Convenience Foods

[Mystic]

When you resort to convenience foods, what do you opt for? I have been resorting to these more often lately (lazy and cbf), and I have been going for vegan pies (they are handmade and not overly processed), vacuum sealed soups, veggie burgers and patties and pasta with bottled sauce.

[effulgent]

Clif bars, definitely, and I have been known on more than one occassion to have a Chili Pie for a quick, easy dinner.

Recipe (for those of you who might not have eaten this Southern concession stand delicacy):

Layer the bowl with these ingredients, in this order -
-Organic non-GMO corn chips (Frito's styled corn chips)
-Amy's Medium-heat vegetarian chili or other canned vegetarian chili that has been warmed on the stove
-Organic Heinz ketchup
-Tofutti's Better 'N Sour Cream

Drink a beer with it, it tastes nummier that way. And, as long as we're being naughty, it's always fun when I finish off the meal with Newman-O's.

To quote Stewie, how deliciously white trash.

[bulletproof]

dude you're making me hungry

[Artichoke47]

Seeds of Change rice dishes every once and a while.

Soy Boy ravioli.

Tofu and/or tempeh.

Toffui Better than Cream Cheese every once and a while, if I have something to make it with.

I'm sure there are a few miscellaneous others.

[Kim[ba]]

Oatmeal, PB&J, Spagetti ... probably not the most healthy choices but I eat those a lot

[Roxy]

Seeds of Change rice dishes every once and a while.

I tried one of these for the first time, not that long ago. I was quite impressed!

[snaffler]

A local bakery sales vegan wholemeal pastys which I get once in a bluemoon, the other fast food I live off are bananas.

[Kiva Dancer]

canned vegetarian chili
ramen
amy's burritos
pbjs

[DianeVegan]

This isn't technically "junk food" but when we make a cake, cookies, muffins, etc. we freeze half of them for moments of intense craving.

[DoveInGreyClothing]

I contacted Linda McCartney foods helpline and was informed 4 of their lines were vegan- sausage rolls, mini sausage rolls, deep country pies and country slices. Redwoods deli are quick and easy with salad(esp. ready to eat bags).
If I'm in a hurry I usually make a stir fry with tofu and/or mixed veg (either fresh or frozen bags available in most supermarkets for convenience) and a bit of soy sauce to flavour.

[littleTigercub]

Hendersons, our local vegetarian health food store/restaurant make delicious pates which you can buy in tubs to take away. I love their bean pate and lentil and apricot pate and buy them a lot to have on sandwiches. I make hummous and guacemole myself but buy a lot of convenient bean salads etc and fake meats.

I don`t like pasties at all so they are safe...

littleTigercub

[bittersweet]

Hendersons, our local vegetarian health food store/restaurant make delicious pates which you can buy in tubs to take away. I love their bean pate and lentil and apricot pate and buy them a lot to have on sandwiches. I make hummous and guacemole myself but buy a lot of convenient bean salads etc and fake meats.

I don`t like pasties at all so they are safe...

littleTigercub

I was in Hendersons at the weekend, whilst visiting Edinburgh - was disappointed that they made a lot of their salads with eggy mayo - and looked confused at me when I asked, as if it weren't possible to get vegan stuff...not a lot of choices in mains either, although what my partner had looked great (I couldn't eat it cause of onion issues!)...the fruit pie and soya cream for desert made up for a lot though.... If I get up again, I'll have to pop into the deli bit...

[Tigerlily]

I like making food from scratch, but sometimes that's not possible. So I rely on some convience foods.

Mock Meats: I'm not a big fan but in a pinch soy salami slices make a good, quick school lunch for a sandwhich. And frozen veggie burgers are good from when I come home hungry and there's nothing else that I can make quick. But I'm thinking of making my own, homemade veggie burger patties and freezing. Cheaper!

Juices: I don't have the armpower or patience to squeeze all those oranges or the money to buy a fancy juicer. I buy bottled orange juice. But I shouldn't be drinking orange juice....I have a "food sensitivity" to citrus fruit. I also like cranberry juice.

Oatmeal: I tried making homemade oatmeal and add my own toppings but it's not the same as the instant flavoured stuff.

