Three months into this adventure, and I am getting fairly conflicted. My mind is telling me what I should be doing, but my body is rejecting me. Well Ok, maybe reject is a harsh way to describe it, in fact from a health and welfare standpoint, I actually feel pretty good. At this point I've lost about 15 lbs, and I have not really increased my physical activity one iota. I would say my mind is rejecting this whole notion more than my body. I think my body is doing just fine. I will say that I have noticed the tendency to not look at labels that close lately. I don't want to see "may contain milk", or the dreaded "casein", which I'm sure I could not taste anyway (so please take it out for god's sake). I also used to have the tendency to finish my kids meals. (perhaps thats one of the reasons I needed to lose a few lbs). I have noticed my propensity to eat the kids pizza crusts has increased of late. I make sure there is no cheese, but I admit, I do get the essence of pepperoni pizza, and it is truly a moment on the lips. Its a very shallow satisfaction. I remember in my old ways, I used to crave McDonalds Big Mac's, and every time I had one, I felt ill afterwards, but for some reason, I got over that, and would crave it again at a later date. I can imagine how lousy I would feel if I had one now.
My kids asked me tonight "How long are you going to be vegan?" And then "When can you eat ribs?". This is my dilemma. My ex wife is a carnivore. Like a T-Rex version. I swear, these kids are personally responsible for a herd of cattle every month. If anyone was ever to get the "gout" in this day and age, it would be my 10 yr old son. As I think I mentioned in a prior blog, I have to wonder if there meat eating volume has increased. I dont recall all the steak and ribs being consumed a year ago. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, or maybe I am dreaming of steak and ribs. Nope, believe it or not, I am right now craving a Big Mac.Ok, my kids are not slipping me animal products on the side, but i will say that it is hard trying to live this lifestyle, with a couple of kids that are being given a totally opposite message. Such is the life when you enjoy shared parenting from your prior betrothed. I need to suck it up, be a man, and start sneaking faux meat in their diet without telling them. Gotta work on those meatballs. They were close, but I think my son sensed a trap last time. I'll get them yet.
Oh yes, Gardetto's. I haven't read the label, but nothing in those wonderfully tasty snacks should require the life of an innocent animal, but I will bet you a dollar to a donut (sorry about that), that the ingredients "may contain milk". Why, I will never know. Ok, I'll work on it. I'll start reading labels. I'll get better. its just been a hard month with travel and all.Ok, my wife just informed me that "May Contain Milk" is only for allergies, as a disclaimer for food processors. I wonder if its still "vegan"?
Your wife is right. You find those disclaimers when products are made on shared equipment. This is especially common with smaller companies (read: most vegan companies) who can't afford to have dedicated equipment to each different product. They outsource to larger manufacturers who may have run some other crackers through before. The manuf usually take great care to clean and sanitize the equipment between runs but there's always the chance that there could be some particles remaining or in the air that happens to come in contact with the one person who is deathly allergic. The FDA doesn't require those statements but because we're an extremely litigious society, they need to disclaim it and protect themselves.
ReplyDeletethanks for reading,... and commenting. i've never been much for reading labels until recently. when i started, i noticed this a lot. thanks for the clarification on this :-)
ReplyDeleteThese are absolutly not vegan. They contain worcestershire sauce (contains anchovies) The sub-ingredients on the package for the worcestershire sauce has "natural flavor" listed as an ingredient, which is the company's clever way of concealing the secret ingredients in their products. Natural flavorings in products can contain animal products. Worcestershire sauce normally under most circumstances contains anchovies. I don't think General Mills goes out of their way to manufacture or purchase their own special vegan style sauce for these snacks.
ReplyDeleteThanks. I was just researching and found your comment.
DeleteIf you read the ingredients for the worcestershire sauce Gardetto's uses -- and they *do* have a separate ingredient list for it -- anchovies aren't listed; there's no fish in it.
DeleteChrist. I have "gout in this day and age", and I've been living (and eating the food cooked by) my vegan girlfriend for the last 8 months or so. Interestingly enough, the gout didn't start until about six months into being dragged kicking and screaming into her "lifestyle".
ReplyDeleteBut it's heeeeaaallllthy", they exclaim. Pfffft. I've learned my lesson.