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AIBU?

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Original poster

To eat cheese as a vegan?

135 replies

Sparksi · 10/04/2024 16:48

I’ve been vegan for 5 years. I’m 8 weeks pregnant and craving cheese triangles. There isn’t a vegan equivalent anywhere. Vegan cheese is not the same. I haven’t had any dairy for years and read somewhere you can develop a bit of an intolerance to it if you’ve not had it for a while - if this is true it would be silly to succumb to the craving if it’s only going to upset my stomach.

I do feel a bit icky if I think about the morals as to why I have been vegan for so long, and definitely wouldn’t be making any permanent changes. I am wondering if it’s my body telling me I need something, though!

WIBU to have it or should I find something else?

OP posts:
Previousreligion · 10/04/2024 17:28

I don't think it's a given that you'll be intolerant. I discovered during pregnancy that changes to lactose tolerance in pregnancy are a thing! I read about a lady who was normally lactose intolerant, but was fine during pregnancy. Afterwards she went back to being intolerant again.

I was the opposite. Normally fine, but during pregnancy I couldn't tolerate milk, cream or ice cream. Cheese was still ok. After birth I've never had the issues again.

saveforthat · 10/04/2024 17:28

Sparksi · 10/04/2024 17:13

Oh no, I never would anyway. Each to their own. I just individually feel bad, but that’s probably silly!

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Call yourself whatever you want after all if you had a penis you could call yourself a woman so why not be a vegan who occasionally eats cheese?

Original poster
Sparksi · 10/04/2024 17:27

neverknowinglyunreasonable · 10/04/2024 17:25

If it helps I'll stop eating cheese for the next 7 months and you can fill your boots.

😂😂😂

OP posts:
ThePoshUns · 10/04/2024 17:26

I'm sure you'll be ok, the vegan police don't have to know about it. I would suggest if you're craving it your body / baby needs it.

wingslikeeagles · 10/04/2024 17:26

It's definitely your body telling you something! (Disclaimer - I'm not a medical professional at all.)

But what I wanted to say is that this lactose free soft cheese is lovely: www.arlafoods.co.uk/products-overview/arla-lactofree-soft-cheese-200g-625/ even if it doesn't come in triangles.

To eat cheese as a vegan?
neverknowinglyunreasonable · 10/04/2024 17:25

If it helps I'll stop eating cheese for the next 7 months and you can fill your boots.

Catza · 10/04/2024 17:23

My personal experience is that you can eat as much cheese as you want. I was vegan for 6 years and switched back to omnivore diet with zero intolerance issues

Walkingwasgoodforme · 10/04/2024 17:23

If you're pregnant and vegan I'd definitely speak to a dietitian tbh (I am ex vegan).
There can be issues for the baby if you're not getting things right.

PollyOttle · 10/04/2024 17:19

I was vegan for 8 years before going back to vegetarian. No stomach problems at all from reintroducing dairy.

romdowa · 10/04/2024 17:17

Eat the cheese, nobody is gunna know !

HangingOver · 10/04/2024 17:16

Yeah you might get a tummy ache. I accidentally had milk after 4 years vegan and oof... Wasn't nice. Don't Kinda Co do a spready one?

YouAndMeAndThem · 10/04/2024 17:15

I'm sure I've seen plant based cheese triangles in Asda!

AlisonDonut · 10/04/2024 17:14

Just eat the cheese.

Original poster
Sparksi · 10/04/2024 17:13

waryandbored · 10/04/2024 17:13

At no point was the OP preaching or judging.. what an odd response!

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Haha hello! Just had to start a thread for a verdict 😉

OP posts:
Original poster
Sparksi · 10/04/2024 17:13

MuggedByReality · 10/04/2024 17:11

Eat whatever you want. Nobody cares. But if you’re going to eat cheese don’t call yourself a vegan or preach at others or judge their food choices.

Oh no, I never would anyway. Each to their own. I just individually feel bad, but that’s probably silly!

OP posts:
waryandbored · 10/04/2024 17:13

MuggedByReality · 10/04/2024 17:11

Eat whatever you want. Nobody cares. But if you’re going to eat cheese don’t call yourself a vegan or preach at others or judge their food choices.

At no point was the OP preaching or judging.. what an odd response!

MuggedByReality · 10/04/2024 17:11

Eat whatever you want. Nobody cares. But if you’re going to eat cheese don’t call yourself a vegan or preach at others or judge their food choices.

CasperGutman · 10/04/2024 17:10

YANBU to eat cheese. It's the food of the gods! YABU to call yourself vegan if you do, though. Call yourself a vegetarian, or call yourself a fallible lapsed vegan who eats cheese.

Also, YABU to limit yourself to triangles (presumably, Dairylea or something like that?). If you're going to fall, fall hard and have some proper cheese!

TooMinty · 10/04/2024 17:09

I'm newly vegan (previously vegetarian) - I did Veganuary then ate cheese on holiday in February and it did make my stomach hurt. So have gone back to vegan again. Probably not guaranteed you will be intolerant but just a warning! Can you substitute cheese flavoured junk food that doesn't really contain cheese? Restaurant near me does very convincing vegan Mac & cheese...

QuestionableMouse · 10/04/2024 17:08

The cheese is getting made regardless of it you eat it or not. You're not making things better by not eating it, and you won't be making things worse by eating it.

Have the cheese.

mrwalkensir · 10/04/2024 17:06

Hard cheese like mature cheddar will have less/no lactose in it. Softer/younger cheeses are higher in it.

Ginkypig · 10/04/2024 17:03

I think people can get a bit obsessed by the rules.

personally I think any choice someone makes for health or environmental reasons are valid and every little choice that helps the planet is great but that doesn’t mean you absolutely have to stick to every hardcore rule unless you want to.

i don’t eat meat or eggs in fact I am almost exclusively say 99% vegetarian (I’d be vegan except for milk and cheese) but because I’m not absolutely hardcore about every aspect and that means occasionally il eat gelatine if I’ve not checked a packet or might eat a roast potato at Christmas that isn’t cooked in vegetable fat or buy leather boots from a charity shop etc I don’t use the term.

so yes eat the cheese you don’t describe yourself as vegan for a while.

just take it a bit easy to test your stomach at first though eh 😂

Original poster
Sparksi · 10/04/2024 17:01

Dancingontheedge · 10/04/2024 16:54

8 weeks pregnant?
I’d been vegetarian for around 18 years, first baby craved fruit so that wasn’t a problem. Second baby craved tuna. Not me, it wasn’t me. The baby woke me up at night with telepathic cravings for tuna.
So I ate it a couple of times a week.
Around the seven month mark, the cravings vanished. I’ve been vegetarian again since then.
Do what makes you happiest, but if you decide to introduce cheese again, do it slowly and in moderation until your body remembers.

Thank you. Is it a given I’ll be intolerant? Don’t know much about it

OP posts:
gemsgv · 10/04/2024 16:54

I'm tee-total but with (not so) occasional bottle of wine

AutumnCrow · 10/04/2024 16:54

Do what you need to ... but I'd suggest (a) take some lactase tablets (available from health stores like H&B), and (b) get some organic, higher welfare happy-moo type cheese. The dairy industry is, frequently, an absolute bastard for animals, as I'm sure you're aware.