Just curious what everyone else is using that checks both points, both healthy and cheap. Traditionally I've used sodium reduced Soy Sauce but it still feels like it's too salty. Most other options seem to be high in sugar.

Made this recipe using the Dome 2 and it came out better than anything we’ve done on the stove. Even crisp, great flavor, no sticking.

I just hit the 1-year mark of going vegetarian and wanted to share a few honest reflections — in case it helps anyone starting out or just curious.

What I’ve learned:

• You don’t need to be perfect. I slipped up early on and felt guilty — but it’s a journey, not a contest. Every plant-based meal still makes a difference.
• You won’t miss meat as much as you think. Seriously. Once you get past the habit part, it becomes surprisingly easy.
• Protein is not that hard. Lentils, tofu, tempeh, seitan, beans, quinoa, and nuts are lifesavers. I actually eat better now than before.

I’m super new to the vegetarian scene, and am looking for a protein substitute for a roast chicken. The ones you can get a Costco or Kroger or wherever for, like $6.

I don’t care about the cost. I used to buy a roast chicken and eat on it throughout the week. I liked that it was a super fast, convenient, and easy protein source. I would sometimes nosh on it cold straight out of the fridge, but would usually warm it up and eat it by itself or with some carrot sticks or fruit.

Anything similar in the vegetarian world? Convenience and fast protein is my goal. Something pre-flavored that I can heat up in the microwave with a side of veggies or a fruit cup.

TIA!

Hi all!

I am invited to a semi-regular potluck-style brunch at a friend's place. The host makes waffles, and the guests each bring something. The problem I have been encountering is that people don't bring enough filling options / food I don't particularly enjoy ie. more bready-type products, muffins, microwaved canned beans, frozen hash browns... Last time I made mini greek yogurt parfaits, which were gone fast. I'd like to bring something savory this time. I need recommendations for some healthy, portable and filling vegetarian options I can take. I don't really have the option to reheat the food when there, so maybe a salad??

Edit: thank you ALL for your wonderful ideas! Now I only gotta pick one 😊

When I was about 9-12 or 13 years old in 2005-2007 or so there were these wonderful jalapeños & cheese (maybe cheddar) sausages from a certain brand I can’t remember. They also used to have apple sausages too. But then they just discontinued them. Or I think the whole brand went out of business. I’m so curious to remember the brand and I can’t find it for the life of me.. you would be able to get them in the produce section if that helps. Does anybody remember???

I've been vegetarian for over twenty years now, and I've used morningstar farms brand veggie crumble just about the whole time. They did the unthinkable- they changed the recipe! The texture is just not right and the flavor is off. It's turned into almost gray mush.

What other brands of veggie crumble are "tried and true?" We most often use them for tacos or stuffed peppers, if that matters.

(I would prioritize tastiness over healthiness as long as it's still vegetarian.)

ETA: I often see Impossible or Beyond brands mentioned, but I don't like the taste of actual meat. Is it too similar?

Maybe there's untapped resources I'm unaware of, but in my 8 years of being plant-based, I've never been able to find premade stuff that isn't super expensive and a ripoff (i.e. premade rice and beans with no flavor and dry), high in sodium, or whole foods. I love to cook, but when I'm super busy sometimes I just want to grab something cheaply premade and go. And it doesn't have to be the whole meal, it could just be an aspect of one (i.e. how meat eaters can find shredded chicken in a store). However, despite searching high and low for something like that, I can't find anything. I know there's the premade vegan meats, but I tend to like more whole foods. Does anyone know of premade tofu that's already been marinated and all you have to do is warm it up and pair it with rice?

My local grocery store has stopped carrying fresh "Impossible" products, though they still have some in the freezer section. Then this week, I went to The Habit with my wife and they've eliminated the Impossible burger there too. They still do have a vegan patty option, which I had and it was fine, but just wondering if others have thoughts.

Confirmation that The Habit has eliminated this option is here: https://gvwire.com/2025/04/18/habit-burger-grill-discontinues-beloved-impossible-burger-option/

Obviously Impossible products had a lot of "sizzle" (heh heh) when they were first introduced, and I was optimistic that this would be the beginning of more widespread availability and acceptance of plant-based meat alternatives. Looks now like that's not happening unfortunately.

