all the seasoned vegans out there/some thoughts

August 25, 2001

In a message dated 8/24/01 7:47:18 PM Pacific Daylight Time, laurie writes:

it just seems to me when i find something i *might* be able to

>eat, it always has something that i can't eat, and i move on. or, i get

>something that looks OK, then i come home and pick up my vegan sourcebook

>(thank you joanne stepaniak) and find that there's something in it that is

>animal derived. I get SO frustrated and mad, because it seems like the only

>thing i can eat is stir frys & salads

Maybe, instead, start making a conscious effort to look at your food choices in terms of "I don't want to eat that" instead of "I can't eat that".

"Can't" implies that you are depriving yourself somehow and you're more likely to get frustrated. Also, if you're eating unprocessed foods, no dairy, or meat, I find it hard to see how you're accidentally slipping up. I sometimes think that vegans who make the choice mainly for health/environmental/animal rights reasons (vs those who have their reasoning in reverse, first animal rights/enviro/ and then health) have an easier time of switching. That's just a random thought...I might be wrong. It just seems simpler to say no to Cheerios b/c it's crap rather than musing if I should say no b/c there might be powdered milk in there somewhere, kwim?

I think the co-op suggestion was excellent. We have a wonderful one in my town, as well as one small but good natural food store and one corporate chain n.food and I have found that I very, very rarely need to go to the supermarkets. Voting with your dollars is a trite but true phrase.

As for the restaurant thread, we eat out 1-2/month and rarely have a problem getting vegan meals. Most restaurants have a wide variety of veggies, or baked potatoes, or rice (watch out for meat stock, though) and often we peruse the menu and omit this or that, or combine two different dinners, etc. I think we shouldn't be hesitant about voicing our requests b/c A) they can always say no and we leave (which has NEVER happened) and B) by making such requests we are making people aware that vegans aren't some bizarre fringe group that eats tree bark rapturously (I'm not sure if that is a word).

Well, I think that's quite enough babble from this supposed lurker. Hope I didn't offend anyone and that I have, instead, giving some positive food for thought.

~Storm