Bad food day

[fieryworld]

Have you ever had a particularly "bad food day," and how did you make up for it? I really had one today. The more time that goes by being vegan, the more I realize how many foods I eat accidentally still have animal products in them. I eat in my college's dining hall so the options are quite limited. For lunch I tried to eat this mushroom rice

Comments

[br0ken_dolly]

maybe i'm the minority here, but i remember how shitty it was to eat on campus when i was an undergrad, and if i had a day like you did, i probably would have eaten the salad. (way healthier than chips and stuff.) all we can do is learn from the mistakes (and maybe stock up on the packets of dressing you DO like in case they're out of them next time?) and try and avoid them next time around. i wouldn't beat myself up over it. you're doing the best you can.

it's nice that your dining services manager is so approachable! but i would have been just as disappointed about the walmart thing, too. ugh-- it's like you can't win!

[plantyhamchuk]

I'm starting to be torn on Walmart, they've started to green out a bit because they realized it would save them money. Since they are such a huge company, it makes a pretty big difference when they do things to make their delivery systems more efficient. I also have friends who only able to afford to eat organic if they buy their food there. But pretty much everything else they do is still awful. Hrm.

[br0ken_dolly]

i'm glad they're going greener because if any ginormous evil corporation should go greener, it's walmart. but for all the tons of small companies they've put out of business with their evil, i just can't bring myself to forgive them. :/

[leafxeater]

Not to be a party-pooper, but I believe there are some stories circulating about walmart's organics not really being organic. I could be wrong, but it may be something worth looking in to?

the only alternative for cheap organic (or at least chemical-free) produce I could offer would be farmer's markets, but I don't know if you have one in your area or not. :/

[catnip13]

Can you get boiling water? My step-son can't "cook" in his dorm room, but can have a coffee pot or electric tea kettle, and so he can keep bulk instant soups (I can get him curry lentil and split pea), refried beans (which would improve that chip and salsa meal). I've seen mixes for both black and pinto ... mix the black with some salsa and a bit of extra water for a pretty decent soup, whole wheat couscous (which we sometimes mix with the curry lentil soup mix to make a less soupy dish). My step-daughter's school (they are twins) doesn't allow any kind of hot pot in the room, but she has a microwave that she shares. She's an omnivore, so doesn't have the same problems finding something to eat. But they both keep a case of clif/luna bars on hand for something quick to grab on the way to class.

[assilembob]

this is how I survived in College. I actually forced my school to refund my required meal plan money my second year because I used two meals the whole semester and saved my food receipts from Wal-Mart (I don't care, I am poor, and I shop there cause I have to, Buying at Kroger or Whole Foods or the small stores takes more than I have to spend. On $60 a month I shop at Wal-Mart)
I was able to prove they didn't have ANYTHING edible. The salad bar I took pics of cause it was nasty and brown and the cheese/meat/eggs always got into the veggies. They didn't carry soy milk. All the cooked veggies had butter in them ect.

[catnip13]

I bet Costco matches or beats WalMart's soymilk price.

[badmoviescript]

I know what it's like. I'm a college student also and it was a real learning experience to start to eat vegan at my cafeteria. Thankfully I'm at a really liberal college that has vegan options available, but sometimes when someone other than the head chef is preparing the hot meals, they screw up. Once, a vegan friend asked how they made some excuse for an indian dish so creamy and the chef replied "oh, I just added a little (cow's) cream to it." UGH UGH UGH. I was also vegan for a year and a half before I learned about D3. Gross!

[badmoviescript]

Oh, and I forgot to mention, this semester I'm off the meal plan and it has been GREAT. I spend so much less money on food AND I get to eat what I want and be assured that it's vegan. Hopefully you can do the same soon :)

[monkey_goose]

I guess i would recommend keeping little packets/containers of what you like in your dorm and maybe some in your bag for times like these. I know it must be difficult for you (I've never lived like you currently do as i live off campus) but all the preparation will pay off. It's discouraging sometimes, but unfortunately we don't live in a very accommodating world. Not that I don’t think the “normies” can’t learn to be. Lol.