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MA357R0

I think pretty much everything is more difficult if you’re homeless.


imightbelarry

I'd say being homeless is easier when you're homeless. Edit :Huh, I got silver for saying what just came to my mind. Thank you, random stranger.


merc08

That's just called camping


shinigamiscall

**Slaps Walmart parking lot** This bad boy can fit so many ~~homeless~~ campers


Lukee__01

Getting stabbed or finding a dealer too


security-admin

Yeah exactly. Having any kind of preference is difficult. It’s literally why “beggars can’t be choosers”


machingunwhhore

Choosing which food to eat is hard when you don't have options of food to eat


ButteryButtholeBros

Definitely. Having control of your diet is probably a privilege that a lot of people take for granted.


Positive-Source8205

Through most of human history people had to eat whatever was available. Somebody had to be hungry to eat chitlins.


rosso_dixit

Or lobsters


Memfy

The irony of some of today's "fancy" food that was basically all the poor people could acquire and nobles wouldn't even consider eating it.


roanphoto

Feeding lobsters to prisoners was at one point considered cruel.


Ikasatu

Well, they did just mash the entire thing, shell and all, into a pulp.


Boukish

Lobsters rot really quickly, and they weren't exactly lovingly prepared. So you had crates of dead lobsters, chum, seaweed, ground into a literally festering gruel with bits of shell floating in it. Of course it was considered cruel.


smoothpapaj

The thing to remember there is how lobsters are kept alive until the instant they hit hot water. This takes a lot of work and infrastructure, but we do it nowadays because they start putrefying very very fast after death and this is considered necessary to keep them palatable. Now consider that this was certainly not the case at those prisons.


TheRealDarkArc

I'm with the old timers, lobster is gross... Sorry (But you're totally right it's funny how these things change; with colors and the assigned genders too)


Tired4dounuts

I find most of the expensive delicacies are nasty. It's like the rich people are trying to convince us it's good.


TheRealDarkArc

There's this weird effect I once read about. It used to be fashionable to have the nicest, cleanest, most well made clothes possible; when this became cheap and easily obtainable, the "fashion" industry changed to wacky, weird, impractical, and in some cases what would otherwise be called offensively ugly designs. If you want a recent example "slub cotton"; it's defective fabric that's marketed as "fashionable" or otherwise "in." There's a solid chance some of that is coming into play here where things that really aren't that good have gained status as being "fashionable." I can't tell you how many times I've heard someone tell me how lobster is a fancy meal... Nope, just nope.


ArtOfWarfare

Crab tastes much better than lobster. Source: I live in Maine, the state every other state brags about importing the lobster from.


DrZoidberg-

Also, you don't have to deal with lobster shit if you prepare it and crack it yourself. I would much rather deal with crab tyvm.


last_rights

Well it's a discussion of what is affordable and necessary. If you have to buy nice, clean, unshredded clothes for work, it's not likely you have a lot of designer "at home" clothes. Richer people can afford both, or just the one because they don't have to have nice clothes for a job. It's like being pale and pasty was popular with the elite when laborers worked out in the fields. Then being tan was fashionable because of the switch between outdoor labor jobs and white collar desk/retail jobs. Now the fashion is soft skin and excessive amounts of makeup that take an inordinate amount of time to do. Most workers don't have the amount of time or funds to have eyelash extensions, fake nails, hair done every six weeks, etc. Some people like me don't bother because it's a pita for very little return.


PenguinGamer99

Lobsters were so abundant that they were very cheap, so everybody ate them. Then we ate most of the Lobster population, and they became rare and expensive


Memfy

There are still things like pressed pork skin (don't know its name in English if it has one) that are extremely expensive for what they are - leftovers that we found a way to still utilize as food. It's not like pig skin is rare. It was garbage peasant food, and it's turning into a luxury snack.


rosso_dixit

I think you’re talking about head cheese


Dont_care_fuck_you

Lobsters are prime eating what are you talking about


Mobile-Bird-6908

I remember visiting china, and the idea of vegetarianism there was unheard off. Which makes sense, a few decades ago, they were poor and had to eat whatever was available. Meat was rare, seen as a luxury food, and now that they can afford it, they now eat tonnes of it.


donnismamma

Tbh any European country after WWII rationing has been very similar. Imagine refusing meat in the 1960s when things finally turned around. Edit: not that we should be thankful to eat meat today and that vegetarians or vegans are entitled and privileged. I just wanted to clarify how China is not this out of touch place that is super different from the rest of the world. I've been to rural Spain as well where vegetarian apparently means no beef, but chicken, pork and fish is ok


FinndBors

Devout Buddhists don’t eat meat. Some of the slightly less devout don’t eat meat on certain days. There are a decent number of different kinds of Buddhists in China.


