The Vegan store in Kitchener is 'Green Door Vegan Variety (http://www.greendooronline.ca/)'.

Also most super markets contain some vegan products. I am almost Vegan and I usually go to the following stores in Kitchener/Waterloo.

1. ValuMart
2. Zehr's
3. Food Basics
4. Onkar Foods and Spices
5. Bulk Barn

zehr's rocks

not sure but if you ever venture into stratford make sure you go to veg out :drool:

i saw their ad in the stratford festival brochure! i was so excited. we're going to stop by there for dinner when we see a play.

they're usually closed sundays and mondays fyi but yeah definately check them out. this woman does amazing things i tell ya. i recommend the chicken balls, nuggets, the fish and chips (seriously!), and most definately the spinach salad.. oh heck everything i've tried there is amazing. she makes killer brownies too

I haven't looked through this entire thread, so forgive me if this has already been posted!

My boyfriend (sweetest guy everrr) surprised me and took me out to a veggie resturant!! It's called the Graceful Vegetarian and it was delicious!!!! It's located in Markham, near Pacific Mall. If you want a yummy night out, check it out!!

:hamster:

Cool, thanks everyone for the info!! :D I'm going to make a list for when I go!

Hi fellow Ontarians! :)

I live in Mississauga and am new to VB. I am newly vegan and am so hyped!!

Does anyone else live in the GTA?

Yvette

yep. brampton.

nope. south of you.

The Gay Pride Parade is taking place this weekend and i'll be volunteering with the Toronto Vegetarian Association either on the Sat or Sun (havent decided yet--I'll post soon) come out and meet me, support the TVA, and show your pride! ^__^

details on the tva site: www.veg.ca

Hi all -

My name is Dom, and I live in Ottawa. Married, mom of ten year old (omni) twins and an omni husband - (sigh, the kids are malleable, but the husband is not; oh well)... and working on becoming vegan-from-vegetarian. I work at home as a freelance writer, and am interested in meeting new people.

Thanks for providing this forum! :)

Hi all -

My name is Dom, and I live in Ottawa. Married, mom of ten year old (omni) twins and an omni husband - (sigh, the kids are malleable, but the husband is not; oh well)... and working on becoming vegan-from-vegetarian. I work at home as a freelance writer, and am interested in meeting new people.

Thanks for providing this forum! :)

Welcome to the forum. I used to live in TO. Now I'm back in BC. Congrats on your interest in veganism. :)

I just wanted to mention--I went to Fresh on Crawford and it was awesome!! I dislike fresh on Bloor (Unfortunate since I live a 30 second walk away..) but on Crawford the venue is nicer and the waitstaff are so SO much nicer... they don't try to kill me when I try to make sure something is vegan. "We're a vegan restaurant! *rolls eyes*" "Uh hello? You have cheese, (real) mayonaise, honey, milk, cream and whey integrated into your menu. That is not vegan. -_-'"

Fressen is also my love. Oh my gosh is that place SO good. Everything on the menu is 9 bucks and its all soo soooo good. I went there on a formal date and its a gorgeous venue you can really dress up to the 9s for where the waitstaff are all fancied up and the lights are dimmed and the food is gorgeous. My date got handmade pasta and I got moroccan stew--the drinks were fabulous an the dessert was a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse and fresh fruit and it was to DIE for... I was so happy; I'm usually really nervous when I take dates to vegan venues and this one impressed us both!! :D

Once of my fav things about summer is the fresh produce you can buy. I am always on the look out for good farmers markets. I found this list of some in the Toronto area. Has anyone been to these before?

http://blogs.lifestyle.aol.ca/2008/07/15/farmers-markets/

I've checked out the Don Valley Brick Works market which is really nice as there are some nice walks to do around there too. It doesn't even feel like you're in the city :)

i've been to St Lawrence Market a few times. its what we'd call 'gurt lush' at home. very busy, unfortunately there is a fair bit of meat and stinky things, but there is also a really nice range of fruits and veggies, homemade food, plus the usual imported and international spices and products and trinkets and whatnot in the other hall. :D

I've been to the High Park one, it's a loss less busy than the St Lawrence and its mostly produce.. and its all organic... but like a lot of farmers markets (and organic to boot) boy is it expensive!!!

What products are friendly around here? I want to start kicking out those nasty products and bringing in the more friendly ones but don't know where to start.

