the blog.
38 Halloween Costume Ideas For Women That Don't Suck
Don't want to be a sexy judge or a brain surgeon babe for halloween? Me neither. Check out my list of awesome things you can dress up as this halloween, that can be as sexy or not sexy as you like.
Don't want to be a sexy judge or a brain surgeon babe for halloween? Me neither. Check out my list of awesome things you can dress up as this halloween, that can be as sexy or not sexy as you like.
Awesome Real Life Women
You May Also Like: 10 Vegan Halloween Candy Options
Fictional Characters that Rock
Make A Statement
See something that sparks your creativity? Great! Be sure to tag me (@elizabethturn) and use the hashtag #VeganFeministHalloween so I can see all of your amazing costumes!
Until next time,
Did I miss any costume ideas that rock? Let me know in the comments below!
10 Vegan Halloween Candy Options
Halloween is in the air, and we all know what that means: candy! But which types of candy are free of animal products? Check out my list of 10 awesome options below!
Halloween is in the air, and we all know what that means: candy! But which types of candy are free of animal products? Check out my list of 10 awesome options below!
*This is based on the ingredients in the Canadian version of these candies. Ingredients often vary by country, and can change without notice, so always double check!
10. Fun Dip
9. Swedish Fish
8. Pez
7. Sour Patch Kids
6. Skittles
5. Dots
4. Rockets
3. Airheads
2. Jolly Rancher Hard Candy
1. Dried Fruit
Yum! Now go out and do your shopping in preparation for trick or treaters galore!
Until next time,
What's your favourite candy from the list? I love jolly ranchers!
Remember to subscribe to the Plant Based Bride newsletter for weekly blog updates! Form at the bottom of this page :)
Non Vegan Ingredients to Avoid
Whether you're a new vegan or a vegan veteran, keeping track of no-no ingredients can be incredibly difficult. Friends and family, from longer term vegans all the way to new vegetarians, have been lamenting hidden animal ingredients popping up all over the place in the foods they used to enjoy with a clean conscience. That's why I'm creating this handy guide! Pin or bookmark it so that you can come back and use it as a reference while shopping, making your life that much easier. These ingredients may be found in food, personal care products, clothing, household products, and more. Remember: no one is perfect and it's impossible to successfully avoid all of these ingredients 100% of the time. Don't beat yourself up or get too caught up in the purity of it all and just do your best!
Whether you're a new vegan or a vegan veteran, keeping track of no-no ingredients can be incredibly difficult. Friends and family, from longer term vegans all the way to new vegetarians, have been lamenting hidden animal ingredients popping up all over the place in the foods they used to enjoy with a clean conscience. That's why I'm creating this handy guide! Pin or bookmark it so that you can come back and use it as a reference while shopping, making your life that much easier. These ingredients may be found in food, personal care products, clothing, household products, and more. Remember: no one is perfect and it's impossible to successfully avoid all of these ingredients 100% of the time. Don't beat yourself up or get too caught up in the purity of it all and just do your best!
A
- Adrenaline - derived from the adrenal glands of pigs, cows, or sheep.
- Albumen/Albumin - derived from eggs.
- Allantoin (also Alcloxa and Aldioxa) - derived from cow urine.
- Alligator Skin
- Alpha-Hydroxy Acids - may be lactic acid, which can be animal derived.
- Ambergris - derived from whale intestines.
- Amino Acids (alanine, - may be animal derived.
- Angora - hair from rabbits or goats.
- Animals Fats and Oils
- Animal Hair
- Arachidonic Acid - derived from the liver, brain, glands, and fat of animals.
- Arachidyl Proprionate - may be derived from animal fat.
B
- Bee Pollen
- Bee Products
- Beeswax
- Beta Carotene - may be derived from animal sources.
- Biotin, Vitamin H, and Vitamin B Factor - found in every living cell, often derived from milk or yeast.
- Blood
- Boar Bristles - boar hair.
- Bone Char - animal bone ash.
- Bone Meal - crushed or ground animal bones.
- Butter, Artificial Butter, Artificial Butter Flavour, Butter Extract, Butter Fat, Butter Flavoured Oil, Butter Solids, Dairy Butter, Natural Butter, Natural Butter Flavour, Whipped Butter
- Buttermilk, Buttermilk Blend, Buttermilk Solids
Related Post: 25 Surprising Non-Vegan Foods
C
- Calfskin
- Caprylamine Oxide, Capryl Betaine, Caprylic Triglyceride and Caprylic Acid - derived from cow's or goat's milk.
