~I'm new at this~ any advice??

[noXmoreXpain]

Hey everybody!!! I've only been a vegetarian for 4 months and I was wondering what advice everyone could give me. A couple specific questions: 1. My friends love to go out to fast food places, what Is there that I can eat??
2. Is there anything that would make vegetarianism simpler?
Okay those were my specific questions, but anything else you want to tell me would be greatly appriciated!!
<3

[Kimberly]

Aw man, that is rough. Fast food places? I, by rule, never enter the regular fast food places like Burger Kin, McDonald's, etc., but I think there must be vegetarian items, no? Veggie burger at BK. Grilled cheese at McD's? Sorry, wish I could be of more help. As for my kind of fast food, I get vegan wraps at places that make wraps for you...vegan soup at the soup place...vegan sandwiches at the deli...vegan sushi at any sushi place...

[BillD]

Congratulations on becoming a vegetarian!

Most fast food restaurants have vegetarian food for you. Taco Bell has bean burritos, Burger King and subway has a veggie pattie. McDonalds...well...McDonalds has fries.

Vegetarianism isn't that tough. In 18 years, the only problem I've had at finding vegetarian food was when I was in Texas. There is usually always something to eat.

I would suggest surrounding yourself with vegetarian friends. If, as is my case, you don't have very many veggie friends, carry a cheat sheet with you. So, if you find yourself tempted by meat, pull out your cheat sheet with facts and pictures of why it is important to be a vegetarian and you will remember the reason you first became one. After about a year, the cravings will go away. I think meat will always smell good to you and may even look good, but it will be a "take it or leave it" situation.

Good luck!!!!!

[Amy SF]

Welcome to VB! :hi: Congrats on making the switch to vegetarianism!

We have a member by the name of Steve whose screen name is beforewisdom. Steve has done a lot of research and is very knowledgeable about veg*an nutrition. He became our nutritional welcome-wagon volunteer and made up a statement that he has posted every time a newbie created an intro thread. He believes this statement is useful for all who are considering making or have recently made the switch to, or returned, to vegetarianism or veganism. The idea is that educating oneself in veg*an nutrition is essential for making a lasting commitment to veg*anism.

Steve is on hiatus from VB until, I think he said July or after July. With his approval, I've started posting his statement in his absence. Here is Steve's statement:


Vegan Outreach has a stellar starter kit.

Please do not let the word "vegan" in it scare you.

The information applies just as much to vegetarians as
vegans. Just add milk and eggs if that is what you are into.

Vegan Outreach will mail you a very nice printed copy for
free. You can also download a pdf version for free or read
it on the web for free.

The kit includes unique and thoughtful essays by
Vegan Outreach founder Matt Ball that will help you
make vegetarianism a rewarding and lasting commitment.

It has a better recipe section than most starter kits that
I have seen. Best of all it also has an up to date,
complete, easy to understand, and brief nutrition section by
Jack Norris, a vegan Registered Dietician.

Assuming you have a solid reason for starting veg*nism,
the two best things you can do to make your commitment to it
last are to learn good nutrition and to learn to cook a small
set of recipes you really like.

Here is the URL:
http://www.veganoutreach.org/starterpack

Vegan Outreach also hosts a web site of health articles
for people on plant based diets:

http://www.veganhealth.org

Be careful of whom you take nutrition advice from on the web.

There are a number of web mavens who sound as if they know what
they are talking about and they really don't.

Learn to ask people how they know what they know.

Animal Rights sites, even some of the more well known names, are known for
giving out of date or incomplete information on vegetarian nutrition.

If you are interested in more information I have articles and descriptions
of books by well known, well respected, and well credentialed authorities
on my web site at:

http://www.geocities.com/beforewisd...healthyVeg.html

If you are lacto-ovo, that is, a vegetarian who consumes dairy and egg products, you will find your veg diet to be very easy. More and more vegetarian products are becoming available in restaurants and markets, including mainstream markets. Just be careful not to overindulge in processed vegetarian foods and vegetarian junk foods; one can be a vegetarian and still have an unhealthy diet from this stuff. If you want to cut down on (or eliminate) cow's milk, you can try different brands of soymilk and see which one you like best. See if you can do some of your own grocery shopping, and offer to make some meals for your family. A vegetarian meal is as simple as a peanut butter sandwich, a veggie wrap made with steamed veggies, avocado and salsa inside a tortilla, or a pizza with your favorite veggie toppings.

Good luck!

