Gransnet forums

Ask a gran

Vegans?

(244 Posts)
phoenix Thu 30-Mar-17 23:42:07

Hello all, first if this has already been covered, I apologise, and would appreciate a point in the direction of any relevant threads.

However, whilst I can have some understanding of those who choose to be vegetarian, I have a bit of struggle with people who adopt a vegan lifestyle (actually, not very keen on the word "lifestyle", always seems a bit Sunday supplement?) especially if they are doing it because of "love of animals".

I love animals, and want those that I eat to have had a good life and a humane death. (I used to keep a 50 head flock of sheep, and they and their lambs were treated very well)

If we all adopted a totally vegan approach to food, clothes, home fabrics etc, surely many of our domestic farm animals would become of no use, and possibly endangered species!

And as for vegans objecting to the content of animal product in the new notes becoming part of our currency, what should we do?

Palm oil has been suggested, but apparently that isn't an environmentally good option.

Shall we go back to trading in beans? But what if they have been grown in land fertilised by animal manure?

Where does it actually reach a sort of semi sensible conclusion?

sue1169 Wed 05-Apr-17 19:24:17

Ive been vegeterian for 34yrs.have had to endure lots of sarcastic/rude/ignorant comments at times...its just a personal choice.there is a farm at the end of my garden.Am at the moment watching new lambs playing.interacting with each other.....I also see cows mourn&cry out for weeks when their calves are taken....breaks my heart...but thats just me....you do and eat what you like....
....the methane now...from FAR too many cattle...is causing huge problems in the ozone layer.....................................

Iam64 Wed 05-Apr-17 19:48:31

Faye, it wasn't Espee who made the hectoring comment, it was me. I felt a bit bad about making the comment until I saw the response, which was accused me of not caring (about animal welfare) and making comments that were 'anything to attack me on'. I responded by saying neither of those comments were true. It's a real pity that such an important subject can't be discussed politely and I'm sorry that my comment seems to have contributed to that.

durhamjen Wed 05-Apr-17 19:59:36

Manchester was always a good place vegans. Any vegetarian cafe/restaurant knows about vegans. I really should go and visit my granddaughter who lives in Salford.

However, what I was asking about was all the meet-ups that happen on GN. Do any of those places cater for vegans?

Have you ever been to a pub in Glossop called the Globe?
It's vegan but they don't necessarily say so on the menu.
I know it's a ride out from Manchester, but I don't know which side of Manchester you are.

durhamjen Wed 05-Apr-17 20:03:44

That's funny, Iam64.
You felt bad about calling me hectoring, but felt better when I responded to being called hectoring.
No irony there, then.

rosesarered Wed 05-Apr-17 20:20:59

The GN meet up in Oxford is in the Ashmolean cafe, it's all vegetarian.

rosesarered Wed 05-Apr-17 20:22:18

There are many in Oxford City Centre, but that is the one that we meet in.

Elrel Wed 05-Apr-17 20:44:21

Roses- really? The restaurant isn't.

durhamjen Wed 05-Apr-17 21:45:47

Really, roses?
Just proving you have no idea what vegetarian means.
Beef? Pollock?

rosesarered Wed 05-Apr-17 22:04:12

Hang on please! The cafe in the basement where we meet in the Ashmolean is vegetarian. The restaurant on the upper floor isn't.
Since I live near and go often I think that I know.

rosesarered Wed 05-Apr-17 22:12:09

Not that it has a great range ( of anything) it's very limited, cakes and scones, sandwiches and soups.If we met for a meal and you were joining us durhamjen we would go to St Mary's Church cafe or The Nosebag.Will you be coming down to a meet up btw?

rosesarered Wed 05-Apr-17 22:13:15

Or you Elrel do you live near enough?

