If you go by car, share the journey, and try to re-use your shopping bags. Reasearch has shown that 60 per cent of the UK's population objects to intensive factory farming. Between 80 and 90 per cent of laying hens are intensively reared in battery cages, forced to live the equivalent space of an A4 piece of paper. The Vegetarian Society only approves free-range eggs. In terms of meat substitutes, there's none to beat the humble soya bean.
Processed soya is very versatile and is used in a lot of foods eaten by vegetarians.
Tofu is a curd that comes from curdled soya milk. The block form is great for stir-fries, salads, kebabs for the barbecue, just about anything savoury. Silken tofu is usually used to replace cream in desserts, sauces or flans. Tempeh is also made from soya beans and resembles chicken in flavour and texture. It can be fried or grilled, and used in many great-tasting meals.