Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

I'm going to be in Oz (Sydney, Melbourne & Cairns) for three weeks in August and listening to a Sydney radio station just now, the DJ is talking about how difficult it is to find veggie food in Sydney especially.

Has anyone got any experience of eating veggie in Oz (without having to seek out the nearest Buddhist temple which I don’t think the rest of the family will appreciate!).

Thanks!

Therese :)

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

My 13 year old son is a vegetarian and I don't think its as easy to find vegetarian food out as it is in the UK. For example in the UK MacDonalds had a veggie burger on their menu but they don't here. We also find that at Sausage Sizzles at social events (school fair etc) there isn't usually a veggie option. Obviously if you head to Indian, Thai restaurants you will probably find more options for veggies.

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

As long as there's Subway i guess I'll manage. The most annoying thing is going for dinner and trying to find somewhere with an edible veggie option. My family has little patience and are still waiting for me to get over my veggie 'phase' (18 years now!! :p)

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Do you eat Marmite everyday? Just wondering where you get your B12...

I'm not a vegetarian but eat mostly vegetables.

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

I think you might have to do a bit of research once here regarding vegetarian eateries, but the idea of Indian is good. Speaking of Budhists, I've had the odd cheapie meal at a hare Krsna place. Food was ok, but it's basic facilities and menu, not like a real restaurant.

Vegetarians aren't fantastically catered for, so I imagine many cook at home or have a fav little place or two they've discovered and patronise when they want a night out. You can buy vege burgers and sausages at supermarkets as well as organic produce.

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

My wife is veggie and both times we have been (Sydney to Cairns and everywhere inbetween!) have not been a problem.
Best bet is to seek out the tourist enclaves. A lot of the European and US travellers are vegetarians so they tend to be catered for.

Also try the more 'bohemian' parts of town and you shouldn't have a prob!

Have fun:)

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Hi,

I have been a vegetarian for 23 years (so still going through my 'phase' too!) and we are moving out to Oz in approx 7 weeks.

Apparently, Quorn products are not available over there but I have found a South African company called Fry's who make very similar products www.frys-special.com I emailed them to ask if they distribute in Australia and they do but using another company, I am currently waiting for the other company to get back to me so that I know how widespread they are in Oz. Eating at home probably wont be a problem, but eating out may be another matter -it will be just like the 'good old days' in UK when all you could get in a restaurant was nut loaf!!

If I find out any further info, I will let you know.

Vikki

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

I'm a vegan and food lover and its really easy. Well not if you want veggie burgers from maccas etc but all cafes and eateries (especially away from city tourist spots) cater REALLY well for vegetarians. You'll have no probs unless you stick to chain places.
In the more hicksville spots, if you travel through it may be a little harder but if youre just going to the places you mentioned you'll be fine. Specially in Melbourne - spoilt for choice. Enjoy

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

EW! No way! :p

I take a multivit incl all the B vitamins every day, seems to do the trick.

Thanks for all the advice everyone! Actually I’m staying with my bro when I’m there and his friend, who is a vegan chef, was supposed to be there too so I was looking forward to some great food. I don’t think he can make it now though!

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Thats good news then :thumbsup:

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Shame that
Ps....I 'm a vegan chef too

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Or veggie lasagne :rofl: Veggie since the age of 2 :D

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Bliemy, you were lucky! I'm Irish and for *years*, all I could get when i ate out was a 'selection of seasonable vegetables'!! Which often (even in posh places) consisted of a spud, some carrots and brussels and if the chef was feeling generous, plain white sauce. I pften ate before we went out and just had soup and dessert coz it was too depressing to even contemplate the veggie 'option'!:blink:

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

I found it a bit of problem as the veggie substitutes aren't as good unless you can go to specialist health food shops. If you're shopping in Coles etc you'll probably find bland veggie sausages etc but they aren't as good as the ones we have over here. Reminds me of how it was here 23 years ago when I first became veggie!
You've gotta be on your guard when getting salads as sometimes they pop a dressing over the top with bacon in it! The little tinkers!
Vicki - please please can you let us all know about the quorn-type products and who distributes them in Oz - I'm dreading living without my low-fat, versatile, high protein veggie quorn stuff!!
I found the bacon/fakin to be quite poor in Oz, so gotta make the most of my Saturday morning veggie fry-ups...:D

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Hi again!

I googled veggie food for Australia and there seems to be loads of veggie substitutes available, we’ll probably just have to dig about to find them. In one way I think it could be good coz I definitely rely on quorn too much for handy meals etc. It might be good to learn to cook more with pulses and veggies etc. On the other hand there’s nothing easier than bunging a quorn fillet in the oven when you get home from work. And of course quorn roast at Christmas!!

I'm hoping that by the time I actually move there (2008/9) quorn will have continued it’s global domination and be readily available!!

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

That was 37 years ago, lost count of the times the primary school had my mum in for 'talks' and insisted I visit a doctor, who prescribed lots of nuts :rofl:

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

im a veggie and always use this site whenever i travel. its brilliant!!!! has places all over the world on it. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:


http://www.happycow.net/

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

No problem, will let you know when they get in touch.

