wow, so last week I was walking (strangely enough) from a minor league baseball game to a Carl's Jr. (what a joke) and someone handed me this "Even if You Like Meat" Pamphlet and I read it and I never knew all that
junk about factory farming and have opted to make a go at being vegan.
Giving up meat didn't seem like a big deal, it's the other stuff I am like
"WHOA, animal products are in everything!!" I feel so overwhelmed, all my favorite shoes are leather, it seems like everything has animal products,
what are some common things you wouldn't have thought had animal products in it, but do? Does this make sense I don't want to be eating some junk from an animal and not know it....
or another question does all make up have animal products in it?
Do you ever get to stop having to think so much about what to eat or what is in your fave foods?
does anyone know if Oreo's are animal friendly? doubt it ---wishful thinking
thanks!!

hi and welcome!
it can be very overwhelming at first- both coming to terms with the new information you learned about the animals, and figuring out how to make some lifestyle changes accordingly. but the good news is, there are a lot of animal-free products out there including delicious foods, fashionable clothes, quality makeups, etc!

hydrox cookies, newman o's, country choice sandwich cookies, and many store brand "oreos" are vegan. you can get animal-free/vegan versions of almost anything at this point!: ice cream sandwiches, pizza, burgers, hot dogs, sausages, riblets, chicken nuggets, cream cheese, you name it. And if you experiment in the kitchen, you can recreate a lot of your favorite foods by incorporating a few new ingredients (for instance, you can use tofu to make incredible vegan quiche- it sounds crazy, but if you go into it with an open mind, you'll be amazed at what you can come up with).

One thing that might make you feel a bit better and less intimidated is to see that there are many foods you're probably familiar with and probably already eating that are vegan!

Check out these websites!

Here are a ton of mainstream foods that are vegan and you can find at pretty much any grocery store: http://www.peta.org/accidentallyVegan/VeganShoppingQS-beverages.asp?Category=Beverages

Vegan Basics: http://www.vivausa.org/veganbasics/

And I hope you stick around. There are a lot of friendly people at this board, and I'm sure they can help you get started, too. Also, don't fret too much about being perfect from day one...you'll learn and get more confident as you go. Remember to view it as a positive thing and have as much fun with it as you can!

Welcome to VB! :hi:

Be careful of gelatin (cow tendons). It's in a lot of things you wouldn't expect it to be in. :yes:

Hello. First I'd like to congradulate you on your dietary change! It can be overwhelming at first especially going from a someone who was a meat-eater. My suggestion is to take it slow. The first week cut out red meat, second week cut out polutry, third week cut out fish, 4th week plain dairy and eggs, and 5th week trace ingredients. Of course you don't have to do it that way it just might make you feel less overwhelmed. Good luck!

I saw that pamphlet for the first time on Saturday, an interesting approach for VO (but probably more effective).

Honestly, if I were you I'd go vegetarian and then ease into veganism. If you're starting out feeling overwhelmed there's a possibility you could get burnt out and give up. Easing into it will give you time to get used to it and may make a bigger impact long-term. That'll also give you time to educate yourself about what you can eat/cook and what your nutritional needs will be.

We'll help in any way we can, just ask. :)

someone handed me this "Even if You Like Meat" Pamphlet
I never knew that stuff actually works. Heh.
I feel so overwhelmed, all my favorite shoes are leather,
Don't worry about that now. Wear them until they fall apart. In the mean time keep your eyes peeled for veggie shoes you like (i.e. man-made or vegetable material).
what are some common things you wouldn't have thought had animal products in it, but do?
I can't think of anything in particular, but in general more processed stuff is more likely to have trace animal ingredients. One of the best tips I can give you to survive a vegan lifestyle is to base your diet on whole foods (fruits, veggies, beans, grains, simple things like whole wheat pasta, etc)
Does this make sense I don't want to be eating some junk from an animal and not know it....
Makes 100% sense to me.
or another question does all make up have animal products in it? No, there are animal friendly cosmetics. Try the ads on this site.
Do you ever get to stop having to think so much about what to eat or what is in your fave foods?Yes, after awhile you get into a routine. You find out what foods you like before going veggie are veggie and you discover new ones. Then it becomes a problem only when you're out and about.
does anyone know if Oreo's are animal friendly? doubt it ---wishful thinking
Check for whey in the ingredients. I think they're vegan now. If you don't want to eat trans fats go for the peanut butter ones.

Hi and congratulations on deciding to go vegan. I think, as some of the others have said, doing it gradually would be the best thing - especially if you're starting from being a meat eater rather than a vegetarian. There are some great alternatives out there to all the non-vegan stuff, but it can take a while to get used to what ingredients to look out for.

It is really overwhelming at first! Like Rainbow Clouds and sexyjacksparrow mentioned, don't feel bad about taking things slowly - it's okay to eat a slice of cheese pizza as you work to educate yourself about veg*nism and nutrition.

