I still have a very clear and distinct memory or something that happened over 10 years ago. I had inadvertently discovered that the hamburger buns (for my Boca Burgers) I had been buying for years contained some non vegan ingredients. Now I can't remember if it was milk, or eggs, or butter or whey. My memory is of me spending over ten minutes in the bakery aisle reading the ingredients (which was a little difficult without my reading glasses). I can't remember if it was that difficult or if I was looking for a selection to choose from.
Just realized that perhaps the little allergen warning that they put at the end of the ingredients in bold lettering would have save me a lot of that time. Maybe back then they didn't include those. Also can we assume that products that don't list milk and eggs as allergens are vegan?
when does due dilligence become obsessive compulsive. I'm thinking that perhaps if it took ten minutes to pick out the best possible vegan and healthy bun it would be worth it, but that would require the purchaser being able to remember the brand for future purchanses. I'm not sure I'm capable of doing that anymore. But spending ten minutes to read ingredients for any single purchase no longer seems like a smart or mentally healthy thing to do.
Fortunately I don't eat burgers very often anymore. although I keep some patties and buns in the freezer for when I run out of leftovers and don't have anything in the frig or don't have the energy to cook something. (fortunately that doesn't happen very often anymore).
I don't want to spend a lot of time reading ingredients. I also don't want to inadvertently buy non vegan things. from now on I'm going to rely more on the allergen info.
For some things, but too many random ingredients invade seemingly innocent foods. Honey, enzymes, gelatine,
I feel like there are some components of dairy that don't have to be listed as allergens, but I'm not sure? They do need to list casien as "a milk derivative"
I was doing that for bread, as I don't obsess with undeclared enzymes, but found too much honey
Allowing myself to not be vegan has been the greatest factor in keeping me as vegan as I am. I almost had a breakdown at a CVS when trying to buy an affordable algae dha. They had a buy one get one free on their brand, and I had a cvs coupon. First thing I saw was fish oil in veg capsules- bottle made a point of veg caps
. I then found the algae dha-- big bottles! Such a buy! They were in gelatine capsules. I swear I spent an hour in and out and pacing that store. I had little money, and had proven how much those caps helped me. I did finally get them, and I got over it.
It was actually very thearaputic for me.
There are so many habits we can change to truly instigate change, and letting some honey, gelatine, or enzymes slip by is not the be all to end all
Know what does really rub me the wrong way? When vegans talk about buying non vegan foods and disposing of the non vegan parts--or buying vegan things for themselves and regular products for their families who would be fine with the things that happen to be vegan, but they cost more. This would usually be like cruelty personal products. If you're vegan for the animals wouldn't you rather not contribute your money than just be personally pure?
