Vegan, Norway

[NorVegan]

Just found this forum and am finding a lot of interesting reading. I regularly eat and enjoy vegan food. I'm not sure whether I will make the transition to a 'proper' vegan diet as despite all the comments on how easy it is, I'm not convinced. Not least how difficult it is being invited to supper when most of my friends seem to find it a challenge to cook veggie food let alone vegan. I also keep hens as pets. A friend gave me some honey from her allotment when I was staying with them in Norwich. So it goes on. Also with two teenagers who REALLY don't like much vegan stuff - it would'nt be easy. I do my best which is a step in the right direction I hope. I see you are from Norway, so I can agree whit you that it is not the easiest place to live as a vegan, unless you are in one of the bigger city’s. But it is possible ;)

Have you found www.vegetar.com (http://www.vegetar.com) ? Nice place, not he best layout on the forum, but it does the job :)

[Jo]

I live near Stavanger so no problem with vegan food, the problem is entirely in my head, it all seems far too complicated to be a strict vegan. All just excuses and connected with my family/lifestyle/age and laziness! I shall continue to lean towards veganism and hopefully it will gradually occur.
Yes, I'm a member of the norsk vegetarforening and visit the forum regularly. But like you feel some difficulty expressing my self properly in a second language.

[NorVegan]

Stavanger? Hi there, Haugesund here! :D

English is your first language? In that case I think I know who you are :) I am on the chat here now, so if you want my MSN, just log on for some minutes :)

[Jo]

MSN??? Don't use that I don't think! Not really very computer literate I'm afraid, too old so my kids tell me! Do you use the Norwegian forum?

[NorVegan]

Msn is a chat program :)

But if you want to say hi I am on http://www.veganforum.com/chat/index.php from time to time (not always 100 % awake ;)).

And yes, I am on vegetar.com now, and almost 24/7 in periods :)

[NorVegan]

Just curious :)

And to all you from Norway, I would like to give you a tip on the www.vegetar.com which also have a forum in Norwegian. Easier to use than to write whit Word, get a lot of red lines, and still have to use the dictionary for every 10 word :o (But the forum is a lot smaller then this)

[NorVegan]

Hehe, yes, I have seen it used as a nick here and there, and when to think of it, someone asked me if I my name was Martin. A little confusing :D

Yes, I know he is Norwegian, and I am impressed that someone from this little freezer of a country has gotten a this big and international forum up and running!

Btw: If anyone is bored, I am online the on the chat for a while :)

[NorVegan]

Looked in the PM box, miss_laura, don’t know if it rings any bells?

And I am from Haugesund, and you? :)

I haven’t been on VB before, got registered now, always ok to look on other forums :)

[Jo]

I've just read in the vegetar form the thread about discussions in other forums. I find it hard to understand fully- hopefully my lack of norsk skills rather than that of intelligence!
If I understand correctly you are saying that it is a matter of intelligence that interferes with other folks ability to take in facts about for instance, reasons to be vegetarian/vegan. I'm sure this is perhaps often the case. I have made many friends here in Norway who are very intelligent (if the criteria is highly educated) who I often talk to about my reasons for avoiding animal products. I don't believe any will ever cut down or stop their consumer habits for either health, animal or environmental reasons because they are just too set in their ways and really don't want to give up eating what they enjoy. I also believe it a matter of compassion, something one has or hasn't. If you read the papers the number of horrific atrocities being perpetuated against our fellow humans beggars belief. What hope that animals or the environment will get a look in?

[Cloudy]

I lived there for a few years. Does that count? ;)

[NorVegan]

Whit this activity, yes, you will do :D

Where in Norway did you stay? And why does anyone voluntarily go TO Norway? ;)

[Cloudy]

Haha, well I went there for a job, I probably would've left earlier but I was seeing a Norwegian girl there for a while

I lived in Oslo, that Groenland area, went back a few years ago for a work reunion thing, asked in a supermarket for vegetarian sausages and got laughed at, things haven't changed I see ;)

[NorVegan]

Aha, I see. Love is a weird thing, I to moved because of the phenomena, but I was lucky considering where I moved from, and where I moved to.

No, you have to know where to go, and normal supermarkets is NOT the place. But it is actually getting a bit better, we can find “cheese”, vegan margarine, ice-cream, bread spread and so on in some supermarkets, so it is improving.

[Korn]

Korn, I guess you know a bit about the Norwegian health system? I've been lucky enough not to need to be in touch with the Norwegian health system much. But you should be able to take B12, MMA and homocysteine tests anywhere.


And I am prepared to have to pay for them myself, but do you have any idea how much I have to be prepared to spend? As far as I remember, it is less than 100 kroner for all three tests.... not expensive, really.

[NorVegan]

I've been lucky enough not to need to be in touch with the Norwegian health system much. But you should be able to take B12, MMA and homocysteine tests anywhere.
You are lucky that has been spared for that mess ;)


As far as I remember, it is less than 100 kroner for all three tests.... not expensive, really.
Not worse? That is defectively manageable, was afraid that the least I could expect was around 500 NOK or more.

Thanks for your answer :)

[NorVegan]

But one more thing, what is a MMA test called in Norway? MMA-test? (I have never heard of it before, and it is always a ok idea to know what you are talking about when going to the doctor)

[Korn]

Det heter MMA- test på norsk og, ja. :) Bokstavene står for MethylMalonic Acid.