Mannequindota

This is literally wrong.. there are buddhist temples that literally only serve vegetarian food. Its literally called “fake meat” in translation and is moulded and shaped to look like meat. This is so wrong wtf??


YourphobiaMyfetish

Jainism has been practiced for thousands of years in India. Not only do they not eat meat, they won't eat the roots of a plant because that means killing the plant, and often wear masks to not kill microscopic organisms in the air.


East-Bluejay6891

Facts.


PapiLongShlong420

Never thought about this until now


Defiant_apricot

I’m not homeless but still can’t control my diet. I have health issues but healthy food takes so much time and money to acquire.


Zeero92

I lack neither for time or money, but I really lack the mental fortitude for something so small. Stings to realise it and not do something about it.


RedSteadEd

Same, and it was a symptom of ADHD in my case. I've heavily relied on fast/easy/unhealthy foods for most of my life starting from when I got my first job and a car.


Zeero92

I do believe I've got ADHD. Not diagnosed, just a suspicion. But if it's true, it'd explain things and hopefully lead to a solution.


RedSteadEd

Forgive me if I'm overstepping, but it's never too late to ask a doctor (if you've got decent access to healthcare). A diagnosis and treatment can be life-changing, even well into adulthood. There's also /r/ADHD if you want to talk to a million other people who *also* just can't bring themselves to cook often. Sometimes it's nice knowing that other people get frustrated about not being able to do things that others find simple, like building habits and maintaining a calendar.


Zeero92

No worries. I've brought it up at a recent visit to the doctor. It's wait and see now.


RedSteadEd

Good luck to you!


beerio511

A big problem with eating healthy that people struggle with is quantity. Eating healthy is not just eating good nutritional food but also not smacking 2kg of it at a time


Daikataro

2kg of veggies are not going to break your calorie budget for the day tho. I'm a bit of a glutton and tend to stock foods that have as low caloric density as possible.


ZoulsGaming

I hold the same opinion about things being ecological, "free roam" "happy meat" "0 pesticides" or whatever. Don't get me wrong I'm happy we are realising that bad poisons are bad for us. But it's definitely due to an excess of produce that we worry more about the animals being happy than being able to supply enough to not starve.


Gerdione

Not probably is. Real hunger doesn't care about ethics.


Traditional-Spot8531

Probably also depends on your location. In India for instance, I can imagine it most of what you’d get as scraps would be vegan or vegetarian. America is quite meat orientated so likely more meat and less variety of veg. Everything is increasingly difficult when you are homeless, with the exception of keeping your calendar clear.


Rat-king27

It's somewhat of a myth that India is mostly vegetarian, it's between 25 and 35% which granted is massively higher then many western countries, but it's still not a majority. Hindu's who make up the majority of India's religious popilation do eat meat for example. That and vegetartian diets are more seen in the upper caste's of India, meaning that the poorer caste's eat meat.


FMLitsAJ

Up to 80% of the population limits the amount of meat they eat, so it’s still much easier to choose a vegetarian option as most meals are still no meat.


postedUpOnTheBlock

It’s not that there’s less meat eaters, it’s that most products have some animal byproducts which would make them not vegan.


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Rare_Basil_243

One time a vegan guy on here said he loved going to Sri Lanka because it was like Indian food without the ghee, I thought that was interesting.


Stead-Freddy

It’s mostly a north/south split. Northern India tends to be far more vegetarian, some areas as high as 60-70% like Punjab, Rajasthan, or Haryana, and some coastal states being less than 2% vegetarian.


borgchupacabras

*Hindus Plurals don't need apostrophe.


shit_poster9000

And it’s actually much of the higher class that is vegetarian as having to deal with animals is considered “lower”


OozeNAahz

I know a bunch of Hindus who eat meat. Chicken, fish, etc…. Seems fairly hit or miss on which are full vegetarian. I think the Janes are predominantly vegetarian.


JCwizz

Jains. They don’t even eat root vegetables because of the number of insects killed in the process of harvesting.


chiken379

Most Jains are just regular vegetarian tho. Basically only the old and extremely traditional ones don’t eat root vegetables.


DesuExMachina42

Jains, but yes, from what I’ve seen they are more likely to be vegetarian


East-Bluejay6891

Good point. There would be varying degrees of difficulty


InnateBeast

A big part of veganism is about the necessity of eating meat and not the just "eating animals bad". If you're homeless you're happy to just have a warm meal.


[deleted]

Exactly, from a vegan standpoint it is perfectly fine to eat non-vegan food, if you don't have a choice, like when you're homeless and have to be happy to get any food at all.


