[finlays730]

Hi there... after watching Meet your Meat on Peta's website i was really disgusted with myself for being part of the reason these animal's are so brutally treated.

However this was my diet before:

- Eggs

- Burgers

- Cheese

- Milk

- Butter

I ate cheese with EVERYTHING!!! and i'm such a picky eater and i don't eat many vegetables which would kinda make me the worst vegetarian ever! Lol! But i know that because of the choice i have made i will have to start eating all sorts of things i didnt like before. But what i need is guidance!! And i'm hoping some of you guys could help me!

I'm still a little shaky on the details of what i can and cannot eat in regard to chocolate, alcohol etc: Im a bit unsure of what to look out for.

And i dont know whether or not this sounds silly but is there vegan butter and cheese substitutes? I mean i practically lived on sandwhiches before and now im a little confused.

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Hope to hear from you all soon!

Stacey-Leigh x

 

[isowish]

so, you're going vegan? Sounds like it to me but I want to be sure.

First off: congratulations!

Chocolate - some, but not all or even most, dark chocolate is vegan. In the ingredients, look out for anything with the world 'milk' in it (unless it's something like coconut milk or rice milk) and especially watch out for 'buttermilk' which is in quite a few of them. Whey powder is a milk product too. BUT - cocoa butter, despite containing the word 'butter', is completely animal-free!

You can buy some vegan 'milk' and 'white' chocolate substitutes too but they are more difficult to find. I have one I like but can't remember the name of right now

Alcohol is a fuzzy area in veganism, generally speaking. Almost all alcohol will contain no animal ingredients in the finished product (except beers with honey, some mixers that people add weird stuff to, and the like). HOWEVER, some beers use isinglass, a fish product, in the making. I tend to learn the names of a few vegan beers and stick to them mostly, but I am guilty of often not checking too hard if I am out for a drink and don't know for sure. Wines I can't help you with. I think spirits are okay?

I use margarine instead of anything that's pretending to be butter. But if you're in the US, a lot of folks on this board rave about 'earth balance' which I think is a fake butter thingy. Vegan cheese is infamously crap, but I rather like 'cheezly' if I'm going to use anything.

Hope I was of some help, at least

Welcome to VB!

 

[Fromper]

Being a new vegetarian myself, I can relate to the whole "What the heck should I be eating?" thing. I went through it about a month ago. I bought the book "Becoming Vegetarian", which is very useful.

I also just went to the supermarket and looked at the veggie options in the frozen foods and produce sections. And I don't mean just the produce itself. Refridgerated fake meats, tofu, etc are in the produce department, though I'm not really sure why. When first starting out and not sure what to eat, veggie burgers and TV dinners are your friends.

If you're trying to go completely vegan, stick to dark chocolate, and check the packages to make sure there's no milk in it. Most of the major brands have milk fat.

But the really good stuff (usually more expensive) is vegan. As for alcohol, the only thing I know of that's not vegan would be mead, but I'm no expert (on alcohol or on being vegan).

Just take it slow at first. Eliminate what you can from your diet, but be careful not to harm your own health. If you don't know what to eat instead, nobody will think less of you for "cheating" at first, until you get better at figuring out what to eat. For instance, I still ate fish for the first few weeks, just because I was worried about protein. Once I realized how easy being vegetarian is, I stopped eating the fish, too. Phasing into new dietary habits is easier for most people than going "cold turkey".

Good luck, and welcome to the boards! Just keep asking questions here, and you'll get plenty of support.

--Fromper

 

[Amy SF]

Welcome to VB!

 

[finlays730]

Hey guys! Thanks so much for all your really helpful ideas! and the warm welcome! I have another problem as well LOL! I live in Northern Ireland and i find it very difficult to find anywere which sells these soya / vegan friendly products. Ive found website's which sell things such as Fry's spicy vegan friendly burgers and stuff but none who can tell me an outlet where they sell them or who deliver to my area.

 

[evan_fabiani]

Just take your time, and take everything in strides! as long as you are willing to keep an open mind to different types of food, you are laughing!

congratulations and good luck!

 

[Fromper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by finlays730

Hey guys! Thanks so much for all your really helpful ideas! and the warm welcome! I have another problem as well LOL! I live in Northern Ireland and i find it very difficult to find anywere which sells these soya / vegan friendly products. Ive found website's which sell things such as Fry's spicy vegan friendly burgers and stuff but none who can tell me an outlet where they sell them or who deliver to my area.

Do a google search for the word "vegetarian" and the name of your town or area, or maybe just Ireland. You might find groups of like-minded people who'll be able to point you towards the best shops. If not, move.

--Fromper

 

[GhostUser]

welcome

 

[finlays730]

Ive tried all the searches possible lol.. this Vegan stuff isnt so easy!

But im sticking to the basics until i find my feet. Thanks for your help

 

[VeggieFrank]

hi, nice that you're on board.

it can be a bit overwhelming at first. there's a learning curve, so don't beat yourself up. look around here, ask questions, maybe do a little googling. there are quiet a few decent books on the subject as well. i like "Becoming Vegan: The Complete Guide to Adopting a Healthy Plant-Based Diet", but that's only one of many examples.

good luck!

 

[mazikeen]

Hello and welcome!

As others have said, don't worry about learning everything at once, try taking it one step at a time. And don't hesitate to ask here for info!

Do you have Sainsburys or Tesco or any such chain supermarkets where you live? They both carry soymilk and I remember finding Cauldron products in Tesco (well, in Manchester). If they don't, maybe you could talk with the manager of your local store and ask if they can order certain items for you. If you offer to buy a large enough quantity from them (you could stock up on soymilk, it lasts for a year or so), I'm sure they would oblige.

You can also check the recipe section here for ideas on what to eat. I know your first impulse would be to just substitute your old staples for their veg*n versions, but in time, you can opt for entirely different options as you explore the multitude of choices you have. There are many threads here where people have suggested alternatives for sandwiches, school/work lunches, easy dinners etc. And as I said before, you can always ask if you have a particular question.

Good luck!!

 

[finlays730]

I went into Tesco's again and asked about products and turns out they have quite a few.. they just werent predominant in the store.. Thanks for all your help guys! Its going good so far!

 

[AvianObserver]

Hello and Welcome!