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Veggie food in Oz does seem a bit like it was in the UK was 20 years ago. Although there are veggie products I don't think there is anything quite as good as Quorn or perhaps I haven't found it yet. My kids like the Sanitarium range of meat free products (which includes mince which is useful as an ingredient for chilli, spag bol etc), but I agree that the veggie sausages are a bit bland compared to some you can get in the UK.

As for restaurants, they vary so much. Most will have one or two veggie options and the better ones are flexible and will offer to cook something not on the menu (provided they have the ingredients); others have surprised me by offering a whole alternative veggie menu! The worst ones have offered cheese salad or a plate of vegetables. And as a previous poster said, there's always Indian and Thai food, but on the subject of Indian food, can anyone recommend a decent Indian restaurant.......

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

My eldest son has recently turned veggie and the sanitarium range has been a godsend for something quick and easy to cook!
They do a roast, bacon strips, soy fillets, mince, sausages and something disgusting looking which is for sandwiches!!!!, as I said a lifesaver when you dont have much time!

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Emma was vegitarian for 15 years - until we went to Melbourne for a reccy in January.

There were plenty of veggies choices in Melbourne, but she had been toying with the idea of trying meat again for the last year or so - mainly so that she would have more options of nice meals as to be honest she was getting fed up with the usual limited menu choices when eating out in the UK. Mushroom strogonov or Vegetable lasagne anyone?

Anyway, long story short, she tried a tiny bit of my fillet steak after several glasses of wine in a really nice resteraunt in Melbourne. She wasnt instantly sick as she thought she would be and stated that she quite liked it and now she'd taken the initiall step she would try and eat more meat.

Well - blow me, the next day it was a huge lumnp of fillet steak for tea on the BBQ. Since then she can't get enough of the bloody stuff. It's great for me, I have never eaten so much meat as I do now as we usd to just cook veggie stuff at home mainly. We eat meat about 4 times a weak now. Lovely Jubbly. I should add though that Emma will only eat 'happy' meat.

It has been great for us as I always felt that it was unfair on her when we ate out, as I could chose from anything on a menu and Em would have 2 - 3 choices at best. There are a lot of nice places to eat near us in the UK that don't have a single veggie dish on the menu!

Anyway, sorry for the babble, but yes - there are plenty of vegie dishes to be had around Melbourne. Especially on Lygon St with the Italian resteraunts ( so long as you like some sort of pasta dish ).

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Yeh, I've always been a meat and seafood fan but also enjoy some vego meals. I have a acquaintance who's vegetarian but hasn't mastered the art of vegetarian cooking, so lots of salads, vege soups, eggs and baked beans. I don't know how she does it. When you limit the food groups you eat from I really do think you need to be able to rack up some tasty, nutrituous and varied dishes or else it would all become so boring.

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

What about all those fantastic salads. I'm not vegetarian but quite often choose vegetarian options.

Sydney provides a good choice and there are even vegetarian restaurants you just need to know where to go.

If you run a search on the net you'll find a whole list of restaurants.

We always eat out in Sydney because it's so much cheaper than eating out in the UK.

I wanted to give you a few links that I use but no such luck.

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Thanks so much for all the replies everyone! I'm not worried now about being able to find food in Oz! Luckily half of the holiday will be spent travelling around with my other half who is now well versed in veggie food and doesn't mind going to veggie cafes etc unlike the rest of my lovely family who STILL see me as 'fussy' and of course have no problem making me justify being veggie once again!! ;)

LOL at being prescribed nuts by the doctor!! My doc told me at 16 that I should have even one cube of meat every week for trace minerals etc. My mum explained that somehow the cow wouldn't miss it...bear it mind i was 16, not 6!!:p:D

T:)

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Links are allowed incase you're wondering. I post them all the time, as do others :) They are often of vital importance to someone who has started a thread. Think admin do realise this :)

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

I've tried posting links and couldn't seem to do it either. I think you can only add links after a certain amount of postings. Under posting rules it says HTML code is off so not sure what that means.

As far as the veg thing goes. I've never had a problem in Sydney My best friend is vegetarian and we eat out quite a bit.

Maybe different depending where you go.

Jasmine

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

I'm sorry birdynumnum, but isn't that a terrible, terrible contradiction in terms? ;)

Graham

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

Ha ha........
Not at all.
I & eat delicious yum food all the time :)

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

I only eat vegetarians in times of desparation :D

Re: Vegetarians in Oz?!
 

There is a wide range of "quorn" esq products in our local coles called Vegie delights. It isn't the same in taste but they do veggie mince, veggie rashers, burgers, sausages, roast blocks. Pretty mich every thing that Quorn do.

I also love the sundried tomato and basik sausages you can get. You have to look in the specialist food section in the supermarket lol. They also do great spinach and ricoota pies etc. I haven't had any trouble at all!

I'm still able to cook all the same recipies and the veg that you get out here is cheaper, bigger and there is much more variety than at home. I do have the central market (I'min Adelaide) which spoils me a little ;)