Clippy

I don't really eat so much fish here, I'm not so keen - but in Oz the taste was so different and they really know how to cook their fish! I couldn't get enough of it

To be honest, I was only there two weeks so maybe if you look a bit harder you'll find stuff

possoms

Hi most barbies are bring a plate, so the host doesnt have to fork out for all the guests. so you can just take your own food with you. but if you've read the link iwannabethere's post there are plenty of alternatives.

Glenat

Thanks Debra, but have you seen my cooking? Hubby does the cooking and I do the eating. I doubt if he'll cook Tofu, and I've never tried it either. Suppose I'll have to learn to cook then

ridds

You can most certainly buy tofu and soy products. In fact, you can generally get a better range of tofu products in Oz than you can in the UK.

You can't yet get Quorn in Oz as far as I know, but I am sure it won't be long before it hits the shelves or an internet site somewhere.

For a good site about being vege / vegan etc in oz, try the Veggie Association. As well as an extensive product list, they also have forums and discussion board where you can ask questions and get answers a bit like here.

PS - Waygo is a breed of cattle... yummy!! (Sorry, no offence to veges and vegans intended! )

ridds

Tell me about it

rugbymatt

Its probably the least sensitive place to talk about it!

HiddenPaw

Totally agree. Not just supermarkets but cafes and restaurants too. You'd be hard-pushed to find tofu in a sandwich bar or restaurant in UK but no probs finding it in Oz (well, can only really comment for Melbourne!).

Falafel is aplenty too in shops and cafes (again, in Melbourne - can't speak for rest of Oz) - obviously due to high Middle-East/Turkish population).

eatstatic

True you can find vegetarian foods in Australia, but just watch out for the hidden animal slaughter by products. A lot of places fry chips in tallow (lard) which is also in a lot of biscuits and doughnuts and gelatine is in most yogurts/ice creams.

The sanitarium soya burgers/sausages/luncheon meat are ok, no quorn though as it doesnt get past strict Aussie quarantine rules, due to it being a fungus.

thebears

Plenty of my mates are Vegans and they get on okay over here

Some cant stand the sight of flesh on a BBQ, but you will find their are plenty of other items that are put on without the need for "Meat".

Do you eat fish?

JaneandJim

If you eat chicken you will be fine. As Eatstatic said, you'll get on even better if you don't mind animal by-products as they are in nearly everything here.

It is very very hard to be truly vegetarian here as the Brisbane (can't speak for other places ) definition of vegetarian is "no lumps of meat". We find it very difficult to eat out here, and I can't cook a lot of the meals I used to because I can't find the vegetarian ingredients. And you have to check ingredients everytime you shop because they change them without warning. There is no vegetarian labelling of foods here, and like I say, even if there was, it would just mean no lumps of meat in it, not "no dead animal".

Jane

MartinLuther

That may have been local to where you were. All the chippies I've been to around here use canola oil.

Ransi

Just have chicken then....

canaveral

I don't think there are many vegetarians in Oz because almost food does not have the SUITABLE FOR VEGETARIANS symbol.
I am a vegetarian and it's a nightmare going shopping. 99% of the cheese here contains animal rennet and the crisp contain real meat. I have only food one yogurt that does not contain gelatine.
I have been told too that they add chicken salt to the chips that you buy from take aways.
Having said that most fruit and veg taste so much nicer here and they do tofu and vegetarian burgers and sausages in coles and Woollies so it's not all bad.

Ransi

chicken salt contains no chicken

Deer Hunter

LOL! Contains 'natural chicken extract'