Tips for a small town vegetarian...?

Question

Hello everyone! I'm trying to become a full time vegetarian. I don't really eat meat except for Chicken and that is only on occasion. Anyway, I want to cut Chcken out completly but I live in a really small town where being a vegetarian is almost unheard of. When I go out to eat it is really hard to find non-meat items on the menu.... except for the occasional garden salad. Also, there arn't any other vegetarians in my area to talk to. I was just wondering what other people from small towns do to make their vegetarian experience easier? when you go out to eat do you have trouble finding a whole meal to order? Also, what do you say to people who laugh at you when you say you are a vegetarian? Also, do you know of any good chicken substitues?

thanks!

Answer 1

I feel your pain.
You will continue to have trouble finding meals at restaurants, unless you go to bigger towns/cities. Depending on the types of places you go to, you might be able to find the stray veggie burger or meatless pasta actually on the menu, but I wouldn't count on it everywhere. However, MANY restaurants will make you veggie versions of certain things they already make, or simply not put meat into something that you might be able to make a meal out of. Talk to them about it, and not in a harassing way, and you might find they're willing to accomodate you.

When people laugh at you...ignore them. I don't know what your reasons are for wanting to be a vegetarian, but whatever they are should give you the fuel to withstand with no harm done. That is the sign of true self-assuredness, and they'll eventually either stop of cut it down to the very mild jokey stuff.

Chicken substitutes...the most plentiful of the actually good meat replacers, in my opinion. Any reasonably large grocery store should carry something, and if you can't find the veggie area, just ask someone. Morningstar Farms and Boca both have some good burgers/patties and chik'n strips, and Quorn has some very tasty stuff, too, though it's harder to find. There are various other brands you can look for in places with decent selections, but those are the most common ones.
A warning, though. If you are becoming a vegetarian for health reasons, you should know that most meat substitutes are quite high in sodium chloride, though low in just about all the other bad stuff. Just keep that in mind.

Good luck.

Answer 2

In my experience, vegetarian is most difficult at what I think of as 'American' restaurants. Burgers and steaks and chicken fingers, oh my. In many food cultures, meat is just not the staple that it is in the US. Most small towns I've been in have a Mexican restaurant ("Vegetable fajitas, please"), an Italian place ("Cheese ravioli, please") and a Chinese place ("Vegetable fried rice/ Vegetable Lo Mein, please").
I actually never bring up that I'm a vegetarian unless I'm invited to someone's home for a meal. Then I mention it because I don't want to be the rude surprise. If I'm out to lunch with coworkers, I can make an order like the ones I just mentioned, and it's no big deal. I stopped bringing it up after about a year (it's now been almost 8) because I don't want to be the spokesperson for veggies every where. I'm not embarassed, but just tired of frequently running into hostility. I'm from the South, don't know if this happens elsewhere, but a surprising number of people seem to take my eating choices very personally. I had one yell at me that people were put onto the earth to subjugate the animals, and if I don't eat meat then I'm denying God's wishes. Uh huh.
So, sometimes I tell the truth, which is that I think factory farming is an abomination. People don't seem very receptive to that, though, so usually I tell them (if they ask) that I was unhappy eating meat and that being vegetarian makes me feel like I'm doing one small thing right.
The Boca and Gardenburger stuff mentioned is good, but I LOVE a brand called Quorn. Their meat substitutes are made from mushrooms instead of soy, and I prefer the texture and flavor. You can find a store near you (maybe) or find an online retailer at http://www.quorn.com/.
Last year we paid the high shipping rate so we could have the Quorn turkey-type roast at Thanksgiving.
Good luck, and congrats for making your own choices.

