Does anyone have recent experience of doing VdlP as a Vegetarian?

[mikeatspokes]

I'm looking at starting the VdlP from Seville on March 30th, and just wondering if any other vegetarians (or vegans) have done this route recently, and if they found enough places to eat along the way or had to cook their own?

This won't be my first Camino, and I'm reasonably well traveled in some parts of rural Spain as a touring cyclist, but I will be walking through parts I haven't been to before, so am unsure what to expect! To be honest, I'm not a full vegetarian as I will eat some fish, such as tuna, cod, salmon, etc, though not any shellfish, and on previous trips I've always managed to find something, even if just a salad or omelette, or have cooked my own.

So just wondering what other veggie pilgrims experiences have been, and if they can recommend good places along the way or places where it is necessary to cater for myself?

P.S. have already searched this forum and read a few threads on this, but most only refer to lack of options in places or mention veggies in passing comments.

 

[LTfit]

If you are a vegetarian and eat fish you will have no problem at all. For us vegans? Well, that's another story.

The first time I walked the Plata in 2011 I was still a vegetarian and ended up eating way too many omelettes. For the past almost 6 years as a vegan it has been more difficult. This past summer I walked from Zamora to Santiago (last bit of the Plata and Sanabrés) and ended up making my own very basic meals. Eating out was difficult although I do love pimientos de padrón and tostada con aceite y tomate.

 

[Tincatinker]

@mikeatspokes I’m an Orujo drinking omnivore. On a route like the Plata or any other meander around rural Spain I would plan to cater for myself. I’m always pleasantly surprised when some little bar in the arse-end of nowhere manages to conjure up a meal for me. I never look to closely at what is on offer, I just sharpen my knife and get on with it.

As a fish eating vegetarian you should be ok. Your past experience has probably taught you that It’s amazing what even the obscurest of bars will have in their freezer cabinet. The better ones will have, or will offer, something eggy or a mess of lentils or beans. Anywhere that features food will knock you up a mixed salad and a bowl of olives to keep your “greens” box tickled. Otherwise it’s a frozen paella and a tin of tuna all the way to Santiago.


As my dear old gran often said: “you’ll survive boy; you’ll survive”.

 

[JustJack]

There was a self-professed fruitarian on the VDLP this spring. Claimed to eat nothing but fruit. He seemed healthy at the time, but that was near the beginning. Didn't hear if he made it to the end.

 

[Tincatinker]

My grandson refuses to eat anything with eyes. Which buggers his enthusiasm for a baked potato

 

[mikeatspokes]

I’m always pleasantly surprised when some little bar in the arse-end of nowhere manages to conjure up a meal for me. I never look to closely at what is on offer, I just sharpen my knife and get on with it.

I recall cycling to a small village in northern France some years back, where one of my companions had gone ahead and secured places at the campsite and booked meals at the "only" auberge open in the evening. When I got there, pitched up, and made it to the auberge, he had neglected to mention I didn't eat meat, so for a 3 course Menu de Jour, I was was presented with a plate of ham, followed by a ham salad along with liter bottles of local cider & wine! Luckily we managed to explain and I ended getting a plain salad with an omelette, plus fruit for dessert!

Another time in Sousse, Tunisia, when my girlfriend at the time and I went for an Xmas getwaway, the hotel decide to put on a 7 course Xmas lunch for the European guests! Guess what we ended up having lots of? You guessed it, omelettes!

Sometimes it's easier to cater for yourself!

 

[Stephan the Painter]

Anywhere that features food will knock you up a mixed salad and a bowl of olives to keep your “greens” box tickled.

Yes! Ensalada Mixta. Usually between six and €10 at the corner bar for an enormous salad. With a basket of bread and a beer or white wine., it's been my dinner many nights in Spain. They often come with tuna and eggs, but if you are vegan just ask for it without.

One thing I like about Spain, as opposed to Italy, is there seems to be very little judgment in restaurants. Whatever makes you happy, served with a grin.

 

[lunna]

@mikeatspokes I’m an Orujo drinking omnivore. On a route like the Plata or any other meander around rural Spain I would plan to cater for myself. I’m always pleasantly surprised when some little bar in the arse-end of nowhere manages to conjure up a meal for me. I never look to closely at what is on offer, I just sharpen my knife and get on with it.