[Michael]

Hey everybody!!! I've only been a vegetarian for 4 months and I was wondering what advice everyone could give me. A couple specific questions: 1. My friends love to go out to fast food places, what Is there that I can eat??
2. Is there anything that would make vegetarianism simpler?
Okay those were my specific questions, but anything else you want to tell me would be greatly appriciated!!
<3

Assuming you're lacto-ovo there are plenty of things you can eat. Might want to check out either of these sites (I can't vouch for the info, it's always best to double-check for yourself if you're unsure)...

http://www.vegetarian-restaurants.net/OtherInfo/FastFoodRest.htm

Just noticed the other site is gone. She's a member here so I'll see what's up. :(

Here's a list I compiled for a local group but it's several years old (the site that's gone is the one in the first post)...

http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=76

As for making vegetarianism easier, there are tons of meat-replacement products - burgers, hot dogs, chik nuggets, chili, lasagna, corn dogs, pot pies, etc. available at most grocery stores. #1 thing would be to learn how to cook some dishes on your own. I'd also strongly suggest trying some new ethnic foods. Italian and Mexican have a lot of veg options but there's also Chinese, Indian, Thai, and many other ethnic foods that either are veggie or can be made veggie.

[Kimberly]

McD's fries are not always vegetarian. Some places use beef tallow still to fry their fries (they do here in Vancouver).

[anthony11]

McD's fries are not always vegetarian. Some places use beef tallow still to fry their fries (they do here in Vancouver).
AFAIK the tallow is mixed into the fries before they're extruded.

[Kimberly]

AFAIK the tallow is mixed into the fries before they're extruded.

I think that is only the case when they are going to fry them in vegetable oil, no?

I really cannot say for sure everywhere; all I know is that here in Vancouver, the nutritional info says they are vegetarian until they are fried in the beef tallow--so if you got the fries fried in veg oil they would be fine. Except, of course, that they've been fried in oil that has fried hundreds of nuggets and fish fillets. :stinkeye:

My advice would just be to avoid McD's. :D

[Michael]

I think that is only the case when they are going to fry them in vegetable oil, no?


Possibly. That's why they originally did it. When they switched to vegetable oil they wanted to try to keep the flavor.

[noXmoreXpain]

Okay, deffinetly avoiding mcdonalds!! haha, too much controversy and i'm not gonna risk it....
I read the fast food guide and thats helpful too, you guys are a lot of help and Its great to see that some people out there actually want to help me!

[shesxxelectrik]

Well, my friends aren't that big in fast food places, but we do go to this little cafe in our town and I always ask questions such as what my food is going to be cooked in, what's in it and such. The best advice I have for you is ask questions. Know what you're putting in your mouth.

[grimey_snoozer]

vegetarian items in fast food joints are usually prepared in the same area as non-vegetarian items. so there will likely be contamination no matter what you order. and most french fries are cooked in animal fat, btw. you can ask the manager, but you may not always get a honest answer. many don't know or don't care. just know that going in. this applies to pretty much all restaurants. eating out is risky business for veg*ns.

[AngelOfDance]

when I was l/o (which I assume you are) my family would get fast food a lot and I'd get a deluxe-ish cheeseburger without the meat. So melty cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard, and possibly other stuff depending on what place you go. Taco Bell has some good vegetarian and vegan options... BK has the BK veggie... other than that, fruit, salad, and sometimes fries are probably your best bet.

[anthony11]

I think that is only the case when they are going to fry them in vegetable oil, no?

I really cannot say for sure everywhere; all I know is that here in Vancouver, the nutritional info says they are vegetarian until they are fried in the beef tallow--so if you got the fries fried in veg oil they would be fine. Except, of course, that they've been fried in oil that has fried hundreds of nuggets and fish fillets. :stinkeye:
I do think their practices vary from country to country, but my understanding is that in the US they're fried in dedicated oil, but that they still have tallow built-in. There was a a big lawsuit and settlement a few years back because they'd represented in a letter that the fries were vegetarian.

[righteousbabe]

1. My friends love to go out to fast food places, what Is there that I can eat??
2. Is there anything that would make vegetarianism simpler?

Hmm . . . well I grew up a vegetarian and my mom would take us to McDonalds and simply order us happy meals without the meat. It might sound odd, but surprisingly, it's very good. :) McDonalds has veggie burgers you can get now, so you shouldn't have to do that now if you don't want to. Other places, I'm not sure. Usually mexican fast food places are pretty easy. Personally, at Taco Bell I get the 7layer burrito or a tostada with beans (then there's the issue about lard though), and I like a bean and cheese burrito at Del Taco or some place. Those are the only fast food places I go to, on the rare occassions that I go to them.

