Vegans? Vegetarians?

[Esme nha Maire]

I recently spotted that BirdsEye are now making fake meat burgers from pea protein. I hadn't realised that that was a thing. So naturally I bought some to try. They were pretty good!

Flavour-wise, if anything they seemed to suggest a hint of pork rather than beef* which is great as it means that by switching between brands of burgers I can experience a range of tastes rather than same old, same old all the time. Texture and everything else was fine.

What I don't know yet, but hope to look into, is the ecological aspect of making fake meat products, be they from soya, mycoprotein or pea protein. At the moment, I am just hoping that it's better to eat fake meat burgers, ecologically speaking, than the real thing. If anyone reading this has some hard info on the matter, I'd love to see it!

[candy_coated_bitch]

For those of you who transitioned out of eating dairy, how did you go about it? I'm not sure I can be 100% vegan or not but I really want to cut back on my dairy intake. Mostly cheese trips me up. It's one of my all time favorite foods and it seems like all my favorite foods have cheese in it. Also, there really is no substitute for dairy in a cup of tea. Really, I've tried.

Also, I need to do veganism on the cheap, which is very difficult. People always tell you it's cheaper to cook for yourself and I scoff at that when I can buy a box of mac and cheese for 88¢ or a thing of ramen for a dollar or two. That's several meals right there for like $5 when you count milk and butter for the mac and cheese.

Buying a bunch of fresh veggies and cooking is not cheaper than how I have to eat now, so any suggestions on how to make veganism more budget friendly, let me know. I don't cook a lot know besides things out of a box so I also do not have a well stocked pantry. So a recipe is like an investment what with having to buy spices and all.

Help please! I don't feel like I can overhaul my entire diet at once but am looking more for suggestions of where to start small.

[easygoingfemme]

CCB, do you have a crock pot? I have a couple of really low cost vegan dishes that I like to do in a crockpot. Very much- dump in ingredients and turn it on and come back in 6-8 hours.

One is a vegan split pea soup. I think that the last time I broke it down it came to about $5 for about 12 servings of soup.

Another is a red bean stew I like to make, red beans with a can of diced tomato, chopped carrots, and any other veggies that might sound good. Spice it up with either regular savory items like garlic, or spice it up with hot sauce. Good plain or over rice or with a piece of cornbread. If you catch the canned goods when they are on sale and stock up it helps make it even less expensive than it already is.

[kittygrrl]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

For those of you who transitioned out of eating dairy, how did you go about it? I'm not sure I can be 100% vegan or not but I really want to cut back on my dairy intake. Mostly cheese trips me up. It's one of my all time favorite foods and it seems like all my favorite foods have cheese in it. Also, there really is no substitute for dairy in a cup of tea. Really, I've tried.

Also, I need to do veganism on the cheap, which is very difficult. People always tell you it's cheaper to cook for yourself and I scoff at that when I can buy a box of mac and cheese for 88¢ or a thing of ramen for a dollar or two. That's several meals right there for like $5 when you count milk and butter for the mac and cheese.

Buying a bunch of fresh veggies and cooking is not cheaper than how I have to eat now, so any suggestions on how to make veganism more budget friendly, let me know. I don't cook a lot know besides things out of a box so I also do not have a well stocked pantry. So a recipe is like an investment what with having to buy spices and all.

Help please! I don't feel like I can overhaul my entire diet at once but am looking more for suggestions of where to start small.

Sweetest CCB..when i was vegan i found this little miracle "nooch"(nutritional yeast) that gives a cheesy flavor to just about any dish..it really helped! It's a great little investment to replace some of the dairy you will be craving! Ask for it in your health food store..you may even find it in a regular grocery.

[nycfem]

I'm a vegetarian not a vegan (as you know), but I recommend big bags of frozen veggies which you can add to tofu and soy sauce to make an easy stir-fry. Fresh veggies go bad so quickly.