As a fish eating vegetarian you should be ok. Your past experience has probably taught you that It’s amazing what even the obscurest of bars will have in their freezer cabinet. The better ones will have, or will offer, something eggy or a mess of lentils or beans. Anywhere that features food will knock you up a mixed salad and a bowl of olives to keep your “greens” box tickled. Otherwise it’s a frozen paella and a tin of tuna all the way to Santiago.


As my dear old gran often said: “you’ll survive boy; you’ll survive”.

A ‘fish eating vegetarian’ is an oxymoron. As a vegetarian who walked tge VdlP a few years back, I would stock up on seitan whenever I got to a town or city with a grocery store of any size. It increased my backpack weight but was great to have with me - lots of protein and didn’t need to be cooked. I’d also stock up on nuts whenever I could. If you’re not vegan, then omelettes, tortillas from potatoes, etc. ate readily available for breakfast most anywhere. Vegan is a different story - I walked the Norte once totally vegan and lost 8-10 kilos - now THAT was problematic.

 

[Paladina]

Anywhere that features food will knock you up a mixed salad and a bowl of olives to keep your “greens” box tickled. Otherwise it’s a frozen paella and a tin of tuna all the way to Santiago

Note that the ensalada mixta of etiolated iceberg lettuce, tinned tuna, and slimy yellow asparagus will more likely keep your ‘yellows’ box ticked.

As my dear old gran often said: “you’ll survive boy; you’ll survive”.

As a grandmotherly vegan and graduate of the VdlP, I applaud the wisdom of the aged. As a flexible vegetarian, the OP should count his blessed egg-laying chickens that he will survive, and so will they. Carry emergency supplies if you’re not happy with what’s offered on a plate, and bear in mind the lack of cooking facilities in Galician albergues.

 

[trecile]

A ‘fish eating vegetarian’ is an oxymoron

I think most would say a "pescatarian".

What Is a Pescatarian and What Do They Eat?

Pescatarians follow a vegetarian diet that also includes fish and seafood. This article discusses the potential benefits and drawbacks of this diet.

www.healthline.com

 

[Camino Chrissy]

A bit off topic...ok, nearly off topic here. The 40 year old daughter of a close friend of mine is a Vegan and eats nothing with eyes for over ten years and never cheats. I have always been surprised that she is very overweight, although not obese. I'm sure it must be to easy to substitute too many calories and carbs on a daily basis. It obviously has had nothing to do with a weight loss goal, but probably for ethical/moral reasons.

 

[mikeatspokes]

A ‘fish eating vegetarian’ is an oxymoron.

Well that depends on how you regard fish I guess, and your reasons for following a specific diet? I should really have written pescatarian in my post, but IME not everyone understands that term. There was an interesting thread on Reddit a while back on just this subject, and which can be found at

https://www.reddit.com/r/Pescetarian/comments/zchjts/what_is_the_ethical_justification_for

. As is pointed out in that thread, some cultures that are traditionally strongly vegetarian didn't regard fish as 'meat' or it was a 'grey' area!

As you mention later in your post, tortillas, ensaladas, huevos fritos, bocadillos, etc are readily available and I am not really anticipating major issues, so the purpose of my post was mainly to ask if anyone has experienced any places along the route where it is particularly difficult to be on a non-meat diet! Thanks.

 

[mikeatspokes]

The 40 year old daughter of a close friend of mine is a Vegan and eats nothing with eyes for over ten years and never cheats. I have always been surprised that she is very overweight, although not obese.

Lol, but of course it is not so much 'what' you eat that matters, but 'how much'! I have quite a few Asian friends who follow a vegetarian diet, and who are lets say, a little on the large size! Genes and levels of physical activity also matter of course.

 

[Stephan the Painter]

A bit off topic...ok, nearly off topic here. The 40 year old daughter of a close friend of mine is a Vegan and eats nothing with eyes for over ten years and never cheats. I have always been surprised that she is very overweight, although not obese. I'm sure it must be to easy to substitute too many calories and carbs on a daily basis. It obviously has had nothing to do with a weight loss goal, but probably for ethical/moral reasons.

It's true. I was following a mostly vegetarian diet for quite a while (still do, but not a purist), and I kept on gaining weight. And then, when I really investigated it, one of the culprits was peanut butter. There are an enormous amount of calories in peanut butter, and I was eating a lot of it!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

It's true. I was following a mostly vegetarian diet for quite a while (still do, but not a purist), and I kept on gaining weight. And then, when I really investigated it, one of the culprits was peanut butter. There are an enormous amount of calories in peanut butter, and I was eating a lot of it!

