Calling all Vegans...Food help!?!
Calling all Vegans...Food help!?
I have been a vegetarian for about 2 and 1/2 months now. I'll admit that YES, I HAVE EATEN MEAT DURING THAT TIME. Cut me some slack---it was hard for me to get used to. Besides, it was just a few nibbles here and there, but I've basically cut it out of my so called "diet". My mom and family are very arguementive about my decision, but I've stuck with it.
But recently, I've decided to go vegan and I already know what I can and cannot eat (I've done some research).
So I guess my question is -
What foods / food brands would you recommend?
Please try to stay cheap. I'm pretty much poor because I go to this thing called Hopelink Foodbank like every 2 weeks.
*Oh, and for the record, I'm only 15, so I don't really have a whole heap of money, if you get my drift.
1 week ago
p.s-- I dont plan on eating ANY animal-related items in the future.
Answers:
1 week ago
p.s-- I dont plan on eating ANY animal-related items in the future.
Oatmeal, dried beans and grains, and veggies...I do the foodbank too. Have you tried applying for food stamps too? That could get you maybe up to $150 more food a month. (Can do both). Foodbank limits your choices for vegan...maybe best to stick to vegetarian...not trying to discourage you, but if they offer you food, you need to eat.
Young dandelions and the tender unopened flower buds can make a nice salad with some dressing added (if no pesicides were used on the grass). Rinse them well and check for bugs...
Why did you decide to go vegan? Why are you going vegan when you are still eating meat as a 'vegetarian'?
http://www.vegansociety.com/html/...
http://www.veganvillage.co.uk/
Try this: http://www.peta.org/accidentallyvegan/...
Noodles. They are cheap and delicious, gets you full and keeps you full. Cook your plain noodles, season with sesame oil, soy sauce and chili oil and add stir fried vegetables and peanuts. Really yummy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/1room1key/3...
If you ate meat during that time, you were not a vegetarian. Vegetarians do not eat meat...not even a liitle. I suggest getting a book and doing some research on the vegan diet.
15 and deciding to become a veggie head is a cause for concern. Your parents should let you prepare your own meals. You are a selfish little girl to impose such a burden on your parents. They need to beat you with a leg of lamb until you get some sense.
The best way to go vegan and ensure that you are not eating meat products while being on a tight budget is simply to eat non-processed foods.
Fruit and Veggie Groups
**( Recommended 3+ servings of each per day)
Buy in-season (cheap) fruits and veggies.
Buy backup freshly frozen veggies when in a pinch. You can't beat 99 cents for a bag of spinach or brussels sprouts.
Legumes group
** (Recommended 2 servings a day)
Buy cans/bags of beans and lentils and learn some yummy recipes. Tonight I think I might make fake chicken salad using a can of chick peas, veganaise (the best vegan mayo) and some veggies.
Tofu is also great.
Grains Group
** (5+ servings per day)
bread, rice, pasta, hot or cold cereal. corn, millet, barley, buglar, buckwheat
Those are all pretty cheap.
Staples I like
* Soy or rice milk; tofutti brand cream cheese, sour cream, ice cream; veganaise may (nayonase tastes more like miracle whip while this tastes like mayo); Silk brand milk and yogurt; Morning Star Farms beef and chicken strips; Bocca chick patties
Read the labels of snacks you are used to eating, many of them may still be edible. If you are near a health food store or a health food section in your store, you may find vegan snacks or vegan dark chocolate. If you find yourself with some extra cash, you can find good snacks on http://www.vegnstore.com or http://veganessentials.com
Good vegan soap an shampoo brand is Kiss My Face
http://www.vegsource.com/food_groups.htm...
But make sure you switch over at a good and comfortable pace. If you are still having problems committing to vegetarianism, you may not be quite ready to take the leap into veganism. It is better to be a vegan for life than a vegan right away.
:)
as long as you do not forget what the human body is capable of
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.as...
well come to the world of vegetarian because of you more & more animals will be save thanks
Proteins: Body's protein needs can be provided by either animal or plant sources. Mixed protein diet obtained from various plant sources is better than animal protein and is recommended in diabetes, renal diseases and liver diseases. Mixed protein diet from different plant sources has been the pattern of diet in India for all vegetarians.
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are mainly found in plant foods; like cereals, grains, fresh and dry fruits, legumes, vegetable, greens, nuts etc. plant carbohydrates include' large amounts of starches, sugar and fibers which are important for gut functions. The body is better suited to a high carbohydrate diet than a low carbohydrate diet. In fact 55% of the food intake should be carbohydrate. All animal products do not contain carbohydrate which is essential for body.
Fat: Plant fats differ from animal fats in two different ways 1) they are cholesterol free 2) they generally contain more polyunsaturated fat and less saturated fats. Plant fats usually have higher polyunsaturated fat value than animal fats.
A diet which is low in cholesterol and which contains fat of a high PIS value is associated with a lower incident of coronary health disease.
