After Greggs’ vegan sausage roll, what else would you veganise?

rach_k

MSE_Anthony_S wrote: »

Whether you’re vegan or not, what if anything would you like to see veganised? Or what’s the best vegan version you’ve seen or tasted? Let us know below.

I'm very lucky to live near Coughlans bakeries, which have slowly been making their standard products vegan as well as adding new vegan things too. I wish more places would do the same and cut out animal products from items that don't need them. Unless it's a feature of the product, I'd like random animal bits gone from everything.

MSE_Rhiannon

a_silver_lining wrote: »

I would love that Rhiannon. I've been toying with going vegan, vegetarian I can do as I have before, but I'm heavy on dairy and would love ways to chose better options.

If you live near a Tesco or Asda, their 'own-brand' (it's Scheese in another style of packaging!) hard and soft dairy-free cheeses are really similar to the dairy versions. My favourites are the smoked cheese block - it melts really well for cheese on toast, grates nicely for pizza, and slices well for cheese on crackers :T Also, the garlic and herbs soft cheese is so similar to something like Boursin I couldn't eat it for the longest time because it's 'too real' :rotfl:

If you're looking for cheap dairy-free milk, Aldi do 59p soy milk and 99p almond milk, I enjoy soy in tea and almond milk on cereal. The cheapest almond milk I've seen is 39p a litre from Poundstretcher, believe it or not! :eek: They also have a dairy-free and vegan version of Ferrero Rocher (peanuts not hazelnuts though) and a raspberry or mint dark chocolate bar which tastes like a Bounty in a pack of five for about £1! I get all my vegan/gluten free rice cakes from Home Bargains, plain go nicely with the above cheese and they're only 39p a pack.

That's most of my cheapy vegan hacks How many blogs can I write on it? :rotfl:

MandM90

DH travels for work and find eating out super easy now. He can find a sandwich/ready meals/soups in any big supermarket and there tends to be options in most restaurants.

What I wish they could veganise is a fried egg with a gooey middle. And chorizo. I tried a fake chorizo a couple of years ago and wasn't impressed, but perhaps it's moved on.

Former_MSE_Andrea

MSE_Rhiannon wrote: »

If you live near a Tesco or Asda, their 'own-brand' (it's Scheese in another style of packaging!) hard and soft dairy-free cheeses are really similar to the dairy versions. My favourites are the smoked cheese block - it melts really well for cheese on toast, grates nicely for pizza, and slices well for cheese on crackers :T Also, the garlic and herbs soft cheese is so similar to something like Boursin I couldn't eat it for the longest time because it's 'too real' :rotfl:

If you're looking for cheap dairy-free milk, Aldi do 59p soy milk and 99p almond milk, I enjoy soy in tea and almond milk on cereal. The cheapest almond milk I've seen is 39p a litre from Poundstretcher, believe it or not! :eek: They also have a dairy-free and vegan version of Ferrero Rocher (peanuts not hazelnuts though) and a raspberry or mint dark chocolate bar which tastes like a Bounty in a pack of five for about £1! I get all my vegan/gluten free rice cakes from Home Bargains, plain go nicely with the above cheese and they're only 39p a pack.

That's most of my cheapy vegan hacks How many blogs can I write on it? :rotfl:

I didn't know about the 39p almond milk in Poundstretcher. Thank you!!

Maat

Vegan cheeses can be interesting so it's worth investigating a few different ones to find those you like.


Milk in tea and coffee used to be an issue. Some recommend coconut or oat milk or even nut or oat cream. Oatly's products are fabulous. As well as their cream and a lovely creme fraiche, they do a Barrista version of their oat milk which is supposed to be great in tea and coffee. The other alternative is your plant milk of choice which you heat in the microwave (don't let it boil) before putting it in your drink. That stops it curdling. Like with the cheeses, it's worth trying different ones until you find those you like. Schlagfix do a lovely range of creams and even sets of mini milk cartons you can carry around with you. Soyatoo do really nice squirty cream as well (great on Gaelic coffees). These last two firms can sometimes be found at independent health food stores, although I generally buy them online. I believe a couple of the supermarkets have started doing squirty vegan creams now, though.



Alpro and Swedish Glace do vegan ice creams, while some supermarket ice desserts as well as a few of the Ben & Jerry's range are vegan too. Food Heaven do a gorgeous range of ice creams as well as (I think it's the same brand) a vegan cheesecake (which I once had a whole one of for my dinner!)


It's worth taking a look not just at the Alpro and other vegan yogurts but in supermarkets' 'free from chilled' section (sometimes quite a small section). Tesco do beautiful creme caramels, for instance.


It's also worth perusing the supermarkets' websites as they all have a filter for 'vegan' products. Saves looking at every label.



For anyone wanting to try Veganuary Viva do a great 30 day pledge. I was vegan long before they started this but other people I've recommended it to have found it really helpful: https://30dayvegan.viva.org.uk/


The other bit of advice I have is to get on social media. Join vegan groups. You do get the occasional judgemental twerp who might have a go if you want to go vegan at your own pace (there are jerks in every field of life). But most are like me, who've been in your position and needed help making the transition and so are very willing to help others. I'd be happy to answer any questions on this forum, too, if I can.


As for the original question, I'd make everything vegan too. Fantastic food with a clear conscience. If I have to choose only one, though, I'll go for vegan maltesers. We have every other kind of treat you can think of but not that yet.

MSE_Rhiannon

Maat wrote: »

If I have to choose only one, though, I'll go for vegan maltesers. We have every other kind of treat you can think of but not that yet.

I'VE HAD VEGAN MALTESERS! :j When I was in Iceland (sorry not the shop, the country!) they have a local version of Maltesers you can get in dark chocolate which were amazing I have also had them at a vegan event, I think TheVeganKind might have them? They're called Landgarten Organic Dark Choco Balls - have a look

VfM4meplse

Maat wrote: »

Milk in tea and coffee used to be an issue. Some recommend coconut or oat milk or even nut or oat cream. Oatly's products are fabulous. As well as their cream and a lovely creme fraiche, they do a Barrista version of their oat milk which is supposed to be great in tea and coffee. The other alternative is your plant milk of choice which you heat in the microwave (don't let it boil) before putting it in your drink. That stops it curdling.

Thank you, I'll give it a go! Amazing post btw.

I was vegan for a year - we're going back 10 years or so - but I went back to being a veggie for several reasons. One was the tea / coffee issue as I couldn't find a substitute I actually liked - meaning that I ended up drinking G&T socially rather than a latte. The second and bigger reason was that I just couldn't physically eat enough to get the required amount of calcium and iron in my diet. I felt healthy but was miserable having to think about how to eat the right balance of nutrients all the time.

Mr_Singleton

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I'd love to see a vegan milk that actually behaves and tastes like milk in tea and coffee.

Yes, nut water isn’t very satisfactory in coffee.

K9sandFelines

a_silver_lining wrote: »

I would love that Rhiannon. I've been toying with going vegan, vegetarian I can do as I have before, but I'm heavy on dairy and would love ways to chose better options.

Theres some time artisan cheeses such as Tyne and I think the other is called Nutcrafter. I haven't been fortunate enough to try them yet.

I can't think of what I wish was vegan,probably most things are available its just having access to it or a case of it being launched in this country!?

Mr_Singleton

Well, after Greggs bowed to Peta’s demands for a Vegan “sausage” roll I’d like to see them turn there attention to Kentucky Fried Chicken.
As such I’d like a Vegan ‘12 piece Bargain Bucket’ and maybe a Vegan ‘Boneless banquet’

Imagine being able to support KFC after all these years with a purchase of a Vegan meal :beer: