Vegan/vegetarian Chinese buffet..?

Amandainyaface
Amandainyaface Posts: 33
in Food and Nutrition
Hi guys!

Next week is my stepsisters 18th birthday and the entire family is going out to eat on a Chinese restaurant. I've done some research and there's a buffet and there's running sushi. Only thing is they only have like 3 vegan types of sushi and in the buffet will probably be even harder to find something other than salad.

February is going to be my first attempt on going vegan (please don't make comment on this - I know what I'm doing. It's my body, you're opinion will NOT change my mind. I'll be sure to get enough protein, and if all else fails I will be drinking whey protein, which I know isn't vegan at all)
I'm doing it to try and see what it does to my body, and if i like it i might stay that way.

So I need some advice. Should I try to stick to my veganism that night? I looove fish and Chinese food all in all, but it'll only be the 7th day of my veganism and I think that's way to early to have a 'cheat day'. Also I have very bad experiences with binging at buffets, and I'm thinking that maybe it'll actually prevent me from binging if I only rice, tofu and veggies. My family just isn't very understanding of my lifestyle so I would sure get some nasty comments.


Sorry this got so long and rant-ish. Hope you've all had a great weekend!

Replies

  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
    Chinese food is difficult for vegetarians because there is often a meat- or fish-containing sauce even in dishes that only have vegetables and tofu. Even if you ask, they might lie or guess incorrectly. Just putting that out there. I've been vegetarian for over 20 years, but I've accidentally eaten things that contain meat in restaurants here and there. I can tell afterwards when it upsets my stomach.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,217 Member
    Your going vegan, you don't want any negative comments, but you want to know if eating fish is ok, because you love fish......sounds like all win to me........stay vegan if that's what you believe will transform your body and mind, pretty simple, right?
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
    Why vegan? You don't have to answer me, but it doesn't appear veganism is an ethical decision. You're reluctant to commit to it. So why do it, just to wear a label?

    Being vegan is a lifestyle people choose because they WANT it. Not because they are pushing it onto themselves to try something new. I didn't seek to become a vegan. I realizeded I was one after analyzing my diet. It's not about a label. I have reasons I don't want, like or participate in consuming certain items, and what was left turned out to be a round peg in a round vegan hole.

    I know you got defensive and demanded no one comment on your choice, which is telling in itself considering you can't make it one week without asking for a cheat day, but maybe you should look at what's more important to you.

    A vegan cheat day is half a pack of double stuffed Oreos, not a platter of fish or a large steak with bacon and eggs. You're not a vegan. You're a suppressed pescatarian at best. Stop trying to wear a label you clearly don't even want to live up to.

    Go. Eat meat. There's nothing wrong with it if it's what you want.
  • RowanJ13
    RowanJ13 Posts: 26
    I don't really understand what you're trying to do. You want to go vegan, except when it's not convenient? You're asking if people think you should eat meat when you go out for dinner at the buffet, right? But if you're not committed to veganism, what difference does it make? You stated that 7 days into veganism is too soon for a "cheat day", but vegans don't have cheat days where they eat meat at all.

    I'm not trying to sound like a huge B at all. Maybe I just don't understand. Am I missing something?
  • takumaku
    takumaku Posts: 352 Member
    boiled eggs, buddha delight, egg foo young, and california rolls are dishes I typically see at my chinese buffet restaurant. If the restaurant has a mongolian pit, it's very easy. If all else, and depending on your preference, enjoy the moment and screw the rules for a day.
  • jayjay12345654321
    jayjay12345654321 Posts: 653 Member
    boiled eggs, buddha delight, egg foo young, and california rolls are dishes I typically see at my chinese buffet restaurant. If the restaurant has a mongolian pit, it's very easy. If all else, and depending on your preference, enjoy the moment and screw the rules for a day.