Prepackaged Soups: I'm lazy. The end. :P

[Evilfluffbunny]

I've been awful lately for relying on convenience foods. I eat a lot of vegan burger type things (schnitzels, cutlets, chicken bites, fishless fishcakes etc) and I usually have them with potato waffles and baked beans. I usually cook more but I've been busy lately, I have to get started again as I don't think it's a good idea to rely on pre-made foods too much.

When I'm in town on Saturdays, I usually get a couple of veggie samosas or a pastie from (I think) Jordan Valley - they make sausage rolls, mexican chili pasties and stuff like that.

[Gorilla]

i sometimes buy Clive's Pies which are a delicious range of handmade pies with loads of different varities, nearly all vegan. i also occasionally eat Redwoods sausages and fish-style fingers, ready-made spring rolls, onion bhajis and samosas, tinned soups and organic pasta sauces.

[Lily]

Does anybody know why the Co-op's vegetable samosas don't say 'suitable for vegans' any more? I went to buy some a couple of weeks ago but thought I'd better not if it doesn't say , even though there didn't seem to be anything dodgy in the ingredients list

[the_marmite_kid]

does anywhere sell vegan friendly raviolli? sainsburys used to a while back but had a moment of inspiration and decided it would be better with whey powder or something in it and i miss it.

[Hemlock]

I miss crisps - they've all got milk proteins in Are there any vegan crisps?

[Mr Flibble]

does anywhere sell vegan friendly raviolli? sainsburys used to a while back but had a moment of inspiration and decided it would be better with whey powder or something in it and i miss it.

Both Biona and Danival (imported by Clearspring) sell it. It isn't very good thou, I'm getting myself a ravioli mould soon because I think i can do better.

[Kumem]

Does anybody know why the Co-op's vegetable samosas don't say 'suitable for vegans' any more? I went to buy some a couple of weeks ago but thought I'd better not if it doesn't say , even though there didn't seem to be anything dodgy in the ingredients list

Depends which ones you looked at - the mini or the normal ones. The normal ones in my place have never been vegan, but the mini ones. Not sure why - maybe different suppliers?

Regarding crisps, I think hula hoops plain and salt and vinegar are vegan. Also Frisps, Walkers Chicken flavour. I don't like crisps, but last time I checked they were fine.

[Roxy]

I have been eating too many vegan convenience foods lately. I haven't had the time to create healthy meals myself and the convenience foods have just been too easy.

[Kiva Dancer]

I also like Amy's burritos. The non-dairy bean one (vegan, the last I checked). Quite good for quick food.

[abrennan]

I miss crisps - they've all got milk proteins in Are there any vegan crisps?

Do you have Pringles

In Australia the plain ones are Vegan

Usually the ones that claim to be handcooked are often Vegan

[treehugga]

In australia we have veggie chips which are yum.

I am ashamed I have eaten hot chips 4 x this week Due to a cold I have become complacent

Make your own chips by thinly slicing potatoes with peeler and deep frying them easy peasy

[Nadine]

I love Redwood deli falafels. I also have a weakness for chocolate and ice-cream (any, so long as lt's vegan ).
I do love crisps too but try not to eat them often and I usually avoid Walkers cos they dragged their heels over reducing the animal products in Cheese n'onion.

[RachelJune]

Just thought I ought to reply to the post re plain Pringles being suitable for vegans. The ingredients are all ok as far as I can see, but I did notice recently that they are a Procter & Gamble product (big on animal testing) so not truly vegan in that sense (I think).

Hope that helps.

Rachel x

[Blueberries]

I wish I could cook from scratch all the time but sometimes life just gets in the way!
My go-to convenience foods are baked beans, ready-made soup, potato waffles, bread (as if you've never had hummus on a slice of heel bread for dinner ), instant mashed potato, jars of beans/lentils, frozen bean burgers and I usually have frozen veg knocking around the fridge. I'm currently living in a student flat with no grill or oven () so I tend to buy jars of roasted veg and keep them in the fridge.

[DiaShel]

I got lost of great veggies and marinated tofu last night but couldn't be bothered so I had toast with hummus, a smoothie, and a whole bag of microwave popcorn. That kind of thing happens all too often...

