Food is considered to be the most important part of our life and a basic necessity. The people are now changing their food habits and increasingly going back to basics. Veganism and vegetarianism are on the rise as the latest eating fad. Kakadu Plum Co. is a social enterprise celebrating Indigenous culture and Australian native ingredients. Vegans and vegetarians are non-meat eaters but vegans also avoid any animal products like milk, cheese, etc. in their diet. As a vegan or vegetarian, it can be hard to survive in certain countries. But how is Australia for the vegetarian and vegan international students? Is it easily manageable or hard to survive? Let us explore.
Well, it is certainly possible to follow vegan and vegetarian diet in Australia. Specially with globalization and more Australians adopting these diets, the international students too can take advantage of various options in towns and cities being available now.
Tips and Tricks for Surviving as a Vegan and Vegetarian in Australia
Before you arrive in Australia
Even before the international students arrive in Australia, it is highly recommended that they contact their host or accommodation provider in Australia and inform them regarding their diet. This will help them make proper food arrangement for them meeting the specific dietary requirements.
Learn cooking
It is never a bad idea to learn to prepare own meals irrespective of the diet. For vegans and vegetarians it is specially recommended that they learn to make their meals. For international students this is an added advantage as they will be more aware of what is going in their food and also will be able to save some bucks. Plant-based groceries can be easily bought from local markets, and specialty stores which are on a rise all over Australia.
Don’t forget to check the labels
For vegans and vegetarians it is especially very important to read the ingredients on the packaging. There are no specific labels requirements for Vegan and Vegetarians friendly foods as per the Australian government, though many companies have now started using these labels now like done in rest of the world.
If you are on the move
If you are scheduled to be out for a long time during the day, then it is a good idea to carry your own food from home. This will be better for international students as they would not be aware if any vegans or vegetarian food would be available in that area.
If not getting time due to academic pressure:
Due to academic task or assignments pressure, sometimes you don’t get time to prepare your own vegan meal and can’t go outside to eat due to stress of completing the task. Then you can take the help of assignment help services, they aid by providing superlative assignments with their writers. By taking the help of myassignmenthelp services for sure it’ll reduce your stress and you can have your vegan meal by going outside even you can prepare this.
Ask and enquire when eating out
Whenever you are eating out, it is always better to confirm with the restaurant servers about the food before ordering to make sure it does not contain any ingredient which is to be avoided as per the special diet. It is commonly seen that some restaurants consider eggs as part of a vegetarian diet.
In the absence of any vegan or vegetarian dish on menu, request can be made for special order or if modifications can be done in the recipe as per the diet.
Don’t shy away from asking for help and connect with common diet people
International students can face a lot of dilemma when it comes to vegan and vegetarian diets. Australia being majorly a meat eating nation but evolving vegan and vegetarian diet system, it can be overwhelming for international students to be sure about the food. In such cases it is always better to ask for help from friends, teachers and support groups around you.
International students can connect to people following vegans and vegetarian diets through Facebook groups (like vegans in Australia), WhatsApp groups and WeChat groups. It will not only help you with the food choices but also help in meeting like-minded people.
Where to Buy Vegan and Vegetarian Groceries in Australia
Australia now has many vegan and vegetarian friendly stores being opened. Furthermore the major supermarkets now offer many vegan and vegetarian products. Substitutes for any food item can also be found easily now like almond milk, tofu, vegan burger and vegetarian sushi.
Vegan toiletries are also becoming popular in Australia now and can be easily found now in supermarkets. Popular supermarkets across Australia that cater to all the needs of vegans and vegetarians are:
- Woolworths
- Coles
- Aldi
- IGA
- Food works
Another good news for international vegan students – a lot of specific vegan stores are now open in major cities across Australia
Various Websites and Apps for eating vegan or vegetarian food in Australia
There are a lot of websites and apps that can be used by international students. These apps and websites offer the ideas of devouring vegan and vegetarian food.
- Happy cow
- Veg out
- Vegman
- Vegan Australia
Some Popular Vegan and Vegetarian Fast Food Restaurant Chains Found Across Australia
Our team has come up with a pretty much concise list of fast food restaurants offering vegan and vegetarian food found almost in all the major cities in Australia. However, it is recommended for international students to keep on exploring their options and more such places. Also it is never a bad idea to confirm with the restaurant regarding the dish and its ingredients, that it is specific to your diet.
- Hungry Jacks
- Grill’d
- Nandos
- Schnitz
- Guzman Gomez
- Mad Mex
- Salsa’s
- Crust
- Pizza Capers
- Sumo Salad
- Soul origin
These restaurants offer a wide range of vegan and vegetarian dishes but they are not exclusively catering these diets. There are also a lot of meat options. So the international students are advised to always check the ingredients and details about the dish before ordering.
For vegans and vegetarians there are a lot of options in Australia. The international students will definitely not be disappointed with the options available. Surviving with these diets in Australia is very much possible and in not a struggling way. So if you are an international student following vegan or vegetarian diet and are planning to study in Australian Universities, then we can assure you that you are not going to be disappointed with the food options available here for your specific diet requirements. Australia has a lot to offer for vegans and vegetarians with constant new options being available.