I'd also concentrate on the things you CAN eat rather than on what you can't! Take a look at the recipes section here - there really is an abundance of food that tastes good, is healthy and is cruelty free.

You are doing a good thing for your body, the Earth and, of course, the animals. Best of luck!

Jes

Yeah i too feel overwhlemed - only been "vegan" three days lol-but on another site i read some good advice. The journey to veganism is a process and the quest for purity impossible so do the best you can . right now im not eating dairy or eggs . as for other ingredients ill leanr about them slowly , mind you i already dont eat geletain or whey - however found out its inmy marg last night when i thought mabye i should look. But i wil finish it so i don"t waste it and next marg purchuse i know what to look for . Good luck and well done for dooing the big switch lol

Do you ever get to stop having to think so much about what to eat or what is in your fave foods?



It does get easier. I have been veggie for three weeks now, and am amazed at how easy it has been.

Last night we went out to dinner with my husband's family to a "country kitchen" type restaurant. The only veggie items on the regular menu were a few side dishes....and the buffet was loaded with ham, fried chicken, pork stew, lamb, sliced roast beef, etc. BUT, I ended up having a great meal of salad, potatoes, rice and snap beans. It was yummy, and I didn't feel deprived at all!

:hamster:
I think it's great that a pamphlet moved you to make a lifestyle change.
Remember that there are so many web site you can learn from that provide free information too.
Do what you can w/out going overboard. Take it day by day & bit by bit. You're already off to a good start since you are here. Plenty of resources & great people here on VB.
Good luck! :vebo: :bobo:

welcome!

becoming vegetarian and vegan is a process. you'll pick everything up as you go along, and cut one thing out after another. most people have a hard time going 'straight to vegan' and the issues of 'what to do with old leather?" come up right away.

there are lots of products that don't have animal products in them. I like Aubrey for hair care; i like laverna for sunscreen and make up (though i don't often wear it, and most of bare essentials is animal free as well), someone around here sells arbonne, too, which is also animal free. I use natures gate for lotion and nature's dentist for toothpaste. i use jason's body wash. I'm moving over to castille soap soon though. Also, i'm starting to make my own lotions and stuff, which is fun. :)

for the dietary side, look out for whey, gelatin, and casein in products. there are lots of other chemical names for animal things in products, you'll learn those over time. Basicly, though, i use the rule that if i can't recognize the ingredient, i don't buy it!

hey thanks everyone for all the help and being so nice, I am doing really good
so far I went to lunch at Olive Garden with my friends yesterday and I was worried I wouldn't find anything to eat but they have really yummy soup (you have toget Minestrone all the other kinds have meat, but it's wayy good) salad,and breadsticks. yay. I think the weirdest part was saying um no thanks dad,I don't want any of the nice dinner you made especially when this all cameout of nowhere for me. I've been reading a lot about it and I think in abouta month I am going to go see my doctor and make sure I'm getting all the vitamins I need and get his advice and whatnot. but thanks again for being so awesome!!

hey thanks everyone for all the help and being so nice, I am doing really good
so far I went to lunch at Olive Garden with my friends yesterday and I was worried I wouldn't find anything to eat but they have really yummy soup (you have toget Minestrone all the other kinds have meat, but it's wayy good) salad,and breadsticks. yay. I think the weirdest part was saying um no thanks dad,I don't want any of the nice dinner you made especially when this all cameout of nowhere for me. I've been reading a lot about it and I think in abouta month I am going to go see my doctor and make sure I'm getting all the vitamins I need and get his advice and whatnot. but thanks again for being so awesome!!

Not to burst your bubble, but when I wrote to Olive Garden about their confusing information on their website concerning vegetarian options, they responded with this confusing letter:
Thank you for visiting olivegarden.com.

Olive Garden does not provide an ingredients list. We can suggest a few of our menu items can be adjusted to accommodate a vegan or vegetarian diet, but none wholly meet the criteria. Our current nutritional database does not include information to the level of specific detail you require.

Depending on your personal philosophy, we can suggest the following items as meatless, but not necessarily vegetarian or vegan as they may contain some ingredients which do not comply with your personal philosophy:

Minestrone Soup
Garden Salad
Marinara Sauce
Capellini Pomodoro
Eggplant Parmigiana
Fettuccine Alfredo

We certainly empathize with the challenges presented to you when you weigh decisions regarding dining out. We recognize that we do not meet the needs of everyone and our objective remains to offer what our guests, through their selections, indicate are favorites.

If Guest Relations can be of further assistance, please write us again through olivegarden.com (www.olivegarden.com/feedback.asp ) or call us at 1-800-331-2729. Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. ET. In the meantime, we will look forward to a future opportunity to serve you in our restaurants.

With Hospitaliano,

Ann
Olive Garden Guest Relations

"Our current nutritional database does not include information to the level of specific detail you require."

Sounds like they don't know what they're putting in their own food. :tired:

Yeah, I wouldn't trust any bread to be Vegan at a place like Olive Garden. I'd have to see the ingredients, but I guess that a little too Top Secret for us common folks to see.