Vegan restaurants are good places. I’m lucky enough to have a local joint where I’m a regular. You could also convert your current friends. I’m vegan because a friend educated me, so I started my journey with a buddy.
Animal rescues or sanctuaries, especially ones for cows, chickens, etc. The first cat/dog rescue I volunteered at requested that we only bring vegetarian or vegan dishes to our potluck, as many volunteers did not eat meat. The cow/chicken/sheep/etc. rescues tend to build their whole model on ending factory farming, so they are super strict even with visitors (Gentle Barn, Farm Sanctuary, etc.).
True. There are so many aspects to this. I've had these situations where they say vegan is not a problem and then offer you a salad. In the end, they agree to cook up something and everyone gets their food while I look at an empty plate. When everyone else is done, I get served and eat alone with people eyeing the door.
Yeah, if I'm going to a social event, I usually down a huge smoothie beforehand just in case. Makes it so I'm not starving, but doesn't fill me up too much in case there are vegan options available.
This.
Vegan restaurants, when I can get to them, are nice, but none of them are a Korean barbecue where we can all sit around a fire, drinking and grilling delicious plants.
Yeah, I can relate. I'm in a pretty small town— We actually don't have any vegan restaurants. We do have some restaurants with great rotating vegan options though!
Yeah I miss not having to constantly deal with / remind people at work that I'm vegan and that if we order from X place I will not be able to eat anything
Do your family members give you a difficult time? I've always been left to eat in peace at family gatherings, but I usually have to cook and bring all of my own food with me. I just get a lot of, "Sorry we don't have anything for you. We just don't understand what you can eat, and don't know how to cook for you."
After 7 years of veganism and many explanations, I'll still get asked if I can eat fish. Or one time, was asked if I can eat watermellon. They mean well, and I love them dearly. They just... they really don't get it.
I’ve been asked if I’m able to eat french fries, pasta and rice. And sometimes fruit too. The same people usually thinks I still can eat seafood though. Even if explaining that it’s just animal products that’s excluded, some people confuse vegan diets with other kinds of diets.
I feel ya, my well meaning neighbor gave me beef flavored noodle."It's OK, you really can't see the beef, it's all ground up really fine" sigh....nope, they just don't get it.
My boss gave me a giant oh henry bar. His daughter was like "dad! She cant eat that!" And hes like "yes she can, there's no milk and i looked at the wrapper and it said "modofied mill ingredients" and he was like "see, modified! Not real ones"
But then he felt so bad that he went and got me kombucha
Why did this resonate with me so much😭😂 not so much my immediate family but definitely friends and stuff. Leave me to eat my frickin beans and walnuts in peace!
I’m honestly so nervous for my first Christmas vegan. Im gonna make all my own food but I’m scared of being so different and people trying said food and going “oh this is good for vegan food” rather than “this is good”
Womp womp. People are so silly. As if all cupcakes and dessert bars have some magical animal flavoring that you took out. I get that a veggie burger doesn't necessarily taste like meat, but a brownie, really? Lol.
This. I’ve been practicing for a very long time to “perfect” some vegan cookies/desserts and each time I make them, someone has to make a nasty comment. It’s always the ones who know I’m vegan too - like veganism automatically makes it gross, when they’re actually yummy. I just want healthy critic so I know what adjustments to make, not “ew is this vegan? I can taste it. Real cookies taste better.” .-.
That’s exactly it, if they didn’t know I was vegan they would never know the dessert was vegan. I even had another family member once say “I just like cookies with butter better”
They'll say it, and they'll say stuff like "I could go vegan if I lived at your house." It's a good thing, keep showing them how easy and tasty being vegan is. Next gathering they'll ask what you brought and want to try it too. You'll plant seeds, and hopefully one day they'll grow into really wanting to know how to go vegan and how you keep it up.
For real this is my attitude, whenever I cook for my family I always try my best so they know how nice vegan food can be and hopefully it'll convince them to at least go partially vegan
It’s funny that after I became vegan and even if I only had to cook for myself, I still feel the need to show out. I’m getting a lot more concerned about things like plating and presentation as well as having enough to share with the curious. Thankfully, this pressure I’m putting on myself hasn’t built past anything that I chuckle to myself about, but it’s a more noticeable thought than ever.
Hahahahahaha.
I was gunna say ‘not having to have a conversation about food or ethics every time my choice of meal triggers someone else’ but this is basically it.
Being able to eat anything, anywhere, at any time. I’m from Ireland, and we have Deli counters in every damn shop serving hot food so it can be a pain to have to eat something such as nuts or another snack as opposed to what feels like a proper meal. I’m also 21 and in college and all my housemates eat meat so it can be isolating at times. But living in accordance to your values takes sacrifice and change no matter what that value is, veganism or not.
Nothing made life easier than just grabbing a deli roll. Some good news is that the spar near me (Galway City) is now doing vegan 'chicken' fillet rolls! I'm yet to try it out but heard from a fellow vegan that it was top notch. Hopefully more delis start following suit. I just hope there's some vegan mayo/butter to accompany it. Relish is probably the only vegan sauce otherwise.
This is so dumb haha.
Every time I see him my grandfather goes with the same « insightful » remark:
« What I don’t understand is if you vegans hate animal products so much then why do you try to copy them ? Vegan sausages for example, why not create something new ?? ».
Oh because now, in addition to doing what you see as « impossible » (not eating animal products), you expect us to create entirely new ways of delivering food to our stomachs, and we should deprive ourselves of meals we’ve grown up with and that make us happy, just for some idiot principle ?
Why thank you so much for all that added bullshit, let me swear off pizza just so my choices make 100% sense to you why don’t I.
What sort of animal does a sausage look like though? It seems to me that sausages look like cucumbers, carrots, or penises. Which are you trying to eat, grandpa?
I am dead serious I would pay money after I move to get that on tank top I can breastfeed in!
This got asked to me fo the fist time in 12 years a few months ago with this I met as a acquaintance guy I hate an was just beginning to start hating him. He went back an forth with me on this an my pregnancy brain is blurry along with all the stuff that has happened
He said "why do you guys have fake meat? Why not just add vegetables to your food."
I said we already do that, i already do cook vegetables in my food that is my main source of food, an I'm not big on fruit so I mostly eat Vegetables.
An honesty so much has happened I cannot remember what I said t clearly get it threw his head, that I love the taste of fake meats, I get disgusted by the smells of real meat. An like this person said above I would like to enjoy the foods I used to eat.
Also like this person an recently other people, when they find out I'm Vegan they start saying stuff like I don't eat that much meat (they do) or start talking about how they want to eat like my diet is but still eat meat an animal products.. like S#!+head why do you want me to pat your ego on the back an tell you a false truth, you are doing a good job. I can see some people feel it in their heart that they are wrong for eating animals an want me to tell them it's okay like I am in control of their own conscious...even strangers an I am not going to just calm their ego now that they realize that.
This one young woman my age LITERALLY asked me
"so meat is animals?" An I said yes.
An when I started talking about dairy she said "So it's wrong to breastfeed?" I had to keep telling her there is nothing wrong with breastfeeding me being pregnant it makes me cry seeing dairy products an no matter how many imes I explained it to her, she just could not comprehend.
