More on the discrimination vein (but not LGBT)

eileithyia · Post by **eileithyia** » 21 Oct 2008, 7:56pm

How do vegetarians cope with cafes.

Ok so maybe I'm being fussy, but do not eat red meats and dairy fats such as cheese.
Cafe today had the one soup on the menu that I don't eat, and all the sandwiches contained either; red meat, cheese or mayo.

Why, oh why is everything laced with mayo????? Could I have the tuna without any mayo?? No it's already mixed in, you can have ham without mayo!
So why do they assume I am a carnivore and why are healthy veggie options then laced with unhealthy ingredients?

dodger · Post by **dodger** » 21 Oct 2008, 8:39pm

Something about cheese eaters; they think everyone loves it, tried to buy a sandwich last week but every one had cheese of some sort in it - yuk.

jan19 · Post by **jan19** » 21 Oct 2008, 9:16pm

I always think the humble jacket potato almost always can come up with an option (unless you are on the Atkins diet, but you can't help everyone!). My favourite is (sorry) cheese and beans, but you can ask for just beans. Or coleslaw, or Coronation Chicken (not sure if chicken is allowed - you said red meat).

Jan

bikely-challenged · Post by **bikely-challenged** » 21 Oct 2008, 9:28pm

I very rarely eat out, partly for this reason. Other people see it as a treat, but I hate to pay extortionate prices for the privilege of having (usually) one choice on the menu, which like you say invariably has cheese in it.

Most chefs/cooks have no interest in vegetarian food and there are plenty of meat eaters they can make their money from.

If I'm away from home I tend to buy something to eat from a supermarket rather than a cafe or restaurant. Tesco do nice vegetarian sushi.

jan19 · Post by **jan19** » 21 Oct 2008, 9:43pm

Being the Devil's advocate on this one :twisted:

Malcolm and I had a lovely day out today cycling the Viking Coastal Trail in Kent. We stopped at a pub for lunch. Apart from us, there were a group of four eating, and a couple of men at the bar. We are not vegetarians, and picked from the main menu.

With that number of customers, the landlord simply has to go for the biggest common denominator - what chance any of the six people eating would go for a vegetarian option? He simply couldn't afford to provide a varied vegetarian option.

This isn't a comment on vegetarianism - I cook a lot of vegetarian food, and often pick that option. I just think its often down to simple economics.

Jan

hulver · Post by **hulver** » 21 Oct 2008, 9:45pm

Why would a vegetarian be interested in tuna?

eileithyia · Post by **eileithyia** » 21 Oct 2008, 9:48pm

Ah but coleslaw is made with mayo, and coronation chicken is another example of a healthy meat laced with hidden unhealthy stuff; mayo (again) and cream and no doubt, if not home made, probably has sugars and preservatives in it.
Also we are told that potato is not an option for the 5 portions a day.

I appreciate the buy from supermarket idea, but having spent my early cycling years sitting in hedge bottoms trying to keep warm thru the winter whilst consumming own food and the "glow" cools, 'tis time for some home comforts, and the cafe stop is part of the social side of the cycling I do.

PW · Post by PW » 21 Oct 2008, 10:55pm

I prefer a certain type of cafe which does beans on toast, large nogs of cake and tea/coffee in pint mugs! :oops:

The CTC recommended ones in the Peak District seem to conform to this.

Post by Si » 22 Oct 2008, 9:24am

The problem we have is with goat's cheese. Mrs Si can't eat it but it seems that every time we eat out the only vegi option has it in there somewhere.

Although, on being invited to a posh restaurant the other week we noticed that the only vegi option had lashings of the stuff in. So we phoned up beforehand and explained the problem and they were very accommodating, offering alternative options that weren't on the menu.

At cafes, as Jan says, the jacket spud with either beanz or cottage cheese is the preferred option.

kwackers · Post by **kwackers** » 22 Oct 2008, 10:26am

I find cafes pretty accommodating, they'll usually knock you something up. Pubs generally not at all (pre-packaged meals) and restaurants a bit of a mixed bag.

I have relatives in Canada - trying to get a vegetarian option over there is a nightmare ("would Sir like extra beef with that?"). And France too now I come to think about it...

And it's not just the mayo thing, I find the whole salad thing very funny. Somebody buys some salad, must be about 30 calories in the whole thing then pours some form of high oil/fat dressing all over it.

It's like adding a teaspoon of fat to a pint of water - it may be 99% fat free but it's still not healthy...

yoyo · Post by **yoyo** » 22 Oct 2008, 12:48pm

I have this problem also. In the past year my health has improved beyond recognition with a vegetarian diet that includes the occasional helping of fish. Under advice I also eliminated wheat and dairy, using soya milk and goats' cheese as alternatives. It is well-nigh impossible to eat in restaurants and, as I am only intolerant and not allergic to these foods, I just 'break' my diet. Fortunately we don't eat out very often, but it is a problem and I would hate to be in a life-threatening position of having to adhere to this diet.

spikegomez · Post by **spikegomez** » 22 Oct 2008, 12:52pm

hulver wrote:Why would a vegetarian be interested in tuna?

some says that it is healthy with vegetables...

bikely-challenged · Post by **bikely-challenged** » 22 Oct 2008, 1:47pm

kwackers wrote:I have relatives in Canada - trying to get a vegetarian option over there is a nightmare ("would Sir like extra beef with that?"). And France too now I come to think about it...

North Americans love their meat don't they?

I have vegetarian friends in the USA and their families are often very disapproving. They get dire warnings about ruining their health by living on rabbit food, from people who eat vast amounts of saturated fat, sugar and salt. :roll:

kwackers · Post by **kwackers** » 22 Oct 2008, 3:17pm

bikely-challenged wrote:
kwackers wrote:I have relatives in Canada - trying to get a vegetarian option over there is a nightmare ("would Sir like extra beef with that?"). And France too now I come to think about it...

North Americans love their meat don't they?

I have vegetarian friends in the USA and their families are often very disapproving. They get dire warnings about ruining their health by living on rabbit food, from people who eat vast amounts of saturated fat, sugar and salt.

When arr wer a lad, I used to think Desperate Dan was just a funny character in The Dandy - never occurred to me he was a role model for an entire country!

meic · Post by **meic** » 22 Oct 2008, 4:13pm

Of course vegetarians do not eat fish.
When I say I am a vegetarian, it is not a statement under oath.
I say I am vegetarian to avoid an hour of justifying my diet when all I want to do is get some food that I am prepared to eat. If in the process I miss out on the fish option, then that is a price worth paying.
It is too much effort to fight the tick-box mentality when you are hungry.

I also have an aversion to "food" that is an industrial product from a chemical factory. If the ingredients list is very long or reminds me of University studies I put it back.
Even if the chemicals listed are not dangerous now, you can safely predict they will be dangerous in the future when we find out more. Why are they in food anyway, not for your benefit.

Beans on toast is a pretty good bet. Good compromise of availability, speed, healthiness and cheapness. I generally try and make up my five portions of fruit and veg when I get home.

Five portions of fruit and veg a day. This one does get me angry.
It is a minimum but most people see it as an unachievable target! I heard the reccomendation in Canada was 13. The UN stated a minimum of 8!
Then many accept a glass of sunny delight as a portion.

I really enjoyed the week at the New Forest cycling rally but by the end of the week, I did not want another piece of cake for quite some time.

Cycling UK Forum

More on the discrimination vein (but not LGBT)

More on the discrimination vein (but not LGBT)

Re: More on the discrimination vein (but not LGBT)