Vitamins and Minerals: plant foods are rich in many vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D is obtained by exposure of skin to sun light and this is not a problem in India.
Calcium: The vegetarians can meet their needs for calcium from dairy products. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Dark green vegetables are good sources of Riboflavin as are legumes and whole grain cereal.
Iron: The problem of iron deficiency is relatively common but vitamin C significantly enhances absorption of iron hence it is advisable for vegetarians to include with each meal a food high in vitamin C which as lime, citrus fruits or juices.
Zinc: Zinc is found in large number of plant foods.
Fiber: Fiber is found only in vegetarian food like whole grain cereals, legumes, greens, fruits, vegetable etc.
Thus in vegetarian foods all requirement of nutrition for body growth and maintenance is fulfilled. One can have a complete and balanced diet provided we take enough food which is as close to nature as possible in maintaining sturdy and disease free body. It is equally helpful in curing many diseases.
ADVANTAGES OF VEGETARIAN DIET:
More & more evidence is surfacing that directly links a prolonged non- vegetarian diet to diseases as cancers, heart diseases, diabetes, asthma just to name a few.
1. LOGEVITY: Vegetarian can expect to live 4-10 years longer then the non-vegetarians.
" Source: Seventh day Adventists study
2. LESS HEART DISEASE: Because of low fat, saturated fat and cholesterol content of the vegetarian diet the risk of heart disease is lowered. High blood cholesterol levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease.
3. LESS CANCER: Up to 40% of all cancers are diet related. Cancer death rates have been associated with obesity and high fat / low fiber diet. Vitamin A & C are thought to be protective against colon cancer. Low fat diets protect against prostrate and breast cancer. Indoles, lignans, isoflavones, protease inhibitors which are present in plant foods and shown to be potent anti carcinogens.
4. LESS BOWEL DISEASE: Diverticular disease and appendicitis occur more frequently with low fiber intake as in meat diet.
5. LEES OBESITY & LESS INCIDENCE OF DIABETES: It is easier to plan a low fat diet for a vegetarian then for a meat eater. The fiber in plant food dilutes the energy & provides a satisfying meal without all the calories. Diabetes over the age of 40 seems to be related to obesity.
CONLUSION:
When activists like M.K. Gandhi, sports personalities like Martina Novratilova & Carl Lewis, beauties like Brooke Shields & Kate Winslet, physists like Edison, Albert Einstein & A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, religious leaders & mystics like Jesus & Osho can be legendaries in there respective fields taking the advantage of being vegetarian, Is'nt it more prudent on our part to switch over to vegetarianism & enjoy better quality & longevity of life.
well going vegan is not just a diet it is a life style you cant ware anything that is made from animals that includes shoes unless you go out and buy vegan shoes because most are glued together with ground up horses!!!
Walmart has some very good and cheap vegan foods. Morningstar fars makes mock meats such as vegan corndogs, sausage, burgers, chicken patties, eggs, and ground beef. It's all vegan and easy to make. Also there is a brand called Amy's that makes microwavable vegan meals (some are only vegetarian so you have to look) and they are really delicious. If you have a produce stand nearby the veggies and fruit are probably cheaper and better quality. Congratulations and thank you for taking this big step.
The cheapest soymilk that still tastes good is wal mart's GV Brand, it's the same thing as Silk, just like all of that brand is made by another name brand company, and it's only 2.39 for a half gallon. Some other cheap staples would be peanut butter, which is an awesome breakfast or snack when spread on a rice cake (I like apple cinnamon flavor best). You can make vegan tacos with the GV Brand spanish rice mix (79 cents a package), lettuce, peppers, veggies, and beans if you like them. Pasta and red sauce and top ramen oriental flavor are other cheap things. Fresh produce are usually pretty cheap (not sure where you live though, but they're hella cheap here in Cali, especially if you visit a farmer's market). Basically, Wal Mart is your friend when you're on a budget, they have lots of vegan friendly things there if you look, and lots of organic things that are cheap too, like the Paul Newman brand and Amy's Organic. You will be surprised at all the cheap and tasty foods you can find.
Oh, and one last thing, don't try to live off those fake meats. They're expensive and not that healthy. You'll be better off spending your money on cereal, fresh and frozen produce, beans, etc and saving the boca burgers for an occasional treat.
My best advice for eating vegan on the cheap is beans, beans, beans. I don't know about where you live, but when I went to the food bank in Oly, WA, they had vegetarian meat substitutes, and plenty of canned beans. Also, if there's a co-op near you, many of them offer low-income discounts. I had free membership plus 10% off everything for a while. I live in London now, and money's still tight, so I don't eat as much tofu and tempeh, etc., as I used to. It's all about the beans. Beans and rice, beans in pasta, bean burgers, etc. Bean burgers are easy to make. Just mash up a can of beans with some cooked rice, onions, garlic, and whatever seasonings you like. Form the mixture into patties, and fry, broil, or grill. Other cheap options are pastas and rice. Check out the link below for some recipes.