Vegetarian Pilot????????
- Thread starter popaviator
- Start date
sdfcvoh
This is my Custom Title
Having practiced a vegan diet for almost 7 years presently to avoid heart disease in the future, I would have to say that living with an alternative diet is completely doable. It is going to take some extra planning and preparation to take it on the road. But, from the changes I've seen over the last few years making veg-head friendly food much more widely available, it won't be too hard to make it work.
Not being sure of your own dietary knowledge I'll throw in some pointers: -Be careful that you get a well rounded intake of grub...
-Don't go heavy on the cheese and think its gonna make up for your protein loss (if you eat dairy).
-Rice and Beans
-Watch the fat intake; many veg foods are surprisingly really high in fat.
-Multivitamins are your friend.
-Bananas
-PB&J
-Be Meat eater friendly (someone's gotta support the cholesterol drug-makers) and my investment portfolio is banking on them
Not being sure of your own dietary knowledge I'll throw in some pointers: -Be careful that you get a well rounded intake of grub...
-Don't go heavy on the cheese and think its gonna make up for your protein loss (if you eat dairy).
-Rice and Beans
-Watch the fat intake; many veg foods are surprisingly really high in fat.
-Multivitamins are your friend.
-Bananas
-PB&J
-Be Meat eater friendly (someone's gotta support the cholesterol drug-makers) and my investment portfolio is banking on them
Dev
Well-Known Member
Vegetarian/Vegan
There is a difference between vegetarian and vegan. The complete vegetarian diet is free from any animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, fish etc). Veganism is a lifestyle, where one does not buy, eat, wear, or use anything that comes from animals.
By that definition I am not vegan, but I have been fairly successful over the past 2 years now with the vegetarian approach (with some dairy, egg, and fish here and there). I have been packing this stuff called the ultimate meal (ultimatelife.com) with a stick blender and large cup (and apples/bananas) for making smoothies in hotel rooms. It is absolutely worth every penny, and consists of high quality ingredients, including some of the most potent forms of protein you can have (plant based). I try to make 2 meals (smoothies) a day, although that means you still have to pack additional food if you want to cover time flying, that is what I have found to be the hard part.
I recently worked with a vegetarian pilot, he said it was not too difficult to accomplish if read up on travel and vegetarian eating. His recipes were out of the book Fit for Life, and he said he never felt so good for years.
On a side note, I did get some good advice once. When you shop at a grocery story, try to buy around the perimeter of the store, because that is where you will find more of the natural foods (produce, meat, dairy, etc.) According to some health experts, you should avoid processed foods as if your life depends on it (refined sugar, refined flour etc.) which are usuallly in the middle of most grocery stores.
There is a difference between vegetarian and vegan. The complete vegetarian diet is free from any animal products (meat, dairy, eggs, fish etc). Veganism is a lifestyle, where one does not buy, eat, wear, or use anything that comes from animals.
By that definition I am not vegan, but I have been fairly successful over the past 2 years now with the vegetarian approach (with some dairy, egg, and fish here and there). I have been packing this stuff called the ultimate meal (ultimatelife.com) with a stick blender and large cup (and apples/bananas) for making smoothies in hotel rooms. It is absolutely worth every penny, and consists of high quality ingredients, including some of the most potent forms of protein you can have (plant based). I try to make 2 meals (smoothies) a day, although that means you still have to pack additional food if you want to cover time flying, that is what I have found to be the hard part.
I recently worked with a vegetarian pilot, he said it was not too difficult to accomplish if read up on travel and vegetarian eating. His recipes were out of the book Fit for Life, and he said he never felt so good for years.
On a side note, I did get some good advice once. When you shop at a grocery story, try to buy around the perimeter of the store, because that is where you will find more of the natural foods (produce, meat, dairy, etc.) According to some health experts, you should avoid processed foods as if your life depends on it (refined sugar, refined flour etc.) which are usuallly in the middle of most grocery stores.
mtsu_av8er
Well-Known Member
Popa, you won't have any problem. I know plenty of people with weird eating habits at the office. They drag their little cooler around with them strapped to their gear and fill it up with ice every couple of hours to make sure that it stays cold. You'll get by.