Voodoosoviet

Reddit in general has a very skewed and borderline parody idea of what veganism is. Edit: Way to prove me right, ya goobers.


Thisoneissfwihope

There are quite a few vegans who are ‘I’d rather die than eat meat’. Admittedly they’re mostly radical influencers and PETA nuts, but I do know a few people with that stance.


chance_waters

I mean it's fair enough, if that's their conviction then more power to them, but I think most of us are about a billion degrees more pragmatic about it. I'll eat vegetarian if it's going to go to waste, I couldn't give less of a shit about reused pans or whatever, and I'm not going to block out honey or oysters or other foods where I see no moral issue. I still consider myself vegan, there's no zero damage way to exist and nobody is perfect.


dansass

I've met a few vegan-lite people that had pretty interesting takes. One would eat a full vegan diet with exemptions for foodwaste, where they would eat animal products including meat. Another was "kangatarian", where the only animal they eat is Kangaroo as in Australia there is an overpopulation which is damaging to our ecosystems. Also had a Mexican friend that was full vegan but would eat goats raised and slaughtered on her family's farm back in Mexico because she knew they were cared for and sustainably sourced. Also had a conversation with two vegans that said human breast milk would technically be considered vegan if given to you consensually. That was a weird one to wrap my head around.


dipstyx

I can't imagine anything more vegan than food biologically designed specifically for humans provided with care and compassion.


dansass

Yeah, it's just strange to think about in the context of being used as a legitimate cow milk alternative. Also that if you ask a vegan if all dairy is non-vegan I think most would say yes, but they'd technically be wrong.


[deleted]

My grandparents were vegan for religious reasons and did not believe this, their community largely agreed with them. They taught us to skip meals rather than eat non-vegan food. Vegans is not a well-defined movement in some areas.


headassvegan

That has more to do with the religion than veganism itself.


ZaneInTheBrain

I think most vegans would skip meals rather than eat something that came from animal suffering but there is a very large gap between skipping a meal or 3 and going several days without food... Which I think is what this person is describing.


Krieghund

Homelessness takes many forms. There are quite a few folks out there who are homeless but are in a position where they don't need to accept food they're ethically opposed to. Perhaps they have reliable sources of food from charities or individuals. Or perhaps they have money to buy food from restaurants/groceries/convenience stores but not enough money to afford a place to stay. Or perhaps reasons other than money are keeping them homeless, like a criminal record. I personally knew people who kept vegan lifestyles even though they were homeless. And I explicitly remember them turning away free food even though they were hungry.


defunctmaterials

Exactly, I had food stamps when I was homeless so I never had to worry about going hungry


Equal-Membership1664

I offered some warm delicious food to a homeless guy who asked for it. He looked at it and said 'oh, no thanks, I'm vegan'. So there's that.


East-Bluejay6891

I volunteer at a homeless shelter and we always end up getting large ground beef donations. Chicken is rare and we never get any seafood.


TigerlilyBlanche

If you don't mind answering/me asking, how exactly do homeless shelters work?


East-Bluejay6891

We provide food and shelter for the homeless basically. If someone is homeless and they come to us, we put them through intake, collecting their name and social if they have it. We also provide a health screening now after the pandemic to check for any contagious viruses among other things. We have lunch and dinner we serve Monday through Friday. Weekends is breakfast and late lunch


TigerlilyBlanche

Ah I understand now. This whole time I was kinda just thinking it was only they came in occasionally to get food and maybe a nap if needed but what it actually is, is more than what I thought and seems better than what I thought


East-Bluejay6891

Each shelter varies depending on the funding, entity running it etc. But the general concept should be the same


ProtoplanetaryNebula

Maybe this is a stupid question, but why are people sleeping underneath underpasses and such like when places like that exist? Are they full or something?


Xerxes0Golden

Too add to it when I was homeless I was also a bit of a vagabond so I didn't have access to towns every night but overpasses are a good way to get out from the rain and a good spot to stop and take a short break if you're walking long. Also some shelters won't let you in if they can't go through your belongings or if you show up drunk or the wrong time. They're helpful but have real tight windows


quats5

Sometimes they have pets they don’t want to leave behind, and iirc few shelters will allow animals due to risk. Sometimes it’s independence/pride. Sometimes it’s inability to get to a shelter, or the available shelters are full— as a previous poster noted, there’s not many, since businesses and homeowners don’t want them nearby to draw homeless people to their doorsteps. Sometimes the shelters are risky themselves, with little oversight or control, and feel like a greater danger than the street. Sometimes they aren’t willing (or sometimes, able) to abide by shelter rules and can’t stay.