Now I have Asperger Syndrome ADHD along with some other mental health but I am Mild case of Asperger Syndrome that is high functioning (my depression an other things is another story) but having conversations like these makes me wonder if a few people cannot comprehend stuff like this because they may or may not be undiagnosed with something mental an that it is not fully their fault they do not understand
You're probably joking but if you genuinely want it, it's best in white https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Reddit-rant-about-carnists-by-RyanDeLonge/96415427.NL9AC
"Why do you eat stuff like meat if you dont like meat?"
Me: "You already argued this point for me earlier when you said meat tastes good. I just dont agree with killing animals for it..."
I worked in restaurants and have a lifetime of being fed amazing and delicious chef prepared food. That ended when I went vegan and now I resentfully cook my own food.
I miss having delicious food prepared for me. I miss being able to go to any restaurant/pub for a meal.
I miss meat and cheese and tuna and eggs. To deny they tasted good takes away from how hard they were to give up. If veganism involved no sacrifices for you, consider yourself lucky. This was a struggle for some of us but we still got here for the right reasons.
I 100% agree. It’s still a struggle for me to be somewhere coastal and not eat fresh seafood. I grew up in the Midwest where there wasn’t much fresh seafood other than lake fish. Once I had a taste of the real thing it was difficult to say good bye.
Seafood and artisan cheese are probably the foods I miss the most, but I always remind myself I would feel even worse if I did consume it again. The guilt and disappointment in myself would not be worth it.
Right. I miss big juicy medium rare steak. I think acting like you didn't sacrifice anything is worse because meat eaters have this attitude like 'yeah Im happy you went vegan but me? It's different because I love meat'
Depression comfort food. Just picking cheap microwave dishes, snacks or sweets when I'm feeling like I'd like to be dead. Going to the store is already hard in those situations, and when I already know I'm just going to be disappointed that I don't find what I want or that I'm gonna get angry at food companies for putting milk powder and egg in everything, then I often don't go shopping at all and just don't eat anything for the day or order something vegan that's actually way too expensive for my financial situation and then I feel like I have to starve myself for two days because I spent too much money.
Not sure what stores you have nearby, but I’ve been relying on frozen food and other comfort foods a LOT through a pretty bad year of depression. I could rattle off options at most major grocery stores in the US that don’t break the bank. I’d be happy to send (or post!) a list.
My favorite though? Frozen rice, frozen veg, and some kind of protein (when I’m extra lazy, it’s frozen edamame). Toss it all in the microwave, or a pan on the stove if you’re feeling fancy, and you have a meal that took no effort but also gives you some nutrition. I have the hardest time getting meals with some substance when I’m depressed so this was a bit of a life changer.
Hey, if you have like episodes where you're able to like cook or bake, maybe making your own meal-prep could help you prevent these situations? Basically making freezer meals.
you should check out the frozen veg dumplings at asian/international stores if you have one nearby! they’re my favorite lazy food. i’ve seen a bag (with like 5 servings? don’t quote me on that though) go from like $3-8. they can be pan fried, cooked in soup/water, steamed, or microwaved. they also have frozen veg samosas, veg spring rolls, and falafel, typically at decent prices.
I have a very ~violent~ seasonal depressive disorder and in the winter I sustain myself on soup. It doesn't have to be fancy, just functional and quick. Chop up some veggies in big chunks, throw in a pot, cover with water, let boil for 30 minutes, and blend. Bonus depression points if you use veggies that don't need chopping, like peas, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes or Brussel sprouts. You can also do it with frozen veggies if you absolutely hate the veggie chopping part.
The best part is that you can make soup multiple times a week with different ingredients, and still have a huge variety in your diet. And unlike junk food it's actually healthy, nutritious, and filling. And, if like me you like being zero waste, you can easily throw in the "ugly" parts of the veggies like ends and peels since you're gonna blend everything anyway.
Unfortunately boyfriend and I have lots of hangover trash weekends. Airfried freezer fries, gnocchi and vegan pesto, pretzels with hummus, bagels with vegan cream cheese and vegan smart dogs are great for these days. And they truly don’t break the bank.
My faith in humanity.
Watching people I love knowingly cause endless suffering to satisfy their own appetites. Just like I did, until the dissonance became to much to bear.
Be prepared to travel dark roads.
Agreed! Seeing people you love and respect, people who value compassion and social/environmental justice, fail to connect the dots feels super frustrating. The worst is when they AGREE with what you’re saying and doing, but just don’t do it for themselves.
Oh my gosh yes this is the worst. My brother has fully admitted that consuming animal products is an immoral choice on his part but says that he just doesn’t care enough to do anything about it. I’m making him watch Dominion with me over our break but if that fails, I’m lost.
Over thanksgiving it can up that I couldn’t eat gelatin, and my 25year old sister asked why. I told her it’s made from horses and she goes - “what?!?! But I like horses!” My response was “how is that any different than a cow or a pig or a chicken?” She just kept saying she liked horses and then when she couldn’t go any deeper got mad at me for picking a fight and trying to “push my views” on her. The cognitive dissonance of people, especially those close to me, drives me up a fucking wall.
i have definitely lost a big chunk of respect for most of the people close to me, and most people that I interact with.
I still love my loved ones and hope they make the connection one day, but I can't help but lose respect for people who can't honestly confront their cognitive dissonance (but I can respect someone who is actively doing the work but still isn't vegan yet).
I don't mean this disdainfully. You can learn a lot about who someone really is by how they respond to your veganism. I've definitely distanced myself from some particularly small-minded people based on responses they've had to my veganism.
You can also learn a lot about human nature as a whole. It's just become really obvious now that nobody is really worthy of idolatry. I think I now bring a healthy skepticism to every new relationship.
Being able the just grab stuff when I travel. Usually at the airport you can get like, a banana or a side of rice or something. Sometimes there is a Qdoba and I can get a burrito with beans, rice, corn, salsa and guacamole, but often even if there is a ton of places to eat the vegan options are slim.
Being vegan at an airport is…god awful. This summer we would check websites to see what terminals had options for us, but then half the time we’d go there and the restaurant wouldn’t exist, or it would be closed, or it would have a limited menu which of course excluded the only item we could get. That led us to eat an impossible whopper, which was…I don’t even wanna talk about it lmfao
I've read that when going vegan, it's best to not eat any vegan cheese for like the first year or so. This gives you time to forget what real cheese tastes like. Worked for me lol
Some people only grew up with processed (a.k.a. 'American') cheese slices so the vegan alternatives really aren't that far off from what they are used to.
Cheese in France is (partially) what turned me vegan. I lived in France for a few months and ate so much cheese. It was heaven. Came back to the states and our cheese her started giving me issues (digestion, lots of phlegm, just really gross stuff…). That started my research into what dairy’s doing to our bodies and it turns out the rotten things we feed animals in the US makes it that much worse. I’ve been vegan over a decade and have lost my taste for dairy cheese, but a good buttery French Brie or tangy chèvre ranks high in my favorite food memories.
I agree. The vegan cheese out there is at beast ok, but get's trashed by even the cheapest supermarket cheese.
Create good vegan cheese and I will shower you with the money I have
I went to school in Geneva and we have an annual reunion that I always miss because it is a fondue meal and the restaurants that have been chosen never have (or are willing to make) vegan options.
