When I got home tonight I decided it was time to start going through the pantry to prep for my coming veganization. With V-day a mere week away I knew that there would be some things that either needed to be consumed or disposed of. When I began to go through my stockpile of veggie meats, boxed pastas and assorted mixes I was really surprised at how many of them contained animal products.
There were several items that came as no surprise. Like the brownie mix, parmesan garlic pasta or my old standby Kraft mac and cheese. Then there were several unexpected finds. Almost all of the veggie meats contained egg whites and casein. Some even had powdered milk. This was an interesting discovery for me.
The revelations in my pantry led me directly to the freezer and my stash therein. Lo and behold, I found that only 2 of the 4 brands of veggie burgers that I currently have in stock are vegan. Sadly my favorite spicy black bean burgers are of the non-vegan variety. Also, the veggie corn dogs and chick’n strips did not pass inspection.
After all of this label reading I learned a valuable lesson. ALWAYS read the label. You may be surprised by what is in your food. I know I was. And while I am sad have to set aside my spicy black bean burgers, I am confident in the fact that I can make a homemade version that will be just as good. I definitely want to do some more research on animal based food additives as well. So if anyone has or knows where I can find a complete listing of them, please let me know.
That is all for now, but watch for more updates as V-day approaches!
Confessions of a Vegan Virgin 