[Barry]

I got lost of great veggies and marinated tofu last night but couldn't be bothered so I had toast with hummus, a smoothie, and a whole bag of microwave popcorn. That kind of thing happens all too often...

Ha, I do that quite often too! Get home after a long day with bags full of shopping and great intentions to cook a beautiful healthy dinner. 'Well, one oatcake with hummus couldn't possibly ruin my dinner could it?'. Cut to 15 minutes later and I'm sitting on the couch surrounded by oatcake wrappers and an empty tub of hummus.

[missbettie]

^ ahahahhaa! love it! I do that and then still cook and eat dinner. and I wonder why i gain weight. sheesh.

[Festered]

I like Redwoods 'meat' slices, I eat rice cakes, and I occasionally buy parmezano and the like but I work so much, if I want food I wil go to morrisons and buy such things.
Usually at home I think it takes me ten minutes to make tomato soup or something if I want quick food, it takes less time than to warm up a ready meal.

[Gwydion]

Ha, I do that quite often too! Get home after a long day with bags full of shopping and great intentions to cook a beautiful healthy dinner. 'Well, one oatcake with hummus couldn't possibly ruin my dinner could it?'. Cut to 15 minutes later and I'm sitting on the couch surrounded by oatcake wrappers and an empty tub of hummus.

Haha, same here - I do it so often! Also, a case of 'hmmm, what (junk) food did I buy today? I should try that, just a little sample'..... Fast forward to empty packets of crap, meant to be for occasional snacking

I actually get rather angry with myself afterwards, but it just seems so right at the time

[Barry]

I did it today! I'm down with the flu and went out and braved the wind and rain to get veggies for soup to make me feel better. Prepared it all, then as the soup was cooking thought I'd just have the one oatcake, hummus and slice of cheezly. 7 oatcakes, half a block of cheezly and half a tub of hummus later I was just about able for a quarter bowl of the soup I lovingly prepared.

Ok, Gywdion and Missbettie, think we could start a support group of some kind? If so what should we be called? Perhaps 'people who eat entire packets of convenience food instead of real dinners anonymous'? Frankly it'd be great to have a sponsor who I could call when I'm just about to crack open that packet of vegan chorizo at dinner time.

[DiaShel]

^I'd join

[Glen Lambert]

Ignore me. Nothing to see here.

[peanutbutter]

I'm the same with hummous/rice cakes...add in some olives and some sundried tomatoes and I'm in heaven.

We tend to cook in batches; bean chilli, veg and chickpeas in Algerian sauce (instant cous cous is so quick anyway), lentil "cottage" type pie etc... then freeze in small tubs or even hardy sandwich/liquid bags and use as needed.

My go-tos are usually hummous, fruit, beans on toast, an avocado smushed onto rye bread and topped with salady bits and pickled cabbage etc etc. Linda McCartney sausage rolls are my downfall. I no longer buy them because I can't just have one

edit: Whoops...didn't spot post date, either!! Ah well, interesting thread anyway...

[Korn]

Last edited by Glen Lambert; Oct 30th, 2010 at 09:29 PM. Reason: Didn't spot post date!

didn't spot post date, either

Most topics aren't tied up to any specific date/period... so for all these 'timeless' threads, post dates don't matter.

[Robinwomb]

Convenience foods for me: plant milks (I have made my own nut and coconut and oat milks but it takes work), occasionally canned tomatoes or tomato sauce or canned beans instead of dried, occasional vegan yogurts (almond milk, soy, coconut milk), cliff bars or larabars (again have made my own from scratch but binge too much on those so I just get one packaged one) for long day hikes, whole wheat or quinoa spagetti, on Easter I tried a coconut milk So Delicious vegan ice cream, once in a while I might have a vegan bean burrito (Amy's) on a Friday late afternoon when I am just too dang tired to cook, sometimes I buy ezekiel breads instead of making my own. Like others I spend one day a week and make batches of fresh foods and some I freeze to have on hand during the week. I dont rely on convenience foods daily for my intake, but I do use them when time is limited or I am just too lazy to make from scratch.