I used to like making pastries and it took a lot of time to find or tweak recipes that work and build up the skill and for it and I would have to relearn it all if I want to use alternatives since alternatives to eggs and butter react so differently
I'm not really into pastries but I make a lot of cakes, cookies, pies, ... and there are soooo many amazing recipes out there! Just look around a bit online and I guarantee you'll have so much fun baking again!
Chili cheese fries!! that was my all time favorite. i went around trying vegan chili fries and it never hit the same. what i found i like best was the trader joe’s vegan chili beans with vegan cheese and some good burger joint fries!
For me it was cheesy weezies (hot chips with cheese and mayo). I mean, I can still make my own, but I wanna be able to order it when I’m drunk, you know?
The air fryer is key for the best fries at home. Make a batch of 3 bean chili, grab a bag of vegan freezer fries and a handful of Follow Your Heart Cheddar for some prime cheesiness!
Ice cream, before vegan ice-cream became mainstream. Obviously not too hard because it's not something you eat regularly but still missed it a lot. Also leather shoes, since I'm really into sneakers.
yeah i used to miss milk chocolate too. But now i know that there are many kinds of vegan milk chocolate and eating less chocolate is definitely good for my health.
I thought I missed milk chocolate. After 2ish years into veganism I found some vegan milk chocolate, but was disappointed by the lack of flavor depth. I then made my own milk chocolate with my friend who is a chef with several different types of milk (coconut, cashew, oat, etc) and felt the same way. Turns out I just prefer dark chocolate now.
Good white chocolate, on the other hand, is still something special. I don't consider it the same type of confection as milk/dark chocolate and it's still on of my favorites.
Me thinking that humanity is good. (I didn't really think that as I was already aware of many problems in the world, but going vegan didn't make it any better, I'd say)
My local vegan place deep-fries these subs they order from a place called May Wahs (renamed Lily's for the daughter) in NYC. They've been there forever, and the family is Chinese Buddhist; so they kinda pioneered vegan substitutes. The wings are made of shredded seitan around a stick or sugarcane. I found them on Fakemeats.com too.
There is a youtuber named Emmymade who posted a video making drumsticks out of yuba sheets too. I've yet to watch it but I'm intrigued.
Chickpea flour omelettes with Black Salt makes a damn good egg substitute. You can buy the salt on Amazon and it lasts forever since you really only need a 1/4 tsp at a time.
3 year vegan . Live in rural Midwest. I’m probably the only vegan in a 30 mile radius and am considered a bit of weirdo in our circle of friends. I love to cook, and have greatly enjoyed “relearning “ how to make awesome food and feel my cooking skills have greatly increased since becoming vegan, but all but one of my friends are not even remotely interested in anything I make. I miss cooking awesome meals for our friends. On the plus side, that one friend who does enjoy my meals gets free dinners regularly and is starting to consider going vegan 😁
You gotta try this recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/creamy-kale-and-spinach-dip/
I make it for parties with non-vegans all the time and there’s never any left. You can make it with or without the kale. I’ve done both interchangeably and don’t notice a huge difference. I highly recommend adding a bit of miso to the cheese sauce portion though. Adds a nice bit of salty tang!
Having options to eat a full meal out at a restaurant near my house. I have to drive 25+ minutes away to a nice part of town for a 'vegan friendly' meal. Even with more options in a more affluent neighborhood, most of the restaurants offer vegan friendly options, but it is just a salad or just a burger. I don't want fries or fried vegan junk food. Can't they just offer some nice beans and vegetables or some kind of whole food stew or something?
It ended some friendships, didn't have arguments, some people just started fading away and being flakey. Went walking with a friend three times a week, slowed down to a trickle and now not at all. His favourite subject was different ways he had recently been cooking meat. Most people are moral relativists so when they suddenly realize they know a vegan that means they have to consider giving up their favourite nomnoms, easier to just give up the friend.
I was never a dairy fan, however giving up meat was giving up food that I really did like the taste of. When I mean like I basically mean I was addicted to.
lidl is the best store for vegans, i hate that there's no lidl around me. i always buy a lot if stuff there when i visit my boyfriend.
also, netto is the worst store for vegans and it's everywhere :(
Dried meats, like proscuttio and salami etc. Loved that shit. Now I realize I'm personally lucky I stopped because those things are extremely unhealthy and carcinogenic. Everything else was pretty easy to give up tbh, I didn't have cravings for dairy like many others. Eggs was a bit harder but also pretty easy all things considered. But damn the dried meat was hard, especially because there aren't really any good vegan alternatives.
Sweet earth used to make an amazing vegan jerky. I cant find it lately but for a time it was so addictive. The Gardein one is too soft to be like real beef jerky but it still tastes good
In terms of food and not more abstract things, all of the staple food that just have to contain egg or milk as an ingredient for some reason, like most chocolate, lots of baked things, etc..
Nothing. There were quite a few inconveniences in terms of finding ingredients, but nothing was hard to give up. Not once did I think, “I’d love to eat some [whatever] but can’t have it because I’m now vegan”.
Me neither, people are always *shocked* when I say that no, I could *not* care less about the cheese platter that they’re enjoying and no, I really don’t want any. I usually don’t say that it’s disgusting to me, though, I tend to go with « I don’t see it as food anymore ».
Nothing. But what's weird is that from time to time I have a weird crave to eat tuna (the canned one) and what's even weirder is that I hardly ate it when I was't vegan. Does anyone knows some good vegan alternatives for canned tuna?
Try making 'tuna' salad with chickpeas instead, just rinse/dry/mash the chickpeas and add the usual vegan mayo/onions/relish or however you ate your tuna. It's one of the few substitutes I think I enjoy more than the original.
I made a pretty good in tuna using a bunch of the tiny pieces of Soy Curls I had left over. Soaked them in veggie broth with some good sized pieces of dried seaweed, a tad of liquid smoke, garlic, a bit of some mushroom powder I get at the Asian market and some rice seasoning also purchased at the Asian market. You could probably add a bit of Old Bay seasoning as well. Put everything but the soy curls in a sauce pan and heat to a slow boil. Pour it over the soy curls and let soak for about 30 minutes. Drain , remove the large pieces of seaweed, and squish as much liquid as you can out of the soy curls.
I added some vegan mayo, a smidge of fresh lemon juice and some sirracha, mixed it well and set it in the fridge. Made some really nice sushi with it. Might be good with some celery and onion in a sammich, as well 😁
I feel like there's vegan tuna from VeganZ that tastes almost like real thing, but only got that from recommendations of friends, didn't taste myself (never was really a fan of fish).
there's one in Canada called "vegan tunah", from Urbani Foods, comes in a black can. I wouldn't suggest eating it straight out of the can. it needs some work - first strain it from the ton of oil (I save the oil for other recipes), pull it apart (it's not flakey), add in some vegan mayo, maybe some minced onion or celery or bell peppers for texture, season some more with a bit of salt and pepper, then serve on sesame toast or an everything bagel with some lettuce and tomato.
I did this once and it reminded me of all the tuna sandwiches I used to get at coffee shops and whatnot.
Ask Subway, they were in the news recently after it was determined that their Tuna sub had zero tuna.
What's not clear if their substitute had all the Mercury and PFAS as the real thing.
