audaxing vegan

[vorsprung]

I was a vegan in the 80's so I have some vague idea what I am doing.   However, when Mrs V. suggested going vegan for lent I didn't suspect how very difficult it would be to go on audax rides

Basically the average garage doesn't stock anything except Crisps, Lucazade Sport and Fry's Chocolate creme that the vegan can eat.  So when the only thing open is garages (or poorly equipped off licenses or Costa)  there's no chance of any sustenance

I suppose it's an extension of the way that there is only junk food available at these places

Having said this, I was delighted to find the exception to the rule at the Tesco petrol station in Shepton Mallet.  A Felafal / Humus wrap. It was marked down as well.  Presumably garage food users don't eat this kind of thing

[Ben T]

If you were a vegan in the 80s and people are still eating animals today, then it obviously doesn't work.

[Ian H]

My daughter-in-law tells me that Costa recently dropped vegan foods from its range.  Seems a bit retrograde today.

[Paul H]

If I'm just out for the day I tend to take sandwiches.  Though that's because I'm tight rather than a dietary reason.

[hellymedic]

Several Audaxers are vegan. They often suffer at the Reunion too.
 

[fuaran]

Yes, usually easy to carry enough food for the day. Sandwiches, or homemade carrot cake, or flapjack, or malt loaf (Soreen is not vegan, but most supermarket brands are).

For buying in shops:
Crisps
Peanuts
Bananas
Chocolate - Bournville is fairly common, and a few shops have Green & Blacks, or Lindt or Ritter Sport etc
Pitta bread or oatcakes, with hummus or peanut butter to spread on
Cereal bars / flapjack - there are a few vegan brands
Irn Bru
Pot noodles, if the garage has a kettle
Skittles, Starbursts

[mrcharly-YHT]

Not vegan but gluten-intolerant (and I don't really like meat that much so stuff like 'peperami' makes me bork) and I have similar problems with finding food when riding. Can't hit up a random pasty shop etc. It does make distance cycling and travelling a bit more challenging, I just generally assume that I won't find food and carry my own. I eat a lot of crisps and tortillas.

[Ben T]

For audaxing - if you were a vegan during the hours of daylight, but ate whatever you like at night, would that work?

[PeeJay]

I'm vegan.  I tend to carry some jam & peanut butter sarnies just as back up, but often don't need them.  Petrol station shops/coop/spar shops etc often sell fresh bananas, innocent smoothies, crisps, dark chocolate, ready prepared couscous pots , tinned fruit (carry a tin opener), choc chip hobnobs are vegan too.  I've even found veg samosas on occasion too

[LMT]

Easy enough ime, you just need to prepare for the day ahead. For example if I'm riding a X rated event I'll stock up on shot blocks and at a pinch drink a can of coke and some crisps from a garage. If eating in a café then a jacket potato on it's own or with beans (no butter) always goes down well. With some dry bread rolls as well for added carbs. Or if you are in a rush then some beans on toast.

[LMT]

I'm vegan.  I tend to carry some jam & peanut butter sarnies just as back up, but often don't need them.  Petrol station shops/coop/spar shops etc often sell fresh bananas, innocent smoothies, crisps, dark chocolate, ready prepared couscous pots , tinned fruit (carry a tin opener), choc chip hobnobs are vegan too.  I've even found veg samosas on occasion too

Add to this Oreo's, oh yes they are vegan. A popular brand of biscuit that most self respecting garage should stock.

[rogerzilla]

Beef and tomato pot noodles are vegan.  Well, they're not claimed to be, but there is no meat or dairy on the ingredients list.  They just "may" contain milk or eggs because of where they're made, and SO (who is a pretty hardcore vegan of the type who won't even have wool in the house or eat honey) will eat them.

[hellymedic]

But are they food? 

[Wycombewheeler]

For audaxing - if you were a vegan during the hours of daylight, but ate whatever you like at night, would that work?

Only on a full moon, surely.

[Bianchi Boy]

Hi,

While I have some admiration for people who feel strongly enough about a moral issue to go vegan it is vary hard to follow and from a biological view is not natural. There are plenty of sties on this and there are lots about how restricted diet affects mental health. See
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201211/youre-vegetarian-have-you-lost-your-mind
Which is one of many.
I have wondered how various population groups in the world could eat vegan diets. Look at people who live in cold climates, there is just not enough plant matter for it to work.

Basically is you miss out any of the food groups you will have problems. Vegan food is really quite nice, but I also eat almost everything. The only thing I cannot consume is cheap wine. It is horrible. All this diet stuff really is a first world problem that could not be maintained if we lived in a rural idyll and relies on our globalisation and food processing.

Just a comment ....

