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It's Not Vegetarian

2K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Tom 
#1 ·
I have a bit of a rant/complaint. I am vegetarian. For medical reasons. I cannot eat dairy or eggs or meat or else I break out in psoriasis and eczema.

I have always told people the difference between Vegetarian and Veganism, is the difference between saying you're agnostic or Christian. There are strict Vegetarians out there who do not consume any animal products, but the reasons for being vegetarian may not be ethical reasons. Or vegetarians may still use animal products like leather, etc. [I don't use leather because I'm poor and it's expensive, hahahaa]

Veganism is an ethical abstinence of all animal products including leather.

I am a strict Vegetarian for medical reasons.

I went to a restaurant with a friend, and was surprised to find a lot of vegetarian options. So knowing me, I got excited. It's rare to find these in Colorado Springs. Well taking a closer look at their options, almost every single one of their vegetarian options had some kind of cream, milk or cheese.

Oh joy. You don't have meat in it. But I'm allergic to dairy so I can't have it.

I'd like restaurants or places of business to use the labels clearly defined for vegetarian subculture. Lacto-vegetarian, Ova-vegetarian, etc.

Because Vegetarian leads me to believe you have at least something for someone who is allergic to dairy and meat to eat something at your place.

I do not eat cheese. I wish some people would understand this. That not all vegetarians eat milk and consume dairy products. Rant/complaint over
 
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#2 ·
You're asking a lot! I'm fortunate to find ANY vegetarian dishes in a restaurant. When I do find them, there is definitely going to be cheese involved. I'm lacto-ovo, so that isn't a problem: unless my diet gets to be loaded with cheese and dairy! I definitely need to balance it. Frequently, I've found that the vegetarian dish is a pasta in a nasty cream-based sauce. I find myself eating at home more and more often these days!
 
#3 ·
Like you I have a medical condition that limits what I can eat. I find it much easier/cheaper to just skip restaurants. When I travel on business I get a motel room with a micro and just hit the local grocery for some fruit/veg/nuts.

Why not just invite your friends over for a vegetarian dinner? You'll get the food & the socializing without the hassle.
 
#6 ·
Because sometimes, friends invite you over. And I have to deal with it.

"You eat salad"

Inner monologue, "Uh yeah I eat salad, but I don't exactly call that a filling meal coming from a restaurant, homemade salad sure, a garden side salad not so much"
 
#4 ·
I agree with the others. If you have a very specific diet you really can't expect restaurants to accomodate you and just need to do the at home and with friends thing. That is mostly what I do. But what about if you found places that had vegan offerings? Wouldn't that work in a menu item, no dairy, no meat, really you are coming close to vegan.

Can you look up some vegan places that might be in your vicinity and see if they work for you.
I do sympathise. I am vegan BUT I eat no mono or diglycerides, no palm oil, no coconut or coconut stuff, no chocolate, very limited nuts and hardly any saturated fat.

So no earth balance, avocado puddings and chocolate brownies for me. I eat at a couple of places 1) salad bar with a bit of oil and lemon (hardly worth it), 2) vegan sushi and 3) Subway and a nice little vegan place I know.
 
#5 ·
Technically.... Dairy is vegetarian, so the restaurant isn't at fault by saying it's vegetarian. (Though I have a particular axe to grind with the ones who put parmesan on something and call it vegetarian.... But that's just me, most other vegetarians seem to be ok with it).

Vegetarian just means not eating animals, anything else is just bonus points (I don't know what the points count towards, possibly a Prius). And I think asking for further labelling of their foods, seems a little over the top. The fact that restaurants are labelling food, or just having a vegetarian option in the first place, is awesome.

I do understand that makes it rough on you. My partner can't understand how something can have egg in it, but people call it vegetarian (I understand, I still won't eat it, but I understand). Dairy is pretty much in everything, which makes going out to eat really hard.

There's still a few options though.

1.Get Happy Cow on your phone, it's a good app, will tell you the vegetarian 'status' of a place and you can read the reviews. Which brings me to option two....

2. Go to vegan friendly places.
If you're not eating animals, eggs or dairy, then vegan restaurants and restaurants that serve vegans are the best places for you to eat. I'm a strict vegetarian, if I could, I would eat exclusively at those places because they're delicious.

