Vegan in Tampere

[luxxnatura]

I'm vegan with food sensitivities, and so am wondering how easy it is to maintain my diet while I am there.

Is tofu easy to obtain? Lentils?

Could someone please tell me what vegetables are available during August through to December? I tend to eat a lot of asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage...lots of dark leafy greens (spinach, kale, parsley), in addition to berries and apples.

And, is flaxseed oil available?

Your help is appreciated!

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

Yeah all them things are fine...but food prices are high here especially for fresh greens.

I eat a ton of tofu, it's easily available from the supermarkets.

My diet is similiar - but I add meat!

(GF says flaxseed oil is pellavaöljy and you can get it but might need to go to the hippie food shops although bigger shops should sell it like Stockmann).

[luxxnatura]

ah, great!
I'm curious how expensive greens are, since you mentioned it. Could you give me an example, for, say.. broccoli, or asparagus?
I'd like to see how it compares to here in Canada. Thanks for the tip on flaxseed oil...we'll see if I can remember that name

Ah, and any recommendations for "hippie" food shops would be much appreciated. I shop at these kinds of places regularly here at home

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

I can't help about the food shops. I know where they are in my town but...Don't know names or prices.

As for prices, Finland is kinda well known for being expensive but if you wanna eat something and care about your diet...then you just buy it, y'know? No point in complaining too much. (rarely do I even look at prices for food).

But there's a few cooks on the forum and I am sure they can help you out. with prices etc!

there's a few veggies too...

[luxxnatura]

yeh, the costs are unavoidable, really.
I'm just curious how "expensive" is "expensive".
thanks for the help

[littlefrank]

It's quite easy to be a vegan in Helsinki.

http://www.vegetarian-restaurants.net/E ... urants.htm

http://www.vegaaniliitto.fi/restaurants.html

[luxxnatura]

Thanks, Frank.
I came across those sites in my own research, prior to posting.
The thing is that I'm not so much looking for restaurants, but rather places where I can get my daily items -- which are quite basic, really.
My main concern was being able to obtain soy products such as tofu, and a variety of fresh vegetables -- something beyond carrots and potatoes in the winter I don't mean to be naive about it, but I wanted to ask because I've been surprised by some of the places I've traveled where their vegetable selection is really quite slim depending on the time of year.

[EP]

I wanted to ask because I've been surprised by some of the places I've traveled where their vegetable selection is really quite slim depending on the time of year.

Planes fly from Spain and Israel and even Kenya throughout the year. A different question is how sensible that is.

[onkko]

Thanks, Frank.
I came across those sites in my own research, prior to posting.
The thing is that I'm not so much looking for restaurants, but rather places where I can get my daily items -- which are quite basic, really.
My main concern was being able to obtain soy products such as tofu, and a variety of fresh vegetables -- something beyond carrots and potatoes in the winter I don't mean to be naive about it, but I wanted to ask because I've been surprised by some of the places I've traveled where their vegetable selection is really quite slim depending on the time of year.

Ah eesti, finland is western country and haves western stuff on sale. As you probably know we did survive on wars and didnt have to go thru russification
Cabbage is cheap tho.

[Pursuivant]

So carrots and potatoes and cabbage and onions - what other vegetables *are* there? Cucumbers and tomatoes are seasonal. I buy these exotic stuff only for indulging. Well I had my eyes sort of open in the store and bought a variety of veggies... a small fresh cabbage, several lettuces, rucola and romana in a pot... they were say 1.60-1,90 price range. I didn't look at the kilo prices that well but lets say whatever it is its sold per kilo its going to be between 1 and 3 euros per kilo, if not more... whole leaf spinach was there but looked expensive, 2,50 for a box.

[biscayne]

Mmm, I would say that you will probably end up paying about 30% more than you do in Canada. Finland is good for vegatarians, because there are some really great dairy products such as different curd and whey products, sour milks, kefirs, yoghut type things readily and cheaply available, however that doesn't help you much. But I found that some veg. are rather expensive - a "head" of the better salads - rapunzel, rocket, ruccola, endive, that sort of stuff comes in at about 2 euro each. Finnish tomatoes will be dearer than the imported ones but are better, ditto for cucumber. Tofu is available in most supermarkets, but otherwise you'll have to do lots of searching to find other totally vegan products. Oh, grains, pulses etc. are cheap and easy to find, they eat a lot of spelt and oats as well as the ubiquitious rye. Bread is great, so that will be ok. Aldi and Lidel are in Finland and they don't always have a great selection of veg. but what they do have is good value and the quality is high. Their fruit is cheaper too. As far as I remember soya milk and oat milk is very dear.

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

My main concern was being able to obtain soy products such as tofu, and a variety of fresh vegetables -- something beyond carrots and potatoes in the winter I don't mean to be naive about it, but I wanted to ask because I've been surprised by some of the places I've traveled where their vegetable selection is really quite slim depending on the time of year.

I eat tofu all year around...Tofu isn't dependant on the season You can buy soy milk and that...haven't looked for cheeses and other soy based dairy products.

You'll be fine in the winter, you'll get your greens...as I said...I eat similiar stuff. You will pay more though, obviously. But of course, there's the frozen option. You will have to change a bit, eating more winter veg and less fancy imported stuff.

The veg and fruit selection is a touch smaller and limited in smaller shops, but if you go to the bigger shops you'll be ok.

There's always the option of going to farms and all that stuff and buying straight from the supplier to keep costs down...But if it's winter you'll be buying winter stuff.

How long are you here for?

[luxxnatura]

ah, forums are always a great place for people to practice their wit, indeed

Pursuivant, Biscayne, Bubba: thanks for your replies, I find them very useful.
-- Well, minus 5 points for Bubba for his comment about seasonal tofu. Obviously I am aware that tofu trees bloom all year.

[Bubba Elvis XIV]

[littlefrank]

Thanks, Frank.
I came across those sites in my own research, prior to posting.
The thing is that I'm not so much looking for restaurants, but rather places where I can get my daily items -- which are quite basic, really.
My main concern was being able to obtain soy products such as tofu, and a variety of fresh vegetables -- something beyond carrots and potatoes in the winter I don't mean to be naive about it, but I wanted to ask because I've been surprised by some of the places I've traveled where their vegetable selection is really quite slim depending on the time of year.

Sorry a bit tired and not a lot of time because I have my daughter here this weekend, and did not notice 'Tampere'

My friend is a vegan, he comes from Tampere, so I'll ask him, though may take a couple of days because he's recovering from spending the weekend there.