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

For those of you who transitioned out of eating dairy, how did you go about it? I'm not sure I can be 100% vegan or not but I really want to cut back on my dairy intake. Mostly cheese trips me up. It's one of my all time favorite foods and it seems like all my favorite foods have cheese in it. Also, there really is no substitute for dairy in a cup of tea. Really, I've tried.

Also, I need to do veganism on the cheap, which is very difficult. People always tell you it's cheaper to cook for yourself and I scoff at that when I can buy a box of mac and cheese for 88¢ or a thing of ramen for a dollar or two. That's several meals right there for like $5 when you count milk and butter for the mac and cheese.

Buying a bunch of fresh veggies and cooking is not cheaper than how I have to eat now, so any suggestions on how to make veganism more budget friendly, let me know. I don't cook a lot know besides things out of a box so I also do not have a well stocked pantry. So a recipe is like an investment what with having to buy spices and all.

Help please! I don't feel like I can overhaul my entire diet at once but am looking more for suggestions of where to start small.

[candy_coated_bitch]

Originally Posted by easygoingfemme

CCB, do you have a crock pot? I have a couple of really low cost vegan dishes that I like to do in a crockpot. Very much- dump in ingredients and turn it on and come back in 6-8 hours.

One is a vegan split pea soup. I think that the last time I broke it down it came to about $5 for about 12 servings of soup.

Another is a red bean stew I like to make, red beans with a can of diced tomato, chopped carrots, and any other veggies that might sound good. Spice it up with either regular savory items like garlic, or spice it up with hot sauce. Good plain or over rice or with a piece of cornbread. If you catch the canned goods when they are on sale and stock up it helps make it even less expensive than it already is.

I have a crock pot but it's a little mini one.

Originally Posted by kittygrrl

Sweetest CCB..when i was vegan i found this little miracle "nooch"(nutritional yeast) that gives a cheesy flavor to just about any dish..it really helped! It's a great little investment to replace some of the dairy you will be craving! Ask for it in your health food store..you may even find it in a regular grocery.

Thank you!! I will try it.

Originally Posted by nycfem

I'm a vegetarian not a vegan (as you know), but I recommend big bags of frozen veggies which you can add to tofu and soy sauce to make an easy stir-fry. Fresh veggies go bad so quickly.

Good idea!

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

For those of you who transitioned out of eating dairy, how did you go about it? I'm not sure I can be 100% vegan or not but I really want to cut back on my dairy intake. Mostly cheese trips me up. It's one of my all time favorite foods and it seems like all my favorite foods have cheese in it. Also, there really is no substitute for dairy in a cup of tea. Really, I've tried.

Also, I need to do veganism on the cheap, which is very difficult. People always tell you it's cheaper to cook for yourself and I scoff at that when I can buy a box of mac and cheese for 88¢ or a thing of ramen for a dollar or two. That's several meals right there for like $5 when you count milk and butter for the mac and cheese.

Buying a bunch of fresh veggies and cooking is not cheaper than how I have to eat now, so any suggestions on how to make veganism more budget friendly, let me know. I don't cook a lot know besides things out of a box so I also do not have a well stocked pantry. So a recipe is like an investment what with having to buy spices and all.

Help please! I don't feel like I can overhaul my entire diet at once but am looking more for suggestions of where to start small.

In my case, regarding milk (all dairy products), I just had to stop consuming dairy products because any diary product converts to sugar in the blood stream, almost instantaneously (at least in my case, that's how it went down). I also broke our in rashes; rashes that took a long time to heal.


I drink Coconut milk or coconut water instead of dairy.

I can't have soy products due to how soy products affect my natural hormone structures (female hormones) and how it has the potential to make my heart condition worse. So I don't use soy products, anymore. I did, in the beginning. But my blood tests revealed hormone changes, which my doctor linked to soy consumption; so I don't eat soy products anymore.