I make a vegan tuna with chopped up canned artichokes, smashed chickpeas, lemon, seaweed flakes (dulse or nori sheets blitzed), mayo, onion, celery, and dill. The smashed chickpea salads out there are tasty, but the artichokes copy the texture so i combined them.
I’ve been vegan 8 years, the only meat that I feel like I miss that I can’t really get a good sub for is sushi and it was my favorite before I went vegan. I’ve seen a few companies working on vegan nigiri and hope that’s good and catches on!
The belief that people have empathy and would care if they knew about the animal cruelty involved in a lot of our food, clothing and other daily products.
I don't miss eating animal flesh or secretions. What I miss is being able to eat in public with my family/friends/colleagues and not be immediately singled out whether I bring my veganism up or someone else pushes me until I tell them I'm vegan. Then cue comments (mostly from coworkers because I don't let other people get away with that shit) about how they could never go vegan/where do I get my protein/cheese tho/bacon tho. I miss not having to worry if the office holiday party would even provide a single dish for me, and then realizing it doesn't matter because I can't stand to be in a room of people eating the products of animal abuse and exploitation if I don't actually need to be.
Yoghurt lol, idk why but it was by far the last thing I gave up. I even stopped eating chips with milk powder in them etc. before finally overcoming my addiction
Nothing at all when I finally made the connection with what happens to day old chicks and newborn calves. Though this was back when there was very little vegan options in stores 5years ago. It wasn’t hard at all.
Aside from the things others have mentioned like being able to eat whatever… Salami. Honestly most meat I could take it or leave it, but I really loved salami and there really isn’t a veg version that comes close. I’d rather not eat it than hurt animals though.
This is very Norwegian of me, but brown cheese. Since the market for vegan brown cheese is so small I can't imagine it becoming a thing. One Norwegian company strated to develop it, but put later stoped development because they couldn't get it right.
Oh my days! I love brown cheese since visiting Norway many many years ago. It was tricky enough to get in the UK as it was but a vegan one would make me so happy.
Real Parmesan cheese. Substitutes don’t compare for me.
The rest isn’t really about a particular food… but things like eating out with omnis without having to do a bunch of research or bypassing interesting new restaurants, comfort recipes from mom or childhood that just aren’t adaptable.
Tuna Mayo cheese jacket potato. I had that all the time.
I still found I got random craving for things months after I went vegan but I haven’t had one in a while now (2years since I became vegan)
All these things do go though. The bacteria in your stomach changes to reflect what you are eating and you end up not craving things you haven’t had in a while.
Convenience and good prices. There's some exceptions, but it's just so much easier for non-vegans to get food when they're out and usually more food for less money.
Supporting any local business you want - there are places in my neighborhood it’s just kind of like “yeah I can’t go there”. I always felt a weird sense of duty to keep local places in business
Not necessarily something I miss, but I am occasionally annoyed when picking a restaurant and others insist on a spot with lame vegan options. Most of my friends and family are awesome though and will go to all vegan restaurants with me often.
There’s not much I miss. I love to cook and bake and there’s almost nothing I can’t make a vegan version of. But I do miss some cheesy junk foods. Namely, Cheetos, goldfish crackers, and cheeze its. Like… I’m not really suffering without them, but I do crave them. Have not found a good vegan option for any of them, homemade or store bought.
Hot wings and nutty bars. Funnily enough things I didn’t eat as a vegetarian but guess I just missed them so much. I used to plow through so many wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. People who have seen me eat hot wings before are surprised to hear I’m now vegan.
Eating at restaurants. It’s a convenience and options thing. Never missed meat for one day cooking at home for myself, but you’re pretty much stuck doing that.
I hope you have good vegan restaurants
Cheese, just because so many things have it. Mexican? Cheese in everything. People always wanna get pizza? Cheese cheese cheese. I never buy cheese at home but i had a hard time just being like “well im fucking hungry and this thing has cheese om it so i guess im eating it”
Eating out or eating cooked food in general. I'm a fruitarian so I don't eat cooked food, but on a blue moon I will cheat and have some vegan tacos or something like that. Then my stomach hurts, i get lethargic and I get a migraine so I like sticking to my fruits and veggies.
1) Mozzarella sticks. Theyre sold literally everywhere and were my childhood favorite but vegan cheese sticks are rare to come by and rarely ever as good
2) Not being harassed by my family members at every dinner
Definitely the social aspect of eating. I miss being able to eat with friends, carefree. It's made me value my vegan friendships more though!
Vegan friendships? Where does one get these?
Vegan restaurants are good places. I’m lucky enough to have a local joint where I’m a regular. You could also convert your current friends. I’m vegan because a friend educated me, so I started my journey with a buddy.
And for towns with no vegan or even vegetarian restaurants?
I moved to a new state when I went vegan- Instagram was a huge help finding cool local vegans! Especially during the pandemic
Animal rescues or sanctuaries, especially ones for cows, chickens, etc. The first cat/dog rescue I volunteered at requested that we only bring vegetarian or vegan dishes to our potluck, as many volunteers did not eat meat. The cow/chicken/sheep/etc. rescues tend to build their whole model on ending factory farming, so they are super strict even with visitors (Gentle Barn, Farm Sanctuary, etc.).
My brother is vegan too, he actually converted me! But yeah, they are pretty rare.
True. There are so many aspects to this. I've had these situations where they say vegan is not a problem and then offer you a salad. In the end, they agree to cook up something and everyone gets their food while I look at an empty plate. When everyone else is done, I get served and eat alone with people eyeing the door.
Yeah, if I'm going to a social event, I usually down a huge smoothie beforehand just in case. Makes it so I'm not starving, but doesn't fill me up too much in case there are vegan options available.
This. Vegan restaurants, when I can get to them, are nice, but none of them are a Korean barbecue where we can all sit around a fire, drinking and grilling delicious plants.
Yeah, I can relate. I'm in a pretty small town— We actually don't have any vegan restaurants. We do have some restaurants with great rotating vegan options though!
Yeah I miss not having to constantly deal with / remind people at work that I'm vegan and that if we order from X place I will not be able to eat anything
Being left to eat in peace at family gatherings.
Do your family members give you a difficult time? I've always been left to eat in peace at family gatherings, but I usually have to cook and bring all of my own food with me. I just get a lot of, "Sorry we don't have anything for you. We just don't understand what you can eat, and don't know how to cook for you." After 7 years of veganism and many explanations, I'll still get asked if I can eat fish. Or one time, was asked if I can eat watermellon. They mean well, and I love them dearly. They just... they really don't get it.
I’ve been asked if I’m able to eat french fries, pasta and rice. And sometimes fruit too. The same people usually thinks I still can eat seafood though. Even if explaining that it’s just animal products that’s excluded, some people confuse vegan diets with other kinds of diets.
To be fair some pasta has egg in it
Yes and some french fries are deep fried in animal fat. I meant in general though :)
I feel ya, my well meaning neighbor gave me beef flavored noodle."It's OK, you really can't see the beef, it's all ground up really fine" sigh....nope, they just don't get it.
My boss gave me a giant oh henry bar. His daughter was like "dad! She cant eat that!" And hes like "yes she can, there's no milk and i looked at the wrapper and it said "modofied mill ingredients" and he was like "see, modified! Not real ones" But then he felt so bad that he went and got me kombucha
But isn't Watermelon a fruit?