The only time it bothers me is when people start getting self righteous. I don't need to hear about how wonderful it is not to eat meat. Otherwise, I will start breaking out my copy of "Alabama Cattleman" to make you feel equally grossed out.
The only time it bothers me is when people start getting self righteous. I don't need to hear about how wonderful it is not to eat meat. Otherwise, I will start breaking out my copy of "Alabama Cattleman" to make you feel equally grossed out.
I'm no vegetarian, but I used to take my own food to work. It was a cost savings measure for me, eating out just cost too much on a Eagle F/A budget.
I would use my cooler, fill up 'thank you' bags from the plane with ice from the cart and hotel ice-makers. I'd double bag the ice (re-using the bags) so I didn't have melted ice/water in my cooler. I carried PB&Js, salad, turkey sandwiches, bagels with cream cheese, carrot sticks, etc with me. In my roller bag I'd carry a can opener (don't know if you an carry those anymore?) and a couple cans of Spaghetti-Os, soup or ravioli. With what I had with me, I could eat for 4 days. If I had a good crew, I'd splurge on one or maybe two dinners out, but I didn't have to.
I saved a lot of money. And I lost 10 pounds! Yes, it's effort to pack it all up before you leave, but for me it was worth it.
If you have special dietary concerns/needs/desires, the best thing you can do is pack your own food. As you get to know your airports & hotels, you may find your type of food available in certain cities or airports, but if you want to be guaranteed your choice of foods, you gotta bring it with you.
Always keep it on ice, and be aware of spoilage issues, the last thing you want is upset stomach due to spoiled food!
I would use my cooler, fill up 'thank you' bags from the plane with ice from the cart and hotel ice-makers. I'd double bag the ice (re-using the bags) so I didn't have melted ice/water in my cooler. I carried PB&Js, salad, turkey sandwiches, bagels with cream cheese, carrot sticks, etc with me. In my roller bag I'd carry a can opener (don't know if you an carry those anymore?) and a couple cans of Spaghetti-Os, soup or ravioli. With what I had with me, I could eat for 4 days. If I had a good crew, I'd splurge on one or maybe two dinners out, but I didn't have to.
I saved a lot of money. And I lost 10 pounds! Yes, it's effort to pack it all up before you leave, but for me it was worth it.
If you have special dietary concerns/needs/desires, the best thing you can do is pack your own food. As you get to know your airports & hotels, you may find your type of food available in certain cities or airports, but if you want to be guaranteed your choice of foods, you gotta bring it with you.
Always keep it on ice, and be aware of spoilage issues, the last thing you want is upset stomach due to spoiled food!
TheShortOne
Well-Known Member
a good idea for ice - go the drug store and get one of those big blue ice bags (the refillable ones) that can be used for injuries. They're pretty insulated so you don't get the "sweat" from the melting ice and they are re-usable. Jtrain fills his up every morning and night from the ice machine in the hotel. It's worked great so far
taseal
Well-Known Member
I turned vegetarian after I started working for a regional, and it's been a lot easier than I expected. There are several other pilots I know who are vegetarians, from 25 yr old females to 45 year old males.
Like others said, almost every restaurant/fast food joint has something for the vegetarian. If nothing else, EVERY place has salad. When I don't pack lunch and have to buy stuff at the airport, I usually go for the stir fry or steamed veggies with rice or noodles. Every Chinese place at the airport has this. For snacks bring bananas or an orange or apple.. which everyone should be eating more of anyway. I also see many pilots snacking on carrot sticks, but I personally hate carrots. But you get my point, there are plenty of portable fruits and vegetables that you can bring along.
Anyway, it's not hard at all. There certainly are numerous vegetarian airline pilots who make it work with little or no effort.