    Vegans don't eat eggs. That's vegetarians. And California rolls have crab/Krab in them. The Mongolian pit is a good idea, though, if you grab all veggies from the prep line.
  • takumaku
    takumaku Posts: 352 Member
    boiled eggs, buddha delight, egg foo young, and california rolls are dishes I typically see at my chinese buffet restaurant. If the restaurant has a mongolian pit, it's very easy. If all else, and depending on your preference, enjoy the moment and screw the rules for a day.

    Vegans don't eat eggs. That's vegetarians. And California rolls have crab/Krab in them. The Mongolian pit is a good idea, though, if you grab all veggies from the prep line.

    I acknowledge vegans don't eat eggs, meat, or products from meat. There are some followers who abstain from honey and root vegetables as well (Jain, which is a type of vegetarianism). However, OP mentioned vegetarian in the title and I was answering as such. No harm, no foul. ^_^
  • RowanJ13
    RowanJ13 Posts: 26
    In relation to the posts above with food options given... I think what I'm not getting here is that unless I'm reading this wrong, the OP wasn't even asking for help with vegan or vegetarian food options she might find at a buffet. She was just asking if she should stick to veganism that night or not. Am I wrong about that, OP? Because if that is the case, it kind of says to me that you don't really want to eat vegan that night, which is a completely fine personal decision, but it confuses me because I don't understand why you're trying to force yourself to eat a vegan diet when you don't really want to. But again, maybe I'm confused.
  • Whambam087
    Whambam087 Posts: 170
    Maybe your not ready to go vegan and it would be easier for you to gradually ease into the transition and start by reducing meat to just several times a week instead of going cold turkey? Or why not just go vegetarian for now? You would have much more food options. Sometimes it's easier to take baby steps...
  • hbm616
    hbm616 Posts: 377 Member
    The sushi restaurant in my town has vegan sushi with just vegetables like spinach and seaweed. Maybe this place will have some as well? Most other dishes may contain fish or oyster sauce so it will be hard to find something truly vegetarian.
  • MaritzK
    MaritzK Posts: 66 Member
    I'm on a pretty easy diet, it's called the don't eat crap diet. Besides I only eat what I feel my body needs.. Somedays I'm a vegan, somedays a vegetarian, somedays just regular meatconsumption. If you do it to see what your body looks like, good challenge but.. unsatisfying maybe and pretty hard? I would say, eat healthy troughout the day and then take whatever you like at dinner. You've got 364 other days this year to try being a vegan ;)
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    Hi guys!

    Next week is my stepsisters 18th birthday and the entire family is going out to eat on a Chinese restaurant. I've done some research and there's a buffet and there's running sushi...........

    I didn't know fish could run. I hope you get some answers because I don't understand what the question is.
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
    Chinese buffets cook almost everything in lard(animal fat). Ask for steamed rice. They will do it, but you have to ask for it. Don't assume the plain white rice out on the buffet is what it looks like.
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    Chinese buffets cook almost everything in lard(animal fat). Ask for steamed rice. They will do it, but you have to ask for it. Don't assume the plain white rice out on the buffet is what it looks like.

    Eww. Exactly why I only eat homemade Chinese food. Never been a fan of take-out.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
    This is a decision only you can make - for some, veganism is a set of morals by which a person lives their life. So, there would be no "cheat days" in this case.

    However, if you're eating a vegan diet for health reasons/because Gwenyth Paltrow did it/out of curiosity, etc., then perhaps there is room in your lifestyle for animal products. However, if you do go this route, it would be helpful to abstain from the "vegan" label - not because you're somehow unworthy of it, but simply because it causes confusion and inconsistencies in the non-vegan population. People who see someone who claims they are vegan eating fish may believe that all vegans eat fish.

    My suggestion would be to call the restaurant ahead of time - let them know that you do not consume animal products (meat, eggs, fish sauce, etc depending on the language barrier) and see if there is something they can do for you. If they have a sushi station, they likely have vegetarian rolls - cucumber avocado roll is delicious! Otherwise, look for dishes like miso soup, Buddha's delight, tofu and broccoli or vegetable lo mein (confim that no fish sauce is used) and delicious fluffy white rice.

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