How Many of You Are Vegetarians/vegans?
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Do you find it difficult to eat out being vegetarian/vegan? I'm pescaterean so I still eat fish but even so in some places I find there's very poor choice on non meat dishes...
Sanitation1234 my son and fiance eats meat. I dont. Obviously I havent been out for ages with lockdown and all but i find that in some places the non meat options are rather poor. ..or they only have one veggie burger I'm not fan of
I'm vegetarian and I haven't found it difficult at all. I find that it is constantly becoming easier to find vegetarian foods everywhere, where restaurants used to offer none or very few (1-2) veggie/vegan options, most now have many options or even vegetarian/vegan sections or separate menus.
I was vegetarian for 13 years, and itโs been over a decade since I gave it up. Iโd say itโs far easier nowadays to find options for your diet, whereas I used to get a lot of stick for being veggie - one French restaurant gave me an option of cheese, cheese and more cheese (just as well I wasnโt vegan)
hspexy I used to feel rather uncomfortable being one of them people who always ask for something to be removed now its happening less and less
Would like to be but never achieved it. I don't eat lamb, that was the first meat I gave up but never extended it from there.
BonzoBanana I never ate much meat anyway and the smell of minced meat cooking is horrible to me...or the smell of few days ham...so it wasnt too hard for me. I found that I get colds less than before and it goes quicker, also I'm less bloated than when I ate meat. But I do use vitamins for iron etc.
jurgita0712 Sadly if I'm cooking a chilli I love the smell of the meat cookiing but recent chilli's have been partially vegetarian using organic soya mince but it was beef stock cubes to flavour the mince (yes thinking about thats a bit stupid really).
Been a vegetarian for 35+ years, it has gotten so much easier to eat out over last 10 years and now practically every restaurant will have at least a few veggie and vegan options
VegasKarl in some places I'll have an omelette or only chips because I dont fancy their other options
I'm the same if other options are Aubergine based, cheese omelette and chips is always plan B!
VegasKarl I just dont like it. If it's with courgettes then I would order that. But eggplant is not my favourite. Same with tofu... I like halloumi and other cheeses but tofu is just inedible to me
I am pescaterean as well and where I live there are many vegetarian choices. However, used to live in Spain and there is difficult, meat is part of the culture.
GSM I think it's the same with many countries. At least it's got more variety in supermarkets now.
TheChimp first rule of meat eaters club make fun of anyone else who doesn't eat meat.
jurgita0712 If I was on Come Dine and there was a vegetarian, they'd be getting a Pot Noodle for a starter, a Pot Noodle for main and a Pot Noodle for dessert.
What really annoys me on Come Dine is that the vegetarians won't cook meat for their guests when they expect to get a completely different dish than everyone else.
TheChimp I suppose it depends on the person. I got no problem cooking meat for my family. And as for such shows.... there are a lot of people who cant eat gluten,diary etc...and quite a few are vegetarians. On the last season of Apprentice they had to feed corporate clients on fancy train. And one group failed to cater for vegetarians/people with food allergies and it cost them the task.
Very easy being vegetarian, always have been and lots more options these days. I prefer having less options as otherwise I am overloaded with choices and can't choose if the whole menu is available to me. Obviously I do want enough to choose from too.
InaShah that's exactly it. If they only got few choices and its something eggplant or some veggie bean burger (some of them are nice others are greasy and inedible to me) and I might not want any of them.. or when they change the menu and remove the veggie option which was my favourite with something else
jurgita0712 sometimes you can just ask, if there is something like a Meat option to substitute it with another ingredient or to take that ingredient out. Without asking you don't know if they can tailor it for you.
Hi yeh me to wen I used to go out I only used Oder vegetarian ..but at home Iโll cook meat
Just worth pointing out that Quorn isnโt the only meat alternative or veggie option, there are sooo many more Quorn just happens to be one of the most popular. Also, Quorn have such a huge range - I love some of their products and hate others. Many of my meat-eating friends and family members love a lot of veggie food, youโve just got to try and not dismiss all veggie food after one product that you donโt like 
lornaae I love Linda McCartney burgers...
