Being Vegetarian

[Bagpuss]

Hi,

 

I have been seriously considering giving up eating meat and fish.I've been eating less and less meat for years now, and pretty much avoid red meat, only really eating tuna, cod and chicken. I've been using vegetarian sausages and burgers for a long while for myself. Unfortunately our entire household are ardent meat eaters, so not sure how it will work . Been down the supermarket and was pleasantly surprised by the choice there. There are lots of alternatives to every day foods, which is great. Been thinking of all the meals I cook regularly, and I think I can use a veggie substitute for all of them...ie cook in two pans....except Sunday Roast Don't want to go into this half heartedly, so am taking my time, doing some research and getting advice........

 

Are there any foodstuffs which are not suitable for vegetarians which I would assume were ok? If you are vegetarian and family are not, how do you manage? Any books etc which would be worthwhile getting? Any tips, advice would be great thanks

 

Debs

[Tally]

Cheese is made using sheep stomachs. You can get vegetarian cheese made from a synthetic alternative. Read the labels - most supermarket chains have some kind of symbol to indicate vegetarian products. These will probably also be visible on deli counters, or the staff should be able to tell you. Many British cheeses are now vegetarian, especially cheddars.

[DaisyProudfoot]

Hi Bagpuss,

 

My husband and I have been veggies for years and years. None of my kids are though. My eldest was for a number of years but he's back to meat now and my 9-year-old daughter was veggie for about a year but I put her back onto a meat diet because I felt her health was suffering. She's a right skinny little mite even on meat.

 

Ok, if your going to be a Lacto Vegetarian which means you eat cheese and eggs but not fish or meat (that's what we are) then you can't eat Worcester Sauce (anchovies), jelly (gelatine), cheese doritos ( rennet) and some cheese (again rennet) although most cheese is now suitable for veggies. If you want to take it even further you have to watch real ale (sometimes made with fish fynings), can't wear leather or suede either.

 

It depends really on why you are becoming vegetarian - obviously if its for humane reasons then you would have to stop wearing their skin but if it's just cost then that probably doesn't count.

 

Main problem with being a veggie isn't the shops as there is plenty of veggie choice especially quorn, tvp (non-gm) products, it's restaurants and buffets. With buffets you sharp get sick of potato salad and pickled onions! Oh, and don't ever try Rose Elliot's Semolina Fritters they are although her recipe books are very good generally.

 

Need any more veggie tips just let me know.

[zaman]

Hi

I've been a veggie for about 25 years, pretty much all my adult life, but no one else in the family is. My husband would eat it if it was still running around in a field! I do all the cooking, so the meat dishes tend to be quite samey but I usually cook the same basic meal for all of us, and a seperate meat or fish dish for everyone else. I do buy quorn things sometimes as a convenience food, but they are by their nature quite tasteless.

 

I try to cook fresh food as much as possible, and buy organic when I can (I'm an organic gardener as well, so in the summer we have a lot of fresh fruit and veggies which the kids have planted and watered).

 

That makes me sound like my body is a temple, whereas it is more of a rusty old garden shed! (All diets should be liberally supplimented with chocolate and cakes).

[Canopus]

Cochineal - beetle juice

 

Gelatine - melted down cows feet

 

Lea & Perrins Worcester sauce - anchovies

 

Isinglass used to clarify certain beers and wines - sturgeon extract

 

Caviar - also from sturgeon

 

Animal fat / dripping / lard - from dead animals

 

Rennet - enzyme from sheep stomachs used regularly in continental cheeses but rarely in British cheeses

 

Black pudding - made from pig blood

[littlenemo]

Somehow i doubt that anyone could assume caviar, lard or black pudding were veggie. But gelatine gets in a lot of things (especially sweets), if only as part of the glaze. Cochineal isn't used much at all any more as there are several chemical alternatives that are way cheaper.

I became veggie as soon as I left home - not because of the quarterly visits to the abbatoir to get the sheep slaughtered or the weekly rabbit-killing (we kept ferrets), but because i hate the taste of meat. The heavy fats that make your mouth water and that people crave are too much for me - sensory overload I suppose.

My gripe with the veggie fastfood industry is that all the ready meals they make are meat substitutes with heavy veggie fats to reproduce the sensation of eating meat. My only exception are the RealEat veggiburger mixes - no heavy fats and 40% sesame seeds

As i do all the cooking here, I'm lucky that the rest of the family are all veggie too (or maybe that's why - I've told them that they're welcome to eat meat, but that they'd have to cook it themselves)

Last time the Aspergers group met here for lunch, they brought their own meat ; it's not as if we didn't feed them well enough - there was enough other food to last us a couple of days

 

And finally the real benefit of a veggie kitchen - less bacteria = less cleaning

 

Bagpuss, I hope it goes well and you should feel better for it soon.

[Bagpuss]

Cheers for the replies......appalled by what I've been eating, and how unaware I am of what is contained in foods....urgh Sheeps stomachs

 

Main reason for going veggie is finding raw meat and fish stomach churning. Don't like handling it, cooking it, and rapidly going off eating it Feel much more relaxed and enjoy my meal better if I know I'm not going to come across gristle, bone, fat etc.

 

Thank god I can still eat chocolate....although I'm assuming Haribo will have to go

 

Hubby not over keen on the idea of me going vegetarian. He's panicking that I may enforce veggie dome on whole family

[Kathryn]

Avoid marshmallows as they have gelatine in too. I've been trying to find veggie ones without success as my daughter, who is vegetarian, likes them a lot.

 

Good luck with the change and when you're stuck for meal ideas, remember it doesn't have to be all soya and pulses, there's always that good old vegetarian standby - egg and chips!

 

K x

[Zemanski]

Oh yes, marshmallows

I've never seen veggie ones (despite looking for a decade!), so it came to buying one of those kids' Make Your Own Marshmallows machines from Argos. But as agar agar takes so much longer to set than gelatine it never worked.

Anyone else had any success?

 

nemo

[mossgrove]

I've been vegetarian for 16 years and we are all veggie including the kids.

 

As far as the potential 'pitfall products' go, give yourself time. Many people make the mistake of going straight from eating meat to not buying anything unless thay have thorough;y investigated every last ingredient, then go back to meat because going veggie is too difficult.

 

You have done the right thing in cutting down on meat prior to giving it up completely, sudden changes in diet are never recommended, I did this for quite a whil before I went veggie full time.

 

For the first few weeks, just get used to cookng/eating/living without meat, remember you will be in this for the long haul. When you haveg t used to this, then you can start looking at gelatine rennet etc. Don't worry too much about the Rennet issue almost all supermarket cheese use non-animal rennet these days, animal rennet isn't used all that often as it is less reliable and consistent a product than the non-animal manufactured rennet.

 

Simon

[zaman]

''As far as the potential 'pitfall products' go, give yourself time. Many people make the mistake of going straight from eating meat to not buying anything unless thay have thorough;y investigated every last ingredient, then go back to meat because going veggie is too difficult.''

 

 

Mossgroves advice is spot on. I went from being a meat eater to being a vegan. And frankly at 16 I didn't really have a clue about balanced diets, so tended to live on rice and not much else. Of course I then went down with glandular fever, which didn't make me give up being a veggie, just made me cut myself a bit of slack. for me a bit of gelatine here and there causes me much less concern than things like MSG.

 

Having said that I am waiting for someone to post with the answer about marshmallows!

[Guest flutter]

ok i found u all some marshmallows and sweeties

http://www.veganstore.co.uk/chocolate_index.html

can i have a gold star please

[Kathryn]

Flutter,

 

Take 10 gold stars!!

 

 

I'll remember this site and investigate the marshmallows - thanks.

 

K x

[zaman]

Flutter - you are a (gold) star! Now what was I saying about the start of a new diet . . . ?

[phasmid]

We're not veggie's in house Phas but, one of our favourite recipe books is the Linda McCartney cookbook. Every so often Mrs P will pull it off the shelf, dust it down and treat us all too over stewed lentils! Kidding, kidding!

 

I have no idea if it is still in print or not, google or amazon would answer that.

[Zemanski]

Flutter -

 

nemo

[Bagpuss]

Thanks again everyone for the great advice.....oohhhh a sweetie website....heaven

 

Debs

[DaisyProudfoot]

Hey, it sells animal-free candles as well! Have you ever smelt animal-based candles they smell like a bad greasy chip shop

[Canopus]

Hey, it sells animal-free candles as well! Have you ever smelt animal-based candles they smell like a bad greasy chip shop.

 

All the candles I have ever encountered were made of paraffin wax apart from really posh candles that are made of beeswax. I think tallow candles are history - at least in Britain. Lots of chip shops in Yorkshire fry in dripping rather than oil because it gives chips that traditional authentic taste. So does the chip shop in the Black Country museum.

[Guest flutter]

i got something right this week

wooohooooooo

Cx

[Bagpuss]

Update ~ so far so good Havn't eaten meat or fish for many days now and must say not missed it as yet. Infact seem to be enjoying my meals better. Actually had a burger yesterday (Quorn one), and enjoyed it much more than I would of a meat one.......which I tend never to buy or cook....much to kids dismay

 

Got to tell you a funny story though....told my mum I wouldn't be having the carvery anymore at local pub because I had decided to become vegetarian. "Oh" she says......"surely you could just have a bit of gammon" Priceless

 

Debs x

[Zemanski]

lots of people seem to think chicken is vegetarian (especially my MIL) but I haven't heard the gammon one before

 

Z

[Bagpuss]

Forgot to add that I have a friend who became vegetarian many moons ago. She was due to visit a mutual friend of ours for the night, and prewarned them, offering to bring her own meal, but they said not to worry it was all sorted. When she got there she found they'd made tuna pasta bake for tea, believing she could eat fish but not meat Gotta admit though, I would of done the same

 

Debs x

[~Jonathan~]

I went Veggie about 10 days ago and I must confess if someone plonked a plate of roast lamb in front of me or (of all things) a McChicken sandwich, I fear I'd relent!

