I really didn't enjoy them. They tasted like a cheap cheese spread instead of a cheese if that makes sense?Found the vegan babybels today in Asda, been dying to try them… drumroll… they were good, I’ll definitely buy them again, I mean if I can find them again
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Get a proper tofu press, I found mine for £20 on Amazon and upped my tofu game immensely.
Second this - got the bosh one in boots for a fiver after Christmas and the difference is unreal
They tasted like chunks of butter to me
I love them but hate how the vegan options are so cost prohibitive. I understand the production costs but it grinds my gears buying Philadelphia at £2 on offer when dairy is £1.
The meal deals in my local shop don’t do a vegan option included in it, and is double the price for a wrap with falafel. Absolutely takes the piss.
I’m not sure if this is the right thread for this question - had a look and didn’t see a more general veganism one. But basically I’m feeling like I am going to have to go fully vegan. Reluctantly, if I’m honest.
I’m vegetarian for animal welfare reasons. I find it very easy although I do miss fish. But increasingly I realise that it doesn’t really make sense to reject meat, but to still buy and eat milk and eggs. Thing is, I don’t really want to stop eating these things. I eat so many eggs. I love baking, I love butter and I love ice cream more than life itself. My family and friends can easily cope with me being veggie but vegan is a whole other level. I’d be OK at home but eating outside of the house would be much harder, I assume. And then what about leather? And wool? It’s a total lifestyle change. Argh, it’s hard.
Did anyone else have these thoughts? Do I just need to suck it up and take the plunge?
ETA I must also stress that I’m not commenting on anyone else’s choices - not to say one is better or anything, it’s just a personal thing I’m wrestling with.
I’m vegetarian for animal welfare reasons. I find it very easy although I do miss fish. But increasingly I realise that it doesn’t really make sense to reject meat, but to still buy and eat milk and eggs. Thing is, I don’t really want to stop eating these things. I eat so many eggs. I love baking, I love butter and I love ice cream more than life itself. My family and friends can easily cope with me being veggie but vegan is a whole other level. I’d be OK at home but eating outside of the house would be much harder, I assume. And then what about leather? And wool? It’s a total lifestyle change. Argh, it’s hard.
Did anyone else have these thoughts? Do I just need to suck it up and take the plunge?
ETA I must also stress that I’m not commenting on anyone else’s choices - not to say one is better or anything, it’s just a personal thing I’m wrestling with.
I was a veggie and did veganuary a few years ago thinking I’d go back to being veggie on feb 1st 
but I found it ok so just carried on.
With eating out, most places have at least one vegan option now and when I’ve been to small independent cafes etc when I’ve asked if they can for example leave something out of a dish to make it vegan they have always been accommodating.
If I’m going maybe on a course or something
like that for work I take a packed lunch in case there’s nothing available.
With things like leather shoes or wool jumper’s since being vegan I haven’t bought anything new but if there’s things I already had I just used them until they needed replacing then bought a vegan version. Toiletries& make up are another thing I carried on using until they were finished then bought vegan.
Hope this is helpful
but I found it ok so just carried on.With eating out, most places have at least one vegan option now and when I’ve been to small independent cafes etc when I’ve asked if they can for example leave something out of a dish to make it vegan they have always been accommodating.
If I’m going maybe on a course or something
like that for work I take a packed lunch in case there’s nothing available.
With things like leather shoes or wool jumper’s since being vegan I haven’t bought anything new but if there’s things I already had I just used them until they needed replacing then bought a vegan version. Toiletries& make up are another thing I carried on using until they were finished then bought vegan.
Hope this is helpful
I think what you're feeling and experiencing is entirely normal (and understandable and valid!) I wonder if it might be more helpful not to think of veganism as an all-or-nothing lifestyle, and try to just be as plant-based in dietary choices and vegan in lifestyle as possible? I think slowly transitioning into a lifestyle with values you personally align with might make things more sustainable for yourself in the long run. And don't be so hard on yourself either!
