More and more I feel like I am falling prey to the same old commercialized crap or even more so now than whan an omni....

Alot of the vegatarian food lately seem "main stream" made by corp. giants. Fast food chains are now serving Baca burgers. Advertising...all of it. The very thing being opposed for one sect is now the norm for that same sect who is opposing.
I know being vegatarian is not all about stepping out of main stream, and into rationalization and away from commercialization. But, a big part of it is. And now I feel that were not stepping out,,,but just going from one frying pan to another
any thoughts about this>

I may be confused about what you're saying here, but it seems to me that if you're choosing vegetarianism, if you're choosing to ignore the signs for beef burgers (and even turning your nose up at them and opposing them), then you're not falling prey to commercialism by choosing cruelty-free food. You would choose vegetarian food regardless of adverts, right? You're make an active choice.

I appreciate and support vegetarian options at ALL restaurants. Anything that makes it appear easy and tasty to skip meat is alright with me.

I am leaving for Disneyland this afternoon and I hope to see lots of veggie options there. I will return with a report. If Disney has vegan and Veg options then I want the world to know about it. And if they don't, I want the world to know about that. I go there not altogether happy about it as vacation for ME but it's for my daughter who has pleaded and been good. How nice if veg parents and kids have options to eat there even if it is very commercial.

d

Thoughts about this?

Cook whole fresh, organic foods?

Just my opinion...you know, if the commercialism bothers you.

B

I think Bethanie's suggestion is the only way you can get away from commercialized foods, no matter whether you're vegan or omni. I don't like vegan/organic/whatever foods being commercialized any more than the next person, but at least it's nice to have the options there for us. I'd take commercialized veg-friendly foods over no veg-friendly foods at all.

ahhh. . .whole foods--what a nice idea?

on the plus side, the more vegetarian options, the more opportunity for people who want to be consumers and be vegetarians to be that. if it's easier for people to be vegetarian, they're more likely to be.

Build the market, and the advertisers will come....

I like the idea that I can pick up an occassional prepackaged item, even if it is going to lead to disturbing things like the growth of the little fish to cause the bigger fish to notice them and buy 'em out. This is what is going to allow things labeled "vegetarian" and "vegan" to begin to saturate the market, to be used everyday in households, and to give us exposure.

i have the same frustration Molly. bethanie has a point about the whole foods thing, but sometimes convenience is important. the yucky thing about boca besides being corporate is that the majority of their products contain soy that has GMO's...bummer. i used to like morningstar farms but they are owned by kellogg so now...yikes. what's an exhausted vegetarian parent to do??

i guess it's all a matter of balance. we used to go to red robin, this burger chain because they made all their burgers (which are fabulous!) with a choice of Boca or meat...but now i am trying to not give too much of my business to restaurant chains...alas.

I didn't become veg*n to step out of the mainstream or to get away from commercialism. I became veg*n because I'm opposed to animal cruelty and factory farming. If big chain restaurants are willing to offer Boca Burgers, I say more power to them.


ETA: Yes, I do realize that the companies who make veggie food also contribute to animal abuse but I still think we have to start somewhere. If sales of the veggie stuff increase, theoretically sales from the meat stuff should decrease.

i hear what you're saying mcat. i guess for me, i was already out of the mainstream before becoming veg. but also, if a restaurant is a big chain, i have to wonder about their practices; most likely all their meat is going to come from factory farms... but, to be a little devils avocado-ish, it is good that more places are offering real options.

I agree with MollyCat.

I am anti-mainstream in many ways, but I don't consider that relevent to vegetarianism. I would rather have veg*nism be a mainstream lifestyle attractive to many people than have it be a fringe movement that the majority of people aren't interested in.

