cougarmeat
Paddler
One of my paddling partners is Vegan. I'm vegetarian. Somehow we make it work. I checked the WCP topics and didn't see any specific to vegetarian or vegan preferences. It's can be tough because many commercial trips provide meals - but they are for carnivores (not that there is anything wrong with that). I remember one guided outing where the others had a nice chicken salad for lunch and all we got was a slice of bread with some peanut butter.
Amazing but true, when burgers were served at the end of the event, the meat eaters were selecting the veggie burgers over the hamburgers so we had to get in there quickly. I've seen that happen at "office" events too - four meat pizzas and one vegetarian pizza and every one goes for the vegetarian pizza. I've learned to be quick.
So this tread - I'm hoping there will be posts of ideas for vegetarian or vegan meals, food prep, and storage. I get by with instant mash potatoes and those toppings you boil in a foil bag for 5 minutes. I use the hot water for the mash potatoes and add the topping. Only boiled water in the pot - easy clean up. But that's me and my "it's just fuel" take on camping/adventure meals. I've found others prefer something more ... civilized. I do try to add wine and chocolates afterward - sort of to erase one memory with another.
But I'm open to new ideas. For example, I used to just have energy bars (Cliff, Balance, Lara) and water for lunch. Now I've branched out to bagel with cream cheese - do I know how to live on the edge or what! I've found the tub of cream cheese will "keep" for several days. I'm guessing the individual packaged serving would last a bit longer.
One new idea I've tried is bringing a plastic container with a lid (like the kind that might have held protein power) for a trash can. I was forever hoisting up the food before clean up was complete. Now I can just put those last minute items in the container. I still put it where the food is hung - away from camp. Haven't had a problem yet. Also (note: trash is cleaned, foil bags washed out, etc.) I need to start moving toiletries (toothpaste, etc.) away from camp as part of the "odors/food smells not where we sleep" ideal. Some people brush their teeth as a "before sleep" ritual and I don't want to lower the food bags (again) at night. Putting such things in the sealed container away from the tents/hammocks is easy to do and easy to retrieve.
However, I have never adventured into areas were I was not at the top of the food chain.
For those who are reading this and eat meat - that's fine. I've had my share of McDonald's, A good beef stroganoff with wine is wonderful (for you) etc. I get all that. No argument. And I understand humor - like when vegetarians/vegans were protesting KFC and a local radio station was serving chicken sandwiches on PETA bread.
So this thread is not intended to be a podium for vegetarian vs meat. It's just, "If you are vegetarian/vegan, how do you deal with meals?"
Amazing but true, when burgers were served at the end of the event, the meat eaters were selecting the veggie burgers over the hamburgers so we had to get in there quickly. I've seen that happen at "office" events too - four meat pizzas and one vegetarian pizza and every one goes for the vegetarian pizza. I've learned to be quick.
So this tread - I'm hoping there will be posts of ideas for vegetarian or vegan meals, food prep, and storage. I get by with instant mash potatoes and those toppings you boil in a foil bag for 5 minutes. I use the hot water for the mash potatoes and add the topping. Only boiled water in the pot - easy clean up. But that's me and my "it's just fuel" take on camping/adventure meals. I've found others prefer something more ... civilized. I do try to add wine and chocolates afterward - sort of to erase one memory with another.
But I'm open to new ideas. For example, I used to just have energy bars (Cliff, Balance, Lara) and water for lunch. Now I've branched out to bagel with cream cheese - do I know how to live on the edge or what! I've found the tub of cream cheese will "keep" for several days. I'm guessing the individual packaged serving would last a bit longer.
One new idea I've tried is bringing a plastic container with a lid (like the kind that might have held protein power) for a trash can. I was forever hoisting up the food before clean up was complete. Now I can just put those last minute items in the container. I still put it where the food is hung - away from camp. Haven't had a problem yet. Also (note: trash is cleaned, foil bags washed out, etc.) I need to start moving toiletries (toothpaste, etc.) away from camp as part of the "odors/food smells not where we sleep" ideal. Some people brush their teeth as a "before sleep" ritual and I don't want to lower the food bags (again) at night. Putting such things in the sealed container away from the tents/hammocks is easy to do and easy to retrieve.
However, I have never adventured into areas were I was not at the top of the food chain.
For those who are reading this and eat meat - that's fine. I've had my share of McDonald's, A good beef stroganoff with wine is wonderful (for you) etc. I get all that. No argument. And I understand humor - like when vegetarians/vegans were protesting KFC and a local radio station was serving chicken sandwiches on PETA bread.
So this thread is not intended to be a podium for vegetarian vs meat. It's just, "If you are vegetarian/vegan, how do you deal with meals?"