- Carmine, Carminic Acid, and Cochineal - derived from crushed female cochineal insects.
- Carotene and Provitamin A - may be derived from animal sources.
- Casein, Caseinate, and Sodium Caseinate - milk protein.
- Cashmere - wool of the Kashmir goat.
- Castor and Castoreum - may be derived from muskrat and beaver genitals. (Synthetics widely used.)
- Catgut - derived from the intestines of sheep, horses, and other animals.
- Cera Flava - derived from bees.
- Cerebrosides - may be derived from the brains of animals.
- Cetyl Alcohol, Cetyl Palmitate - may be derived from sperm whales and dolphins. (Synthetics widely used.)
- Cheese, Cheese Flavour (artificial and natural), Imitation Cheese
- Chitosan - derived from the shells of crustaceans.
- Cholesterol - derived from animal fat, nerve tissue, animal nerve tissue, egg yolks, and blood.
- Civet - derived from a gland near the genitals of civet cats.
- Collagen - usually derived from animal tissue.
- Colours and Dyes - may be of animal origin.
- Confectioner's Glaze - contains approximately 35% shellac (see below).
- Cortisone, Hydrocortisone, and Corticosteroid - may be derived from the adrenal glands of animals. (Synthetics widely used.)
- Cream, Whipped Cream
- Curds
- Custard
- Cysteine, L-Form - may be derived from animal hair.
- Cystine - an amino acid found in urine and horsehair.
D
- Dairy, Dairy Product, Dairy Product Solids
- Down - goose or duck insulating feathers.
- Duodenum Substances - derived from the digestive tracts of cows and pigs.
E
- Eggs
- Egg Protein
- Elastin - derived from the neck ligaments and aortas of cows.
- Emu Oil - derived from factory-farmed emu.
- Estrogen and Estradiol - derived from the urine of a pregnant mare.
F
- Fats and Fatty Acids - derived from animals.
- Feathers - plucked from birds.
- Fish Oil, Fish Liver Oil, and Cod Liver Oil - derived from marine animals.
- Fish Scales
- Fur
G
- Gelatin, Gel, and Hide Glue - protein derived from the skin, tendons, ligaments, and/or bones of cows and pigs.
- Ghee - a form of butter used in Indian cooking
- Glycerin, Glycerol, Glyceryls, Glycreth-26, Polyglycerol, and Glycerides - normally derived from animal fat.
- Guanine - derived from the scales of fish.
H
- Half & Half
- Honey and Honeycomb
- Horsehair
- Hyaluronic Acid - can be derived from umbilical cords and the fluids around the joints of animals.
- Hydrolyzed Animal Protein - derived from animals.
Related Post: 10 Reasons To Go Vegan!
I
- Insulin - derived from hog pancreas.
- Isinglass - a form of gelatine derived from fish bladders.
K
- Kefir - made using milk.
- Keratin - protein derived from ground-up horns, hooves, feather, quills, and hair or animals.
L
- Lactic Acid - can be derived from blood and muscle tissue.
- Lactose, Galactose, Lactate Solids, Lactic Yeast, Lactic Monohydrate, Lactoferrin, Lactoglobulin, Lactulose, Lactalbumin, Lactalbumin Phosphate - derived from the milk of mammals.
- Lanolin, Laneth, Lanogene, Lonolin Acids, Wool Fat, Wool Wax, Lanolin Alcohol, Lanosterols, Isopropyl Lanolate, Cholesterin, Aliphatic Alcohol, and Amerchol L101 - extracted from sheep's wool.
- Lard - fat derived from hog abdomens.
- Leather
- Lecithin and Choline Bitartrate- often obtained from eggs and soybeans.
- Linoleic Acid - an essential fatty acid derived from fatty acids.
- Lipase - derived from the stomachs and tongue glands of calves, kids, and lambs.
- Lipids, Lipoids - derived from animals and plants.
M
- Marine Oil - derived from fish and marine mammals.
- Methionine - usually derived from eggs and milk.
