Veg in Germany (specifically Frankfurt)
Hey all,
I recently moved to germany for a co-op, and will be here for the next 5-6 months (til september)...
i knew it'd be a little different, but i figured i'd have trouble eating out and just have to cook more at home. That's fine with me, i like cooking, and it's less expensive that way.
BUT i am having a hell of a time. I am living in Frankfurt am Main, and i have three supermarkets within easy walking distance of me and they all are total kvatch!
they generally are 1/3 meat, 1/3 sweets, and 1/3 other stuff; this other stuff is about half bread and half fruit/veggies.... very very very little in the way of veg protein sources....
At home normally i eat a lot of beans, with the occasional tvp or tofu thrown in for variety.... here, none of that. I can get small cans of kidney beans and that's it in the bean category.... I can also get peas, which aren't too terrible.... I've been keeping track of everything i'm eating (using sparkpeople.com) and while i'm usually meeting the minimums for everything, i'm waay high on carbs....
Also, nuts. nope. they have some, but not much, and they're expensive...
SO, any ideas? either of things to look for, or for those of you who've been to/lived in germany or frankfurt itself, do you have any suggestions??
I'm thinking that maybe i can find some ethnic groceries, and maybe i'll fare better there??
i've been a pretty staunch vegan for the past 4 years, and lacto-ovo for 2 years before that; i'd hate to slip now... (although no worries mates, even if i slip, it'd only be to lacto-ovo; there're plent of options for that here... though i am really hesitant to do so, even just for 6 months)
thanks in advance,
tj
Hey, I don't live in Germany but I'm in geneva, switz. And I know what you're going through, it's slim pickings! Seriously, switzerland's national dishes are fondue and raclette...gah :-\
Try out some Asian grocers, I always have luck at the ones here...tofu, beans (dry ones), interesting veggies, soy milk and soya desserts. Are there no bio (organic stores) around? Have you given a look at www.happycow.net to see what could be in your area?
Good luck!
good thoughts! thanks!
i totally forgot about happycow (facepalm)
there are a couple places, but on the opposite side of town.
i was plannin on checkin out the asian groceries, and hoping for good stuff.... i know there's gotta be one around here somewhere; i live with a vietnamese couple, and they have all manner of things lying around that must be from sucha place... they're never here thoughh; next time i see them, i'm definitely going to inquire.
i'll investigate further and see what i find. thanks for your help!! :D
No problem! ;)b
Hey there,
I've been living in Berlin for the past 3 months and I agree that the regular supermarkets and discount shops aren't too great for veg stuff, but I've gotten tofu, vegan schnitzel, soymilk, and of course kidney beans at the Netto down the street, so they're good for more than just cheap veggies and pasta. Don't give up on veganism because it's definitely possible, especially if you make an effort to go around to the different specialty shops and biomarkts. It looks like there's even a vegan shop in Frankfurt!!! I go to the vegan shop in Berlin every so often to get stuff like Tofutti cream cheese and vital wheat gluten, which I can't get at the biomarkts, but other than that they're pretty well stocked with tofu and whatnot. It sucks that they're on the other side of town, but just go and stock up on the things you need every so often and it'll be worth it. Or you can order stuff from www.vegan-wonderland.de, which has everything imaginable. And like ktkimmle said, the Asian shop is your friend as well.
Let me know if you make it over to Berlin! :)
Tschuss!
Hey there,
I've been living in Berlin for the past 3 months and I agree that the regular supermarkets and discount shops aren't too great for veg stuff, but I've gotten tofu, vegan schnitzel, soymilk, and of course kidney beans at the Netto down the street, so they're good for more than just cheap veggies and pasta. Don't give up on veganism because it's definitely possible, especially if you make an effort to go around to the different specialty shops and biomarkts. It looks like there's even a vegan shop in Frankfurt!!! I go to the vegan shop in Berlin every so often to get stuff like Tofutti cream cheese and vital wheat gluten, which I can't get at the biomarkts, but other than that they're pretty well stocked with tofu and whatnot. It sucks that they're on the other side of town, but just go and stock up on the things you need every so often and it'll be worth it. Or you can order stuff from www.vegan-wonderland.de, which has everything imaginable. And like ktkimmle said, the Asian shop is your friend as well.
Let me know if you make it over to Berlin! :)
Tschuss!
You have tofutti cream cheese?!?! I'm so jealous, my husband would LOVE an american-style cheesecake but I can't find any vegan cream cheeses here, even at the one vegan store in geneva. I think I need to make a trip to Berlin ;), easyjet always has fairly cheap tickets there!
Haha or you could order the tofutti off of vegan-wonderland.de but it's obviously a better idea to just come here :) or you wanted to organize a meet-up, didn't you? then i could bring some to you!
Hey guys, thank you so much for your help and encouragement! honestly, i think encouragment is what i needed more than anything; i just need to find some good standbys and habits....
I checked out the biomarkts and veg stores on happy cow (and maybe a couple others) and yes, they do have lots of yummy things, HOWEVER they also cost an arm and a leg and my first born child.... so i think i'll manage to get by without. I have also discovered the weekly open air markets, and those are amazing!!!
i've looked up asian markets in the area, and i'm going to check those out today! i'm excited, and finally optimistic!
i think the original post was mainly just a freak-out.
Thanks again!! :-D i'll be sure to post back with any exciting things i discover!
(and, if i ever end up in berlin, i'll def let you know! yay veg meetup!)
They do cost so much here! It's ridiculous.
LETS PLAN A VEG MEET UP IN BERLIN! I have some time off in mid-july...
YES! i get 2 days urlaub pro monat, so as long as i know ahead of time, i can prolly make it work...
Also, GREAT SUCCESS with the asian supermarkets! They had EVERYTHING, and it was all super cheap! Blocks of fresh tofu that looked a little bigger than the 1lb blocks i get back in the states for only .80€! woop woop! and tons of other good stuff too!
also found a turkish grocery that was full of goodness too -- cheap couscous, bulgar wheat, olives and such.... i'm really excited for living here now; i'm finding all kidns of good stuff!
Also, i checked out the big weekly flea market today and got good stuff! got a double-burner hotplate thing for 6€! i can cook legit now, instead of just using a microwave and my water-hotter.... (i don't really like using the microwave, and there's not a hell of a lot one can do with just boiled water (save making tons of coffee, which i do) so mainly i ate raw things :-P) i'm PUMPED!
Yay for your exciting finds!
Ok I'm serious about this meetup...I talked to my husband about it and he wants to go to berlin too...Mid-July is when I'm off so he can take two days off (friday and monday). Let's talk dates!