Testene tas lokalt, men sendes vanligvis for eksempel til distriktssykehus (jeg vet at sykehus i bl.a. Telemark og Bergen gjør sånt) for analyse, så får du resultatet etter noen dager.

[kriz]

I'm a Norwegian living in US. When I went back last year for the first time as a vegan (long time vegetarian before) I was surprised by how many products I was able to find in a regular supermarket: Cream cheese, coffee and whip cream, vegan margarine, soy yogurt.....AMAZING!!:) I think "Meny" had the best selection if I remember right. And what I couldn't find there I usually got in a health food store ("tartex" lever postej, soya sausages etc.). The only hard, if not impossible, thing was to eat in restaurants or cafes - there's nothing to eat! :(

[Korn]

The only hard, if not imposssible, thing was to eat in restaurants or cafes - there's nothing to eat! They actually often have something to offer which is not on the menu if you tell them that you're a vegan... And you are right, the 'Meny' stores have a good selection of foodstuff vegans are known to eat often, even if their part of a traditional supermarket chain.

[kaisla]

Hello!

I'm not norwegian, but i'm probably travelling to Norway after midsummer. Just for a week or two. I plan to visit Trondheim, Röros, Bergen and Elverum.

Well, i was searching for accommodation in Norway through www.hospitalityclub.org (http://www.hospitalityclub.org), and (even if it's not the only thing i searched for) i was surprised that there seemed to be just a few vegans or even vegetarians as members, and those few of course not living where i'm going to. :) Anyway, as it was so contrasting to Sweden and Finland, i started to wonder where are all the norwegian vegans, or isn't there any.

Is there? I'd be especially pleased to hear about any vegans in Bergen. And it'd be just great if there could be found a person at whose place to stay a night or two.

Also it'd be nice to hear about other things that are of vegan interest in Norway. I won't probably have money to eat out, but if there is some vegan products that are especially worth tasting, or something to beware, or anything...

As well any advice about other places to visit is welcome, even if my time is far too short. What there is for a vegan who's interested in old buildings, nature and also many kinds of alternative living things.

*

kaisla

[NorVegan]

I have been quite a lot in Bergen, and you will be fine there. Go to viva las vegis and just ask for vegan food there (the place is lacto-ovo, but vegan friendly). When you have found viva, you will also be next door to Whichy Bitchy, a weird mix of an tattoo/piercing studio and an alternative store, and if I remember correct the two woman that works there are from Finland.

It was around 60.000 vegetarians (including lacto-ovos) in Norway in 96, and it is estimated to be around 100.000 now. How large % that is vegan I don’t know.

When are you going to be in Bergen? I and my spouse is going to stay there around July/august (date not 100 % planned now, am going to a family gathering the 5 august), and maybe we could meet? But be prepared, it will be a mix of English that haven’t been used for 5-10 years, and sign language ;)

I will also tip you on putting a post here http://vegetarforum.net/forum/YaBB.pl?board=bergenstreff that is the Bergen and Vestland section. Just write in English, most people in Norway is able to read and write English acceptably.

Hope you have a nice stay in Norway, and just let me know when you are in Bergen, and I will see if I am there at the same time :)

[Manozi]

First of all hello to everyone since this is my first post here :)

I noticed that there are a few people from Norway here so I thought that this would be the appropriate place to direct my questions.

I'll be going to Norway (Stavanger) for a year on a study program staring this August. I don't use any animal products and I wanted to know how the situation in Norway looks like in regard to animal-tested products, particularly cosmetics such as shampoos etc.

Are there cosmetics that are not animal-tested readily available in Norway or are they hard to find/not there at all?

I am leaving in three weeks and I would like to know if I should bring my own cosmetics here from the US or expect to find animal friendly products in Scandinavia :)

I'd greatly appreciate any info on this!

Thanks a lot,

Manozi

[Glossgirl]

Hello there :)

You can definitely expect cruelty free cosmetics in Scandinavia :) :D ;)

There are many health stores (helsekost in norwegian) around the country. Those who work there often understand the term vegan and can guide you to the animal friendly products.

If you can read norwegian, there is a thread about it in a norvegian and vegan forum. Feel free to ask the question there in English, if you dont understand norvegian (because most norvegians understand English). Here is the thread about cosmetics:

http://vegetarforum.net/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1110132811

I hope I gave you the answer you needed and welcome to Norway.

[kriz]

Hi, Manzoni!

I agree with Glossgirl that health food stores are your best bet in Norway, but you can also order online from this company www.vegetarbutikken.no

Norway is great, hope you'll enjoy it!:)

[Manozi]

Hey guys,

Thanks a lot for the replies!
Only one other thing I was wondering about, how would you recognize animal friendly products in stores?
My Norwegian is pretty much non-existent so I wanted to ask if there are any terms/writing that would identify such products?
Like here in the States, it says 'Product Not Tested On Animals' etc. on the labels - I guess I'm asking how such a term/terms would translate in Norwegian...or is there even a labeling on such products identifying them as animal fiendly?

Sorry, for the confusing explanation, it's somewhat late and I'm not quite adequate at the moment he he :D

Thanks a lot!

Manozi