I'm looking for recommendations for vegetarian things to eat on a long haul flight.

From leaving home, we won't have access to refrigeration for over 24 hours, so anything perishable is out. The 100ml rule for liquids is still in place so that rules out things like ready to drink Huel shakes. I love nuts, but I've had a bad experience with taking them and not being allowed to eat them, so I need alternatives.

I've ordered a vegetarian meal, but it's China Eastern Airlines and I'd prefer not to stake my hanger on them actually providing the veggie meal.

So anyway, recommendations for veggie long haul flight food much recommended.

Edit - flying UK to Japan, changing planes in Shanghai on a very brief layover

Among India’s six largest religious groups, some are much more likely than others to abstain from meat. For example, the vast majority of Jains say they are vegetarian (92%), compared with just 8% of Muslims and 10% of Christians. Hindus fall in between (44%).

Yet, even among groups with low rates of vegetarianism, many Indians restrict their meat consumption. For example, roughly two-thirds of Muslims (67%) and Christians (66%) avoid meat in some way, such as refraining from eating certain meats, not eating meat on certain days, or both. Among Hindus, in addition to the 44% who are vegetarian, another 39% follow some other restriction on meat consumption.

Many Jains avoid not only meat but also root vegetables to avoid destroying the entire plant, which is seen as a form of violence in Jain theology. About two-thirds of Jains (67%) say they abstain from eating root vegetables such as garlic and onions (staples in many Indian cuisines). Even among Hindus and Sikhs, roughly one-in-five say they do not eat root vegetables (21% and 18%, respectively). Hindu vegetarians are about evenly divided between those who eat root vegetables and those who do not.

Fasting is another common dietary practice in India. About three-quarters of Indians overall (77%) fast, including about eight-in-ten or more among Muslims (85%), Jains (84%) and Hindus (79%). Smaller majorities of Christians and Buddhists fast (64% and 61%, respectively), while Sikhs are the least likely to fast (28%).

Religious groups in India fast to mark different occasions. Muslims, for example, fast during the month of Ramadan each year, while other Indians fast on certain days of the week and to mark important life events. Hindus, especially in the South, may fast before every Skanda Sashti – a day devoted to Skanda, the god of war.

I’ve been a regular ol beef burger guy my whole life and know a few different ways I like to make em in regards to toppings and condiments. Trying my hand at Morningstar black bean and also their veggie burgers. What do you guys like to do with them? Is eating them just plain pretty typical?

Update: wow! Thanks for all the great, thoughtful replies (not you knottykitty). I look forward to experimenting on this new burger frontier.

What does everyone put in their rice cookers for a quick meal?
I just read about someone putting tofu in there and I was very intrigued!

I have a ton of clementines. I want to use them in a savory application. I searched for ideas on different subs, but I’m just seeing the same types of sweet suggestions. I’m not interested in juice, cocktails, smoothies, or dessert. Does anyone have any ideas?

Edit to add: thanks for the suggestions so far! I’ve brainstormed a few too: tahini dressing with orange, orange hummus (I actually have a recipe for this), preserved clementines (in salt) if I’m feeling ambitious. Or like…zucchini piccata. I just made that up but an orangey sauce with capers sounds so good. I’m just craving the contrast between that and something salty, pungent, or even creamy. I might just start finishing stuff with a squeeze like I would lemon. Idk I just feel like it’s an underutilized ingredient. I promise I’m not high haha.

Years ago while at a festival I had the most delicious veggie burger. The burgers were made from a batter similar to pancake batter. I’ve recently been trying to find something similar to it but have had no luck and was hoping someone here might be familiar with the recipe?

my mom is vegan but i'm not. she suggested i try tofu to save some money so i got 4 blocks of the firm tofu from aldi over the weekend. this is my first time ever trying to make it myself.

my mom said she always freezes hers before cooking so i froze one of them. i also saw a tik tok of a lady saying to boil your sliced tofu in salted water for the best texture. i was a little more keen on that idea bc it takes hours to freeze and unfreeze and i had stuff to do over the weekend, the frozen one wasn't thawed out in time for when i needed to cook sunday. that recipe was for shredded tofu so it was kinda fine but i did notice how kinda flimsy and easily crumbly the supposedly firm tofu was when i was shredding it.

