Vegetarianism/Veganism

Is anyone here a vegetarian or vegan? I would imagine a few are. I've been thinking about trying to go veggie for years on and off, but have never taken the plunge, the main reason being the restricted diet and faffing aboot. It's so much easier to be vegetarian now, due to the wide variety of things available, but I think something simple, like a ham sandwich when I'm hungry, would make me fall off the wagon. Not so much willpower as convenience, though I would definitely miss some of my favourite meat dishes.

If you're vegetarian, was it animal welfare issues or health benefits which convinced you, and did you find it hard at first?

Maybe I'll give it a trial run for a few weeks to see how it goes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba

Is anyone here a vegetarian or vegan? I would imagine a few are. I've been thinking about trying to go veggie for years on and off, but have never taken the plunge, the main reason being the restricted diet and faffing aboot. It's so much easier to be vegetarian now, due to the wide variety of things available, but I think something simple, like a ham sandwich when I'm hungry, would make me fall off the wagon. Not so much willpower as convenience, though I would definitely miss some of my favourite meat dishes.

If you're vegetarian, was it animal welfare issues or health benefits which convinced you, and did you find it hard at first?

Maybe I'll give it a trial run for a few weeks to see how it goes.

---

I was veggie for nearly 15 years. Slipped a bit now but still don't go near any red meat. Main reason was animal welfare and the men in my family historically suffer from strokes and heart attacks so that gave me the extra push.
I never understood it when people say your diet is restricted. The opposite is the case. I loved being veggie and still think I'll go back.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba

Is anyone here a vegetarian or vegan? I would imagine a few are. I've been thinking about trying to go veggie for years on and off, but have never taken the plunge, the main reason being the restricted diet and faffing aboot. It's so much easier to be vegetarian now, due to the wide variety of things available, but I think something simple, like a ham sandwich when I'm hungry, would make me fall off the wagon. Not so much willpower as convenience, though I would definitely miss some of my favourite meat dishes.

If you're vegetarian, was it animal welfare issues or health benefits which convinced you, and did you find it hard at first?

Maybe I'll give it a trial run for a few weeks to see how it goes.

---

I was a veggie for 20 years from the mid-80s.

There was no real convenience foods around then - a tin of veggie ravioli could be bought in Holland and Barratt for over £3 but that wasn’t an option!!

Taught myself how to cook and it was easy enough. You learn how to blend flavours of different veg and use herbs and spices.

The worst veggie food is the stuff that just tries to replace meat with a vegetable (eg cauliflower steak!!)

Restaurants are miles better now. There was a few specialised places like Kalpna but generally you got one dish of veggie “option”.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba

Is anyone here a vegetarian or vegan? I would imagine a few are. I've been thinking about trying to go veggie for years on and off, but have never taken the plunge, the main reason being the restricted diet and faffing aboot. It's so much easier to be vegetarian now, due to the wide variety of things available, but I think something simple, like a ham sandwich when I'm hungry, would make me fall off the wagon. Not so much willpower as convenience, though I would definitely miss some of my favourite meat dishes.

If you're vegetarian, was it animal welfare issues or health benefits which convinced you, and did you find it hard at first?

Maybe I'll give it a trial run for a few weeks to see how it goes.

---

I'm pescatarian H&A. Have been for about 5 years. My eldest daughter went veggie at 8 years old (she's 20 now and vegan). The younger of my 2 daughters has been been veggie since she was 11 (she's 17 now). Anyway their influence and changes in family meals resulted in me and wife both becoming pescatarian.

Whilst I think I would struggle a little without fish I really don't miss meat, especially the processed stuff like bacon, ham, etc.

There are some really good 'substitute' foods around these days. I would challenge anybody to try a full Scottish breakfast at Glasvegan in Glasgow and tell me it's not good. Possibly the best cooked breakfast I've ever had!!!

