Guest guest Posted July 11, 2007 Report Share Posted July 11, 2007 Hey everyone, *warning: long post* :P firstly- I'm Allison, i also posted this on the transitioning-veggie (i forget the exact name) forums- but i figure i may as well ask here too. I've been wanting to be vegetarian for several months now- but financial and health worries had me still eating meat. Let me explain. secondly- thankyou for reading!!! and thankyou even more if you answer!!! I'm 19, and a full-time student at university- so therefore don't have a lot of money, or a lot of time between school and work (though i do have weekends around work to cook and freeze stuff i suppose.) Fortunately, the new financial year just came in, which means a lot more work for me until early next year, where it usually cuts down again.. Or at least, i hope i get lots of work until at least then. *worried*. Basically, if i eat meat, i can eat dinner with my family. But since i am thoroughly sickened by meat and what the animals go through to BECOME meat, i don't want to eat it. As to the health worries: i am simply worried about getting sicker (i have reflux and irritable bowel syndrome, so spend enough of my life with indigestion, heartburn, nausea, and other typical problems of IBS which, for the sake of politeness, shall remain un-named... (joking :P). I already assume that going without the heaviness of meat or dairy will do me wonders, but most recipes seem to call for lots of cheese or soy-sauce, neither of which i can eat (except in minute amounts). Total Veganism is a little too far for me at the moment though. Anyway, getting to the point now- I'm asking for advice from anyone who is/ has been in a similar position to me- that is, they cook for one person (rather than a whole family) and doesn't have a LOT of money to spend. Like I said, I also get ill when i have dairy in large amounts- so i eat the soy version of milk and yoghurt (calcium and B12 enriched), and avoid cheese- though i still have dairy in say, chocolate bars. I do a similar thing with eggs- don't eat them by themselves but will eat them in a pre-made food (and home-made recipes, cos i have't found a replacement yet). Several questions i have to ask are: What are some common pit-falls that new vegetarians fall into, especially regarding protein, vitamin and nutrient deficiencies/ over- abundance? (Even when i ate meat, i was very health-conscious, so i love knowing about vitamins and whatnot) Just how many vegetables/ fruits do i have to eat to make up complete proteins? Can anyone give me a few examples of food combinations (that are easy and cheap) i can eat that will make up enough complete protein to be healthy. (but i also know too much makes you even more sick, so how much is too much?). (By the way, when a nutritional panel on a food item tells you how much protein is in that item, what does that ACTUALLY mean in regards to complete proteins vs incomplete proteins? is it helpful to a vegetarian?) How often should i eat meat substitutes- vegetarian sausages, bacon, bolognese- that kind of stuff? how good/ bad is that stuff for you? And what about tofu, tempeh, that kind of stuff- how often should i eat that? Also (sorry to ask so many questions), can anyone suggest a few easy ways of storing vego foods (left-over tofu, tempeh, vegies, fruit soymilk etc etc) that will take up the LEAST amount of space (i share my space with 5 meat-eaters) and yet extend the life of it the longest (to be economical). One more question- what are some easy ways of getting your daily intake of *insert vitamin here*- simple advice like having tahini or nut butter on wholemeal bread instead of jam on white bread would be really helpful. Basically (if you can't tell)- i'm a bit... freaked by this new diet really. I have got an appointment with my doc next week to make sure i'm on the right track. But basically, i seem to be having a bit of trouble figuring out meals and such. I brought 'An Idiot's Guide to being Vegetarian' (which seems pretty good- idiot's guides usually are :P). And there are a zillion-and-one recipe books out there- but thats not really helpful- I want to know how often i should eat only vegetables and rice or wholegrain pasta, how often i should eat breads, beans, tofu, tempeh, and whatever else is on the market, how often i should eat certain colours of vegetables or fruits or whatever... Thankyou for reading all that!!! I know I have a lot of questions- but i figure- it took me my whole childhood and teen years to learn how to eat a healthy diet with meat, white bread, dairy and eggs in it. So i figure it'll take me a little to learn even the basics of a healthy vego diet, let alone the in-depth stuff. Thankyou again!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 Hi Allison, When you learn, I would be interested in learning more, too. I try not to eat any kind of meat or even chicken, but once in a great while I do eat a bite of chicken or fish. I don't take vitamins, but I used to and I used to try to get balanced meals, but now I am in a hurry, so I just do whatever, which I know isn't good either (sharp cheddar cheese and Kashi crackers hardly make a balanced meal). I am the kind that would like meals to be packaged in a single pill that I could gulp down with some water or green tea. Maybe we can learn together. M.A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2007 Report Share Posted July 12, 2007 *grins* i know- it was so easy to buy pre-cut up meat and a bag of frozen veggies and do a quick stir-fry when in a rush... it still is easy to do that with tofu and frozen veggies- but you can't do that every night. a meal-in-a-pill would be awesome (i reckon that'll happen in a few centuries- if humanity hasn't killed itself). , " suzy quade " <suzyq_26201 wrote: > > Hi Allison, > When you learn, I would be interested in learning more, too. I try > not to eat any kind of meat or even chicken, but once in a great while > I do eat a bite of chicken or fish. I don't take vitamins, but I used > to and I used to try to get balanced meals, but now I am in a hurry, > so I just do whatever, which I know isn't good either (sharp cheddar > cheese and Kashi crackers hardly make a balanced meal). I am the kind > that would like meals to be packaged in a single pill that I could > gulp down with some water or green tea. Maybe we can learn together. > > M.A. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 13, 2007 Report Share Posted July 13, 2007 I am kinda new too but I have looked into it for a while now. As I cook for seven :-) >>What are some common pit-falls that new vegetarians fall into, >>especially regarding protein, vitamin and nutrient deficiencies/ over- >>abundance? One pit fall I know is Vit B deficiency. Its not as common as it used to be. Grains are good for B vits. Or you could supplement . Some food examples are Pease, leagumes, brown rice, wheat germ, soybeans, nuts etc. Vit B 12 specifically is the one you need to watch for. I am not aware of any foods that are not animal proteins. Course that does not mean there aren’t any. I am just not aware of them. >>Just how many vegetables/ fruits do i have to eat to make up complete >>proteins? Can anyone give me a few examples of food combinations (that are easy and cheap) Beans and rice, or peas and noodles, any grain with a legume. So you could go, good whole grain bagle with hummus spread. Etc. I know you mentioned you can not eat milk stuffs.. so that won’t help. But you can also get the same thing from mixing a dairy with a grain. As far as nutritional labels.. My thought is that if it says it has protein, then it must mean complete protein. Protien needs vary with age, and gestation/breastfeeding. If you plan to be come pregnant or are then you will want to increase protein and good fats. ( nuts avocados etc) >>How often should i eat meat substitutes- vegetarian sausages, bacon, >>bolognese- that kind of stuff? how good/ bad is that stuff for you? >>And what about tofu, tempeh, that kind of stuff- how often should i >>eat that? I am not a big fan of these. So I have not looked into them too much. So I can’t be much help to you. My problem with them is there still somewhat processed. And if your avoiding meat, then why eat something that looks like it. I would think Tofu and Tempeh should not be that bad for you. BTW.. you can make Tempeh at home. >>Also (sorry to ask so many questions), can anyone suggest a few easy >>ways of storing vego foods (left-over tofu, tempeh, vegies, fruit >>soymilk etc etc) that will take up the LEAST amount of space (i share >>my space with 5 meat-eaters) and yet extend the life of it the >>longest (to be economical). I would say freeze. Maybe? I keep my grains in the freezer. >>One more question- what are some easy ways of getting your daily >>intake of *insert vitamin here*- simple advice like having tahini or >>nut butter on wholemeal bread instead of jam on white bread would be >>really helpful. Again, as far as I know your going to be eating much more healthier. The only vit you need to be concerned about is vit B’s. And long as your eating grains legmes and nuts etc.. then your OK.. but you will still need to look out for Vit B 12 deficiency. That’s the only one you will need to be concerned about. From what I can tell you need 3 servings of leafy greens a day. I am amazed at how little a serving is. Broc, spinach etc. I think its like ½ a cup 3 times a day. But if you go over I don’t think you can go wrong. Grains, you need like 5 a day. That’s the one I find the hardest. Nuts or protein, once maybe twice a day. And an orange/yellow fruit or veggie a day. Carrots, peaches, etc. Fruits 3-5 times a day. Berries.. count as a fruit, and are good for you. Other than that don’t freak out. Being rather new at this myself, I will be interested in your responses. Steph “We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive. " C.S. Lewis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 16, 2007 Report Share Posted July 16, 2007 Thanks Amy! Hmm, I went and brought 'Idiots Guide to Being Vegetarian' and 'Student's Go Vegan'. (Not because I'm vegan, but because dairy makes me ill- and so do black beans unfortunately- for those reasons, i may also invest in 'Idiots Guide to being Vegan'- because of the lack of dairy). I must say, stir-fry with tofu is very cool- i will have to come up with new flavours and sauces and stuff before it gets boring. Good to know that stressing over complete proteins is unnecessary. I suppose if i went to a health-shop they'd help me find a suitable protein powder to mix with my soymilk? Thanks again! Allison. , Amy <aodonne3 wrote: > > Hey Allison, > I'm a student at a university as well and live with my omni parents! Been vegetarian for 2 years, and at first it was kind of difficult to figure out my meals at first (job + school = no extra time) but it gets much easier as time progresses. At first I was obsessed with these " complete proteins " which basically just means all the foods you're eating together have (combined) all the amino acids your body needs (easiest one I think - black beans and rice). I don't really pay attention to that and am still healthy and not wasting away. And, althought I don't suffer from IBS I do have acid reflux along with everyone else in my family, and I think that since I've stopped eating meat its gotten a bit better. Although, I am a total sucker for tomato-y and spicy foods...which are always a heartburn guarantee. As for your pitfalls, the main thing I always look for is to get enough protein. I still eat dairy occasionally, but try to stick to it in small amounts. There are tons of > other things you can eat, like my protein punch in the