I personally went vegetarian first (which I found fairly easy too, coming from a veggie-heavy dietary and cultural background) and then slowly cut out dairy and eggs and realised I didn't miss it anymore once I'd adapted the way I cooked and ate. Plus there are so many great substitutes out there! To be honest, managing family's expectations was the hardest as not everyone respects certain choices, but I've also come to realise my values are a lot more important than presenting myself in a way that's palatable to people who aren't interested in understanding those choices/values. I've also realised most people are pretty accepting, accommodating and even curious if you show you aren't too puritanical about it - for example, if I'm at a gathering with family or friends, I always offer to bring some vegan food, and I love sharing my cooking/baking with non-vegan folk. And at parties or when dining out, if options are limited, I don't fuss about it and just cobble together a couple of starters (But that's increasingly not the case with how great options are in the UK now!) I also like to do a bit of research on the menu before dining out. Gone are the days we'd have to have just an undressed salad and chips haha... If the choice is left to me, I'd suggest a place with good vegan options but otherwise, I might even ring the place beforehand and see what they can cater or accommodate. If a family member or friend is cooking for a group, I always tell them I'm happy to have the same thing (as long as it's veggie) and ask that they just keep aside a portion before putting on the cheese/any non-vegan topping (like with pasta bakes or pizzas).
As for leather/wool, I personally don't buy them and never have, but I don't mind getting them secondhand, though I know this is contentious and everyone has a different opinion about it!
Hope this helps xx
Thank you so much @bourb0nbiscuits and @purple-rain. It’s good to know I’m not a terrible human for wavering about it.
@bourb0nbiscuits that’s a really good point about vegan options being more widely available now. And @purple-rain I really like what you said about framing it less about what I can’t eat, and more about aligning my life more with my values. That’s so lovely.
I’m off to scour these threads for yoghurt and ice cream alternatives! Might also do a ceremonial last chocolate bar too. I did that before I became veggie - had a massive Five Guys one night and sushi the night after. Then went cold turkey after that. But I agree that with veganism a more gradual transition is probably better!
Oh and almost forgot - in my Googling last night I found this picture which I think sealed the deal for me. It made me cry (admittedly I’m PMSing). Putting it under a spoiler as this post is huge already and it’s very poignant and I don’t want to make anyone else weep! Did anyone else have a sudden moment where they decided to make the change? Or was it more gradual?
@bourb0nbiscuits that’s a really good point about vegan options being more widely available now. And @purple-rain I really like what you said about framing it less about what I can’t eat, and more about aligning my life more with my values. That’s so lovely.
I’m off to scour these threads for yoghurt and ice cream alternatives! Might also do a ceremonial last chocolate bar too. I did that before I became veggie - had a massive Five Guys one night and sushi the night after. Then went cold turkey after that. But I agree that with veganism a more gradual transition is probably better!
Oh and almost forgot - in my Googling last night I found this picture which I think sealed the deal for me. It made me cry (admittedly I’m PMSing). Putting it under a spoiler as this post is huge already and it’s very poignant and I don’t want to make anyone else weep! Did anyone else have a sudden moment where they decided to make the change? Or was it more gradual?
I miss dairy ice cream and cheese as a vegan so I feel your pain but for me it was a case of suck it up and get on with it. I had decided to be vegan so that was that. I bake lots, people can’t tell the difference between some of my vegan cakes and non vegan versions. Eating out is harder, and I don’t class one vegan item on a menu as an ‘option’ but that’s another discussion
As for leather etc, I chose to use what I had to the end of its life and replace it with vegan when I can (I have never been in the financial position to just bin things for fun!). I accept gifts from people that may not be vegan as they are bought with good intentions and love, some of them I just regift or donate, some I have used. Make up etc was a gradual transition, and I found most of the brands I used were vegan anyway. I’m sure my mother in law has fed me ‘vegan’ meals with egg once or twice but she’s in her 80s, veganism is new to her and I know she’s trying her best and this would have been at the beginning when I met her, now I feel fairly certain it doesn’t happen.