I'm not very keen on her sausages though...
jurgita0712 I actually like the Linda McCartney sausages but donโt think Iโve tried the burgers, Iโll have to try them!
lornaae oh they so goodjuicy and thick. My favourite ones are mozzarella 1/4pound burgers. Pulled pork or the other ones are good too but mozzarella ones I like the texture/flavour best. I bought their sausages few times and it was kinda dry and grisly for me. I prefer qourn sausages or any other brand.
jurgita0712 Iโll have to try them! I really like the Quorn veggie sausages too, had some on a bbq last weekend
I do not eat meat, but I do eat fish. I am trying to include a lot more vegan dishes into my diet now as I think these are much cleaner and healthier. Xx
Ceebers totally agree with you... since the oceans get polluted with plastic etc even fish is not a great option anymore...
jurgita0712 I have to agree with you on the pollution - I've ditched , Basa, River Cobbler, Salmon and a few other options - just can't guarantee the purity of half the fish any more.
Ceebers the problem with farmed fish is that it's full of antibiotics too...I like fish but I stick to 2 portions per week. But then again probably most veg, fruit and grains are GMO these days... so we need to evolve to live only on sun and water instead lol
I try very hard to vary the meals with fish and vegetable dishes but I can't deny it......I come from a long line of Flintstones. 
angemski there's nothing wrong with that. As long as you eat varied diet. Personally I dont miss it in my diet but everyone to their own. And that's fine.
Once you get rid of meat out your life, you get used to it. I started being a veggie when I was 10 and no, it wasn't family influenced. I haven't eaten meat since. Its easy as long as you stick to it!
belleshowsdogs how did your family react? 
and I agree. Its been years now since I had meat. At first yes maybe I would miss something but by now I found other options
jurgita0712 They just rolled their eyes at first and were a bit stupid but now they are used to it and have moved on haha. I find I actually love meat-alternatives more than I loved meat itself!
belleshowsdogs I'm pescaterean for over 5years now and my mum still cant get over it... when I went over last time they were having bbq grilled pork and I had grilled veg and tunayes sometimes it gets a bit awkward to be odd one out and I need extra iron supplements but it's my body my choice.. I'm hoping she'll get used to it one daylol
jurgita0712 Eventually I bet they just forget and it will become second nature lol, chicken was the hardest to give up for me, especially KFC but thinking of the baby chicks made me cave lol. hope your mum gets used to it soon! 
belleshowsdogs I caved in once...after I was pescaterean for over a year something with shredded duck was calling my name...physically it was torture...I felt so unwell shortly after. And all night I was in agony my stomach churning...since then I didnt repeat the same mistake
jurgita0712 A question - how do you manage to resist when you get a whiff of bacon cooking? Does it tempt you or does it make you feel queasy? I think that would be the one that I couldn't give up.
angemski it doesn't really impact me in any way Sometimes some meats don't smell very pleasant to me such as kebab meat... some meats brings back memories such as pepperoni etc but I don't feel the need to have it its just another smell. Linda McCartney mozzarella burgers- try it they are amazing!! Especially grilled so juicy and the texture is really good. They also have vegetarian shredded duck which is pretty close in texture. I been pescaterean for over 5 years now. Unless I have too much food I dont really feel that heaviness after dinner and if I would eat meat later in the evening it would give me nightmares...
angemski also I seen vegetarian bacon in shops now. I haven't tried it yet. I seen one vegan making "bacon" out of carrot and crimping it up with some smoked paprika etc. I use a lot of smoked paprika in my cooking, soy sauce etc. You just need to find your flavours and dishes you love 
jurgita0712 I've tried pulled Jackfruit and loved it - very close to the texture of the real thing too. You've given me some options to try. (Paprika made me smile - I have hot, sweet and smoked as a staple 
) Thank you.
angemski I like it too. Well it depends how much time you got to cook something I like stuffed peppers cooked in slow cooker - you can use quorn mixed with veg or rice, beans etc... Falafels, all the different fritters you can make with different veg, spiralise some veg to use as noodles .. Roast veg, bakes, steamed, fried, salads... I just keep some veggie staples in the freezer if I dont have much time such as burgers, meatballs, shredded duck, sausages, pies, I like qourn and Linda McCartney roasts... then I can have dinner done in 20+min I also love different gosh! Bites
jurgita0712 not a fan of quorn or meat substitutes, usually just make some thing with veggies.. however Love Linda McCartneys Mozzarella burgers and Sage and red onions sausages
Ive been veggie for 20 plus years now. I tend to stick to places i know locally that serve good veggie options like my local italian restaurant. I did go to a vegan restaurant in cardiff a few times and they make the best burgers ive ever tasted using seitan.
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