General Chat

Yes, i agree, the vegetarian choice on most restaurant menu's are usually very limited and predictable, as is the selection of vegetarian meals in some supermarkets. While shopping today (not in my usual supermarket) i was very surprised to hear that they do not sell any 'Linda McCartney products!!, an assistant advised me to put a note in their Suggestions/coments book....as i was in a rush i didn't but will do this next week.

Vegetarians don't eat fish. My daughter worked for a family who were vegan + fish. She tried it until she realised she was allergic to fish. We have a rareity a French vegetarian cook book. We bought another in Luxembourg a few years ago, but when we got home we noticed it was translated from Australian. David

I have found it hard in restuarants. I have two children who are veggies and it's a pain...... some times there are two things on the menu... and mine don't eat fish... son won't eat pasta either. sometimes I thinks if they left home I wouldn't have the worry..

My wife, who as I have said is a vegetarian since she was a baby. (She couldn't digest meat or fish fats, especially cod liver oil which they gave to all babies.) She will not touch any Linda McCartney food as it is made for meat eaters who don't want to eat meat. ie. it all tatses of meat. Similarly most TVP dishes. My daughter who is not now a veggie, is also allergic to fish. At one time she was using a lot of Lea & Perrins and had a continual rash, which went when she stopped using L&P. (It has Anchovies) She now uses a vegetarian Worcester Sauce with no problems. David

How many times do you hear people saying he/she is vegetarian but they eat fish?........The correct term for these people surely is non-meat eater, People who eat fish but not meat are called pescatarians.

hi i am a veggie and the deli sandwich is real horrible, macdonalds give all you meat eaters a wide selection to choose from and we have 1 item which bascically if you dont like it then tough, also they should do a veggie kids meal what do you think

McDonalds is disgusting - full stop! Maybe we're lucky here but have had some great veggie meals round and about (I'm not a veggie but do often go for a veggie option if it sounds good). It's just a question of shopping around - I think things are better than they were 10 or 15 years ago.

Hi Teresa I'm not a veggie but I wouldn't eat the meat in McDonalds either. I honestly don't know why a veggie would *want* to eat in one lol

Yes, Bendy, but that's only so you don't slip over on the floors they're constantly mopping! LOL CB >|<

McD's use to do veggie burgers on the adult menu and the 'kids' menu but I admit I don't know about these days as I don't go in McD's. Veggies and vegan don't just have food to worry about! some beers and largars are filtered through animal and fish membranes (I can't remember which just now - sorry) Also on the McD's theame - the milkshakes are only think shakes because of all the fat/ lard in them! yuck!!!

I wouldn't and haven't eaten in one for over 10 years. Not after the stories i've heared!

I agree with you Sheila I wouldn't set foot inside McDonalds or any of the other places like it. I don't eat meat but I do eat fish, but Bella Donna it's amazing the amount of people who say well why didn't you just say you are a vegetarian. I often call myself a non meat eater and just get the same reaction. I find it's easier to say I am a veggie as everytime I say anything else over here they say oh your a vegetarian then lol. Which of course in reality I am not. The choices are dreadful for veggies here, they have improved over the years but still need more improvement. Pat x

I was Vegetarian for about 10 years and now only eat Chicken, Turkey and sometimes Pork - I find it really difficult eating out, most menus seem to be full of Beef! A lot of places would really benefit from a good Vegetarian Selection - sure it would improve business. I hate Mushrooms and that used to be a problem when I was vegge and I didn't eat fish which also caused problems - I think, even now, my Family view my diet as 'difficult'. Kaye x

Lunar, is it true about the thickshakes, because I used to love the strawberry one...

You will always find vegetarian meals on offer at Indian restaurants, and there's always sweet & sour mixed vegetables on Chinese menus which can go with plain rice or noodles. CB >|<

Yes, there should be more vegetarian dishes on offer. I am not a vegetarian and I eat meat and fish but not very often. When I eat out I usually eat the vegetarian option as I that is what I prefer to eat. Viv

i am veggie and have a lot of trouble finding meals that i can/want to eat. every where seems to have the same - veg lasagne or veggie bake. oh and i nearly forgot - a jacket potato. wow! i sometime just have the veg with out meat (no gravy, can take or leave that, usually leave as it is probably meat gravy) ie mash, carrotts peas etc. but you have to ask to see if it has been cooked in stock. yes sometimes to give the veggies a bit more flavour they are cooked in meat stock. the whole veggie thing is a minefield, i ringup restaurants to find out what they do and am told 'yes we cater for veggies, we do jacket potatoes (boring) fish (i am veggie do not eat fish!) or omletes (not keen on eggs). i am trying to slowly educate my father in law who is in the restaurant business that what he has on the menu is not enough. (unfortunately he has fish restaurants and so many veggies would be put off from the start from this, chips are cooked in beef fat - another problem for veggies eating out) it is going to be a long haul converting places, even at work the alternative is jacket potatoes or a pasta dish. must go and make a banner and protest or something. tina x

There used to be a brilliant Veggie restaurant in Croydon, run by Buddhists. Their soups and salads, fruit curries, falafels etc remain a joyous memory. They closed down. When I asked why, it was because they 'didn't offer the choice'. I am not a vegetarian, but most of my friends are, and I agree that eating out can be a traumatic experience. Even salad can be a minefield and one friend baffled a waitress by not wanting the salads that contained tuna or chicken and rejecting the avocado that had been touched by the ham tongs. As for alchohol, wine is strained through fish finings, so if you are being strict, you have to buy vegetarian wine as well. I find it depressing that most veggie options are obviously deep frozen and reheated, often with huge amounts of cheese or fat. And not all of us really like tomatoes.