Vegan/Vegetarian

[hotkorma]

I couldn’t find a thread on this topic per se, please move it if there is one.

I’ve been flirting with being vegetarian over the last 6 months or so. I’m now pretty much at a point where I’m about to go as vegan as I can and am looking for some support.

I will never be loud and in your face, jehovas witness type vego.

The biggest issues that I am facing are the rituals that I have. Eg parma with the footy team after training, Steak night with my mates on a Wednesday in summer and just the general dining out experience.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Did you lose friends?

Any advice or words of wisdom Is appreciated.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Vegetarian options are available broadly enough these days that, once your mates have gotten over the fact you aren't hoeing into a steak, the social element needn't be impacted.

 

[Lore]

I couldn’t find a thread on this topic per se, please move it if there is one.

I’ve been flirting with being vegetarian over the last 6 months or so. I’m now pretty much at a point where I’m about to go as vegan as I can and am looking for some support.

I will never be loud and in your face, jehovas witness type vego.

The biggest issues that I am facing are the rituals that I have. Eg parma with the footy team after training, Steak night with my mates on a Wednesday in summer and just the general dining out experience.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Did you lose friends?

Any advice or words of wisdom Is appreciated.

I think it was in the food thread a while back but it probably deserves its own thread. Lots of people sharing recipes and experiences. I believe tesla1962 and un_eggs might have some experiences that they can share (and others).

 

[hotkorma]

Vegetarian options are available broadly enough these days that, once your mates have gotten over the fact you aren't hoeing into a steak, the social element needn't be impacted.

I mean when the club made up the parma menu at the pub and about 15 of us go there it kinda makes it tough. Those particular occasions might be phase 2.

 

[GUMBLETRON]

I mean when the club made up the parma menu at the pub and about 15 of us go there it kinda makes it tough. Those particular occasions might be phase 2.

We all have our foibles. There are still 14 parmas being ordered anyway - and hey maybe you can have a quiet word about an eggplant number.

 

[DERO]

I was vegan just long enough to tell everyone I was vegan. Then I smelled bacon.

 

[DERO]

All jokes side, I gave it a crack with my wife after watching the documentary Earthling. It is really bloody hard to be a strict vegan. I copped crap from family and friends for a bit and finally went back to my old ways with my head bowed. My wife still tries to be vegetarian but will occasionally eat a little bit of chicken or fish here and there.

That said, there a couple of cracking vegan restaurants around. The Vegie bar and the Cornish Arms in Brunswick are so good you don't even realise that you are not eating meat. Pretty cheap too and lots of craft beers to chose from.

 

[hotkorma]

All jokes side, I gave it a crack with my wife after watching the documentary Earthling. It is really bloody hard to be a strict vegan. I copped crap from family and friends for a bit and finally went back to my old ways with my head bowed. My wife still tries to be vegetarian but will occasionally eat a little bit of chicken or fish here and there.

That said, there a couple of cracking vegan restaurants around. The Vegie bar and the Cornish Arms in Brunswick are so good you don't even realise that you are not eating meat. Pretty cheap too and lots of craft beers to chose from.

This is exactly my concern.

I need to find myself a Sunday-Thursday Mrs who is a dedicated vegan. Can’t be too hard can it?

Edit: Earthling is pretty bloody grim. I’ve been spending a lot of time in abattoirs for work which is pretty eye opening.

 

[DERO]

This is exactly my concern.

I need to find myself a Sunday-Thursday Mrs who is a dedicated vegan. Can’t be too hard can it?

Edit: Earthling is pretty bloody grim. I’ve been spending a lot of time in abattoirs for work which is pretty eye opening.

That and Food inc on a binge was enough to keep us away from meat for a while! Factory farming of cattle for dairy and caged chickens pumped full of hormones and antibiotics scares the bejesus out of me. Thankfully in Oz we do have better regulations but it is all a business at the ned of the day and corners will be cut n pursuit of margins.

 

[TheBrightSide]

As mentioned, vegetarian options when dining out are plentiful these days. Very rare if they don’t have anything, or can’t whip something up.
I’d be stunned if you lost friends because of it, though I’d be ready for a bit of ribbing at the start. (Mmm, ribs. For example)
People really won’t care as long as you’re not preachy, or go around wearing a “Meat Is Murder” t-shirt.

Going from vegetarian to vegan is a huge step. The amount of food off limits is a massive. Dairy products alone are in tonnes of dishes.

 

[Pweter]

I'll go all left field and equate going vego to when I gave up pot (I was one of the first of my pot smoking mates). I took their ribbing, a choof was always offered but I stuck to my guns. Rather quickly me not smoking became the new normal and it no longer raised a mention.

Now I'm not making a comparison between giving up meat and giving up an illegal substance, but making the point that your mates will get over it and the associated jokes quicker, than you realise.

My mates also gave up pot over time too, I don't expect yours to become vego though

 

[eth-dog]

I have a lot of respect for people who can do this. I genuinely don't eat enough veggies to be anything but omnivorous.

 

[Runk]

Yeah I too really want to move towards this way of eating. Have been reading up on it a lot & replacing meals with vegan options.

 

[DapperJong]

CourtzMajora is my favourite vegan bodybuilder.

 

[DERO]

As mentioned, vegetarian options when dining out are plentiful these days. Very rare if they don’t have anything, or can’t whip something up.
I’d be stunned if you lost friends because of it, though I’d be ready for a bit of ribbing at the start. (Mmm, ribs. For example)
People really won’t care as long as you’re not preachy, or go around wearing a “Meat Is Murder” t-shirt.