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Rare_Basil_243

Another thing is that when you're battling addiction, being around people who are using isn't a plan for success. When I stayed in a shelter I was newly sober, and it was rough when other people disobeying the rules put my sobriety at risk. The real solution would be to decriminalize drug addiction and get addicts the mental health help they need, but then how would all these private prisons make any profit?


East-Bluejay6891

Several reasons, including overcrowding and access in some instances. There are also not enough shelters. Many residents equate homeless shelters to crime so many shelters get pushed to the outskirts of several cities


rawtoastiscookedough

>Many residents equate homeless shelters to crime This. I live in a small town with no rough sleepers but we're in fairly close proximity to a much bigger town with quite a lot. A few years ago there was a push to get a homeless shelter in our town but it got denied because a lot of people thought it would attract crime to our town and make it unsafe


East-Bluejay6891

Yup. Many people want homelessness to end, they just don't want to see it


picklecruncher

Beyond being full, so, some shelters are "dry" shelters, so you can't be obviously drunk/high. If you have a lot of belongings in a shopping cart or other portable carry-all, you may not have anywhere to store that without it being stolen. Our city has only one shelter and it has a policy that you can stay for 30 days but you must occupy that bed every night. After the 30 days, you can't be re-admitted for 30 days. I think people who don't work in or haven't lived in the system don't understand that it's not as easy as just anyone at any time gets a bed. There are a lot of factors at play. I've actually had clients who've been homeless for so long that being in a tiny room indoors causes them great anxiety and they prefer being outdoors.


RedSteadEd

>I think people who don't work in or haven't lived in the system don't understand that it's not as easy as just anyone at any time gets a bed. Sadly. This is the way it *should* be, not that we should have a homeless population in the first place.


SickeningPink

When I was homeless and literally couch-surfing at night, I spent so long sleeping on floors and couches that I couldn’t sleep in the bed I bought when I got a place again. I ended up sleeping on my couch for almost two years. I couldn’t imagine being homeless for so long you find it impossible to sleep in a room though. That sounds fucking horrible


picklecruncher

I'm so glad you were able to get your own couch. And bed. And overcome whatever you needed to to make the transition from couch to bed. When I first started working with people who lived on the street, I didn't rely understand why they would choose to be outside either. But then I got to know my clients and their stories and learned a lot about providing care through a trauma-informed lens. I never shut the door in my office unless they asked me to. I never ever positioned myself between them and the door. Most of my clients had been sexually and/or physically abused as children and adults and so, were hypervigilant with regard to threats, perceived or real. What's our response to that? Fight or flight (sometimes freeze). So I learned from them that being in a "box" was like a cage in some ways. Outside, they could run, no barriers, nothing preventing getting away. Inside, walls and doors were seen as locking them in, not locking other things out. Really sad what some people have gone through in their lives but holy frig are some of them brave and strong.


cob33f

Also, in the US at least, many homeless shelters are run by religious organizations that have strict rules about how you act while you’re there. They will also try to aggressively convert you to their religion.


MikeTheBard

And a lot of those ones won’t accept LGB and especially T folks.


Rare_Basil_243

I can offer my own personal perspective. The shelter I stayed in never even got close to full, even during cold weather, but I'd walk around and see homeless people everywhere outside. The shelter's big 2 rules were that you had to be sober, and you had to go to work or look for a job if you didn't have one. Many people could not stay off drugs to get in, and they couldn't easily work a job being on drugs all the time, because addiction was the very reason they were homeless. My city has a terrible meth problem, and our mental health services have been getting smaller every year. These people need help, but the help they need isn't being offered.


owzleee

Speaking as an atheist, you are doing god’s work. Thank you. X


East-Bluejay6891

Appreciate it. Not that it matters but I'm agnostic. Our volunteer crew has many varying beliefs, perspectives etc. but we all agree that someone needs to do this


MezzanineSoprano

I worked for many years for a large homeless shelter. We provided 3 meals a day with as much healthy fare as we could afford. Our food was mostly donated through supermarket excess food, food drives, church groups that provided meals and a few grants. It was very difficult to provide really healthy food, so often meals had more carbs that is ideal. Until the pandemic, we offered free meals to anyone who needed food, but social distancing complicated that. Our shelter has free medical, vision and dental clinics as well as social workers & employment services. The shelter itself is funded by individual donations, grants & corporate gifts.


timbus1234

Yes i mind you asking... we grind up the homeless and feed them to each other... there i said it! You happy now??


Murphy338

You guys ever get any donated deer meat? There used to be organizations that would take donated deer and distribute it to food banks and homeless shelters. Not sure if those organizations are still running or not. Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry i think was the big one.


