Surprising foods that aren't actually vegetarian
Some foods that are widely regarded as safe for vegetarians contain some hidden ingredients that are not veggie friendly.
Here is a list of 9 foods that you may think are safe for vegetarians, but actually contain ingredients that are not suitable.
Fat free yogurt Some fat free yogurts do contain gelatine, which is a protein obtained by boiling animal bones, skin and cartilage. It adds to the texture of the yogurt, making it thicker.
Vegetable soup Tinned, supermarket bought vegetable soup can sometimes contain chicken stock, which is made from chicken bones. It is added to the soup to improve the flavour and add seasoning.
Caesar dressing Be wary of Caesar salads as some Caesar dressings contain anchovies, which obviously are not suitable for vegetarians – but are fine for pescatarians.
Chips Particularly in takeaways or restaurants, the chips they serve are sometimes made using lard or animal fat. It’s a good idea to ask whoever is serving you if they use this method of frying.
Pesto Some pesto sauces do contain rennet, which is within the parmesan cheese in the recipe and is made from calf stomach.
Pad Thai This fishy tasting noddle dish gets that flavour from fish sauce most of the time, and therefore is not suitable for vegetarians.
Pies Pie crust is sometimes made with lard instead of butter, and lard is a form of animal fat. This may not be the case for all pies though, and so it is a good idea to check the ingredients first and see if they have used butter or lard.
Chocolate mousse Chocolate mousse unfortunately does contain gelatine, which is added for the texture of the dessert.
Cheesecake This dessert also contains gelatin to give it mouse-like texture.
Overall, the best thing to do when you come across any of these foods is to check the label, the ingredients list, or ask whoever is making it if it contains the unsuitable ingredient. You may be surprised to find out that it’s totally safe for you to eat!