morning is Kashi Go Lean Crunch with Silk Lite Vanilla soy milk. Its totally delicious and packs in almost 20g of protein. Also- living with my family, I found that whatever they make with meat, I can usually make the exact same thing substituting in tofu/chick'n/tempeh etc. Its easiest with stirfry but you can bake, grill, broil, the list is endless. My first piece of advice would be to order " The Teens Vegetarian Cookbook " . Its not humungous and overwheming, the recipies are easy and they get you used to cooking..uhm...things you probably aren't used to cooking (didn't want to refer to them as " weird " ). > Good Luck! > > > > > born_of_beltane <mysteriousdarkness > > Wednesday, July 11, 2007 8:22:42 PM > Questions from a newbie vego > > Hey everyone, > > *warning: long post* :P > > firstly- I'm Allison, i also posted this on the transitioning- veggie > (i forget the exact name) forums- but i figure i may as well ask here > too. I've been wanting to be vegetarian for several months now- but > financial and health worries had me still eating meat. Let me explain. > > secondly- thankyou for reading!!! and thankyou even more if you > answer!!! > > I'm 19, and a full-time student at university- so therefore don't > have a lot of money, or a lot of time between school and work (though > i do have weekends around work to cook and freeze stuff i suppose.) > Fortunately, the new financial year just came in, which means a lot > more work for me until early next year, where it usually cuts down > again.. Or at least, i hope i get lots of work until at least then. > *worried*. Basically, if i eat meat, i can eat dinner with my family. > But since i am thoroughly sickened by meat and what the animals go > through to BECOME meat, i don't want to eat it. As to the health > worries: i am simply worried about getting sicker (i have reflux and > irritable bowel syndrome, so spend enough of my life with > indigestion, heartburn, nausea, and other typical problems of IBS > which, for the sake of politeness, shall remain un-named... > (joking :P). I already assume that going without the heaviness of > meat or dairy will do me wonders, but most recipes seem to call for > lots of cheese or soy-sauce, neither of which i can eat (except in > minute amounts). Total Veganism is a little too far for me at the > moment though. > > Anyway, getting to the point now- I'm asking for advice from anyone > who is/ has been in a similar position to me- that is, they cook for > one person (rather than a whole family) and doesn't have a LOT of > money to spend. Like I said, I also get ill when i have dairy in > large amounts- so i eat the soy version of milk and yoghurt (calcium > and B12 enriched), and avoid cheese- though i still have dairy in > say, chocolate bars. I do a similar thing with eggs- don't eat them > by themselves but will eat them in a pre-made food (and home-made > recipes, cos i have't found a replacement yet). > > Several questions i have to ask are: > > What are some common pit-falls that new vegetarians fall into, > especially regarding protein, vitamin and nutrient deficiencies/ over- > abundance? (Even when i ate meat, i was very health-conscious, so i > love knowing about vitamins and whatnot) > > Just how many vegetables/ fruits do i have to eat to make up complete > proteins? Can anyone give me a few examples of food combinations > (that are easy and cheap) i can eat that will make up enough complete > protein to be healthy. (but i also know too much makes you even more > sick, so how much is too much?). (By the way, when a nutritional > panel on a food item tells you how much protein is in that item, what > does that ACTUALLY mean in regards to complete proteins vs incomplete > proteins? is it helpful to a vegetarian?) > > How often should i eat meat substitutes- vegetarian sausages, bacon, > bolognese- that kind of stuff? how good/ bad is that stuff for you? > And what about tofu, tempeh, that kind of stuff- how often should i > eat that? > > Also (sorry to ask so many questions), can anyone suggest a few easy > ways of storing vego foods (left-over tofu, tempeh, vegies, fruit > soymilk etc etc) that will take up the LEAST amount of space (i share > my space with 5 meat-eaters) and yet extend the life of it the > longest (to be economical). > > One more question- what are some easy ways of getting your daily > intake of *insert vitamin here*- simple advice like having tahini or > nut butter on wholemeal bread instead of jam on white bread would be > really helpful. > > Basically (if you can't tell)- i'm a bit... freaked by this new diet > really. I have got an appointment with my doc next week to make sure > i'm on the right track. But basically, i seem to be having a bit of > trouble figuring out meals and such. I brought 'An Idiot's Guide to > being Vegetarian' (which seems pretty good- idiot's guides usually > are :P). And there are a zillion-and- one recipe books out there- > but thats not really helpful- I want to know how often i should eat > only vegetables and rice or wholegrain pasta, how often i should eat > breads, beans, tofu, tempeh, and whatever else is on the market, how > often i should eat certain colours of vegetables or fruits or > whatever... > > Thankyou for reading all that!!! I know I have a lot of questions- > but i figure- it took me my whole childhood and teen years to learn > how to eat a healthy diet with meat, white bread, dairy and eggs in > it. So i figure it'll take me a little to learn even the basics of a > healthy vego diet, let alone the in-depth stuff. > > Thankyou again!!! > > > > > > > ____________________ ______________ > Moody friends. Drama queens. Your life? Nope! - their life, your story. Play Sims Stories at Games. > http://sims./ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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