I am kind of a cross between being vegetarian and vegan in that I don't eat products produced by animals or eat animal meat -- EXCEPT -- for tuna, I do have Tuna in seasonal ways, maybe less than five or 6 times a year, and I do like to have boiled eggs, but not often. I don't like to eat any traditional animal meat.... because of I feel it's cruel, eating animals or raising animals to eat them. I just can't do it, for a number of reasons.


Not eating dairy is super important, for my own health recovery. Not eating things that convert easily to sugar in the blood stream is even harder. Giving up breads and certain types of grains, like pasta, was and is very hard on me... but I just commit to do the best I can, every day.

I think it's a hard thing to do, to look out for your own health and hope that one is making the right choices. I say just do what is best for you, CCB.

Enjoy what you can, while you can. Because that's what I do.


Stick with what works for you and hopefully you'll find some great cheese alternatives out there, that you can get once in a while.

Tonight I stopped at Trader Joe's and they had cartons of fresh Mission Figs.

I bought some. I'd share, if I wasn't out here on the west coast. You're out on the east coast, so that's a loooong ways from where I live. Do you like Mission Figs?

[candy_coated_bitch]

Originally Posted by Kätzchen

In my case, regarding milk (all dairy products), I just had to stop consuming dairy products because any diary product converts to sugar in the blood stream, almost instantaneously (at least in my case, that's how it went down). I also broke our in rashes; rashes that took a long time to heal.


I drink Coconut milk or coconut water instead of dairy.

I can't have soy products due to how soy products affect my natural hormone structures (female hormones) and how it has the potential to make my heart condition worse. So I don't use soy products, anymore. I did, in the beginning. But my blood tests revealed hormone changes, which my doctor linked to soy consumption; so I don't eat soy products anymore.

I am kind of a cross between being vegetarian and vegan in that I don't eat products produced by animals or eat animal meat -- EXCEPT -- for tuna, I do have Tuna in seasonal ways, maybe less than five or 6 times a year, and I do like to have boiled eggs, but not often. I don't like to eat any traditional animal meat.... because of I feel it's cruel, eating animals or raising animals to eat them. I just can't do it, for a number of reasons.


Not eating dairy is super important, for my own health recovery. Not eating things that convert easily to sugar in the blood stream is even harder. Giving up breads and certain types of grains, like pasta, was and is very hard on me... but I just commit to do the best I can, every day.

I think it's a hard thing to do, to look out for your own health and hope that one is making the right choices. I say just do what is best for you, CCB.

Enjoy what you can, while you can. Because that's what I do.


Stick with what works for you and hopefully you'll find some great cheese alternatives out there, that you can get once in a while.

Tonight I stopped at Trader Joe's and they had cartons of fresh Mission Figs.

I bought some. I'd share, if I wasn't out here on the west coast. You're out on the east coast, so that's a loooong ways from where I live. Do you like Mission Figs?

For me, dairy doesn't quickly convert to sugars. Luckily. White flour, forget it. And I'm relying way too much on that in my diet because it's cheap. I was hoping making more dairy free choices would help me move away from relying on boxes of mac and cheese or frozen pizza or pasta roni. They're so cheap and so easy but it's not great on my blood sugar.

Frozen veggies and tofu stir fry like nycfem suggested should be affordable, as well as cans of beans and crock pot meals. I will also try the nutritional yeast.

I'm not even looking to go vegan cold turkey, just stop relying and cheese/carb combo as the basis of my diet. I have no issues with consuming soy and like almond milk. Still don't think it tastes good in tea though lol.

PS: THNK YOU everyone!! I do not care for figs.

[easygoingfemme]

If you decide to go with vegan, or try it, I think it might be wise to find 3-4 dishes that you like and are able to make and rotate them for a few while you get used to the changes. You don't have to pressure yourself to figure it all out right now if you don't mind some repetition in your meals?

[Esme nha Maire]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

For those of you who transitioned out of eating dairy, how did you go about it? I'm not sure I can be 100% vegan or not but I really want to cut back on my dairy intake. Mostly cheese trips me up. It's one of my all time favorite foods and it seems like all my favorite foods have cheese in it. Also, there really is no substitute for dairy in a cup of tea. Really, I've tried.