Answer 3

I'm not from a small town or anything, but maybe I can suggest a few things, good chicken subtitude would be Tofu, it's high in proteen and ot's made of bean curd, doesn't have any flavour to it, so it's great in that sense you can add any flavour you like to it, ie; shop in in cubes ad soy sauce, garlic, and stir fry in olive oil, then do the same with your veggies and you have a great meal. As for going out you can always ask for fried eggplant/aubergine, in a tomato and basil sauce, with some pasta, or a potato salad, without the bacon. Or a mushroom resoto is great tasting and it will keep you totally full. And as for those who laugh at you, say at last I'll live longer than you will ignore them it's your life and this is the way you choose to live it. It's hard work living as a Vegan but if your determined there are so many recipies with veggies, and legumes you can make. that taste great and have the same level of iron and protein in it. Good luck.

Answer 4

I lived my whole life as a vegan in a small town. I grew up going on dates ordering just french fries, or a baked potato. If something has meat on it, like a chicken salad say "hold the chicken, please". You can also just order some sides, like applesauce, stir-fried veggies, and rice. Yum.

Ordering has never been a problem for me. But I've had to deal with obnoxious people, too. (They seem to be everywhere!) Just tell them that you eat FOOD, not dead animals, and that when they die obese of a heart attack at the ripe old age of 35, YOULL be the one laughing.

Remember, you're probably going to be the only vegetarian these people ever see, so try and set a good example. You're paving the way for others to follow in your footsteps.

I think Boca makes faux chicken nuggets, but I'm not sure.

Good luck!

Answer 5

I used to live in the city and recently moved out to the country. As a vegetarian, I've found it difficult to find a lot of groceries that I used to be able to get and I've often had to order online or make trips to the city!

It doesn't matter where you are, there's often 0-1 vegetarian options on any restaurant menu! Like a few others have mentioned, most places are more than happy to make you a vegetarian version of something already on the menu. It's more frustrating than embarrassing, but there's normally a way around it.

As for substitutes, tofu is fantastic but you will probably go through a bit of trial and error with learning to cook it. Silken tofu is a lost cause unless you're using it as breakfast - it makes great scrambled tofu (fry up with spices & veg). Firm tofu normally holds its shape better and can be used in stir fries and things like that (I've recently started making tofu schnitzel with is AWESOME!). You can also pan fry it with herbs/spices and place it on rice with veg on the side. There's also pre-marinated tofu you can buy that's already flavoured and really delicious. This stuff is a great option if you haven't mastered cooking tofu because it takes all the hard work out of it!

Another way to get protein is to eat legumes (beans, lentils, nuts).

There's also proucts you can buy that are soy based but made to taste much like meat (if that tickles your fancy). A brand called Sanitarium (among others) makes this stuff and it can be found in the frozen section of a supermarket.

As for people laughing at you... you'll learn to let it roll off your shoulders. After all, they have no idea what they're missing out on! Veggo food is so exciting/creative and YUMMY!

Answer 6

Doesn't sound like you are planning on going vegan so ---

and a lot of this depends on what type of restaurant.

many diners sell breakfast all day long -- so eggs and toast, home fries or pancakes -- just hold the bacon or sausage. I have eaten breakfast at lunch or dinner.

Pasta place - just order pasta with butter and garlic sauce or plain red sauce.

Grilled cheese

Particularly at smaller owner operated places don't be afraid to ask for something that is not on the menu. If the place sells cheeseburgers they can make you a grilled cheese sandwich. Don't go nuts -- but there is no reason for them not to make you grilled cheese if they sell cheeseburgers.

Answer 7

I live in a city, but when I visit my parents in their small town, it's lots of grilled cheese sandwiches, plain pizza, plain pasta, salads and veggie subs. People don't understand and it's really none of their business what your deal is, so when they make comments, it's not like they even care for a response; I think it's just instinct to laugh off what they don't get. When I'm visiting home, I like to cook FOR my family, too instead of going out so much - that way they have a nice meal they didn't have to cook and can learn what I like to eat and that it's not so weird.

Answer 8

well in many groceries u can find meat substitutes in ur frozen section, the good ones are boca and morning star. sometimes they even test better than the real thing.
u could try special orderin online also