Mollyness is cool! We could be our own fringe movement. :cool:

i'm hoping to see vegetarian foods hit the mainstream market. i'd like to pay a dolllar for an amy's burrito, rather than 2.49. it makes vegetarianism more doable, and i'm all for it. the more competition in making vegetarian products, the better.

i'm hoping to see vegetarian foods hit the mainstream market. i'd like to pay a dolllar for an amy's burrito, rather than 2.49. it makes vegetarianism more doable, and i'm all for it. the more competition in making vegetarian products, the better.

Whole Foods used to have burritos on their 365 label for pretty close to $1.00, both bean, one with cheese one without.

>>Whole Foods used to have burritos on their 365 label for pretty close to $1.00, both bean, one with cheese one without.>>

Trader Joe's non-dairy burritos pWn...and are roughly $1.28/ea.

Re: the OP:

hmmm...I'm going to assume you don't oppose commerce outright? What aspects of commercialism do you find most alarming?

ebola

Whole Foods used to have burritos on their 365 label for pretty close to $1.00, both bean, one with cheese one without.

it needs to be two things: cheap and convenient. i rely on taco bell for a 7 layer burrito less cheese and sour cream. i think it's $1.70. i would like to see more competitiion in that arena. variety is the spice of life, and having more options to eat makes it easier to be veg. i welcome the commercialization of vegetarian foods.

Is Whole Foods is inconvenient or frozen burritos are?

nothing is inconvenient if it's available. the key is more choices for the consumer. i'm all for applying the economy of scale to vegetarian products. the stores in my area are getting a premium price.

>>Whole Foods used to have burritos on their 365 label for pretty close to $1.00, both bean, one with cheese one without.>>

Trader Joe's non-dairy burritos pWn...and are roughly $1.28/ea.


There is no TJs in fareless square so that is like 2.63 with bus fare.

A shame.
Eugene is small enough that you can pretty much bike anywhere.

ebola

To become vegetarian is rather hard in some places in the world, unless you "Cook whole fresh- [Bethanie), Tasty, fresh, convinient, economic is required for vegetarian. If vegetarian food is commercialized, become mainstream, every where can get it, is great success. All animals are safe and happy. (Mollycat: sales of the veggie stuff increase, theoretically sales from the meat stuff should decrease).

Due to inconvenient to buy vegetarian food during my business travelling in my region, you have to know the specify places who sell veggie food, is not convenient to most of the people in most of the places, I am thinking and planning to do vegetarian food business and try to commercialize and become chain.. any opinion and suggestion?

I am leaving for Disneyland this afternoon and I hope to see lots of veggie options there. I will return with a report. If Disney has vegan and Veg options then I want the world to know about it. And if they don't, I want the world to know about that. I go there not altogether happy about it as vacation for ME but it's for my daughter who has pleaded and been good. How nice if veg parents and kids have options to eat there even if it is very commercial.

d

Sorry, off topic - AV: If you're leaving for Disney this afternoon, you won't see this anyway, but just to let you know, there's MINIMAL vegetarian options and virtually NO vegan ones... we just went last spring - ended up bringing a backpack of snacks and eating elsewhere after a day at the park... Start a thread about it when you return - I'd like to compare notes...

Another OT post: Ebola, I didn't know we were like almost exactly the same age. I always feel like you are older than me because you're so darn edumacated :D

I can only see more commercial options for vegetarians as a good thing. The more food options the better! I don't think I'd eat any more commercial crap than I do now, I don't like the stuff, but more availability can only mean more accessablity to vegetarianism, more vegetarians, less meat etc etc.

I have to agree that I think its a good thing to advertise veg*n foods. The more the better. For those of us on the go, we need fast food options when we're in a hurry. On commercialisim--- if there were no commercialisim, there would be nowhere to buy anything, which I guess is okay if you grow your own veggies and cotton, make your own soymilk, etc. Without commercialisim, we'd have no jobs, and in the world today, no one knows how to do anything for themselves.....(build your own house, sew your own clothes, create your own electricity so you can still talk to your friends on VB) I think commercialisim is great. Without it I wouldn't have Tofutti Cuties. :) (Those things are great!!)