Living Vegan For Dummies - Alexandra Jamieson [117]
Beware of These Hidden Animal Ingredients
Unless you cook all your own meals and work or go to school next door to a vegan diner, eating according to your values can be difficult in this day and age. Some animal products are used for flavoring foods, and others are used to filter impurities from some alcoholic beverages. Other insect-derived products, such as honey or carmine, are used to sweeten and color foods.
To ensure that you avoid the myriad of animal-derived ingredients used in foods, beverages, and health and beauty products, get familiar with the common additives used. But remember to take it easy on yourself if you find out later that something you ate contained an animal product. Living vegan isn’t always easy, but it’s worth the effort.
The good people at PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), have put together a comprehensive list of animal ingredients to avoid when shopping. You can peruse the list at www.peta.org/mc/factsheet_display.asp?id=72.
Chapter 19
Navigating Tricky Social Situations
In This Chapter
Planning wonderful vegan gatherings
Dining as a guest at nonvegan parties and events
Handling dating as a vegan
Keeping your veganism on the down low at work
Vegans venture out just as often as “normal” folks, heading to events, gatherings, meals, and celebrations. The danger of ending up hungry during social situations is more common for herbivores, however. You can’t count on people to know your dietary preference, but you can take precautions to ensure the best possible outcome for your outing.
Thinking ahead is an important skill for every vegan to hone. Get familiar with the ins and outs of party planning to understand what your options for eating can include. If you’re planning a party with a mixed guest list, think about the comfort of everyone you invite. Also accept invitations to events and consider the party plan before you go. Asking for what you want is something you must do from time to time, and the way you interact with the people you’re asking a favor of can mean everything.
This chapter explains the different social situations you may find yourself in and how to best navigate them. Considering the lay of the land for large, catered celebrations versus smaller, more intimate gatherings helps you choose the best options whether attending someone’s party or planning your next shindig. Creating new celebrations and traditions also is part of being vegan in this culture. In this chapter, I share ideas and resources to help you create a truly luscious life and enjoy the company of others, regardless of everyone’s diet.
Hosting Parties, Traditional Meals, and Celebrations
Just because you’re a vegan now doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the same historic family gatherings you did in years gone by. You’ll still be hearing the same old stories about your brother squirting milk out of his nose when Uncle Paul told a funny joke, or the time (50 years ago!) that the same Uncle Paul purposefully scratched your mom’s Yellow Rose of Texas record. You’ll just be laughing along with a glass of soy nog or a plate full of Tofurky instead.
As a vegan, hosting parties and traditional meals can be tricky (but by no means impossible). After all, you’ll likely be inviting some nonvegan family members or friends to your fete. The main decision you need to make is whether you’re willing to allow nonvegan food at your party. If not, you need to make sure your vegan dishes will be appealing to everyone’s tastes (or at least as much as possible). This section provides you with tips and advice on choosing occasions to celebrate, setting your menu, and more.
Planning your event
Planning a vegan party really is the same as planning any nonvegan event. In both instances, you have certain tasks to tend to depending on how many and what types of guests are coming, how formal it is, and how elaborate the celebration and scheduling becomes. If your event is casual and you’ll be doing most of the cooking, the plan will