Jacqueline Fanchini (Reporter)SPAIN’S bias towards meat could be a thing of the past, as the country sees a dramatic rise in vegetarian and vegan eateries.
Meat and shellfish traditionally dominate most Spanish dinner tables, with some dishes combining both in an all-out carnivorous celebration.
But according to vegetarian website Happycow.net there has been a 94% increase in healthy eateries since 2011, when only 353 meat-free restaurants were serving.
There are now 686, with many non-vegetarian restaurants providing vegetarian-friendly options.
Spanish supermarkets and markets also offer some of the cheapest and most flavoursome fruit and vegetables in Europe.
While Barcelona and Madrid are slowly building a good veggie reputation, vegetarian options are more sparse in Andalucia, but there is usually at least one health food store per town that caters for vegans.
The rise in vegetarianism is partly due to an increased awareness of animal exploitation and health benefits, while other people love it just for the flavour.
I’ve been vegan for 26 years and consider it one of the best decisions of my life (my doctor agrees). I lost 25 lbs and kept it off all these years!
Here’s a short video to help everyone understand why so many people are making this life affirming choice and why the number of vegans has doubled in the US in less than 3 years.: “http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKr4HZ7ukSE”
Also, here’s a link for everyone who wants to join the revolution: “http://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-food/step-by-step-guide-how-to-transition-to-vegan-diet/”
It is getting better, I don’t actually have to explain what vegetarian means any more, but we’re still years behind, ask what is available meat free in many cafeterias and the response is still Ham, or Chicken!
There’s very little specifically vegetarian food in the local supermarkets, you have to shop in the “International” shops, and where there is vegetarian food there’s no Vegetarian Society style markings or real rules regarding what can be sold as “vegetarian”, so you’ve no way of being sure what is in any pre-packaged food and, if it was produced on a production line, that the production line is meat free.
It’s getting better, and at least a lot of the “peasant food” style good Spanish food is actually meat free!