Vegan minders

[VeggieSausage]

Hi fellow vegan minders, whats everyone been eating over christmas?

[DCS]

Interesting there seems to be only one vegan minder on here?

Ive recently changed to a fully plant based diet, it was a fourteen month process. Not only is the food yummy and nutritious, I have increased energy and NEVER feel hungry any more. I'm now finding I cook a wider range of dishes than I did before. Also I've noticed Ive effortlessly maintained my weight. I'm saving a small fortune now I no longer eat flesh.

When I start childminding again, I will make this a unique selling point, as Ive done my research, Im pleased to say I can now confidently cook vegan dishes.

[Twinkles]

I have recently become a pescetarian or otherwise termed 'meat reducer'.

I suppose it's the first step to being a vegetarian. I am very much enjoying vegetarian food but I also like fish and other seafood. One step at a time ....

[Helen79]

I'm not vegan but haven't bought meat for the last few weeks as I'm trying to save money. I've found the same that I'm now cooking for more varied meals. I got stuck in the routine of having meat, mash & veg, spag bol or chilli but now I've had to look for new recipes to try which the kids have helped choose.
Kids haven't noticed we've only been eating veg dishes, dh has but he can cook meat if he wants to make dinner or have meat with his lunch instead.
I've lost 4lbs in the last 2 weeks aswell just by cutting out meat

[DCS]

I have recently become a pescetarian or otherwise termed 'meat reducer'.

I suppose it's the first step to being a vegetarian. I am very much enjoying vegetarian food but I also like fish and other seafood. One step at a time ....

Is becoming a dietry vegan your untimate goal?

I'm not vegan but haven't bought meat for the last few weeks as I'm trying to save money. I've found the same that I'm now cooking for more varied meals. I got stuck in the routine of having meat, mash & veg, spag bol or chilli but now I've had to look for new recipes to try which the kids have helped choose.
I've lost 4lbs in the last 2 weeks aswell just by cutting out meatout

Anything that keeps the weight down is just fab!

[watgem]

I think I'm a lacto vegetarian? I don't eat meat, eggs or fish. I've often thought about becoming vegan, but I would really miss yogurt and cheese

[Twinkles]

Is becoming a dietry vegan your untimate goal?

I think vegetarian. Really not sure I could live without cheese although I'd like to find a dairy where milk is produced humainly ( spell check says thats not the right spelling ) and I'd eventually like to keep my own chickens so I could be sure they were really free range.

[Jollybones]

Hey, another Vegan here!!

Been veggie for 5 years and vegan for 6 months now and kept putting it off until it felt right but have lost a stone in 6 months mainly due to the amount of cheese that I now no longer eat.
Have found it easier than I thought too.

[DCS]

I think I'm a lacto vegetarian? I don't eat meat, eggs or fish. I've often thought about becoming vegan, but I would really miss yogurt and cheese

Have you tried Sojade mild and creamy soya 'yogurt' ? Its quite tasty.

There is vegan cheese and its YUMMY! Its called Cheezly super melting by the Redwood company. I made pizza and my nephews couldn't tell it wasn't dairy.

I still enjoy mac'n''cheese'. If you want the recipie let me know! (its REALLY good)

[DCS]

Hey, another Vegan here!!

Been veggie for 5 years and vegan for 6 months now and kept putting it off until it felt right but have lost a stone in 6 months mainly due to the amount of cheese that I now no longer eat.
Have found it easier than I thought too.

a stone in 6 mths WOW, that’s fantastic news!

What was your reason for switching to a vegan diet?

Do you cook vegan dishes in your setting?

Do you have a favourite vegan dish?

[nikki thomson]

Hi, just out of interest how do you feel about handling meat and other products which you wouldn't normally handle if you were not a cm? Are you happy to prepare and cook non vegan foods?, I'm just being nosy. X

[pinkbutterfly]

I'm a vegetarian and have been for the last 16 years. It was a concious choice of mine. However my family is not vegetarian. I cook mostly vegetarian food however sometimes I will do a meat alternative as well as vegetarian (for example spag bol in two varieties). I do not think it is a selling point so I do not advertise I am a vegetarian and there is always a vegetarian food available. I do provide a sample menu for prospective parents where it always shows a vegetarian alternative to a meat dish. The parents whose children have some dietary restrictions always comment on it.

[Jollybones]

I became vegetarian and then vegan because I hated the thought of the pain and suffering animals have to go through for our own satisfaction when I (we) do not need it for our health and well being (if we eat a healthy balance alternative diet of course).

I do provide mainly vegan meals at dinner time but I do have cheese, milk and even ham etc for lunches, macaroni cheese etc as my own children are vegetarian.

I hate the smell and thought of preparing meat dishes or heating them up but I do it for my mindees if the parents really want me to. So far only two parents in 5 years have requested me to provide at least one meat dish a week the rest are more than happy with the variety of meals I provide and as yet no-one has not started with me which is great as I always worry it may put people off.

My current favourite vegan meal is Chilli for which I make a very mild chilli sauce and use soya mince, mixed pulses and celery with some rice. I also love doing a vegetable stir fry with a sweet and sour sauce (the mindees love this too). I do shepards pie, stews, veggie sausages with a roast etc

I have been really surprised with how open to my meals the parents have been especially after my own family thought I had gone crazy becoming veggie let alone vegan as they are very big meat eaters -as I was.

[DCS]

Hi, just out of interest how do you feel about handling meat and other products which you wouldn't normally handle if you were not a cm? Are you happy to prepare and cook non vegan foods?, I'm just being nosy. X

As I mentioned earlier, I recently converted to a fully plant based diet, purely for what I perceive to be the associated health benefits.

For those wishing to understand what a little more about veganism , I have pasted the following from Wiki for your reference;

"Dietary veganism

Dietary vegans eat an entirely plant-based diet—either for health reasons or out of concern for animal welfare—but may continue to use animal products for other purposes. Joanne Stepaniak, author of Being Vegan (2000), argues that to place the qualifier "dietary" before "vegan" dilutes its meaning—like using the term "secular Catholic" for people who want to practise only some aspects of Catholicism.[67] She writes that people should not call themselves vegan simply because they have embraced the diet: "Practising a vegan diet no more qualifies someone as vegan than eating kosher food qualifies someone as Jewish."[68]

Ethical veganism

Ethical vegans entirely reject the commodification of animals. Ethical vegans will not use animal products for clothing, toiletries, or any other reason, and will try to avoid ingredients that have been tested on animals. They will not buy fur coats, leather shoes, belts, bags, wallets, woollen jumpers, silk scarves, camera film, and certain vaccines, etc. Depending on their economic circumstances, they may donate such items to charity when they become vegan, or use them until they wear out. Clothing made without animal products is widely available in stores and online. Alternatives to wool include cotton, hemp, rayon, and polyester. "

I'm happy to cater for both animal and plant diets.