I don't think you were hypocritical. It is very hard to avoid the things you mentioned. I found it hard eating out too - unless you opt for a plain salad (if they have one), I used to find that many menus were dominated by the cheese/pasta option for vegetarians. I think the important thing was that you felt strongly enough about something to do what you could.

I've had a look at a menu of a pub we go to. Every starter is meat, fish or cheese based - except the soup, which is soup of the day, so could be anything. If it's made using cream, then it isn't suitable for vegans, is it?

There are two vegetarian main options, one which is butternut squash and cashew nut roast - at least it isn't pasta. The other is a mushroom lasagne, which would contain cheese, I guess?

I take my own chops sticks with me when I eat at noodle bars. But I have a wood phobia ;o)

Of course silly, I don't mind at all but the quote didn't work right so would you mind re posting your questions? I'm not sure how else to do it ;o)


Risotto, it's always a risotto and that usually has parmesan in it (made form cow's rennet) so that makes me laugh.

You see, I hadn't even thought of that!

reading this thread has made me wonder if I could cope with going vegie for a week?

I may give it a go in the next couple of weeks and let you all know how it goes,
bet I would give up within a couple of days though.

I see a number of people saying they only buy organic meat. Is this down to animal welfare or more about knowing what is in their meat so to speak?

Organic does NOT mean free range. I think sometimes people get confused about this.

I would buy free range over organic every time.

http://www.soilassociation.org/Whyor...1/Default.aspx

There are minimum standards laid down in order for the meat to be certified organic.
One of our local farmers does sell his meat as 'free range' when it is actually reared organically...he just does not use a certified organic slaughterhouse as it adds too much onto the price.

Humm...I would never buy free range eggs.....it was one of the things we went into a college (unless the laws ahve changed)

Free range meant there had to be access to outdoors.....we were shown some pretty awful free range areas...where basically there were multiple chickens in a tiny area (I think it is so many sq ft per hen) indoors - with a small hatch and tiny outdoor area - it was really quite sad.

We were led to believe that (as well as not having as many 'additives') organic had a higher sq ft allowance as well.

I am very lucky....we have several people local to us who keep thier own chickens and are more often than not over run with flippin eggs!

I think the trouble is that whilst organic animals do have to go outside for at least a third of their lives ( or so I have read) ..weather dependant...yes there can still be overcrowding (I am specifically referring to chickens here). Free range chickens can be kept in greater numbers, in a barn...and whilst they are supposed to have daily access outside, because there are so many in one barn, it can happen that the less 'pushy' birds actually never get to go out.

Organic animal welfare standards are higher than the standards for intensively reared animals...AND the animals are no pumped full of antibiotics etc. Yes...there is still progress to be made, but I feel that 'free range' animal welfare standards don't quite go far enough...plus I don't want to eat the chemicals that are pumped into them (and yes...the stuff organic chickens eat isn't always what they should eat,but it is still not full of antibiotics etc.)


Progress still does need to be made in all areas of animal welfare.

Taken from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/chicken.shtml

Obviously just info on chickens though...but shows I think a higher welfare standard for organic chickens than for free range...also for organic egg producing chickens,rather than free range but yes...problems can still arise and things can always be improved.

Yes...the key word being access....there always seem to be loopholes.