I don't preach to anybody about the benefits but do think people should at least consider cutting back on their meat intake by having a veggie or vegan at least once or twice a week. It's good for the planet and good for your health so should be a no brainer.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colr

I was a veggie for 20 years from the mid-80s.

There was no real convenience foods around then - a tin of veggie ravioli could be bought in Holland and Barratt for over £3 but that wasn’t an option!!

Taught myself how to cook and it was easy enough. You learn how to blend flavours of different veg and use herbs and spices.

The worst veggie food is the stuff that just tries to replace meat with a vegetable (eg cauliflower steak!!)

Restaurants are miles better now. There was a few specialised places like Kalpna but generally you got one dish of veggie “option”.

---

Aye at £12 - £15 a pop that one is a joke.

There are some really good substitutes though. I love veggie haggis and veggie black pudding. Tasty food with none of the ***** in it!

Never seen veggie black pudding but veggie haggis is good.

Don't really eat red meat and will think hard about continuing to eat chicken once we're in the US. Not planning to give up fish, and will never, ever, stop eating cheese. Agree with everyone else that veggie haggis is good, though I doubt it's healthy.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba

Is anyone here a vegetarian or vegan? I would imagine a few are. I've been thinking about trying to go veggie for years on and off, but have never taken the plunge, the main reason being the restricted diet and faffing aboot. It's so much easier to be vegetarian now, due to the wide variety of things available, but I think something simple, like a ham sandwich when I'm hungry, would make me fall off the wagon. Not so much willpower as convenience, though I would definitely miss some of my favourite meat dishes.

If you're vegetarian, was it animal welfare issues or health benefits which convinced you, and did you find it hard at first?

Maybe I'll give it a trial run for a few weeks to see how it goes.

---

After being a committed carnivore all my life , I gave up meat at the start of this year. My wife has been veggie since a young age..but I had never once considered it...for a change of nutrition we did veganuary this year - month of vegan food..I found my body felt much better for it..so I did another couple of months..again, feeling good - and enjoying different food - I decided to keep up veggie (not our vegan) food..still at it .

I have added fish back in - just to add to the variety. Surprised that I’m not missing meat. Not even a bacon roll or a steak ..Definitely feel a lot better for it..it was simply about change of nutrition for me - not about animal welfare.

Have no interest currently in eating meat...

I'm neither, but have certainly consumed less meat than before over the past couple of years. It's not even been a conscious "now we must eat less meat" thing, it has just sort of happened.

Meat here costs - in the main - a bloody fortune so we have red meat once or twice a month max and chicken or pork once or twice a week max as well. The days of meat being the absolute centrepiece of the dish with some token, tasteless veggies on the side are also no more.

Is that Quorn stuff any good?

I eat much less meat than I used to. As a family we are probably averaging 3-4 meat free evening meals a week and I rarely eat meat at lunchtime.

I enjoy cooking and I'm fairly competent and removing meat is a great way to incorporate new flavours and ideas into cooking. The main driver for me is the environmental impact of the meat industry, the figures are scary.

Whether I could go full blown veggie or vegan is another question? I'm not sure I could manage it at the moment.

Pescatarian here - dont miss meat in the slightest, although cant deny a fillet steak smells bloody amazing

Body feels way better for it too

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba

Is that Quorn stuff any good?

---

Yes. It is. As is Tofu..but it is all about the seasoning and other ingredients.

A Tofu Pad Thai is now one of my favourite meals ....

Although, personally, I focus more on beans and pulses and great salads etc. Rather than meat substitutes too much ..greater variety ....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hibernia&Alba

Is that Quorn stuff any good?

---

It was a great improvement on Linda McCartney’s salt and soya rubbish when it came out.

They shape it an colour it but, in the end, it all tastes like quorn.

The sausages are OK.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colr

It was a great improvement on Linda McCartney’s salt and soya rubbish when it came out.

They shape it an colour it but, in the end, it all tastes like quorn.

The sausages are OK.

---

Some of McCartney’s veggie sausages are good imho....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bigwheel

Some of McCartney’s veggie sausages are good imho....