I hope this is a good start, because I really like it:

Down Under Natural's FORTIFYING Shampoo (all hair types) BOTANICAL EXTRACTS

I also use the conditioner.

What products are friendly around here? I want to start kicking out those nasty products and bringing in the more friendly ones but don't know where to start.

I hope this is a good start, because I really like it:

Down Under Natural's FORTIFYING Shampoo (all hair types) BOTANICAL EXTRACTS

I also use the conditioner.

i'm not sure on the ingredients of down under naturals. you'd need to email them to find out if there are animal products in it, i think. same with animal testing (not sure what the bottle says). the law around putting the word 'natural' on stuff seems really shady. you could probably just drop a drip of lavander oil into some awful gack, and label it as 'fortified with soothing natural botanicals'.

beyond that, um... what you get depends on where you shop, your budget, and what you want to get, and to avoid, really. there are different products in small shoppers drug marts than big healthfood stores and supermarkets, you know?

i like method (http://www.methodhome.com/) for cleaning products, hand soaps, etc. shoppers has a pretty decent line of it- they also have their own version dish soap + kitchen cleaner which is nearly half the price when it goes on sale- which is all the time.

the bigger stores also have samy (http://www.samysalon.com/lines/line-samypure.htm) brand shampoos and conditioners, kiss my face (http://www.kissmyface.com/) (check ingredients if you're vegan), giovanni (http://www.giovannicosmetics.com/), alba botanicals (http://www.albabotanica.com/), toms of maine (http://www.tomsofmaine.com/) (i like their toothpaste) natures gate (http://www.natures-gate.com/), and this new live clean (http://www.live-clean.com/) stuff, etc. zellers has a load of this stuff too (normally cheaper) and so do bigger grocery stores.

i don't often see full ranges though, probably cos its american stuff for the most part.

i don't personally like a lot of the natural sls free shampoos and conditioners- they leave my hair limp and dirty feeling, and i struggle with it. i love a lot of the shower gels and moisturisers and cleaning things though (except dishwasher detergent, which always sucks).

hope thats a start. don't be afraid to ask for more specifics though. :)

Once of my fav things about summer is the fresh produce you can buy. I am always on the look out for good farmers markets.

There's one in Liberty Village on Sunday mornings. It's part of My Market.
http://www.my-market.ca/

Also listed here. http://www.farmersmarketsontario.com/index.cfm

It's small, but that's what I like about it. It's mostly organic. The one vendor there sells organic heirloom tomatoes that are absolutely amazing.

While you're in the neighbourhood pick up a loaf of bread from here: http://www.atelierthuet.ca/home.asp

You'll thank me.

Thanks.
I'm looking for specific recommendations of products now. I'm slowly going to start transitioning to vegan, but am a big milk person. I've tried the SO GOOD products but they are just too sweet or something, I can't seem to get it down. Preferrably things that could be found in Zehrs stores, oh and I've heard some talk of soy and coconut milk yogurts. I generally hate yogurt but if this stuff doesn't taste the same as "generic" yogurt then I'm in for trying it! :bobo:

so good isn't my favourite either. their icecream is really sickly and a bit foamy, i only vaguely remember buying the milk once, so i must have thought it ininspirng. i haven't seen the coconut so-delicious yet- i'm waiting impatiently.

*tries to think what the zehrs in o'ville used to have*. um...

i like: natura rice and soya milk (rice milk for sweet things, unsweetened soy for savoury stuff), rice cream rice milk (as above), almond breeze almond milk (really thick and rich- good for hot chocolate) and sometimes ryza rice milk (it is very very sweet though). i also prefer the shelf stable 'milks' to the chilled ones, you can get a smaller carton, and it lasts longer unopened.

i haven't seen any amazing yogurts in canada, but i've been spoiled on the european french-set smooth style stuff. i'm using yoso at the minute and the natural one aint bad i stick a blob of it in smoothies.

one things we do have thats great is icecream. :) so delicious makes an incredible chocolate peanut butter zigzag icecream, and the good karma rice divine line is amazing. :)

Who'se going to the toronto vegetarian food fair this weekend?!?!?!?!

i was thinking about it.

Toronto Vegetarian fair?

I've lived in Windsor for the past 4 years and I had no idea there existed a Toronto vegetarian fair.

I so wish I knew that! Which weekend is it? What days?


I'm just going to go google it right now. ^_^

Thanks for bringing this to my attention!

nope, can't go. but have attended the past 2 years and would highly recommend it. :)