To me veganism is about doing your best, I’m sure the vegan society mentions something about “as far as is practicable” so even if it takes you 10 years to be fully vegan, every step in the right direction is just that.
Oh, that cartoon image got me 🥹
I had also aimed to do a gradual transition but since I was already a lactose-intolerant vegetarian it wasn’t too hard
I missed eggs a lot though. And as a veggie, I could have some cheeses despite the lactose intolerance so I missed those too, but less than I thought.I avoided vegan cheeses for years - maybe 5 years or so - as they never matched up to dairy ones. It’s only in the last few years I’ve introduced vegan cheese again - I think once I forgot the taste of dairy cheese. (Applewood smoked is my favourite).
And like everyone else, I phased out clothing and beauty products gradually, as I used them up.
Any changes you make are going to benefit the animals, so it’s just about doing the best you can at any one time
If it helps at all re: dairy alternatives, I really like Tesco's own brand Greek-style soy yogurt. That and the Alpro Greek yogurt are the most convincing I've found (but I prefer Tesco's marginally as it's unsweetened and can be used in savoury dishes as a sour cream substitute, dressing, etc.) If you like flavoured yogurts, Nush do some really tasty fruity ones. Nush also do good vegan cream cheese alternatives. I like the original flavour.
My favourite no-frills vegan ice-cream is the Swedish Glace vanilla one, and I love the vegan Magnums too (honestly most non-vegans I've given these to can't tell the difference!). Also love Ben & Jerry's vegan cookie dough (again, can't differentiate between the vegan and original versions). If you're up for splashing out on something really high quality and delicious, Booja Booja's vanilla and their caramel pecan praline are divine! Their chocolate truffles are delicious too.
Lidl Vegan Magnums and their non dairy Ben and Jerry's dupe are the absolute tits and I love them!
Oatly is my fave "Brand", I like their Whole fresh and Semi Fresh milks as well as the yoghurts.
It's not the cheapest but sod it.
My kids have Mighty Pea m.lkology or original mighty pea unsweetened as it's good for protein and well fortified
Oatly is my fave "Brand", I like their Whole fresh and Semi Fresh milks as well as the yoghurts.
It's not the cheapest but sod it.
My kids have Mighty Pea m.lkology or original mighty pea unsweetened as it's good for protein and well fortified
Is it this one @EddyDarling ? My two have Oatly Barista but the fussy 3yo seems to only want to eat carbs and fruit lately so I need to get more protein into him! Does it taste nice? I imagine it to be gritty and earthy but I’m sure it’s not
That's the ticket! It's not gritty at all. My youngest likes it so much he's drank 3 litres of the stuff since I stocked up on Tuesday!Is it this one @EddyDarling ? My two have Oatly Barista but the fussy 3yo seems to only want to eat carbs and fruit lately so I need to get more protein into him! Does it taste nice? I imagine it to be gritty and earthy but I’m sure it’s not
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Oh great, thanks so much! I think it’s only available in Holland & Barrett here in Ireland so I’m going to order some later. Hopefully it will do the trick
Are you in North Ireland? If so the Mighty company delivers to you!Oh great, thanks so much! I think it’s only available in Holland & Barrett here in Ireland so I’m going to order some later. Hopefully it will do the trick
If not, feel free to tell me to Eff off
No, I’m in ROI. So lots of places are not delivering here, especially since Brexit. I’m even struggling to get the lovely Applewood smoked cheese and that breaks my heartAre you in North Ireland? If so the Mighty company delivers to you!
If not, feel free to tell me to Eff off
Thanks though
Oh bloody hell sorryNo, I’m in ROI. So lots of places are not delivering here, especially since Brexit. I’m even struggling to get the lovely Applewood smoked cheese and that breaks my heart
Thanks though
You might get lucky in SuperValu, some of them seem to have it. It’s v frustrating that once we cross the border our options open up so much more!No, I’m in ROI. So lots of places are not delivering here, especially since Brexit. I’m even struggling to get the lovely Applewood smoked cheese and that breaks my heart
Thanks though