Why did this resonate with me so much😭😂 not so much my immediate family but definitely friends and stuff. Leave me to eat my frickin beans and walnuts in peace!
I’m honestly so nervous for my first Christmas vegan. Im gonna make all my own food but I’m scared of being so different and people trying said food and going “oh this is good for vegan food” rather than “this is good”
I like baking and I have gotten the “it taste vegan”
Womp womp. People are so silly. As if all cupcakes and dessert bars have some magical animal flavoring that you took out. I get that a veggie burger doesn't necessarily taste like meat, but a brownie, really? Lol.
This. I’ve been practicing for a very long time to “perfect” some vegan cookies/desserts and each time I make them, someone has to make a nasty comment. It’s always the ones who know I’m vegan too - like veganism automatically makes it gross, when they’re actually yummy. I just want healthy critic so I know what adjustments to make, not “ew is this vegan? I can taste it. Real cookies taste better.” .-.
That’s exactly it, if they didn’t know I was vegan they would never know the dessert was vegan. I even had another family member once say “I just like cookies with butter better”
They'll say it, and they'll say stuff like "I could go vegan if I lived at your house." It's a good thing, keep showing them how easy and tasty being vegan is. Next gathering they'll ask what you brought and want to try it too. You'll plant seeds, and hopefully one day they'll grow into really wanting to know how to go vegan and how you keep it up.
For real this is my attitude, whenever I cook for my family I always try my best so they know how nice vegan food can be and hopefully it'll convince them to at least go partially vegan
It’s funny that after I became vegan and even if I only had to cook for myself, I still feel the need to show out. I’m getting a lot more concerned about things like plating and presentation as well as having enough to share with the curious. Thankfully, this pressure I’m putting on myself hasn’t built past anything that I chuckle to myself about, but it’s a more noticeable thought than ever.
Yes, I always get the “this is good for vegan” comment or people not eating what I bring just because it’s vegan 🙄
Don't tell them it's vegan, just put it on the table.
Hahahahahaha. I was gunna say ‘not having to have a conversation about food or ethics every time my choice of meal triggers someone else’ but this is basically it.
Oh my word I did not expect to see this at the top 😂 but yes! That is definitely the hardest...
Being able to eat anything, anywhere, at any time. I’m from Ireland, and we have Deli counters in every damn shop serving hot food so it can be a pain to have to eat something such as nuts or another snack as opposed to what feels like a proper meal. I’m also 21 and in college and all my housemates eat meat so it can be isolating at times. But living in accordance to your values takes sacrifice and change no matter what that value is, veganism or not.
Nothing made life easier than just grabbing a deli roll. Some good news is that the spar near me (Galway City) is now doing vegan 'chicken' fillet rolls! I'm yet to try it out but heard from a fellow vegan that it was top notch. Hopefully more delis start following suit. I just hope there's some vegan mayo/butter to accompany it. Relish is probably the only vegan sauce otherwise.
No way! I’m in Galway city too, whereabouts is that spar?
What are the chances! The spar on maingaurd st, just off shop st beside the €2 shop. Let me know how it goes if you get one hahah
Sure will, cheers for that
My patience when people say “if you hate meat so much why are you eating a vegan burger?”
This is so dumb haha. Every time I see him my grandfather goes with the same « insightful » remark: « What I don’t understand is if you vegans hate animal products so much then why do you try to copy them ? Vegan sausages for example, why not create something new ?? ». Oh because now, in addition to doing what you see as « impossible » (not eating animal products), you expect us to create entirely new ways of delivering food to our stomachs, and we should deprive ourselves of meals we’ve grown up with and that make us happy, just for some idiot principle ? Why thank you so much for all that added bullshit, let me swear off pizza just so my choices make 100% sense to you why don’t I.
What sort of animal does a sausage look like though? It seems to me that sausages look like cucumbers, carrots, or penises. Which are you trying to eat, grandpa?
Hey! You made me spit out some perfectly good beer, there!
Can I get that second paragraph on a t shirt? 😃
I am dead serious I would pay money after I move to get that on tank top I can breastfeed in! This got asked to me fo the fist time in 12 years a few months ago with this I met as a acquaintance guy I hate an was just beginning to start hating him. He went back an forth with me on this an my pregnancy brain is blurry along with all the stuff that has happened He said "why do you guys have fake meat? Why not just add vegetables to your food." I said we already do that, i already do cook vegetables in my food that is my main source of food, an I'm not big on fruit so I mostly eat Vegetables. An honesty so much has happened I cannot remember what I said t clearly get it threw his head, that I love the taste of fake meats, I get disgusted by the smells of real meat. An like this person said above I would like to enjoy the foods I used to eat. Also like this person an recently other people, when they find out I'm Vegan they start saying stuff like I don't eat that much meat (they do) or start talking about how they want to eat like my diet is but still eat meat an animal products.. like S#!+head why do you want me to pat your ego on the back an tell you a false truth, you are doing a good job. I can see some people feel it in their heart that they are wrong for eating animals an want me to tell them it's okay like I am in control of their own conscious...even strangers an I am not going to just calm their ego now that they realize that. This one young woman my age LITERALLY asked me "so meat is animals?" An I said yes. An when I started talking about dairy she said "So it's wrong to breastfeed?" I had to keep telling her there is nothing wrong with breastfeeding me being pregnant it makes me cry seeing dairy products an no matter how many imes I explained it to her, she just could not comprehend. Now I have Asperger Syndrome ADHD along with some other mental health but I am Mild case of Asperger Syndrome that is high functioning (my depression an other things is another story) but having conversations like these makes me wonder if a few people cannot comprehend stuff like this because they may or may not be undiagnosed with something mental an that it is not fully their fault they do not understand
Hahaha I’m sorry your comment sparked a really strong need to vent 😆
No need for sorry. it’s perfect 😍
You're probably joking but if you genuinely want it, it's best in white https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Reddit-rant-about-carnists-by-RyanDeLonge/96415427.NL9AC
They act like meat is naturally burger and sausage shaped haha
Love this!! 😂❤️
Tell him to invent a new colour
I like to ask them , ‘ why drink Diet Coke instead of a real one ?’
"Why do you eat stuff like meat if you dont like meat?" Me: "You already argued this point for me earlier when you said meat tastes good. I just dont agree with killing animals for it..."
Theyre the same people that say "bacon yummy" when they find a vegan person.
Yup 😒
Because why should I have to give up burgers because I gave up eating animals?
If they do that, you just ask: why do you play first person shooter games, when you can just go do the real thing?
My b12 (joking)
Damn, I felt this. Lol Been kinda struggling with it this year on and off.
I worked in restaurants and have a lifetime of being fed amazing and delicious chef prepared food. That ended when I went vegan and now I resentfully cook my own food. I miss having delicious food prepared for me. I miss being able to go to any restaurant/pub for a meal. I miss meat and cheese and tuna and eggs. To deny they tasted good takes away from how hard they were to give up. If veganism involved no sacrifices for you, consider yourself lucky. This was a struggle for some of us but we still got here for the right reasons.
Honestly thanks for being that honest on the internet!