3. Try and find some ways to 'hack' your meals.
If I go out to an Italian place, I ask for no cheese and if I'm really brave, enquire as to whether they can put some pine nuts or cashews on top instead. Mexican? I ask for avocado instead of cream cheese. Indian? I straight up ask them if it's vegan. It might just be my area of the world, but most of the Indian places to eat know exactly what I can and can't eat if I say 'vegan' and they're happy to find me a nice curry of some kind.

4. Ring up beforehand and ask.
It's inconvenient, but it's just something you might have to start doing. My family has a whole list of things we don't eat (with a lacto-vegetarian, a strict vegetarian, wheat/gluten/chilli/strawberry intolerances and allergies.... We're a restaurant's nightmare :D). Still, forewarned is forearmed.

I hope some of those suggestions work out for you. It's sucky to not have a lot that you can eat when you go out, so I understand why you're frustrated with that.
 
#7 ·
Chinese places don't use much dairy. Tofu and steamed vegetables over brown rice, no sauce. American restaurants, I pull a meal together out of two or three sides and ask them to use olive oil instead of butter with the vegs and potatoes. Portobello sandwiches taste way better to me than veggie burgers, and the closest sports bar offers them. Italian, I go for angel hair pasta with tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil. Or vegetable pizza without cheese. Or a vegetable Stromboli without cheese. Indian restaurants: veg dishes with no ghee or paneer. My favorite Mexican brunch place knows me as the one who asks for their "veggie omelet breakfast burrito" without the eggs and the cheese. None of these places are necessarily known as being vegan-friendly, but even when the menu doesn't list those dishes, they're all easy orders to fill.
 
#8 ·
Colorado Springs isn't a very vegetarian state. I'm from California, you walk in Whole Foods and expect vegan. You walk into a Whole Foods in Colorado Springs and they actually have very little premade vegetarian options. Springs is a meat and potato kind of place. And not everyone around here is accommodating.

Odd questions:

Is the chicken teriyaki without the chicken at Jack and the Box vegan?

I asked them to make it without chicken.
 
#10 ·
I don't do dairy because of eczema and psoriasis, also. I find that it's easier to find gluten free menu options than vegetarian ones. When I do go to a restaurant, which is very rare, I am not afraid to take a good close look at the menu and ask questions. Normally, I can find something that I am very happy with without it being necessarily just a salad. Most times, however, I do avoid the hassle and spend the money on a nice bouquet of flowers and a lovely home-cooked meal. It's a win-win for me.
 
#15 ·
I resigned myself to not eating out or eating at home before going to a restaurant, knowing all I was going to get is a salad (and a pitiful one with some iceberg lettuce and a couple shreds of carrots, o and a cucumber or pale tomato slice if you were lucky!). I also always carry one or two pieces of fruit and a granola bar whenever I go out. Day trips, I pack lunches in a cooler. And traveling (unless it's to stay with family where I can make meals) I just eat fruits, veg and as nutritional of snack foods as possible that don't need to be cooked (and count my blessings if theres a restaurant that has food that I can eat). In recent years, many places have menus online, so it is easier to see and plan ahead on whether or not they have options you can eat (and if it's worth the trouble to go there). For special occasions when you go to a REALLY fancy place, you can often call a few days ahead of time (like when you make your reservation) and let them know your dietary needs so they have advance warning (and most upscale places are pretty accommodating if you let them know beforehand). However, you can't really do that with a "family type" or chain restaurant. Unfortunately, businesses can't always cater to a small minority of people, especially in a place where it's extremely uncommon. Or, they may make an honest attempt, but due to lack of knowledge of some of these things, fail to accommodate. I've always looked at it as a "it is what it is" kind of situation, and deal with it by eating at home.
 
#16 ·
I have trouble with some menus, as well. However, I have developed a few options for coping....

I recently went to a Cuban restaurant in Memphis, (known for BBQ, etc). Every option had meat. I ordered 3 sides.... black beans, white rice & plantains. The guy looked at me like I was crazy. "That's it"?!!! Yeah....that's it. It was delicious.

My wife & I go to this great place to eat pizza. I still order the same pizza, but without the cheese. They make it & I eat it.

Also, I eat a lot of Asian food. It has no dairy to worry about, and usually consists of rice & veggies.

If I get a veggie sandwich, salad, etc. that has something I don't want on it.....I tell them to leave it off.

I'm like you....the "veggie options" may or may not be real options.

Order what you want and eat what you want. :)
 
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