[zaman]

I went Veggie about 10 days ago and I must confess if someone plonked a plate of roast lamb in front of me or (of all things) a McChicken sandwich, I fear I'd relent!

I spent about a year salivating every time I smelt a bacon buttie.

[Stephanie]

I can remember turning vegetarian, I lived at home and we were eating chicken as a family and my Mum casually said "hmm, this is a lovely bird" ... at that point, the food had become an animal in my mind.

 

I was veggie for about 18 months during which time I put a load of weight on (that has stayed) .. because I substituted cheese for meat all the time. I hated going to restaurants as the choices were so limited.

 

In the end, a sausage roll at a Christmas party was just far too tempting ..

 

Actually just to add, my son who has a very limited diet (no meat except McD chicken nuggets if you can class those) thinks of meat as animals - especially ones with the same name like chicken, lamb, turkey ... but he is ok with beef, pork and ham as they are not called cow and pig.

[redberry]

We are all veggies in Redberry mansion (I wish!)... the mansion bit.. I mean we are really veggies!

I haven't eaten meat or fish for over 30 years. (Or so I thought!)

 

 

Last time I was up north for a family visit my Mam admitted that when I was younger and still living at home she would often try to get a bit of 'goodness' into me by pouring gravy on to my vegetables and then blotting it off with a tea towel!!!!

Yuck!!!

I suppose her heart was in the right place!

 

redberry

[Bagpuss]

Still going ok.

 

Only hitch I've found so far is with a Sunday Roast. The rest of the family had pork, while I bought some quorn fillets for myself, and thought I would slice them up to resemble a roast. Also used Bisto onion gravy instead of making my own with meat juices etc. Found the quorn really tasteless, which was a disappointment, and also found the texture abit rubbery. Not sure what to try next when we have sunday dinner. Might have to just have a plate of yorkshire pudding, veg and potatoes.But , other than that, its been great. Even went to an Italian Restaurant on Friday and had a wonderful meal. I've also started taking supplements on the advice of a friend who's been veggie for years. A multi vit and mineral, plus cod liver oil. Can honestly say I've not missed meat and fish as yet, but its still early days....so watch this space

[redberry]

Bagpuss... no doubt you aren't missing fish...cos you are still eating it!

CODLIVER oil!!

Its not veggie pet

 

still, keep the veggie flag flying..quorn can taste rubbery if its cooked too long.

We sometimes have quorn roast for sundays dinner, but Im not that struck on it generally.

 

redberry

[Bagpuss]

Now why didn't I realise that .......saw it was gelatin free cod liver oil and presumed it was some sort of genetically modified cloned cod they used Seriously though, cheers for pointing that out...hmmm...will have to have words with wise veggie friend Found vegetarian multi vit and mineral at Boots though, which was handy.

 

I've seen Nut Roast .....is that any use for a Sunday Lunch??

Edited May 16, 2006 by Bagpuss

[Viper]

My 18 year old daughter went veggie about a year ago. I must admit I do worry about her. she has just cut out all meat and fish but not really replaced it with anything. She hates nuts so they're out, what she tends to do is eat baked beans when we eat meat. I have made some very nice veggie meals for all the family though.

 

She's going to uni in September so god knows what she will eat then.

[redberry]

MMMMMMM nut roast is loverly,lots of folks I know diss nut roast cos its so typical but we LOVE it!

 

redberry

[littlenemo]

Sesame seeds are full of essential minerals and more calcium than milk . The Realeat veggie burger mix has about 40% (I think) sesame seeds and don't taste like meat, so make a good substitute.

Also a favourite with the kids is Sesame Carrots - cut carrots into matchsticks then fry sesame seeds till the first one pops, then add the carrots. Keep stirfrying till the first carrot sticks begin to lose their colour (they go yellow) then add a big teaspoon of honey. Stir for another 30 seconds and serve. They are always the first thing to be eaten on the plate.

 

Nut roasts are great because you can make them into any shape you want - chicken, turkey, Battleship Potemkin (with more carrot sticks for guns ). I went though a phase of making landscapes (see Close Encounters ) with islands of nut roast and mash in a sea of gravy, celery palm trees, roast parsnip whales, etc. etc. The kids loved them and would eat things they normally wouldn't touch!

 

Food should be fun!

 

enjoy

 

nemo

[DaisyProudfoot]

The releat sausage mix is good too cos you can make scotch eggs - yummy!

[DaisyProudfoot]

All the candles I have ever encountered were made of paraffin wax apart from really posh candles that are made of beeswax. I think tallow candles are history - at least in Britain. Lots of chip shops in Yorkshire fry in dripping rather than oil because it gives chips that traditional authentic taste. So does the chip shop in the Black Country museum.

 

Canopus tallow candles are history but I am a member of an historical re-enactment group and we still have to use them because they are authentic (beeswax was only used by the more wealthy persons and needless to say my family are all peasants)

 

I agree that most chip shops (if not all) fry in vegetable fat today but I can remember when many did not and that smell mixed with stale beer was a smell we Geordies can still find in some of the more rougher establishments in the toon.