BB

[Bianchi Boy]

Yes, usually easy to carry enough food for the day. Sandwiches, or homemade carrot cake, or flapjack, or malt loaf (Soreen is not vegan, but most supermarket brands are).

For buying in shops:
Crisps
Peanuts
Bananas
Chocolate - Bournville is fairly common, and a few shops have Green & Blacks, or Lindt or Ritter Sport etc
Pitta bread or oatcakes, with hummus or peanut butter to spread on
Cereal bars / flapjack - there are a few vegan brands
Irn Bru
Pot noodles, if the garage has a kettle
Skittles, Starbursts

For years I thought most chocolate had some form of milk! You live and learn.

[Wobbly]

Wetherspoon's pubs have a surprisingly good vegan menu. Google the route and their whereabouts in advance

[BlackSheep]

Beef and tomato pot noodles are vegan.  Well, they're not claimed to be, but there is no meat or dairy on the ingredients list.  They just "may" contain milk or eggs because of where they're made, and SO (who is a pretty hardcore vegan of the type who won't even have wool in the house or eat honey) will eat them.

Sorry to burst the bubble, but "may" means  "will" or "does". In the context. Voting closes on the nth of whatever month, if you vote after this date your vote won't be counted but you may still be charged".

If they weren't sure, the declaration would be "might" or "could".

[hellymedic]

Yes, usually easy to carry enough food for the day. Sandwiches, or homemade carrot cake, or flapjack, or malt loaf (Soreen is not vegan, but most supermarket brands are).

For buying in shops:
Crisps
Peanuts
Bananas
Chocolate - Bournville is fairly common, and a few shops have Green & Blacks, or Lindt or Ritter Sport etc
Pitta bread or oatcakes, with hummus or peanut butter to spread on
Cereal bars / flapjack - there are a few vegan brands
Irn Bru
Pot noodles, if the garage has a kettle
Skittles, Starbursts

For years I thought most chocolate had some form of milk! You live and learn.

Bourneville certainly contained butter when I was a kid but I haven't checked recently.
AFAIK Lindt Excellence high % dark chocolates are dairy-free.

[hellymedic]

A quick look at Cadbury's website confirms none of their products claims to be dairy-free. I think Oreo's are Cadbury's.
Don't know about brands they have taken over, like Green & Black.
Lindt does have some vegan chocolate.

[fuaran]

Bournville has changed ingredients numerous times, but it has been vegan for a few years now. Yes, they say it may contain milk, because it is made in the same factory as milk chocolate. So not suitable if you have extreme allergies to milk.
Much the same with most of the dark Green & Blacks.

[Wycombewheeler]

"may contain milk" means they have not deliberately added any dairy products, but there is a high possibility of cross contamination.
You may argue this is unacceptable to the true vegan but in reality you will probably ingest more animal protein from swallowed flies on the ride than from any such chocolate eaten.
Allergic reactions are of course a different matter.

[telstarbox]

There is a Vegetarian Cycling and Athletic Club (which includes vegans) - they are a recognised club for Audax points.

https://vegetariancac.org/

[mrcharly-YHT]

Hi,

While I have some admiration for people who feel strongly enough about a moral issue to go vegan it is vary hard to follow and from a biological view is not natural. There are plenty of sties on this and there are lots about how restricted diet affects mental health. See
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201211/youre-vegetarian-have-you-lost-your-mind
Which is one of many.
I have wondered how various population groups in the world could eat vegan diets. Look at people who live in cold climates, there is just not enough plant matter for it to work.

Basically is you miss out any of the food groups you will have problems. Vegan food is really quite nice, but I also eat almost everything. The only thing I cannot consume is cheap wine. It is horrible. All this diet stuff really is a first world problem that could not be maintained if we lived in a rural idyll and relies on our globalisation and food processing.

Just a comment ....

BB

Did you actually read all of that?

Temporally, the adoption of a vegetarian diet, on average, tended to follow the mental health diagnosis, suggesting that the vegetarian diet was not in fact causal.

[wilkyboy]

On my Cambridge Pork Pie event at the weekend, everything at arrivée was intentionally vegetarian, and the (homemade) soup and stew were vegan and gluten-free.  We had a (shop-bought) gluten-free option for the (local bakery) bread rolls, too, which a couple of riders partook of.  We have previously served (homemade) gluten-free + vegan cake options, and will look to do the same on future rides, although ran out of time for this one.  The (homemade) flapjacks were gluten-free (but not vegan).  There was plenty of fruit, too.  We intend to continue serving it thusly on future events.  It doesn't help during the ride, though.

Given the name of the event, which is a ride to Melton Mowbray, home of the humble pork pie, it's a bit of a quirky juxtaposition 


ps. we aren't vegetarian; do eat some meat, mostly chicken; don't drink cheap wine; like cake.