Also, I need to do veganism on the cheap, which is very difficult. People always tell you it's cheaper to cook for yourself and I scoff at that when I can buy a box of mac and cheese for 88¢ or a thing of ramen for a dollar or two. That's several meals right there for like $5 when you count milk and butter for the mac and cheese.

Buying a bunch of fresh veggies and cooking is not cheaper than how I have to eat now, so any suggestions on how to make veganism more budget friendly, let me know. I don't cook a lot know besides things out of a box so I also do not have a well stocked pantry. So a recipe is like an investment what with having to buy spices and all.

Help please! I don't feel like I can overhaul my entire diet at once but am looking more for suggestions of where to start small.

Hi, CCB! My partcular solution to The Cheese Problem is in four parts.

The first is fake cheeses. Now, some people don't rate any of the fake cheeses at all, but cheese being such a varied product, it's somewhat dependent on what you expect and like of a cheese. The fake cheeses also vary widely in flavour and feel. Unfortunately one thing they all have in common tends to be that they are still more expensive than the real thing, so..

- the second part is to use less cheese but (whether real or fake) but slice it thinner, grate it, anything that breaks it into smaller/tiny pieces. You should find that, taste-wise, you can get the same cheese hit from a smaller amount of cheese by using sprinkles or slivers instead of thick slices of the stuff. It's a bit like how chocolate with air bubbles in give you a more intense chocolate flavour hit than the same weight of chocolate with no bubbles - more cheese exposed to air = more cheese flavour per unit weight.

- the third part is to buy the non-dairy cheese as a treat when I can afford it, but otherwise use the dairy stuff. But because I'm being sparing with it either way, I'm using a lot less cheese than I used to before I made a determined effort to go as vegetarian as I can.

- the fourth part is that there is now cheap ready-made stuff you can buy that incorporates cheese or some form of cheese substitute (at least, here in the UK - I shop at Iceland). For instance, I sometimes buy spicy nacho beanburgers that are vegan aside from the cheese content, and they're very tasty even though, so far as I can see, there isn't that much cheese in them. I also sometimes buy vegan pizzas that use humus where cheese would normally be used. To my extreme surprise, this works pretty well, not giving me the cheese hit, but giving me teh yummy pizza hit and oh, there was something a bit like cheese in there somewhere.

Typing this has brought to mind one of my favourite cheap, simple dishes - cheesy rice. I haven't made that in ages! I cover the rice with just enough water that once the water has almost boiled away the rice is nicely soft and sticky (I like my rice sticky so it can be eaten with chopsticks more easily). But a little while before it's finished cooking, I add a tiny smidge of butter (or margerine) and a very small amount of cheese and stir it in. This is enough, for me, to give me that "Yum! I've eaten cheese!" feeling whilst not actually having used much cheese at all.

Hmmn.. just thought of another thing - add tomato, when appropriate. Tomato is a natural source of MSG (monosodium glutamate), so tends to enhance the yum factor of savoury foods. I've been known to smear a little of something tomatoey (ketchup, tomato soup (even from the powdered stuff!) on top of a slice of toast with a nearly transparent layer of cheese on it - the bread gives the bulk, the cheese and tomato give the flavour even though there isnt much of either. If you like garlic flavour, tiny tiny amounts of garlic puree can also add quite a flavour hit for very little cost.

Of course, what works for individuals will vary depending on individual sense of taste, whats available in the area, and budget. I spend markedly less than average on food, but then I might be lucky in whats available locally. I cant sensibly use fresh ingredients because I have a fridge with only a tiny freezer cubbyhole, and even the smallest packs of mixed vegetables (which ALWAYS seem to contain at least one thing I hate and have to pick out!) are too large and will go off before I could use them all. So it;s cans and ready -prepared stuff for me plus staples like rice and pasta, and a few bits and bobs (lik cheese!) to add flavour.

Hope that's of some help!