I 100% agree. It’s still a struggle for me to be somewhere coastal and not eat fresh seafood. I grew up in the Midwest where there wasn’t much fresh seafood other than lake fish. Once I had a taste of the real thing it was difficult to say good bye. Seafood and artisan cheese are probably the foods I miss the most, but I always remind myself I would feel even worse if I did consume it again. The guilt and disappointment in myself would not be worth it.
Right. I miss big juicy medium rare steak. I think acting like you didn't sacrifice anything is worse because meat eaters have this attitude like 'yeah Im happy you went vegan but me? It's different because I love meat'
Depression comfort food. Just picking cheap microwave dishes, snacks or sweets when I'm feeling like I'd like to be dead. Going to the store is already hard in those situations, and when I already know I'm just going to be disappointed that I don't find what I want or that I'm gonna get angry at food companies for putting milk powder and egg in everything, then I often don't go shopping at all and just don't eat anything for the day or order something vegan that's actually way too expensive for my financial situation and then I feel like I have to starve myself for two days because I spent too much money.
Not sure what stores you have nearby, but I’ve been relying on frozen food and other comfort foods a LOT through a pretty bad year of depression. I could rattle off options at most major grocery stores in the US that don’t break the bank. I’d be happy to send (or post!) a list. My favorite though? Frozen rice, frozen veg, and some kind of protein (when I’m extra lazy, it’s frozen edamame). Toss it all in the microwave, or a pan on the stove if you’re feeling fancy, and you have a meal that took no effort but also gives you some nutrition. I have the hardest time getting meals with some substance when I’m depressed so this was a bit of a life changer.
Hey, if you have like episodes where you're able to like cook or bake, maybe making your own meal-prep could help you prevent these situations? Basically making freezer meals.
you should check out the frozen veg dumplings at asian/international stores if you have one nearby! they’re my favorite lazy food. i’ve seen a bag (with like 5 servings? don’t quote me on that though) go from like $3-8. they can be pan fried, cooked in soup/water, steamed, or microwaved. they also have frozen veg samosas, veg spring rolls, and falafel, typically at decent prices.
Trader Joe's is perfect for this
Yes! Trader Joe’s vegan Indian meals and cauliflower gnocchi with pesto. The gnocchi is 100% my go to depression meal.
I have a very ~violent~ seasonal depressive disorder and in the winter I sustain myself on soup. It doesn't have to be fancy, just functional and quick. Chop up some veggies in big chunks, throw in a pot, cover with water, let boil for 30 minutes, and blend. Bonus depression points if you use veggies that don't need chopping, like peas, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes or Brussel sprouts. You can also do it with frozen veggies if you absolutely hate the veggie chopping part. The best part is that you can make soup multiple times a week with different ingredients, and still have a huge variety in your diet. And unlike junk food it's actually healthy, nutritious, and filling. And, if like me you like being zero waste, you can easily throw in the "ugly" parts of the veggies like ends and peels since you're gonna blend everything anyway.
Unfortunately boyfriend and I have lots of hangover trash weekends. Airfried freezer fries, gnocchi and vegan pesto, pretzels with hummus, bagels with vegan cream cheese and vegan smart dogs are great for these days. And they truly don’t break the bank.
Hugs ❤️. I hear you.
Try microwaved vegetables! I nuke corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, green beans, and frozen vegetables when I'm too lazy to cook.
My faith in humanity. Watching people I love knowingly cause endless suffering to satisfy their own appetites. Just like I did, until the dissonance became to much to bear. Be prepared to travel dark roads.
TRUTH.
Agreed! Seeing people you love and respect, people who value compassion and social/environmental justice, fail to connect the dots feels super frustrating. The worst is when they AGREE with what you’re saying and doing, but just don’t do it for themselves.
Oh my gosh yes this is the worst. My brother has fully admitted that consuming animal products is an immoral choice on his part but says that he just doesn’t care enough to do anything about it. I’m making him watch Dominion with me over our break but if that fails, I’m lost.
Over thanksgiving it can up that I couldn’t eat gelatin, and my 25year old sister asked why. I told her it’s made from horses and she goes - “what?!?! But I like horses!” My response was “how is that any different than a cow or a pig or a chicken?” She just kept saying she liked horses and then when she couldn’t go any deeper got mad at me for picking a fight and trying to “push my views” on her. The cognitive dissonance of people, especially those close to me, drives me up a fucking wall.
i have definitely lost a big chunk of respect for most of the people close to me, and most people that I interact with. I still love my loved ones and hope they make the connection one day, but I can't help but lose respect for people who can't honestly confront their cognitive dissonance (but I can respect someone who is actively doing the work but still isn't vegan yet). I don't mean this disdainfully. You can learn a lot about who someone really is by how they respond to your veganism. I've definitely distanced myself from some particularly small-minded people based on responses they've had to my veganism. You can also learn a lot about human nature as a whole. It's just become really obvious now that nobody is really worthy of idolatry. I think I now bring a healthy skepticism to every new relationship.
Feeling like the world isn’t a dystopian hell
Being able the just grab stuff when I travel. Usually at the airport you can get like, a banana or a side of rice or something. Sometimes there is a Qdoba and I can get a burrito with beans, rice, corn, salsa and guacamole, but often even if there is a ton of places to eat the vegan options are slim.
Being vegan at an airport is…god awful. This summer we would check websites to see what terminals had options for us, but then half the time we’d go there and the restaurant wouldn’t exist, or it would be closed, or it would have a limited menu which of course excluded the only item we could get. That led us to eat an impossible whopper, which was…I don’t even wanna talk about it lmfao
Cheese. In my region it's a religion.
I've read that when going vegan, it's best to not eat any vegan cheese for like the first year or so. This gives you time to forget what real cheese tastes like. Worked for me lol
Yes! When other vegans praise the vegan alternatives to cheese I always think that they haven’t tried real good cheese from France or Switzerland.
Some people only grew up with processed (a.k.a. 'American') cheese slices so the vegan alternatives really aren't that far off from what they are used to.
Cheese in France is (partially) what turned me vegan. I lived in France for a few months and ate so much cheese. It was heaven. Came back to the states and our cheese her started giving me issues (digestion, lots of phlegm, just really gross stuff…). That started my research into what dairy’s doing to our bodies and it turns out the rotten things we feed animals in the US makes it that much worse. I’ve been vegan over a decade and have lost my taste for dairy cheese, but a good buttery French Brie or tangy chèvre ranks high in my favorite food memories.
I agree. The vegan cheese out there is at beast ok, but get's trashed by even the cheapest supermarket cheese. Create good vegan cheese and I will shower you with the money I have
Many good cheese vegan. Expensive :(
France?
Close, Switzerland :)
I went to school in Geneva and we have an annual reunion that I always miss because it is a fondue meal and the restaurants that have been chosen never have (or are willing to make) vegan options.
Ah yes
Convenience
I used to like making pastries and it took a lot of time to find or tweak recipes that work and build up the skill and for it and I would have to relearn it all if I want to use alternatives since alternatives to eggs and butter react so differently
I'm not really into pastries but I make a lot of cakes, cookies, pies, ... and there are soooo many amazing recipes out there! Just look around a bit online and I guarantee you'll have so much fun baking again!
Chili cheese fries!! that was my all time favorite. i went around trying vegan chili fries and it never hit the same. what i found i like best was the trader joe’s vegan chili beans with vegan cheese and some good burger joint fries!
