"Strict" Vegetarian

[Anonymous]

I have been a vegetarian for 25 years. I realize people have different definitions of what vegetarian means. Some people think it's no solid meat. Some people think it's no chicken broth. Some think no Worcestershire sauce. Fish sauce in food is OK.....etc.

How do you define what being a vegetarian means? If you go out to a restaurant and want a soup, do you make sure it's vegetarian? Do you avoid barbecue sauce that is "house made" and may have Worcestershire sauce in it? Do you eat caesar salad? How about tomato sauce at an Italian restaurant?

Please, vegetarians and people who are familiar with a vegetarian's diet only.

[Anonymous]

Yes, avoid all those things you mentioned like chicken broth, Worcestershire and other things like gelatin. Always ask at restaurants if soup has chicken broth.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I don't eat any meat or anything that I know isn't vegetarian. So if it's marked on the menu as not vegetarian because it's made with a stock, I don't eat it. I ask about soups but usually assume they have chicken stock in them. I stay away from caesar dressing unless marked vegetarian (La Madeleine!). If I don't know it's not vegetarian, I tend not to ask because I think ignorance is bliss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, avoid all those things you mentioned like chicken broth, Worcestershire and other things like gelatin. Always ask at restaurants if soup has chicken broth.

Yes I forgot about gelatin! No skittles, no starbursts, no jello (unless it's a jello shot).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been a vegetarian for 25 years. I realize people have different definitions of what vegetarian means. Some people think it's no solid meat. Some people think it's no chicken broth. Some think no Worcestershire sauce. Fish sauce in food is OK.....etc.

How do you define what being a vegetarian means? If you go out to a restaurant and want a soup, do you make sure it's vegetarian? Do you avoid barbecue sauce that is "house made" and may have Worcestershire sauce in it? Do you eat caesar salad? How about tomato sauce at an Italian restaurant?

Please, vegetarians and people who are familiar with a vegetarian's diet only.

Mistakes happen, but I don't do chicken broth, or any non-vegetarian broth. I do ask about what's in it but reality is people lie or you never 100% know. For things I know, I avoid. For home, I buy vegan fish sauce. No Wochestershir sauce for me.

[Anonymous]

I know one vegetarian who is really more pescatarian, so she's ok with fish sauce, caeser salad etc. But that is not technically vegetarian. All the others do avoid animal products, incl those. They generally tend to pick vegan dishes when eating out as it's less likely to be "contaminated" with chicken stock or whatever.

Which tomato sauces have meat in it? Generally marinara is vegan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, avoid all those things you mentioned like chicken broth, Worcestershire and other things like gelatin. Always ask at restaurants if soup has chicken broth.

Yes I forgot about gelatin! No skittles, no starbursts, no jello (unless it's a jello shot).

How is a Jell-O shot vegetarian?

The vegetarian in my family doesn’t want animals to die for them, but is fine if her carrot dogs or halloumi grill next to the regular dog. Her vegan boyfriend, and my kosher omnivore but will eat vegetarian outside the house friend will only eat from a dedicated grill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have been a vegetarian for 25 years. I realize people have different definitions of what vegetarian means. Some people think it's no solid meat. Some people think it's no chicken broth. Some think no Worcestershire sauce. Fish sauce in food is OK.....etc.

How do you define what being a vegetarian means? If you go out to a restaurant and want a soup, do you make sure it's vegetarian? Do you avoid barbecue sauce that is "house made" and may have Worcestershire sauce in it? Do you eat caesar salad? How about tomato sauce at an Italian restaurant?

Please, vegetarians and people who are familiar with a vegetarian's diet only.

Mistakes happen, but I don't do chicken broth, or any non-vegetarian broth. I do ask about what's in it but reality is people lie or you never 100% know. For things I know, I avoid. For home, I buy vegan fish sauce. No Wochestershir sauce for me.

That's part of my problem. I ask at a Thai restaurant if it's vegetarian but they think fish stock is OK, so I just avoid all Thai restaurants.

[Anonymous]

What’s in Worcestershire sauce?

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand why you are asking these questions now, after 25 YEARS as a vegetarian?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know one vegetarian who is really more pescatarian, so she's ok with fish sauce, caeser salad etc. But that is not technically vegetarian. All the others do avoid animal products, incl those. They generally tend to pick vegan dishes when eating out as it's less likely to be "contaminated" with chicken stock or whatever.

Which tomato sauces have meat in it? Generally marinara is vegan.

Many Italian restaurants use chicken stock in their tomato sauce.

[Anonymous]

DD is vegetarian and doesn't eat any animals or animal components. If she finds out she accidentally has, she doesn't freak out or anything but I think at this point gets a little upset with herself for not catching it beforehand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know one vegetarian who is really more pescatarian, so she's ok with fish sauce, caeser salad etc. But that is not technically vegetarian. All the others do avoid animal products, incl those. They generally tend to pick vegan dishes when eating out as it's less likely to be "contaminated" with chicken stock or whatever.

Which tomato sauces have meat in it? Generally marinara is vegan.

Many Italian restaurants use chicken stock in their tomato sauce.

Do they? I've been veg for 45 years and didn't know that. Oy!

I don't eat soups in restaurants because I assume chicken stock (unless I'm specifically told that the stock is veg - like a mushroom broth at a ramen place). I'm more flexible on fish - I will eat a Cesar and Thai food. (There is Thai food without fish sauce and most places, in my experience, will make something without if you ask for it.)

There are things I've eaten without realizing there is some animal product in it - there's a dish I loved at a local Vietnamese place till I figured out it had chicken stock in it. I ate onion soup all the time when I was young until I learned it was made with beef stock. Once I know, I stop eating it.

Things like gelatin and animal rennet in cheese - when there's a veg or vegan alternative, I choose it, but I don't avoid altgoether.

[Anonymous]

For me, vegetarian= no animal meat. Vegan is no animal products which is harder, so gelitan which is in many products would be a no go. I also know pescatarians too, so that easier. I always try to accommodate all as possible, but true vegans are the hardest especially when grilling for a group

[Anonymous]

No cheese made with animal rennet and no gelatin products are two that are no so obvious