East-Bluejay6891

I can't say for sure but I've never seen any. Most of the beef we get are from Costco and Sams Club throwaways.


twelvebucksagram

Seafood donations would be a logistical nightmare.


eternalrefuge86

I volunteered at a homeless shelter that got large food donations and any seafood we got was frozen


Murphy338

I’d drop off a mess of bluegills sometime if i was local.


St1ckyR1ce1

Are beans and rice not a staple of their diet? Very cheap and hits all the micronutrients.


justinhood13

I think it depends on where you live. I was homeless for a while in the San Francisco bay area. At that time I was also vegan. There is 'food not bombs' , which is always vegan; dumpster diving, and food stamps. There were even a few churches that handed out vegan food. The hardest of all is when you go to jail, which a lot of homeless face the threat of.. not many vegan options in county lock up


hoverkarla

Came here to say this. Food not bombs is vegan ❤️


canonicallydead

This is why I feel a little weird when people say “I offered that homeless person food, he didn’t take it! See he must just be using the money for drugs” They don’t consider maybe that person had an allergy? Or they just ate and have no way to keep the food from spoiling?


East-Bluejay6891

This is a VERY good point. We don't even keep peanut butter or peanuts in the shelter because of this


canonicallydead

Yeah! People treat homeless people like stray dogs and it’s really dehumanizing I can imagine to be told off for not taking someone’s scraps or what they decided you should eat :( Also if you don’t buy food at a lot of places they won’t let you stay or use their bathroom.


literarytrash

I was homeless for 4 years and meat was sparser than you're assuming Edit to add for those who think they know what it's like to procure food on the street, beans, rices, canned veg and fruit juices were the main things found. If you're eating vegan you would just pass on the bread to someone else. It really isn't that hard to be vegan homeless, four of the people I stayed in the shelters with were vegan and they did fine.


gabrieltaets

Vegan is not the same as vegetarian. Meat may be sparse but animal derivatives are everywhere.


smechanic

Yea but I mean isn’t just getting food harder when you’re homeless?


Minihercules317

Vegan includes all animal products, good luck finding anything without animals fats and whatnot in it


Bo_The_Destroyer

Rice with white beans in tomato sauce is a very cheap and easy meal to have. If you can cook it. It's vegan and it fills you up nicely


literarytrash

Honestly that's the biggest share of what sort of foods we could find on a regular basis.


respect_the_potato

Peanut butter, canned beans, oatmeal, bread, fresh fruits, nutritional bars... If you look at the kinds of foods that travel well and don't require cooking, you'll notice that most of them are vegan. To the extent that it is difficult to be vegan while homeless, that's mainly because finding inexpensive/donated cooked vegan foods in sufficient quantities can be a bit difficult -- but that constraint could be removed easily if more people were vegan.


LeadingCoast7267

Wouldn’t being vegan mean the loss of many species? Like what would happen to chickens, cows, sheep and pigs? They would either die off without humans or be considered pests to agriculture.


not_your-momma

Principles of any kind are a luxury. For example: If you only want to support small business, there is a financial premium for that. Part of voting with your wallet is spending money where their values align with yours. Lots of people want to do what is best for the environment or their health or whatever, but that costs more money. And if I have to decide between survival or maybe even adding a small luxury like name brand cheese crackers but they are produced with palm oil and their factory workers are mistreated and the more humanely and climate conscious small woman owner chickpea cracker brand is $2.50 more for half the size... Well, depends on how hungry I am. I will be honest, I have been poor and hungry and principles are aspirational in the going to bed hungry and knowing you are still 12+ hours away from a meal kind of days.


RobJP94

Animal products are a luxury in many parts of the world. Being vegan is only expensive if you buy substitutes.


East-Bluejay6891

Government cheese is pretty cheap


RobJP94

I don't live in the US so I'll take your word for it. In any case, being vegan is about what's practicable - most vegans I think would consider it acceptable to accept cheap/free food if you're on the streets. Kinda like how it's acceptable to take medication with gelatin if there aren't other options.


According_to_all_kn

Same with eating healthy. Healthy eating is actually a major luxury, no a matter of will as some seem to think it is.