[Gemme]

Originally Posted by candy_coated_bitch

I have a crock pot but it's a little mini one.

You can just divide the original recipe to the size you have.


Good idea!

Originally Posted by easygoingfemme

If you decide to go with vegan, or try it, I think it might be wise to find 3-4 dishes that you like and are able to make and rotate them for a few while you get used to the changes. You don't have to pressure yourself to figure it all out right now if you don't mind some repetition in your meals?

This is a really good idea, as is stocking up on frozen veggies like nyc said. The mart of Wal has bags for as low as .84/each and there are some discount stores that have a freezer section. I shop Stop & Shop's reduced produce area and often pick up lots of goodies. Last week, I got a package of 4 large peppers for less than $2. As long as you use them within a couple days of purchase, they should be fine.

As for spices, go to the Dollar Tree, CCB. They have good sized spices that are fine for a buck each or you can shop Amazon. They have 'starter packs' of spices for $12-16 for each pack and you get 8-10 different spices in each pack.

There are two community garden organizations near you, one of which is organic. We're winding down for summer but they still may have some packages that might work for your budget.

Like anything else in this world, it's one step at a time.

[nycfem]

Just wanted to add that this same dish comes out very nice using riced cauliflower which can be bought or made. Riced cauliflower is cauliflower diced to the size of individual pieces of rice. And supermarkets also sell riced cauliflower with and without cheese. With good deals on frozen.

Originally Posted by Esme nha Maire

Typing this has brought to mind one of my favourite cheap, simple dishes - cheesy rice. I haven't made that in ages! I cover the rice with just enough water that once the water has almost boiled away the rice is nicely soft and sticky (I like my rice sticky so it can be eaten with chopsticks more easily). But a little while before it's finished cooking, I add a tiny smidge of butter (or margerine) and a very small amount of cheese and stir it in. This is enough, for me, to give me that "Yum! I've eaten cheese!" feeling whilst not actually having used much cheese at all.

[girl_dee]

*tip toes in*

I just wanted to share that I had Tofu ice cream the other day....

it was SOOO GOOD !

[candy_coated_bitch]

Thank you Esme! Thank you Gemme! Thank you you nycfem! I'm making note of everyone's great ideas!

[Esme nha Maire]

Earlier today I went food shopping and bought some "nutritional yeast flakes" similar to those mentioned by kittygrrl, and a new (to me) type of fake milk, made from pea protein, brand name "The Might Society original pea mylk" Info on pea milk can be found on th Holland & Barrett website.

I've only tried some of the yeast flakes sprinkled on buttered crackers so far - the result was enjoyably tasty, and I'm looking forward to experimenting further with it.

The pea milk was the big surprise. Bearing in mind that I have always consumed a LOT of milk - more than anyone else I know - ideally I'm wanting something I can drink glassfuls of now and then, that also tastes good in tea and doesn't cause me tummy upsets. Other milk substitutes have all failed dismally in tea, one or two I could happily drink by the glassful, although soy, I discovered, can give me a mild tunny upset, which puzzles me as soy meat products I'm fine with.

The pea milk smelt a little like vanilla , but not quite as pleasant. To my great surprise, it was acceptable in tea! Didnt taste quite as good as cows milk, but certainly didnt ruin the taste. I did find the smell offputting - I'm not a fan of flavoured teas like Earl Grey, see, and that unfamiliar smell where I'm not used to it - it's a negative for me, even though the smell in and of itself isn't unpleasant. But heck, if there was no cows milk in the house and I wanted a cuppa? Yes, I WOULD use this in my tea, concentrate on the taste of the tea and just do my best to ignore the smell.

I also drank a couple of glasses of the milk. I later had a mild tunny rebellion, but I am not 100% sure it was the milk that caused it - I also had a soy-based desert, and that may have had a hand in things, or the combination of that with the unfamilar type of milk.

Main drawback - the price. But if you only use milk in tea or coffee and dont guzzle the stuff like I tend to, this might not be a huge problem.