idea! I could only just operate the grill when I was... under 18...

I'm making my parents a vegan candlelight dinner for Valentine's Day

How did it go?

Better than mine - I just went out to a new and different curry house. I ordered a black coffee, and they presented me with something composed almost entirely of cream and alcohol (I was driving) - I had to send it back twice before they got they the message! And I suspect they sneaked butter into my curry And the bill didn't add up - they must have given themselves like a 30% tip And they got all upset when my date started inspecting the bill Meh - their loss - I'm going to slate them to everyone I know

Becka, isn't it just a bummer when those things happen? It seems that something similar to that happens to me just about every time I attempt to go out to dinner . I also always feel that I am putting people out of their way by explaining that I am vegan and trying to tell them what I do and do not eat, so I really do not even enjoy going out to dinner. I usually end up with my food covered in mayo, even after I explain constantly that I do not eat mayo. Oh well. How was your Valentines date (excluding the crummy dinner experience)?

BigBecka wrote:

I'm making my parents a vegan candlelight dinner for Valentine's Day

How did it go?

Better than mine - I just went out to a new and different curry house. I ordered a black coffee, and they presented me with something composed almost entirely of cream and alcohol (I was driving) - I had to send it back twice before they got they the message! And I suspect they sneaked butter into my curry And the bill didn't add up - they must have given themselves like a 30% tip And they got all upset when my date started inspecting the bill Meh - their loss - I'm going to slate them to everyone I know

Oh it was great! Thanks for asking. The vegan spice cake that I made [[I used a mix]] was the BEST. I'm sorry about everything that happened when you went out to eat!! Sounds terrible, but hey, sooner or later they'll get what they deserve.

Glad it went well CrissCross I'll have to keep an eye out for the vegan cake mix. I've had variable results trying to bake cakes myself

I also always feel that I am putting people out of their way

It is SO out of order, the way some establishments try to make you feel like you're in the wrong, when they should respect you as the customer! And it's kinda scary when someone who works with food doesn't understand what a dairy product is

Fortunately not everywhere's like that...

The date was dreadful - we missed the film we were going to see, and my poor boyfriend got food poisoning and was really ill the next day! I'm really glad I didn't eat the meat He's OK now, so we're having another go tomorrow night!

Here we also have problems, for example Orthodox Lent is vegan, so almost all confectionery make vegan cakes during that period of time. But when I've tried to ask them to make a cake in non Lent period (for a birthday) it was very difficult to find a confectionery which will take my order and I had to pay double the usual price for cake.

for example Orthodox Lent is vegan

really? I never knew that - Well, you learn something new every day! UK food is fairly heavy in dairy products - some food is lactose free now, but most confectionary still has eggs or egg derivatives in I've been experimenting with egg-replacement powders (just potatoe starch usually) - I can make good vegan puddings, but have yet to perfect a cake! I know it can be done, because a local vegan cafe makes an insane chocolate fudge brownie cake with chocolate frosting I'm having another go this weekend... as well as trying a vegan haggis I found! (couldn't find one in time for Burn's Night) Will post a recipe if and when I manage it!

Actually... been surfing for cake recipes: a few people on vegweb.com have suggested soda cakes, where you add a can of soda (fizzy drink?) to your cake mix. I guess this would put gas bubbles in your mix, instead of beating eggs? Will have a go...

BigBecka wrote:Glad it went well CrissCross I'll have to keep an eye out for the vegan cake mix. I've had variable results trying to bake cakes myself

I also always feel that I am putting people out of their way

It is SO out of order, the way some establishments try to make you feel like you're in the wrong, when they should respect you as the customer! And it's kinda scary when someone who works with food doesn't understand what a dairy product is

Fortunately not everywhere's like that...

The date was dreadful - we missed the film we were going to see, and my poor boyfriend got food poisoning and was really ill the next day! I'm really glad I didn't eat the meat He's OK now, so we're having another go tomorrow night!

I got the spice cake mix at my loval health food store, and replaced the eggs with egg replaced and used soy milk instead of whole milk. It was pretty good, but, oddly, a little chewy

I'm reading your conversation and thinking. If I only had a vegan girlfriend who would cook vegan cakes for me...

Aw, Andy, I'm sure you'll find someone wonderful that will bake you lovely vegan cakes

It would be nice to go out with someone who appreciates my cooking!
[briefly contemplates quitting job and leaving omni boyfriend to elope with AndyBa]

I shouldn't be too hard on the other half, he's lovely really, he puts up with all my tantrums - he actually says he likes the last cake The soda cake tasted very funny

I'm sure you'll find someone too