- Milk, Acidophilus Milk, Cultured Milk, Condensed Milk, Dried Milk, Dry Milk Solids (DMS), Evaporated Milk, Lactose-Free Milk, Malted Milk, Milk Derivative, Milk Powder, Milk Protein, Milk Solids, Pasteurized Milk, Powdered Milk, Sour Milk
- Mink Oil - derived from minks.
- Monoglycerides and Diglycerides - derived from animal fat.
- Musk Oil - secretion derived from musk deer, beaver, muskrat, civet cat, and otter genitals.
- Myristic Acid, Myristyls, and Myristal Ether Sulfate - occassionally derived from animals.
N
- Natural Sources - can come from plant or animal sources.
- Nisin, Nisin Preparation - derived from milk.
- Nougat - often contains egg and honey.
- Nucleic Acids - derived from the cells of plants or animals.
O
- Octyl Dodecanol - derived from animal sources.
- Oleic Acid - obtained from animal or vegetable fats.
- Oleyl Alcohol, Ocenol, Oleths, Oleyls - derived from fish.
P
- Palmitic Acid, Palmitamide, Palmitamine, Palmitate - commonly derived from palm oil, but also from animal sources.
- Panthenol, Dexpanthenol, Vitamin B-Complex Factor, Provitamin B-5, Panthenyl - can come from animal, plant, or synthetic sources.
- Pepsin - derived from hog stomachs.
- Placenta - derived from the uterus of dead animals.
- Polypeptides - derived from animal protein.
- Polysorbates - derived from animal fatty acids.
- Pristane - derived from the liver oil of sharks and whales.
- Progesterone - a hormone derived from animals.
- Propolis - derived from beehives.
- Pudding
Q
- Quark - a soft cheese.
R
- Recaldent - derived from milk.
- Rennet, Rennet Casein, Rennin - enzyme derived from calves' stomachs.
- Retinol - vitamin A derived from animals.
- RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) - can be derived from animal or plant cells.
- Royal Jelly - a secretion from the throat glands of bees.
Related Post: 15 Weird Things I Do Now That I'm Vegan
S
- Sable Brushes - made from the fur of sables (similar to weasels).
- Shark Liver Oil and Squalane - derived from sharks.
- Sheepskin
- Shellac and Resinous Glaze - derived from insect excretions.
- Silk and Silk Powder - obtained from silk worms.
- Snails
- Sour Cream, Sour Cream Solids, Imitation Sour Cream
- Sperm Oil and Spermaceti - mostly derived from petroleum, but also derived from the heads of sperm whales and dolphins.
- Sponge - a plant-like marine animal.
- Stearic Acid, Stearamide, Stearamine, Stearamine Oxide, Stearates, Stearic Hydrazide, Stearone, Stearoxytrimethylsilane, Stearoyl Lactylic Acid, Stearyl Acetate, Dimethyl Stearamine and Isopropyl Palmitate - can be derived from cows, pigs, sheep, and cats and dogs euthanized in animal shelters.
- Stearyl Alcohol, Sterols, Stearyl Caprylate, etc. - may be prepared from sperm whale oil.
- Steroids and Sterols - can be derived from animal glands or plant sources.
- Suede
- Sugar - often refined using bone char
T
- Tallow, Tallow Fatty Alcohol, Sodium Tallowate, Tallow Acid, etc. - rendered beef fat.
- Turtle Oil and Sea Turtle Oil - derived from the muscles and genitals of giant sea turtles.
- Tyrosine - can be derived from milk.
U
- Urea, Uric Acid - typically synthetic, can be derived from the urine of animals and other bodily fluids.
V
- Vitamin A - can come from fish liver oil, egg yolk, butter, and plant and synthetic sources.
- Vitamin B12 - can come from animal products or bacteria cultures.
- Vitamin D, Provitamin D-2, Ergocalciferol, Ergosterol, Vitamin D2, Calciferol, Vitamin D3 - can be derived from animal or plant sources.
W
- Wax - derived from both animal and plant sources.
- Whey, Acid Whey, Cured Whey, Delactosed Whey, Demineralized Whey, Hydrolyzed Whey, Powdered Whey, Reduced Mineral Whey, Sweet Dairy Whey, Whey Protein, Whey Protein Concentrate, Whey Powder, Whey Solids - a serum from milk.
