Ok, so how strict are you? I've found that people keep making me food that they say is vegan, and then I find out that there was egg white in it. I don't induce vomiting, and sometimes I still continue eating b/c I figure the damage is done. I feel kind of bad about it, but at this point it has been all egg that has been involved b/c people can't seem to understand that egg is not vegan. I was also recently told in a restaurant that they don't have any vegetarian items other than the grilled chicken sandwich, so I do live in strange place, but I just wondered what your opinions were on this.
One other question. My friend Lindsay and I are going on a cruise in January (hooray!). I've called the cruiseline and they have promised that there is vegetarian eating, but not vegan eating. I am thinking that I am going to be vegetarian for the cruise and a few weeks prior (to get my tummy ready) but I still really don't want to. I don't want cheese. I don't want butter. I don't want milk, eggs, etc., but I don't want to starve on the cruise. Does this make me a hippocrite?
I'm not sure why I'm asking people because really, I am making my own decisions, but I just feel so badly about this and unsure of what the right thing is. I've got that devil/angel thing on my shoulder.
Oy!
Air Fryer Apples
6 days ago
5 comments:
I think you should do as much as you can and not beat yourself up trying to be a perfect vegan :o).
Some people even decide that they will be a vegan when at home, but will be more lenient when out with friends/out at a restaurant, and that is A-OK! By not being 100% rigid in your diet, you’re probably turning MORE people onto veganism than someone who meticulously reads every label three times to make sure they’re not consuming Vitamin D3 or a tiny bit of honey, etc, because people will see that person and will think, “Oh it’s too hard to be a vegan; I could never do it.”
So keep up the good work!
And good luck with the cruise-- I'm going on a cruise soon too :o)
When I first went vegan my motto was as long as it didnt have animal products in it (meat, dairy, milk, eggs, or honey etc) it worked... since then I've adapted a much stricter lifestyle. I don't eat refined sugar or anything with sugar in the label for both health reasons and because of the bone char, I don't feel its truly vegan. I also don't use any products that are tested on animals and I don't wear leather or wool... When I was first vegan I couldn't afford to buy all new shoes and sweaters so I was still wearing wool and leather but over time I was able to slowly replace all of my shoes and clothes with vegan ones and donated the old stuff to charity...
I do read over every labeland always ask questions about food at restaurants, but that is mostly out of my desire for health than my veganism (if that makes sense).
I will say, however, that if my options are whole wheat bread with honey or nasty white bread, I opt to take the whole wheat, even thought that technically makes me a "bad" vegan.. but my health is very important to me and I don't find myself in that situation too often.
But like I said, I have gotten more strict the longer I've been a vegan and also out of health concerns.
Also, I was on a cruise recently and told them ahead of time Scott & I were vegans and they went out of their way to make sure we had vegan food at every meal! they even kept a basket of fruit and veggies in our room!
The thing about being vegan, though, is that your body, well, sometimes when you "accidently" eat something with dairy, etc, bad things happen with your digestive system! its like a food hangover. so thats why I read labels too, I guess!
one last thing, people everywhere are stupid! LA is a huge vegan town and people still offer me tuna or chicken all the time.. its really annoying..
also never take no for an answer - say you have a DAIRY allergy and they have to, by law, cater to you or say its religious! They can't "force" people to eat things - esp on cruises where they are the food keepers and you are not permitted to bring your own food on board. I've had to get nasty in the past and sometimes being a vegan is about having to put your foot down -- I had to do that with my employer (we have a work cafe) and with hotels, etc. Ive found once you say you're allergic or its religious choice they are more cooperative to avoid a law suit... just a helpful hint!
My veganism isn't negotiable, but that's me.
Have fun on the cruise! I went on one when I was vegetarian, not vegan, and I've wondered since what I would do if I went again. At least on the one I went on (Carnival), all the food in the dining room was made in advance so having things modified was not an option. They did have a big salad bar, though, with lots of vegetables and beans. I think I would try my best to stay vegan with that, and bring along rice milk powder, small packets of nuts, pro-bars and seitan jerky.
I'm also sometimes a bad vegan - I'm not strict about honey (especially when options for bread are limited) and I eat out at places where there's probably some "contamination" of meat or animal products in the vegetables. I try and do the best I can, but without going nuts, and without beating myself up over "mistakes." Any degree you take it to is better than not trying, after all.
I'm going to have to make a decision like this myself soon, as I'll be hospitalized for a while and then incapacitated for several weeks. I don't think the hospital is going to be at all accommodating, and my mom keeps saying she can't prepare the kind of food I eat. I already know she's going to try and force-feed me things like ensure. Sigh.
Not sure if you have left for your cruise yet, but just in case you haven't...
I've gone on three cruises as a vegan, and have had no trouble. With some cruise lines (eg. Princess) you can mark "vegan" on your Cruise Personalizer online, but you still need to tell your head waiter once you get on the ship. This is assuming you do traditional dining. If you do the more freestyle dining, the options won't blow you away but you'll find plenty to eat.
It's funny actually- my only problem was really that they made such a huge fuss over me every time; I ended up feeling very well fed, but also very self conscious.
Good luck and have fun!
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