Going from vegetarian to vegan is a huge step. The amount of food off limits is a massive. Dairy products alone are in tonnes of dishes.

I used to own a Ronald says eat death t-shirt despite not being a vegetarian.

 

[hotkorma]

As mentioned, vegetarian options when dining out are plentiful these days. Very rare if they don’t have anything, or can’t whip something up.
I’d be stunned if you lost friends because of it, though I’d be ready for a bit of ribbing at the start. (Mmm, ribs. For example)
People really won’t care as long as you’re not preachy, or go around wearing a “Meat Is Murder” t-shirt.

Going from vegetarian to vegan is a huge step. The amount of food off limits is a massive. Dairy products alone are in tonnes of dishes.

I’ve really cut down on dairy. Almond milk replaces milk and I don’t use milk based protein.

They’ve got me with cheese though. Why oh why did the invent cheese.

 

[hotkorma]

I used to own a Ronald says eat death t-shirt despite not being a vegetarian.

We had a phase of making t shirts. My favourite was a big blown up photo of John Howard bowling.

 

[CourtzMajora]

CourtzMajora is my favourite vegan bodybuilder.

Haha awww thank you dear leader!

Although side note, not 100% vegan as of yet, probably more like 90% it's a work in progress but I'm not rushing myself.

I went vego just over 2 years ago, I haven't lost any friends over it but tbh if I did they obviously weren't very good friends.

My husband is a big meat eater but we just cook separate meals at night, although, he does eat a lot more vego meals since.

I've found it really easy, sometimes I crave a Big Mac but there are so many fake meat substitutes that taste pretty amazing that it makes it a lot easier, and most places will cater for vego/vegans.

Biocheese is an amazing cheese substitute (pretty expensive though), I used to love cheese but now I don't even miss it.

 

[Runk]

I’ve really cut down on dairy. Almond milk replaces milk and I don’t use milk based protein.

They’ve got me with cheese though. Why oh why did the invent cheese.

You can get dairy free cheese. I saw it at Woolworths yesterday.

 

[Jade]

I have consciously cut back my animal product intake over the last year or so.

After seeing a number of docos relating to veganism and the meat and dairy industries, I did it primarily from an ethical perspective, but also from a health perspective.

I'm self-aware enough to know I'll never be a vegetarian or vegan though, eye fillet steaks, double bacon cheeseburgers and beef brisket are too bloody good to give up permanently. But at the moment I'm trying to make sure I have two days a week completely vegan, and am looking to increase that to three. For clarity sake though, I'll NEVER do it permanently.

It's a funny thing, veganism. Ethically and environmentally, it's hard to argue against. However vocal vegans are just about the most irritating *heads on the face of the Earth (looking at you Moby). I'll deliberately buy a New York cut porterhouse everytime I see one of those deadshits.

 

[TheBrightSide]

I’ve really cut down on dairy. Almond milk replaces milk and I don’t use milk based protein.

They’ve got me with cheese though. Why oh why did the invent cheese.

If you like almond milk, you’d be well on your way!
Lol, I’m with you on the cheese, that’s what got me. My lasagna would be nothing without the cheesy sauce, not to mention pizza and nachos.
I’ve tried the soy cheeses, meh. Too expensive too. Haven’t tried the Bio cheese mentioned.

A dedicated vegan won’t even eat honey as it’s an animal byproduct. So you’d have to be pretty keen.

 

[CourtzMajora]

If you like almond milk, you’d be well on your way!
Lol, I’m with you on the cheese, that’s what got me. My lasagna would be nothing without the cheesy sauce, not to mention pizza and nachos.
I’ve tried the soy cheeses, meh. Too expensive too. Haven’t tried the Bio cheese mentioned.

A dedicated vegan won’t even eat honey as it’s an animal byproduct. So you’d have to be pretty keen.

Honey is easy though, rice malt syrup or maple syrup fill that need.

Seriously biocheese is great! Probably the only cheese substitute I really like, they do slices, blocks and shredded options (cheddar and mozzarella) BUT you are looking at around $8.50 for 10 slices

 

[Blind Turn]

When I left my childhood home I was the guy who ate meat with most main meals and went back for a second serving of steak at the bbq. When I returned from a few years traveling I was, to my friends and family, a very different beast. And I really didn’t give a s**t. In fact it felt good to challenge their narrow perceptions. Most thought the vego diet would only be a short-term fad but that was 18 years ago now. I got over the hump of meat craving quite easily. Nowadays a greasy fatty sausage turns my stomach at the thought of it. I have mates who still make jokes about feeding me grass at their functions and I just roll with it adding my own garnish to the comments (such as actually saying I’ll garnish the grass with some alfalfa).

The vego diet is seriously the best life choice I’ve made. When people ask me why I did it I don’t go into a spiel about animal rights, environment or health benefits. I just tell them it ‘felt right’.

I was also lucky enough to fall in love with a vegetarian and that was just coincidence although likemindedness no doubt played its part.

And food has become far more creative, flavoursome, and varied as a result.

 

[Blind Turn]

Cowspiracy was a good movie for turning you away from meat.

Jade sounds like you’ll benefit from the advancements of cultured meat grown in labs. If they can perfect the eye fillet you’ll be laughing.

 

[Jade]

Conspiracy was a good movie for turning you away from meat.

Jade sounds like you’ll benefit from the advancements of cultured meat grown in labs. If they can perfect the eye fillet you’ll be laughing.

Already intrigued by the impossible burger - I intend to try one.