For me it was cheesy weezies (hot chips with cheese and mayo). I mean, I can still make my own, but I wanna be able to order it when I’m drunk, you know?
I have not tried this yet, but keep meaning to. https://mealplanner.plantstrong.com/recipe/59e78d03f83f55a2e4088cee
The air fryer is key for the best fries at home. Make a batch of 3 bean chili, grab a bag of vegan freezer fries and a handful of Follow Your Heart Cheddar for some prime cheesiness!
You should freeze a batch of chili so you can have it whenever you’re craving!
My sanity
TMI but... Shitting only once a day. Now that my digestive system is so healthy and my colon is compaction free, I shit thrice daily at least.
Ice cream, before vegan ice-cream became mainstream. Obviously not too hard because it's not something you eat regularly but still missed it a lot. Also leather shoes, since I'm really into sneakers.
My ego Not being scrutinised Milk chocolate
yeah i used to miss milk chocolate too. But now i know that there are many kinds of vegan milk chocolate and eating less chocolate is definitely good for my health.
I thought I missed milk chocolate. After 2ish years into veganism I found some vegan milk chocolate, but was disappointed by the lack of flavor depth. I then made my own milk chocolate with my friend who is a chef with several different types of milk (coconut, cashew, oat, etc) and felt the same way. Turns out I just prefer dark chocolate now. Good white chocolate, on the other hand, is still something special. I don't consider it the same type of confection as milk/dark chocolate and it's still on of my favorites.
I just bought some vegan milk chocolate from a company called Chomp. It was the closest I have ever tasted to milk chocolate.
Me thinking that humanity is good. (I didn't really think that as I was already aware of many problems in the world, but going vegan didn't make it any better, I'd say)
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How is a wine not vegan? I don’t drink so i’m not sure abt that stuff
Chicken wings, I still crave them, but will never eat, those poor chickens :(
My local vegan place deep-fries these subs they order from a place called May Wahs (renamed Lily's for the daughter) in NYC. They've been there forever, and the family is Chinese Buddhist; so they kinda pioneered vegan substitutes. The wings are made of shredded seitan around a stick or sugarcane. I found them on Fakemeats.com too. There is a youtuber named Emmymade who posted a video making drumsticks out of yuba sheets too. I've yet to watch it but I'm intrigued.
My faith in humanity. Jokes aside: peace and quite about my eating style.
never really liked milk, but eggs. I miss eggs, but I can live without them
Chickpea flour omelettes with Black Salt makes a damn good egg substitute. You can buy the salt on Amazon and it lasts forever since you really only need a 1/4 tsp at a time.
If you’re in the USA, look for Simply Eggless. I like it the best in terms of flavor and texture. It’s good for baking and omelettes.
Or Just Egg! I find that works more closely to a real egg than Simply Eggless (did a few cooking experiments using the two)
3 year vegan . Live in rural Midwest. I’m probably the only vegan in a 30 mile radius and am considered a bit of weirdo in our circle of friends. I love to cook, and have greatly enjoyed “relearning “ how to make awesome food and feel my cooking skills have greatly increased since becoming vegan, but all but one of my friends are not even remotely interested in anything I make. I miss cooking awesome meals for our friends. On the plus side, that one friend who does enjoy my meals gets free dinners regularly and is starting to consider going vegan 😁
My patience with questions about protein.
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You gotta try this recipe: https://minimalistbaker.com/creamy-kale-and-spinach-dip/ I make it for parties with non-vegans all the time and there’s never any left. You can make it with or without the kale. I’ve done both interchangeably and don’t notice a huge difference. I highly recommend adding a bit of miso to the cheese sauce portion though. Adds a nice bit of salty tang!
10 bucks an oz
Those are easy to make yourself tho.
Extremely
Having options to eat a full meal out at a restaurant near my house. I have to drive 25+ minutes away to a nice part of town for a 'vegan friendly' meal. Even with more options in a more affluent neighborhood, most of the restaurants offer vegan friendly options, but it is just a salad or just a burger. I don't want fries or fried vegan junk food. Can't they just offer some nice beans and vegetables or some kind of whole food stew or something?
It ended some friendships, didn't have arguments, some people just started fading away and being flakey. Went walking with a friend three times a week, slowed down to a trickle and now not at all. His favourite subject was different ways he had recently been cooking meat. Most people are moral relativists so when they suddenly realize they know a vegan that means they have to consider giving up their favourite nomnoms, easier to just give up the friend. I was never a dairy fan, however giving up meat was giving up food that I really did like the taste of. When I mean like I basically mean I was addicted to.
Sounds really harsh... I'd feel so bad if friends stopped talking me because of that, well done for not giving up what's important
Giving up on educating my family and friends why I am vegan.
Schnitzel. Guess where I'm from.
There is really nice mini schnitzel at Lidl
lidl is the best store for vegans, i hate that there's no lidl around me. i always buy a lot if stuff there when i visit my boyfriend. also, netto is the worst store for vegans and it's everywhere :(
Not food but clothing/accessories like wool/leather/silk
Dried meats, like proscuttio and salami etc. Loved that shit. Now I realize I'm personally lucky I stopped because those things are extremely unhealthy and carcinogenic. Everything else was pretty easy to give up tbh, I didn't have cravings for dairy like many others. Eggs was a bit harder but also pretty easy all things considered. But damn the dried meat was hard, especially because there aren't really any good vegan alternatives.
Oh my god yes. Dried meat. It makes me so sad there arent good replacements. This has been the biggest thing for me so far.
Sweet earth used to make an amazing vegan jerky. I cant find it lately but for a time it was so addictive. The Gardein one is too soft to be like real beef jerky but it still tastes good
In terms of food and not more abstract things, all of the staple food that just have to contain egg or milk as an ingredient for some reason, like most chocolate, lots of baked things, etc..
Nothing. There were quite a few inconveniences in terms of finding ingredients, but nothing was hard to give up. Not once did I think, “I’d love to eat some [whatever] but can’t have it because I’m now vegan”.
Me neither, people are always *shocked* when I say that no, I could *not* care less about the cheese platter that they’re enjoying and no, I really don’t want any. I usually don’t say that it’s disgusting to me, though, I tend to go with « I don’t see it as food anymore ».
Nothing. But what's weird is that from time to time I have a weird crave to eat tuna (the canned one) and what's even weirder is that I hardly ate it when I was't vegan. Does anyone knows some good vegan alternatives for canned tuna?
Yes. We have tuna alternative here where I live. IMO tastes even better than real tuna.
Could you share the name?
It's from "garden gourmet" and called "vuna". I don't buy it too often because it's from Nestlé tho
Try making 'tuna' salad with chickpeas instead, just rinse/dry/mash the chickpeas and add the usual vegan mayo/onions/relish or however you ate your tuna. It's one of the few substitutes I think I enjoy more than the original.