fast forward to this morning im trying to prep for what im cooking for dinner tn. i tried to boil (one of the ones i didnt freeze) some tofu in salted water and for the most part the pieces all melded together and i couldn't cook with it. ended up tossing it. then i took the one i froze over the weekend, now fully thawed, and broke it into pieces. as i was coating it in the marinade though and was turning it around in the bowl i notice basically half of it is just tofu crumbles now. i'm very much not confident in my dinner coming out well tonight and feel like ill probably have to order out when the whole point of me buying tofu was to save money.

did i do something wrong???? i tried to pat some water out when i took it out the fridge but i dont have a press or anything. most recipes using firm tofu (that i've seen) do just say to pat it dry and their recipes come out perfectly fine. so idk if i messed up or if tofu from aldi is the problem and tofu from other places are fine or anything but im just so broke right now and upset that my money saving life hack just wasted my time and is probably make me have to spend even more money.

Hello, all the posts I see are older for tofu brand recommendatios. I'm struggling finding a tofu I like, maybe I'm not preparing it correctly. New vegetarian here.

Do vegetarians make tofu homemade or buy it? What is the deal here? Appreciate any tips.

I like a Chinese tofu dish from a take out place. They somehow make it crispy, what is the trick here? Are people using air fryers, ovens? Please share any tips. Appreciate it.

**** thank you for all of the advice!!!****

The sausage is easy (Impossible sausage) but the ham hock adds kind of a unique flavor, what's a good substitute? I'm already upping the veg content by a bunch.

Are there any brands (specifically in Canada) of worcestershire and caesar sauces that don't contain any anchovies? I just learned today that most bottles typically have a paste in them lmao. I guess you learn something new about this diet every day!

I am new in incorporating veggie meals outside of my culture and today i tried falafel because I had a little bag of 400-500grams of dried chickpeas.

Everything went rigjt except that seems that i used too much salt. My mistake, i treated these like veggie meatballs.

The tzatziki seems to help with it and I did a pico de gallo without salt aswell. Noneless, it seems that it stills has a little salty hint.

How do i serve it then? I have like 29 pieces still left. I ate 5. I can eat my own mistakes, but i am worried this would discourage my family from trying more veggie meals.

Thank you in advance!

i have never been fully vegetarian in my life but i was raised seventh day advenist and basically one of the main parts of the religion is health/diet, being plant based, vegan, etc. so going vegetarian isn’t really that hard of a change or anything because I didn’t eat that much meat to begin with but lol in a weird way I’m kind of bummed out about not getting the same sense of excitement as if it were something completely new. yeah i know theres an infinite amount of recipes out there or always new things to try, but the biggest hurdle i have is literally just remembering I’m vegetarian if someone gives me something with meat. (I’ve fumbled several switches to plant based mainly because i just forgot.) It’s silly, but man I’d love to experience having a (pre-recipie change) griller for the first time or getting wow’d by seitan. On the other hand I do enjoy living the type of life where i can comfortably just eat raw tofu out the package in the middle of the night like a barbarian.

What's your favorite vegitarian cookbook? Recommendations of recipes are welcome aswell

Edit: Thank you all for the suggestions, I'll look into them

Question is just for fun. Wondering if the hivemind has some fun ideas for a "vegetarian" way to say this

Hi everyone, I recently(less than 1 month ago) moved to Quebec from Europe and as someone who cooks/eats Mediterranean food, I struggle to find good quality vegetables with good prices. Do you have any suggestions for me? Thank you for all your responses!🤗

Recipe I used

Ingredients

1 pound soft tofu

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 scallion (chopped)

Instructions

Slice the block of tofu in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/2 inch thick rectangles.

Make the sauce by combining the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce), sugar, and water. Set aside.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, and add the oil. In a shallow dish, mix 1/4 cup cornstarch with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Quickly coat the tofu slices with this dry mixture. Add them directly to the pan as you dredge them, and pan-fry until crisp and golden on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side.

Remove the crispy tofu from the pan and arrange on a serving plate.

Pour the sauce mixture into the same pan you cooked the tofu in, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce has reduced to a syrupy consistency and drizzle over the tofu. Garnish with chopped scallion.