---

I’m not keen on them. The sausage rolls where OK.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colr

I’m not keen on them. The sausage rolls where OK.

---

I like the “rosemary and onion” (I think ) ones....

You get an amazing vegan bacon which is made of smoked tempeh.

It’s really hard to get, though. The 13th Note pub in Glasgow used to do bacon butties with it and there was a wee shop on Bath Street that would stock it and be sold out in a morning.

If they’re still making it, they would definitely benefit from some capital to grow the business.

I would never consider going veggie, I'd really struggle not eating meat.
Each to their own though.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stoneyburn hibs

I would never consider going veggie, I'd really struggle not eating meat.
Each to their own though.

---

That would have been me 12 months ago ..... much easier than I ever imagined. I’ve given up refined sugar to help weight loss - that is much harder ! [emoji2]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colr

I was a veggie for 20 years from the mid-80s.

There was no real convenience foods around then - a tin of veggie ravioli could be bought in Holland and Barratt for over £3 but that wasn’t an option!!

Taught myself how to cook and it was easy enough. You learn how to blend flavours of different veg and use herbs and spices.

The worst veggie food is the stuff that just tries to replace meat with a vegetable (eg cauliflower steak!!)

Restaurants are miles better now. There was a few specialised places like Kalpna but generally you got one dish of veggie “option”.

---

When I was a bit younger I was in a relationship living with a vegetarian so I stopped eating meat to make things simpler.

It definitely, definitely expanded my knowledge of spices, herbs and seasonings.

There are very few cuisines that can’t be made without meat and some - certain Indian regionalities, eastern Med, even Mexican - where you would struggle to notice you aren’t eating meat at all.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bigwheel

That would have been me 12 months ago ..... much easier than I ever imagined. I’ve given up refined sugar to help weight loss - that is much harder ! [emoji2]

---

Fair play mate, do you feel better/healthier without meat ?

I wouldn't have thought that there would be any difference (apart from passing wind) that you would feel physically.

I'm completely ignorant to the veggie cause, so interesting to hear.

Side note: I'm buying tripe today, to eat tomorrow as my wife is working. Eat what you want day 😁

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Colr

You get an amazing vegan bacon which is made of smoked tempeh.

It’s really hard to get, though. The 13th Note pub in Glasgow used to do bacon butties with it and there was a wee shop on Bath Street that would stock it and be sold out in a morning.

If they’re still making it, they would definitely benefit from some capital to grow the business.

---

Asda sell veggie bacon - can't say it one of my favourites tho!

I’m not a veggie nor think that I would ever become one but I do have an interest in the revolution that’s slowly coming to the fore in the food chain.

I came across this company the other day as another example of how humans are starting to move beyond rearing or hunting animals for food.

https://www.bluenalu.com

It’s privately held but I have exposure through an investment company called Agronomics (small AIM listed vehicle that has Jim Mellon as a director).

I know most veggies are so simply because they are happy not to eat meat but I’m curious if those that are so because of animal welfare / environmental impacts in particular would change if the meat (or in this case fish) was ‘grown’ rather than farmed.

Ultimately I see lab grown meat and fish and the likes of vertical farming becoming commonplace as it has many many advantages over the more traditional methods.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RyeSloan

I’m not a veggie nor think that I would ever become one but I do have an interest in the revolution that’s slowly coming to the fore in the food chain.

I came across this company the other day as another example of how humans are starting to move beyond rearing or hunting animals for food.

https://www.bluenalu.com

It’s privately held but I have exposure through an investment company called Agronomics (small AIM listed vehicle that has Jim Mellon as a director).

I know most veggies are so simply because they are happy not to eat meat but I’m curious if those that are so because of animal welfare / environmental impacts in particular would change if the meat (or in this case fish) was ‘grown’ rather than farmed.

Ultimately I see lab grown meat and fish and the likes of vertical farming becoming commonplace as it has many many advantages over the more traditional methods.