- Wool - derived from sheep.
Y
- Yogurt
Notice something I missed? Let me know in the comments and I'll add it! I will continue to update this post as I find new ingredients that are animal-derived so that we can all work on making our lives as animal-product free as possible, together!
Until next time,
15 Weird Things I Do Now That I'm Vegan
In the interest of transparency, I feel it's important to mention that I've always been weird. This isn't some kind of new thing. Just ask Jason. I'm an introvert, but when you get to know me well? All bets are off! I'm an incredibly opinionated and creative person, and like what I like no matter how "weird" or "nerdy" other people may think those things are. I make big expressive faces and voices, love to sing all day long, and love Doctor Who. And while it may seem that there isn't much room for more weirdness from there, I definitely got weirder when I went vegan. Much weirder. Keep reading as I confess all and tell you the 15 weird things that I've started doing since going vegan!
I got the idea for this post from Matt Frazier of No Meat Athlete on his podcast. Check it out here!
In the interest of transparency, I feel it's important to mention that I've always been weird. This isn't some kind of new thing. Just ask Jason. I'm an introvert, but when you get to know me well? All bets are off! I'm an incredibly opinionated and creative person, and like what I like no matter how "weird" or "nerdy" other people may think those things are. I make big expressive faces and voices, love to sing all day long, and love Doctor Who. And while it may seem that there isn't much room for more weirdness from there, I definitely got weirder when I went vegan. Much weirder. Keep reading as I confess all and tell you the 15 weird things that I've started doing since going vegan!
ONE I sometimes go an entire day only eating bananas.
Not only that, but I like 'em good and spotty.
TWO I read the ingredient list on everything. Twice.
Food? I read the ingredient list. Toothpaste? I read the ingredient list. Clothes? I read the materials list. All day long, every day.
THREE I spend exorbitant amounts of time reading books, watching documentaries, listening to podcasts, and watching you tube videos about veganism, nutrition, animal rights, and the environment.
I am on a constant hunt for more information about the vegan lifestyle and the state of our planet. All of my curiosity and interest that was fostered in school has been transferred to this one, infinitely fascinating, interrelated group of subjects.
FOUR I eat sriracha on everything.
Mushrooms, rice cakes, pita bread, rice, pasta, tofu scramble, salad... you name it, I'll sriracha it.
FIVE I love tempeh, tofu, and seitan.
And other things that make my parents go "Huh?"
SIX I eat huge portions, especially of fruit and salad!
That family size salad bowl? I'll have two, thanks. One apple for breakfast? Uh... no. How about 5.
SEVEN I cross the street to avoid shops with meat in the window.
And I don't shop at grocery stores with lots of animal flesh on display. It's gross and upsetting and smells horrific.
EIGHT I bring food with me pretty much everywhere.
Tupperware full of beans and rice? Check. A bunch of bananas? Check. Rice cakes and a mini bottle of sriracha? Double check!
NINE I love green smoothies with odd ingredients!
The more gross it sounds to the average Joe, the more I want it in my belly.
TEN I can order off the average menu in less than a minute, but it takes me forever to decide at a vegan restaurant.
What? I have more than one option that needs to be modified by removing half of the ingredients to be vegan? This is going to take a while...
*30 minutes later*
I'll get the Tempeh Quinoa bowl. Wait! No, the Mushroom Risotto. But what about the soup!
*another 20 minutes later*
IDON'TKNOW...AHH...How do normal people do this everyday??
ELEVEN I love salad without salad dressing.
Give me all them raw, plain veggies!
TWELVE I can talk about veganism for hours and hours and still have more to say.
And that's why I started this blog. (Duh.)
THIRTEEN I've become a bit of a hermit.
I avoid situations in which I'll be around lots of animal products. It's hard to have fun when you're surrounded by dead flesh. Or is that just me?
FOURTEEN I use coconut oil for everything.
It's figuratively a miracle!
FIFTEEN I dislike almost all junk food.
Seriously. All I want is fresh produce all day everyday.
And there you have it. The 15 ways I'm weirder than I was two and a half years ago. And that's really saying something!
Until next time,
What weird things did you start doing when you went vegan? I want to hear them all! Write to me in the comments below or on social media.
Don't forget to subscribe to the plant based bride newsletter at the bottom of this page. It's fun!