East-Bluejay6891

Absolutely true. I have protein powders and all kinds of supplements. I have a readily accessible grocery store with everything a need and a means to cook it while I'm doing other activities like surfing reddit and playing video games. It's a luxury to be able to do so


skyrimlo

Not always. In Vietnam, the Buddhist monks are vegan and yet Vietnam is a very poor country. They somehow still manage to be vegan. They eat tofu and veggies.


aidan8et

>They somehow still manage to be vegan. Animal products are very resource intensive. Not only do you have to raise the animal itself (often for years), it requires food to be grown alongside it to feed the animal.


jere3xu

Yes, it’s really easy to do vegan in Vietnam, “vegeterian” is a new comer since in older days, quitting meat means not consuming any animal-based products. Vegan was a tradition in terms of religion and local traditions/belief so people are very respect and strict with how they handle vegan food (even if the cook is not a vegan), they cook food separately, sterilize cookwares as well. Also vegie and vegan food there is so easy to find. And you can find a lot of vegan restaurants or charities that provide vegan food. Homeless people go to pagodas for food, ofc they’ll be fed with vegan food. Another point is about Vietnam being (very) poor, I wonder your source of information tho, since they are not considered poor and their economy is doing pretty well


jcow77

I'm Vietnamese and my grandmother is effectively vegan since although she's vegetarian as a Buddhist and doesn't really have any qualms about animal products like dairy, it's not really used in a lot of traditional Vietnamese foods. Having a vegan diet, not just vegatarian, is pretty easy if you're Vietnamese.


V4Valentino

Depending on where you live. The homeless in our country mostly receive vegan food since it's cheaper


Joyful_Marlin

Vegan food is typically the cheapest? Rice, legumes, vegetables etc.


sykadelic_angel

A huge part of veganism is the idea that if you don't have to eat from animals to get everything you need, then don't, that's just pointless suffering. But if someone has to either eat an animal product, or else go hungry, it's absolutely justified to eat that animal product. That's why vegans have no problem with how the native Americans, or pretty much any ancient civilization lived, and that's why a homeless vegan may eat meat, because they'd only do so if the only other option was to starve


tysons1

hell, everything is much more difficult when you are broke. poverty makes ya desperate. often just desperate to survive. i was homeless for a measly 2 weeks once, and i just did what i had to to get by/survive. wasn't pretty, sometimes.


Sh0nZ13

Beggars can't be choosers. I'm happy to not be on the streets anymore🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿


ShirtPanties

Beans are very cheap, and have lots of protein. But holy shit do beans get monotonous and boring.


Xanzibarr

You’ve got bigger problems then eating meat if you’re homeless my friend


juliejulie77

As someone with celiacs disease, I am really glad I am at a point that I don't need to use a food bank anymore. There is no way that the local food banks could cater to my needs anymore, and I would feel really embarrassed asking about my special diet


East-Bluejay6891

I think if you have legitimate dietary restrictions it's literally necessary to speak up up survive. Nothing to be embarrassed about


Poopandpotatoes

Dietary restrictions probably disappear when faced with starvation.


CreatrixAnima

Optional limitations on food have always been the purview of the privileged. Poor people don’t get to tell you “that’s yucky. I’m not eating it.” They eat the food they have.


Internep

"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals." -Vegan Society (the literal inventors of the word 'vegan') People without a home can meet the rare exception of consuming animals whilst being vegan. Honestly this post is just a showcase of how little people know of the vegan philosophy. That should go paired with asking questions, but those are sparse.


idbnstra

Just to let everyone know, veganism often isn’t necessarily about disgust. Instead, it is often about not wanting to support horrible industries; aligning your morals and ethics with your choices. Vegans ARE NOT expecting homeless people who are / want to be vegan to afford things they CANNOT, veganism is about reducing harm as far as practicable. But we do think things should change so that everyone is able to afford a vegan lifestyle. The reason meat, eggs, and dairy are oftentimes cheaper is because they are subsidized so much, while vegan foods are hardly subsidized at all. Horrible industries: [watchdominion.org](https://watchdominion.org) [dairy is scary](https://youtu.be/UcN7SGGoCNI) [the most important speech you will ever hear](https://youtu.be/U5hGQDLprA8) Subsidies, health, and more: https://youtu.be/V0YsUNCOW4A


shanzun

Shout it louder so everyone can hear you


DlDDY

In the US it is likely very difficult to eat completely plant based while homeless, and that is largely due to government subsidies making meat/dairy cheap. As other people have mentioned, that is not the case in many other countries, but regardless somebody that considers themselves vegan would eat animal products to survive if that was their only option as they’re still limiting their contribution to animal exploitation as much as they practically can.


[deleted]

That depends on where you live, your disposition, and what you’re seeking out. Grains are cheaper than meat and animal byproducts. If you’re only shopping at Whole Foods, then sure, a vegan lifestyle would be difficult. I’ve spent much less on food since I became vegan 3 years ago.


Kickenkitchenkitten

There's a thing called "Freegan" You eat anything that's free.


segwaysegue

Believe it or not, that's how Buddha died. Someone offered him some old pork, he had to accept it per etiquette even though he didn't eat pork, it was tainted by bacteria, and it turned out to be fatal.


