Thinking about going vegetarian

[Fraggable]

Lately it seems like every time I eat meat I end up getting disgusted with it somehow, whether it's a steak, McD's burger or Arby's roast beef. It makes me feel like I ate a pound of rocks and I have never liked the texture of meat - primarily beef.

So I'm thinking about going more vegetarian. Not like a nutcase vegan who won't eat anything that ever touched a animal, just eating less meat, maybe once every couple of days instead of 2 times a day. But here's my problem; I eat at fast-foot places about 5 times a week and there just doesn't seem to be anything on the menu that is filling at all or convenient to eat in the car. I'm a small guy, about 150LBs and I don't eat a lot, usually a single cheeseburger meal is enough for lunch or dinner. But I eat a salad and am hungry in an hour.

So I pose the question to ATOT veggies: how do you fill up on the run?

 

[jhayx7]

Taco Bell will substitute anything for refried beans.

BackYard Burger has a veggie burger that is very good.

Sometimes I run by McDonalds and will get a large fry with a McFlurry (mmmmm...)

 

[nweaver]

Chicken?

I would say find something other then fast food. It's not usually MUCH faster, and not really MUCH cheaper either...

Or pack a lunch ftw...your wallet will thank you.

 

[leftyman]

come on..Steak?

 

[idiotekniQues]

find a good falafel joint. my favorite vegetarian fast food meal. (im not veg though)

also mexican has plenty of filling veg-only options.

chinese too (though with lots of sodium)

all in all you have to search out for non fast food chains to fill up at. your routine will have to change, the options are just not there at the american fast food joints.

 

[rocadelpunk]

have you tried chicken?

 

[AbAbber2k]

Maybe you'd enjoy meat more if you weren't eating the absolute worst variety you can put in your mouth (McD and Arby's).

 

[purbeast0]

the reason you feel like shlt after you eat is because you are eating fast food 5 times a fvcking week.

if you really wanna eat less meat ... eat chinese food 5 days a week but vegetarian stuff. i hear it's good for you. sounds like it would fit right into your diet.

 

[ViviTheMage]

sounds like you ate way to much crap meat, stop going to fast food places!

chinease food is awesome btw.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: purbeast0
the reason you feel like shlt after you eat is because you are eating fast food 5 times a fvcking week.

if you really wanna eat less meat ... eat chinese food 5 days a week but vegetarian stuff. i hear it's good for you. sounds like it would fit right into your diet.

winnar

 

[Fraggable]

I wasn't thinking when I said 5 times a week. For example, this week I've eaten at BK once and that's it. 3 times a week is probably more accurate, and one of those is usually at Chipotle, which isn't really fast food.

There's a few good tips here. Thanks for the advice so far.

 

[Qwest]

Subway, Quiznos? Cut out the grease/fried crap.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I am extremely anti-vegetarian in general, however I agree with idiotekniQues's suggestion of falafel. Lots of "Mediterranean style" places with decent falafel will also have some pretty good hummus and rice pilaf. There is a place not too far from me called Pita Inn, and I can spend Less than $6 there and eat like a king. It's frickin awesome.

Another suggestion is Indian food. LOTS of Indian dishes are vegetarian, because lots of Indian people are vegetarian. For somebody who mostly just eats fast food, the Indian food may be a bit overwhelming initially, however, it is really really really gooooood stuff.

Chinese places (semi authentic type places at least) can often have some good veggie dishes as well.


Me personally, I generally eat meat at least twice per day ... (though I have cut down on food a good amount due to my inability to see my toes when standing erect. I have better than 20/20 vision.)

 

[Juddog]

As mentioned above, Falafel is friggin incredible. Look and see if there are mediterranian / greek style restarurants that have them in your area.

If you are eating at a McD's, pretty much anything you eat there has meat in it in some way or another... I worked there once upon a time (and learned one essential thing - NEVER under any circumstances eat McRib's - they are truly one of the worst cooked foods I have ever seen).

If you are eating chinese, go for the steamed vegetables and rice. Taco Bell seems to be the most vegetarian friendly of the fast food chains, as you can order everything with refried beans just about, and it's super cheap. A half pound bean burrito is quite filling and costs two dollars or so.

 

[FoBoT]

why would you be ok with eating fast food, but not meat?

i think fast food is worse for your health than meat

 

[Dacalo]

My friend, who grew up as a vegetarian, is a weirdo. He would order a "veggie" burger at In N Out, but he would ask for some beef jerky when I am eatting some. WTF man, make up your mind!

 

[TwoMix]

My vegetarian coworker gets a at McD cheeseburger w/o the meat pattie, and subway has a vegetarian sandwich.
I've been eating more homemade salads for lunch, when you add foods with substance egg whites, hummus, tofu, cheese, carots, tomatoes i seem to get full and I'm pretty active (marathoner/adventure racer).
Wholefoods has great salad bar selections
And those chipotle buritos are like 1200 calories...

 

[Enfer Singe]

You can find vegetarian options at every restaurant and even if you don't see anything good you can just ask them to take whatever meat out. I have been a vegetarian for a little while now and you really just learn a lot as you go along like what restaurants have what and stuff like that. You also learn that it can be nearly impossible to find a place that has a meatless salad on the menu, almost every place puts chicken in their salads now, not that you can't just ask them to take it out.

I am not a big fast food eater but taco bell has 7 layer burritos, cheesy bean and rice burritos, bean burritos, etc. and as someone said a lot of their stuff that has meat can be replaced by beans. Burger king has veggie burgers by morningstar farms (amazing vegetarian brand by the way, you can find their stuff at a grocery store, their buffalo wings are awesome if you cook them in an oven). Subway of course has a good veggie sub that is filling. Anyway, you will learn stuff like that pretty quickly especially if you are eating out often.

Also, I try to keep a lot of fruit around because it is something that can hold me over for a while if I can't have full meal and I always carry a bottle of water around with me.

 

[miri]

If you goto wendys you can get a baked potato with chives and sour cream, yum yum

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

thats not anything like being a vegetarian.

 

[loup garou]

This thread...just...ugh..not worth it.

 

[SagaLore]

Topic Title: Thinking about going vegetarian
Topic Summary: But how do you 'fill up' at fast food places without

Your title and summary don't seem to match up. There is no way you can fulfill nutrition requirements as a vegetarian by eating any form of fast food.

 

[Ktulu]

Good for you. More meat for me traitor.

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Topic Title: Thinking about going vegetarian
Topic Summary: But how do you 'fill up' at fast food places without

Your title and summary don't seem to match up. There is no way you can fulfill nutrition requirements as a vegetarian by eating any form of fast food.

I don't agree, but I guess its how you define fast food. I define fast food as nearly everything out there that isn't a sit down restaurant because its much faster. Not just those with drive-thru's a la McDonalds.

Subway, Quizno's, Tokyo Joe's, Boston Market - all fast food. You can more then get by on a veg diet at a subway or the like.

 

[ArchCenturion]

There is an episode of Southpark where, i believe Stan stops eating meat and he developes sores all over his body. They called it vaginitis, and the only way to cure it before he turned into a complete pvssy, was to eat meat.

Be careful man.