Yes, I love natural chunky style peanut butter on toast, apple slices and celery. I always have to remind myself that even one flat tablespoon has nearly 100 calories!

 

[Tincatinker]

My son cycled around New Zealand mostly fuelled by 1kg tubs of peanut butter. Apparently the flight, including his bike, used up most of his budget.

He had put on a few pounds by the time he got back and isn’t very fond of Peanut Butter anymore.

An aside: Peanut Butter. Available in any Corte Ingles food hall sometimes in 1kg plastic tubs

 

[Paladina]

A bit off topic...ok, nearly off topic here. The 40 year old daughter of a close friend of mine is a Vegan and eats nothing with eyes for over ten years and never cheats. I have always been surprised that she is very overweight, although not obese. I'm sure it must be to easy to substitute too many calories and carbs on a daily basis. It obviously has had nothing to do with a weight loss goal, but probably for ethical/moral reasons.

Many self-styled vegetarians merely abstain from meat and and eat too few vegetables. Yes, of course the OP can stoke up on pizzas and peanut butter, but he may soon wish he hadn’t.

 

[KGBurk]

My wife and I are vegetarians (lacto-ovo) and we'll be walking the VdlP (Seville to Merida) in March. If it's like other caminos we'll be eating a lot of bread, cheese, yogurt and tortillas. Because of the lack and expense (and poor quality - see above comments) of green salads we take super-green tablets daily. We also carry nuts with us. As you know the VdlP often has sections without any services so we plan to have big breakfasts, try to buy a sandwich for the road, snack along the way, and hope that a grocery store is open when we arrive.

 

[Robo]

My wife and I are vegetarians (lacto-ovo) and we'll be walking the VdlP (Seville to Merida) in March. If it's like other caminos we'll be eating a lot of bread, cheese, yogurt and tortillas. Because of the lack and expense (and poor quality - see above comments) of green salads we take super-green tablets daily. We also carry nuts with us. As you know the VdlP often has sections without any services so we plan to have big breakfasts, try to buy a sandwich for the road, snack along the way, and hope that a grocery store is open when we arrive.

Do let us know how you manage.
I'm sure it will be valuable for others.

 

[mikeatspokes]

My wife and I are vegetarians (lacto-ovo) and we'll be walking the VdlP (Seville to Merida) in March. If it's like other caminos we'll be eating a lot of bread, cheese, yogurt and tortillas. Because of the lack and expense (and poor quality - see above comments) of green salads we take super-green tablets daily. We also carry nuts with us. As you know the VdlP often has sections without any services so we plan to have big breakfasts, try to buy a sandwich for the road, snack along the way, and hope that a grocery store is open when we arrive.

I'll be starting at the end of March, so following in your footsteps. Will also be carrying nuts and a few basics for snacks en route, but hoping to find enough stores and cafés. Buen Camino

 

[Robo]

I'll be starting at the end of March, so following in your footsteps. Will also be carrying nuts and a few basics for snacks en route, but hoping to find enough stores and cafés. Buen Camino

They can be few and far between in some areas.
Expect most days you might not pass one of either 'during the day' but more likely at your end point.
Of course there are some days you pass through a town during the day rather than small villages with no facilities.

I found Google Maps very useful.

I would look at my route, maybe 2-3 days ahead each evening, and look for bars and shops in each village / town along the way. Then look at the opening hours. Expect sometimes, that these may be wrong or the place is closed down. Always have a food plan B in your pack any time you are in doubt

My only total failure was a place that said they served breakfast early, but didn't.
So on to Plan B. The village had a bakery that showed as open, on Google maps, but wasn't.
Plan C. A village 5 kms along the route that had a bar showing as open, but wasn't.

Plan D. A small bag of nuts and a half a chocolate bar got me to my destination that day......

 

[duncanwhyte]

When I did the VDLP it was Feb/march. The albergues are open and most villages have a shop. There's a few stops where you have to use a restaurant/hotel and albergues that want you to eat a pilgrim meal,(generally leading to night starvation, and rustlings in backpacks through the night). Otherwise tis the season for wild asparagus.

 

[Paladina]

An epicurean reward awaits all vegans, vegetarians, pescatarians and carnivores on reaching Santiago: a trip to the street market. Here you will find a visual and delectable feast of foodstuffs you may have forgone en route.