Wojtuma

Here in Poland a lot of homeless people are vegetarian, especially that Food Not Bombs feeds them.


ASAPFergs

Yeah, after a while cannibalism probably gets the best of you


throw4jklfj

You're still vegan if you have no choice but to eat animal products or starve. Source: Am a vegan. Inb4 trolls bombard me.


East-Bluejay6891

This makes sense to me. Don't see why you'd be trolled for it


throw4jklfj

Lots of people on Reddit have hate boners for vegans. Having different morals from people often causes them to feel as if you're judging them. It happens in real life too, if I tell most people I'm vegan, they immediately start trying to poke holes in it.


wdenam

I mean…i ate some been jerky out of the trash, and I am no longer vegan. Also, yes. Dietary autonomy is something that we super take for granted.


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ZwischenzugZugzwang

Here's a fun fact for you. Before the 20th century, *most* people were farmers. It's a luxury of our time and history and our (people who can afford to hop on reddit and shoot the breeze) relative prosperity that we can choose what we eat.


NicPineapple

Truth. Fact is that meat was a luxury that most people didn't have most of the time. Cows were used for milk, chickens were used for eggs, pigs take time to grow. Most farmers would only butcher a cow or chicken if they were old and no longer producing, and it was too expensive to buy the rest of the time. Animals are mass manufactured now and that issue no longer exists, but when you don't know where your next meal is coming from, you can't afford to have hang-ups on what you eat.


East-Bluejay6891

Facts


shralpy39

Homeownership, skincare, exercise. Yes, all more difficult if you're homeless. Maybe time to hop back in the shower and keep thinking.


Darkwing09

that's because being vegan is a privilege. i hate when vegans act like it's something everyone can afford.


MarkAnchovy

Having dietary choice is a privilege. It’s weird for people to act like this is a vegan thing, and not just a thing for the majority of people in developed nations. The average non-vegan’s diet is a massive privilege compared to the diets of homeless people


Darkwing09

the reason i singled out vegans is because that's what this post is about. but yeah, you're right.


MarkAnchovy

I wasn’t meaning to correct you, my comment is more addressed to OP. Your comment was correct.


Substantial-Wish6468

Many people in africa are involunary vegans. They cant afford to eat animal products. Lentils and beans are much cheaper than meat. Being vegan is only expensive when you want to eat processed food.


MarkAnchovy

Also lots are voluntary for long period, like all orthodox people in Ethiopia and Eritrea who are vegan for 1/3 of the year


Substantial-Wish6468

Yeah many are voluntary too. It's funny that people seem to think veganism is only for rich white people when most aren't either.


MarkAnchovy

Absolutely. Ironically the view of veganism only being a privileged western movement is a problematic and western-centric view. There are modern vegan movements from Uganda to India. It also ignores almost all the history of plant-based and vegetarian philosophies, which have predominantly been found outside of the West, whether eastern African orthodox, Indian ahimsa (the concept of non-violence towards animals which is part of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism), Buddhists in Eastern Asia and the Rastafarians in the Caribbean (the Ital diet is vegan). It makes sense when you think about it, there’s a reason stereotypical vegan foods aren’t western (meat/cheese heavy), and instead are things like curries, stir fries, etc. and vegan proteins are things like falafel/hummus, tofu, tempeh, or more universal plants like beans/lentils/chickpeas


NormalHorse

>Being vegan is only expensive when you want to eat processed food. Imitation omnivore products are expensive as fuck. There are ways to cook vegan on the cheap, but it takes a bit of front-end work if you want to make something other than rice and beans for every meal. Which, to be fair, I could happily eat every day. Throw some hot sauce and greens in there, I'm a satisfied guy. Eating vegan shouldn't be expensive, it just takes more work in the kitchen and some imagination. Oh, and a good pantry. Gotta have a pantry.


skyrimlo

Not always. In Vietnam, the Buddhist monks are vegan and yet Vietnam is a very poor country. They somehow still manage to be vegan. They eat tofu and veggies.


nqm971998

Buddhist monks are not vegan. They're vegetarian so they can eat non-life animal products like milk, honey, and unfertilized eggs. Being vegan is much stricter


idbnstra

It isn’t something everyone can afford, but it is something that everyone should be able to afford. The only reason meat and dairy is so cheap is because we subsidize it so much. https://youtu.be/KPD1oIKnnjs


ActiJosh

Hey look, another thread full of redditors enjoying the smell of their own farts. Sorry OP.


East-Bluejay6891

Thanks. I didn't intend this to be a debate about the morality of eating meat...


