i just found out at my favorite mexican restaurant that the chips they serve with their salsa are fried in lard and their vegetarian plate which has beans and rice are both cooked in lard. why do they call it vegetarian plate.
o i was soooo pissed! so i just wanted to let you know.
2007-07-28 09:05:27 · 13 answers · asked by nounou 3 in Food & Drink ➔ Vegetarian & Vegan
oh even the cheese enchiladas are considered vegetarian but they dip the corn tortillas in lard!
2007-07-28 09:06:09 · update #1
Yes, that's something to be careful about, you have to generally ask to make sure they don't put lard in seemingly meat-free Mexican food as it's a quite common ingredient, especially in authentic Mexican cuisine.
If they were advertising it specifically as vegetarian though, that would be false advertisement, and I suggest asking them to change their menu to reflect the truth of it, and they probably would as usually people are just mistaken about what vegetarian means in these cases. If they say no, take the matter to the Better Business Bureau or another consumer group. Lying about food can cause severe repercussions for customers (health and otherwise), so I consider it a really bad consumer trust violation.
2007-07-28 09:59:18 · answer #1 · answered by blackbyrus 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I am a vegan - so I totally understand your frustration about that. I think that for me I eat mostly at home so I can control things like that. But when I go out - I really just do the best I can with the choices I have. I absolutely will not eat meat or dairy under any circumstances.. If I have to i will just drink water through the meal if it's that bad. But, I just do the best I can. Next time get something different or just don't go there.
Most people who are not veggies do not understand that animal by products like Lard are just as disturbing to vegetarians as eating meat.
2007-07-29 01:12:49 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's also fairly common to add lard to the guacamole! I see someone else mentioned the use of chicken broth in everything. Pork broth also gets used in mexican restaurants. The yellow (or orange) cheese is almost always rennet based as well.
Even the restaurants that use vegetable or corn oil to fry the chips tend to contaminate the oil with animal foods.
And since someone mentioned asian places you should know that woks don't get cleaned between orders! That means your "vegetarian" item was cooked in the leftovers from that order of stir-fry beef, chicken or fish that left the kitchen ahead of your order.They also tend to use fish or chicken stock in everything!
2007-07-29 00:19:51 · answer #3 · answered by departed lime wraith 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I would certainly complain to the restaurant and let them know I won't be eating there anymore. Many restaurants are now avoiding animal fats, primarily for health, but also to appease some religious groups.
Many people think vegetarian means no actual meat. They forget that beef stock is just as bad as beef steak and don't realize chicken stock is as bad as chicken strips.
Chipotle has veg*an options (avoid the pork-laden pinto beans and go for the black beans instead), as does Chevy's
2007-07-30 09:54:51 · answer #4 · answered by VeggieTart -- Let's Go Caps! 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yea, it happens more than you think. Try finding a place that is vegetarian conscious and not just offering non-meat plates. Big difference as you now know. refried beans almost always have lard when at any run of the mill mexican place. I used to work at one and watch them scoop it in...
2007-07-28 16:45:45 · answer #5 · answered by SST 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
It's so misleading to call it a vegetarian plate & I don't blame you for being upset. I always phone ahead & ask before going to a new restaurant but didn't always know to *keep* asking, as ingredients change.
Another sneaky ingredient is chicken stock. Some places even put in in their rice. Yuck!
2007-07-28 22:33:08 · answer #6 · answered by Catkin 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Bummer.
:(
This is why I wish all places had to follow the globally accepted definition of vegetarian (found here http://www.vegsoc.org/newveg/fft/basics.html ) before labeling a food that term.
I mean, if companies are not allowed to hide if something contains dairy, they should not be allowed to hide that foods contain meat.
Too many people think that something can be vegetarian as long as they don't put a big steak in it.
2007-07-28 16:44:34 · answer #7 · answered by Squirtle 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
A lot of mexican restaurants also put lard in flour tortillas.
2007-07-28 17:01:25 · answer #8 · answered by S 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Not surprised at all, but I thought by asking for my pinto beans whole I was avoiding lard. Stupid me!! I guess no more mexican food unless I make it!
2007-07-29 01:57:19 · answer #9 · answered by Sunshine Swirl 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Vegetarian means no meat. If something is labeled vegetarian than it has no meat, but it can have stuff made from animal products. If you want something with absolutely no animal products look for "vegan." There is a difference.
2007-07-29 02:30:20 · answer #10 · answered by Echolalia 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