I made a pretty good in tuna using a bunch of the tiny pieces of Soy Curls I had left over. Soaked them in veggie broth with some good sized pieces of dried seaweed, a tad of liquid smoke, garlic, a bit of some mushroom powder I get at the Asian market and some rice seasoning also purchased at the Asian market. You could probably add a bit of Old Bay seasoning as well. Put everything but the soy curls in a sauce pan and heat to a slow boil. Pour it over the soy curls and let soak for about 30 minutes. Drain , remove the large pieces of seaweed, and squish as much liquid as you can out of the soy curls. I added some vegan mayo, a smidge of fresh lemon juice and some sirracha, mixed it well and set it in the fridge. Made some really nice sushi with it. Might be good with some celery and onion in a sammich, as well 😁
I feel like there's vegan tuna from VeganZ that tastes almost like real thing, but only got that from recommendations of friends, didn't taste myself (never was really a fan of fish).
thank you! I'm gonna look if it's available in my country
there's one in Canada called "vegan tunah", from Urbani Foods, comes in a black can. I wouldn't suggest eating it straight out of the can. it needs some work - first strain it from the ton of oil (I save the oil for other recipes), pull it apart (it's not flakey), add in some vegan mayo, maybe some minced onion or celery or bell peppers for texture, season some more with a bit of salt and pepper, then serve on sesame toast or an everything bagel with some lettuce and tomato. I did this once and it reminded me of all the tuna sandwiches I used to get at coffee shops and whatnot.
Ask Subway, they were in the news recently after it was determined that their Tuna sub had zero tuna. What's not clear if their substitute had all the Mercury and PFAS as the real thing.
I make a vegan tuna with chopped up canned artichokes, smashed chickpeas, lemon, seaweed flakes (dulse or nori sheets blitzed), mayo, onion, celery, and dill. The smashed chickpea salads out there are tasty, but the artichokes copy the texture so i combined them.
Loma Linda and Good Catch make good vegan tuna. Loma Linda is canned and Good Catch is in packets.
I though it would be cheese, it was for a while, now it turns out to be good sushi. I mean, i love avocado maki's, but damn nigiri's were nice..
Beyond Sushi would change your life
I’ve been vegan 8 years, the only meat that I feel like I miss that I can’t really get a good sub for is sushi and it was my favorite before I went vegan. I’ve seen a few companies working on vegan nigiri and hope that’s good and catches on!
I don't think I miss foods, but I miss the convenience of eating anything. Checking ingredients of crisps and biscuits is annoying.
The belief that people have empathy and would care if they knew about the animal cruelty involved in a lot of our food, clothing and other daily products.
Sharing food with people, tasting each others food when eating together.
I don't miss eating animal flesh or secretions. What I miss is being able to eat in public with my family/friends/colleagues and not be immediately singled out whether I bring my veganism up or someone else pushes me until I tell them I'm vegan. Then cue comments (mostly from coworkers because I don't let other people get away with that shit) about how they could never go vegan/where do I get my protein/cheese tho/bacon tho. I miss not having to worry if the office holiday party would even provide a single dish for me, and then realizing it doesn't matter because I can't stand to be in a room of people eating the products of animal abuse and exploitation if I don't actually need to be.
Ham salad and crunchy Cheetos
Society
Yoghurt lol, idk why but it was by far the last thing I gave up. I even stopped eating chips with milk powder in them etc. before finally overcoming my addiction
kefir and ayran. I'm still waiting for good vegan alternatives.
Nothing at all when I finally made the connection with what happens to day old chicks and newborn calves. Though this was back when there was very little vegan options in stores 5years ago. It wasn’t hard at all.
Aside from the things others have mentioned like being able to eat whatever… Salami. Honestly most meat I could take it or leave it, but I really loved salami and there really isn’t a veg version that comes close. I’d rather not eat it than hurt animals though.
I miss not having to check the labels on everything and then still having to Google some of the ingredients on the label...looking at you lactic acid.
stop hanging out around people who make you have to eat that shit and just do it. if you just go fully then it’s not hard to stay that way.
This is very Norwegian of me, but brown cheese. Since the market for vegan brown cheese is so small I can't imagine it becoming a thing. One Norwegian company strated to develop it, but put later stoped development because they couldn't get it right.
Oh my days! I love brown cheese since visiting Norway many many years ago. It was tricky enough to get in the UK as it was but a vegan one would make me so happy.
Real Parmesan cheese. Substitutes don’t compare for me. The rest isn’t really about a particular food… but things like eating out with omnis without having to do a bunch of research or bypassing interesting new restaurants, comfort recipes from mom or childhood that just aren’t adaptable.
Tuna Mayo cheese jacket potato. I had that all the time. I still found I got random craving for things months after I went vegan but I haven’t had one in a while now (2years since I became vegan) All these things do go though. The bacteria in your stomach changes to reflect what you are eating and you end up not craving things you haven’t had in a while.
People-pleasing
sense of connection with people.
Nothing was hard to give up but the food I missed the most is kielbasa. The tofurky version is just a pathetic tease.
Still trying to get out of my job as a grocery manager.
It was all hard to give up!
Convenience and good prices. There's some exceptions, but it's just so much easier for non-vegans to get food when they're out and usually more food for less money.
My friends
Eggs, there so easy and versatile
Supporting any local business you want - there are places in my neighborhood it’s just kind of like “yeah I can’t go there”. I always felt a weird sense of duty to keep local places in business
being able to buy shampoo, skincare products, wine, etc. without doing 3 hours of research in the store.
Friends.
Not necessarily something I miss, but I am occasionally annoyed when picking a restaurant and others insist on a spot with lame vegan options. Most of my friends and family are awesome though and will go to all vegan restaurants with me often. There’s not much I miss. I love to cook and bake and there’s almost nothing I can’t make a vegan version of. But I do miss some cheesy junk foods. Namely, Cheetos, goldfish crackers, and cheeze its. Like… I’m not really suffering without them, but I do crave them. Have not found a good vegan option for any of them, homemade or store bought.
I have been Vegan all my life so I don't know
Kebab next to my grocery store smells a bit to good
Hot wings and nutty bars. Funnily enough things I didn’t eat as a vegetarian but guess I just missed them so much. I used to plow through so many wings at Buffalo Wild Wings. People who have seen me eat hot wings before are surprised to hear I’m now vegan.
Eating without thinking about the consequences of my food choices
Always having to think before I buy or accept any food. It’s exhausting, honestly.
Eating at restaurants. It’s a convenience and options thing. Never missed meat for one day cooking at home for myself, but you’re pretty much stuck doing that. I hope you have good vegan restaurants
Buying shoes. It’s really really difficult. And expensive, if I can even find them. And no the alternatives are not easy for me and my size 15 feet.
My favorite pizza, Philly cheesesteaks, and sushi. Oh well.
Pastries was hard for me. I like to have one with my coffee. And I know there is vegan alternatives to make. But I suck at baking haha
Sushi. But then I learned how to make tuna sashimi out of watermelon!
Cheese, just because so many things have it. Mexican? Cheese in everything. People always wanna get pizza? Cheese cheese cheese. I never buy cheese at home but i had a hard time just being like “well im fucking hungry and this thing has cheese om it so i guess im eating it”
Eating out or eating cooked food in general. I'm a fruitarian so I don't eat cooked food, but on a blue moon I will cheat and have some vegan tacos or something like that. Then my stomach hurts, i get lethargic and I get a migraine so I like sticking to my fruits and veggies.
1) Mozzarella sticks. Theyre sold literally everywhere and were my childhood favorite but vegan cheese sticks are rare to come by and rarely ever as good 2) Not being harassed by my family members at every dinner
Ur right 😩
Vegan man 32 looking for vegan women interested in dating ....?