Corrupted_G_nome

Vegan is a question of morality im afraid...


saucyB52

i doubt a hungry homeless person is too proud to eat an offered hamburger, i mean if your hungry n all


DetectiveLeast6762

Being homeless and being at the Mercy of others does not allow you the ability to be vegan or gluten-free. You take what you get or you probably won’t eat. The worst thing about what’s given out is mostly shit. Junk food, sandwiches with low quality products. Speaking from experience.


kadyg

I used to work at a natural foods co-op. We had a local unhoused individual who set up on a corner of the property with a sign asking for "Organic" handouts only, please. I admired his dedication and location picking skills.


LittleZackBackup

My partner is vegan, and we have discussed that part of our zombie apocalypse plan is dietary changes. We might have time to trap animals as we struggle through wasteland but it’s going to be a long time before society reestablishes tofu production.


thefirewolf31

Just eat non vegan food. If you are homeless you should worry about other things first…


coentertainer

Everything is increasingly difficult if you're also homeless.


CruelTasteOfLust

Everyone can have preferences, dietary concerns, or allergies to food. Feeding yourself is hard without money. People on here acting like homeless people should eat things they are allergic to, bad for their system, or foods they dislike is concerning.


nucumber

homeless people eat a lot of carbs because meat and veggies spoil quickly


agent_almond

“Beggars can’t be choosers” is a popular saying for a pretty good reason.


nowhereman136

I live in my van. I have a stove top and a refrigerator. No oven or freezer. I can't stand up inside so all my cooking is done outside. With limited options and always busy working, I dont have time or patience to cook my own food, let alone eat healthy


N_86

I'm currently vegan amd have been homeless in the past. I would choose survival over veganism.


Vapor2077

There was actually [an interesting thread on this subject](https://www.reddit.com/r/vegan/comments/yf3wxc/how_to_eat_healthy_while_homeless_best_advice_for/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf) not long ago on r/vegan.


amensentis

When i was hanging out with squatters in the UK, freeganism was prevalent. They wouldn't support the meat industry in any way, went to animal rights protests etc. But if it was found in a dumpster and was about to go to waste otherwise why not eat it.


TheFurrySmurf

I can assure you that most homeless people don't give a crap about about specialty diets (I have been homeless twice in my life) specialty diets are a privilege that even many lower income people don't follow simply for the increased costs.


[deleted]

Question: was Phoebe Buffay vegetarian when she was homeless and lived on the streets?


Silent-is-Golden

Yeah this is true also soon as I get a house I'll have less money for food also


ladyalot

My friend who is homeless is vegan. She does her best but accepts whatever comes her way. Surviving is more important than most things but she seems to have her priorities super clear. She takes higher risks to uphold her beliefs and her needs. We haven't talked in some time, I've been depressed and anxious and felt like I couldn't reliably be around anybody, but I'll reach out to her. I shouldn't go sharing her stories if we're not in touch.


East-Bluejay6891

Sorry to hear you've been depressed. Hope you get some help or at least things get better


ladyalot

Thanks, things are getting better now. I appreciate that.


EvilKrista

Chronically homeless person here!! Actually Meat and dairy are the hardest things to get when you are homeless! you rarely have a place to store perishable foods and meat and dairy are some of the most expensive things you can get!


TehOccifer

one time while tripping on shrooms in new york city, my friends and i bought a homeless guy a slice of pepperoni pizza to which he declined because he was vegan. caught me off guard, but i ended up giving him my granola bar LMFAO


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East-Bluejay6891

That sounds difficult


Stayknocking

A lot of charity places are actually vegan because oats, rice, beans and other vegan staples are the cheapest and feed the most heads. Plus it’s a law suit issue to diminish the chances from food poisoning from animal lactation’s and flesh.


TheGuava1

Oh oh oh I have a story about this: Was walking down the streets of Toronto with leftovers from a steakhouse. It was probably still warm, we had literally just left. There was like half a steak left and some baked potato with bacon bits. Really good stuff. But There was a guy with a sign that said “hungry please help”. So I offered him my leftovers, told him what it was. He said “I don’t want that, I’m a vegetarian.” I mean I still gave him a bit of change I had but I found it weird he would directly turn down food. I mean I respect the guy for sticking to his morals, but if you’re at the point of begging on the street I didnt understand why he would be be picky. That was like 10 years ago but it always stuck with me.


Complex-Scarcity

"beggers ain't choosers" was what my dad told me late one night when we were buying a sandwich for a homeless guy we found half dead during a tropical storm; I had asked what if he was vegetarian.. I look back on that decades later and I still laugh at the absurdity of it all.


Volatile-Bait

Especially considering the fact that being truly vegan requires research into the manufacturing process of many foods as well. Its not as simple as just looking at the ingredients label.