Elrel Wed 05-Apr-17 22:35:21

Sadly I don't, was there last week for the Literature Festival. Unless I got a day return, it's not that far from Birmingham by train!

durhamjen Wed 05-Apr-17 22:41:33

You'd better tell them to change their menu then. Fish pie?
Has it changed lately?

durhamjen Wed 05-Apr-17 22:49:52

So what is vegan at the Ashmolean?

rosesarered Wed 05-Apr-17 22:58:24

durhamjen......... what is going on with you?Why are you keen to know what you could have for lunch at the Ashmolean cafe? Are you coming to a meet up here?
I and others have had the salad and vegetarian quiche or the soup and bread.The cafe is quite different from the restaurant there, and I have no knowledge about it's fish pie ( probably very nice though.)

durhamjen Wed 05-Apr-17 23:29:16

"Faye you are loading all the old insults you got when young onto today's climate of feeling around vegetarianism and veganism.That doesn't exist today, many people choose that food and many food outlets and shops cater to it."

I am just keen to find out what places people on here meet up at where today's climate is okay for vegans.
Quiche is not vegan. Soup is not necessarily vegan. You said the cafe was vegetarian. If it sells fish pie, it isn't, is it?
Don't worry, Oxford is too far away, so you won't have to meet me.

grannylyn65 Wed 05-Apr-17 23:50:56

Love to meet you dj, my sister lives in Esh x

Bluebell123 Thu 06-Apr-17 06:37:53

For me being vegetarian is a moral choice because I believe killing animals is wrong and unnecessary in our society.

However some people have to hunt and fish in order to survive. "Alaska" is an interesting film on Netflix about indigenous people in remote parts of Alaska.They eat whale, caribou, fox, whale, seal and seafood in order to live.

Regarding "humane killing" if you have time you might like to take a gander at freefromharm.org Just type humane slaughter into the search box. It's really worth reading.

Bluebell123 Thu 06-Apr-17 06:52:39

Oops.. the film on Alaska is called "Life below zero".

durhamjen Thu 06-Apr-17 08:12:08

Jayanna, Cauldron vegan sausages at Waitrose, £3.50 for two packs of six.

rosesarered Thu 06-Apr-17 08:35:52

I never said it was vegan ( I said it was a vegetarian place) and we don't meet there because of that either, it just happens to serve a whole lot of vegetarian things.If we did want a veg or vegan lunch there are other options within a stones throw of the Ashmolean Museum to eat at.Now, as you have no intention of coming to Oxford, do you want to go and quiz another poster, in Truro, Wells, Guildford etc as to their eateries?

Juney64 Thu 06-Apr-17 14:56:16

I am very late to this thread and hope I'm not too late to ask a question of vegans and vegetarians.

My question is - as a vegetarian, when eating out, do you find it off-putting if the person you're dining with orders meat?

Jayanna9040 Thu 06-Apr-17 15:02:26

Thanks ?

durhamjen Thu 06-Apr-17 15:14:12

Not off-putting for them to order meat, Juney, but I have sat next to people discussing the various merits of veal and managed not to say anything. It's the discussing of meat and how tender it is, etc., that makes me grit my teeth.
Usually what I find is that the meat eaters look at our food and say it looks nice and wish they had ordered it. That often happens at things like weddings, where there tends to be a whole tableful of vegetarians/vegans in my family circle.
Cousins, nieces, nephews as well as direct family, and friends, of course.
Obviously we prefer to go out with like-minded people, but that's not always possible.

durhamjen Thu 06-Apr-17 15:32:38

"I would be interested to know which of the places you sometimes meet up at cater for vegans. Are there any?"

This is what I asked, roses. Not necessarily directed at you as an individual. I didn't mention vegetarian.
Is there anyone on here who is vegan who meets up at a suitable place?
40 or 50 years ago, being vegetarian was difficult. Now being vegan is in the same state as vegetarian was then.
It's the same with food labelling. Vegans need a list of what is suitable and what isn't, as food manufacturers don't have to label vegan food. They label vegan food as being suitable for vegetarians, because it's safer. It's only those who care about vegans who label food as such.
You'd need a chemistry degree to sort out all the additives, which is why a list of suitable foods for vegans is easier.
You find companies that you can trust and others you can't. It's the same with going for a meal.