Simpler? Well, sense you're just starting out, it probably seems a little overwhelming at times, but eventually it will be second nature. Nothing to it, no second thought. My advice is to just try all sorts of new recepies. There are LOADS of vegetarian meat substitutes out there today, so making your favorite dishes that have meat in them, now as a vegetarian, should be no problemo!

And lastly, my advice is to be very open-minded and try all sorts of new things, expecially all the great vegetarian meat-substitutes. I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised. :)

[jeff_veg]

My favorite vegetarian fast food is a place called 'extreme pita'. The falafel pita there is amazing, and there are plenty of options for the meat eaters in the group. Vegetarian subs from subway, etc, are also ok, but a little boring. When it comes to burger joints, the best idea is to just avoid them.

As for making vegetarianism simpler, the best advice I can give you is to buy a cookbook. At first I had no idea what to eat or how to make it (almost zero cooking experience). I found a book with simple recipes that explained everything in detail, and have been vegetarian ever since.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0761511709/qid=1119926254/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i3_xgl14/103-9356613-4000669?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

There may be better books out there, but I found this one to be a really good starter.

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

Jeff - now that my kids are teens and doing a lot of their own cooking I got them that cookbook and they LOVE it!! Good advice and it seems to be a good cookbook though I personally haven't really looked through it much...

[~Linda~]

Welcome to VB. :hi:

Hmmm, I just may get that book myself. Thanks jeff_veg. :)

[rainbow_clouds]

Hello. Welcome to VB and the world of veg*nism.

I think the key is try as many foods as you can. There are some really great non-meat foods out there. You don't have to live on salad and steamed veggies. :up:

[Bunny Hugger]

My advice is to always read the label. Don't assume something is veg*an just because it may look that way.

List of animal derived ingredients A-Z:
http://www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?ID=72

[grimey_snoozer]

My advice is to always read the label. Don't assume something is veg*an just because it may look that way.

yup. i've made that mistake a few times when buying vegetable soups and flavored rice. might i also suggest that you should pay attention to the brands you're buying. items that may seem like the same thing are often quite different. for example, Hunt's Manwich (original) sauce is vegan, but Del Monte's Sloppy Joe sauce is not. to further complicate matters both these items have the exact same words and a similar picture printed on the label. it's very easy to mistakenly grab the wrong one.

[Jennifer89]

Hey everybody!!! I've only been a vegetarian for 4 months and I was wondering what advice everyone could give me. A couple specific questions: 1. My friends love to go out to fast food places, what Is there that I can eat??
2. Is there anything that would make vegetarianism simpler?
Okay those were my specific questions, but anything else you want to tell me would be greatly appriciated!!
<3

1. Eat salads, and check out which restruants have vegetarian fries and which don't. Always ask for a salad without chicken!!!
2. It matters- I don't know what your life is like, so I can't really answer that

Advice: Stick in there! Just don't give up, make sher that everythings good, and enjoy life!

[DancNSpin]

It's tough being a veg when you eat a lot of fast food. Luckily, my last 2 boyfriends have been extremely unhealthy and I have become very creative when dining in chain restaurants. Oh, and I have been a veggie now for about a year.

Tip 1: You can ALWAYS substitute.
When the menu is boring, change it. You see a salad that looks appealing, but includes meat? Ask them to sub veggies for the meat. I did this at Applebees and made the waitress really envious of my food :D Taco Hell is also great for this: when I go I usually get a grilled stuft burrito, sub beans for beef (you can do this with any oftheir items), hold the baja sauce and add nacho cheese. It is soooo yummy.

Tip 2: Always tell the waiter/waitress that you are a vegetarian.
I've had lots of mishaps where I assumed b/c I asked for no bacon that they knew I was a vegetarian, and accidentally got green beans with ham or something equally ridiculous.

[zoebird]

you can direct your friends to other kinds of 'fast food' that aren't chains either.

we tend to go to a lot of 'fast food' chinese restaurants in the area. i know which ones serve vegetarian stuff, and we go there. i often get the mixed vegetables (sometimes comes with tofu), the spring rolls--that sort of thing. it's quick and easy and they can get meat stuff there too.

so, you have options. good luck!

[lilgirl252729]

You could try checking into a veggie restaurant or cafe.....bring your friends.....even if they aren't veggie.....i bet they'll like something =)
I noticed you're from Iowa....I mapquested a few of the locations to get a general idea of where you're located in Iowa. You're about 35 minutes from a veggie restaurant in Coralville, Iowa and Iowa City.

http://www.happycow.net/north_america/usa/iowa/index.html

http://www.vegdining.com/GetRestList.cfm?rgk=NA-US-IA