---

I think you’re right. My only concern is I’ve seen Soylent Green :-)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by stoneyburn hibs

Fair play mate, do you feel better/healthier without meat ?

I wouldn't have thought that there would be any difference (apart from passing wind) that you would feel physically.

I'm completely ignorant to the veggie cause, so interesting to hear.

Side note: I'm buying tripe today, to eat tomorrow as my wife is working. Eat what you want day [emoji16]

---

I find my body feels much less bloated after eating..quite different actually - lighter ..and I am actually enjoying food more. More variety , different tastes ..

Not had tripe since au was a kid - couldn’t eat it - even when I was eating meat - done well , people seem to still love it ..

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mibbes Aye

I think you’re right. My only concern is I’ve seen Soylent Green :-)

---

Aha well a film I’ve not seen for long time but if I recall its plot correctly I’m saying this stuff will prevent such a thing from coming reality.

I was actually quite excited (yes I occasionally get excited at company announcements! [emoji2957]) the other day when the news was released re BlueNalu’s scaled up production facilities...the thought of being able to supply fresh, healthy, non polluted seafood to the masses without having to take the stuff from the ocean seemed to me to be a real glimpse of the future.

A future where humans can leave the oceans alone yet still eat as much fish n chips as we want without the need for trawlers dredging the ocean of life or one where McDonald’s serves burgers without having to kill a single cow might still be one with mucho calories but at least we will only be killing ourselves rather than the planet and it’s animals as well [emoji3]

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RyeSloan

Aha well a film I’ve not seen for long time but if I recall its plot correctly I’m saying this stuff will prevent such a thing from coming reality.

I was actually quite excited (yes I occasionally get excited at company announcements! [emoji2957]) the other day when the news was released re BlueNalu’s scaled up production facilities...the thought of being able to supply fresh, healthy, non polluted seafood to the masses without having to take the stuff from the ocean seemed to me to be a real glimpse of the future.

A future where humans can leave the oceans alone yet still eat as much fish n chips as we want without the need for trawlers dredging the ocean of life or one where McDonald’s serves burgers without having to kill a single cow might still be one with mucho calories but at least we will only be killing ourselves rather than the planet and it’s animals as well [emoji3]

---

Yes, good post, we have exploited the land to a horrendous degree and it is fascinating to read the reporting on Macron and the Brazilian rain forests and the suggestion that Western ‘concern’ is more of an attempt to block off competition in agriculture.

The oceans are an incredible resource and one that as a species we don’t fully understand. Hopefully science and progressive thinking trumps the rapacious nature that humanity has shown over the centuries!

Can anyone recommend a good website for quick and tasty veggie recipes?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RyeSloan

I’m not a veggie nor think that I would ever become one but I do have an interest in the revolution that’s slowly coming to the fore in the food chain.

I came across this company the other day as another example of how humans are starting to move beyond rearing or hunting animals for food.

https://www.bluenalu.com

It’s privately held but I have exposure through an investment company called Agronomics (small AIM listed vehicle that has Jim Mellon as a director).

I know most veggies are so simply because they are happy not to eat meat but I’m curious if those that are so because of animal welfare / environmental impacts in particular would change if the meat (or in this case fish) was ‘grown’ rather than farmed.

Ultimately I see lab grown meat and fish and the likes of vertical farming becoming commonplace as it has many many advantages over the more traditional methods.

---

For me vertical farming is a logical step given population density in some areas, though hopefully we'll always appreciate in-season, traditionally grown produce.

There's a huge movement here for returning to a market of proximity, ie. avoiding big distribution/supermarkets by buying and selling directly and locally, cutting out the middle man/men as well as the need for long distance transportation and the manipulation of produce to increase it's shelf life.

This is obviously easier in rural areas, and it's not necessarily cheaper, but there's a marked improvement in the produce as well as the peace of mind of knowing exactly where what you are eating comes from and what has been done to it.

This applies to meat, fish & veg.

I don't know if I'd be able to trust laboratory produced meat.