Is this vegan? Again.?!
Is this vegan? Again.?
I thought about buying some watermelon today at a cafe on campus so I put it on my tray and then later decided that I didn't want it.
The only reason why was because it was on the shelf that the sushi and salads (both are in containers though). The watermelon was wrappe in celophane but I don't know how good it was wrapped.
I ended up eating after I got other food- the only thing I'm wondering if I did something wrong. I was eating pretzels and I was conscious of the fact that maybe there could be animal product on my hand since the dining on campus is terribly unorganized and the people working are not diligent when handling food. But I'm wondering if everything is actually okay- and if it's my OCD again. (another question was similiar to this)
For all I know if there was animal product it could be everywhere, since after I ate lunch I never washed my hands.Should I worry about things like this? Have I broken vegan rules? do I start over time?
Answers:
are you in this for the label of being vegan or are you in it for other reasons like health/animal rights? if it isn't just to be vegan and there is something more profound making you choose not to consume / use animal products then don't sweat it. there are no set in stone rules for being vegan (although there are guidelines) and no one is judging you. I try to let my intentions guide me. There is no way that one can know how commercial food was handled from the time it was produced til the time it hits your plate. If you worry about such things you are gonna drive yourself insane. if there is fresh fruit and it isn't in direct contact with animal products, it is probally vegan friendly.
No, i wouldn't worry about things like this (although i did at one time, til i realized that the only one who cared was me}
No, you haven't broken any vegan rules.
No, there is no need to start over.
BTW, Thanks for being vegan and helping out the planet!
Way OCD. Don't bother being a vegan if you are going to waste so much time worrying about stuff like this.
Personally I go by freegan rules which means I will allow the possibility a little diary or eggs in breads and deserts I am not a 100 percent sure of. It also means I am not going to worry about a little cross mingling next to or cooked where meats had been.
If you are not willing to be a little flexible you will end up driving yourself and other absolutely nuts.
This is a tricky tightrope to walk because if you get to relaxed about the rules you might fall of the vegetarian wagon all together.
Just do what is in your best conscience and you'll be alright.
Well, I wonder that if you state that the people who work in the campus dining facilities are so bad about handling food, why do you then purchase food from those same facilities? I'm going to guess that if you do purchase food from them, then they're probably not as bad as you think they might be.
As for your concerns about animal product on your hands, you could always carry a small bottle of Purell (or equivalent) to wash your hands. There's nothing wrong with being sanitary, after all.