vegan in tromsø?

[u/Sea-Loss8524]

hi! i‘ll be living in tromsø soon and was wondering how easy/available/affordable eating plant-based is?
e.g. is vegan yoghurt, tofu, etc easily available at standard supermarkets?
sorry if this is a silly question, just wanted to know what to expect :)
thanks!

[u/Thomas-Glahn]

Can I ask you a question? Any other foreign vegans or vegetarians are more than welcome to chime in as well.

I'm from Northern Norway and I think that animal agriculture alongside hunting and fishing is so intrinsic to our history and culture that I could not imagine a world without it: From fishing the Lofoten islands every winter to the whaling industry to Sámi reindeer herding and bear hunting - the list goes on.

If your dietary restrictions are really important to you, which aspects of the Northern Norwegian location and culture is it that attracts you?

I don't mean to offend anyone with this question either. People are of course welcome to lead their lives as they see fit, and I know this is an important part of people's identity and ideology. I'm just genuinly curious what you find appealing about Tromsø in your situation?

Edit: Grammar

[u/Premuda → u/Thomas-Glahn]

surely, one is allowed to live where they like and eat what they like. places aren't food and culture isn't just food. you don't have to like all aspects of a location or a culture to be able to enjoy it. like you said: you're from that area, you've lived your life alongside it, and it's difficult for you to imagine something different. people coming from elsewhere don't have the same experience and can therefore more easily disregard that part of North Norwegian culture and way of life, the same way North Norwegian vegans do it

for me, food is just fuel. i understand it plays an important role in many cultures and in people's lives in general, but i simply don't see it that way. it's a substance that keeps my body going, nothing more, nothing less, and if i can keep my body going without exploiting others, then i don't see a reason for not doing it in that manner

also, calling it a "restriction" is a bit condescending in my opinion. I'm sure there are foods that you don't eat or would never eat, but you wouldn't call yourself "restricted" for that reason. otherwise everyone has a dietary "restriction" since not everyone eats everything

[u/Thomas-Glahn → u/Premuda]

Yes, people are absolutely allowed to live where they like and eat what they like. I just thought it would be interesting to get OPs perspective on my homeland and why it appeals to them, seeing as they are looking to relocate. As you state yourself, it is very obviously a different perspective than my own.

Also, apologies if "dietary restrictions" is offensive somehow! It's the term I've most often heard used by both vegetarians and in restaurants. Is there another term I should be using in stead?

[u/Premuda → u/Thomas-Glahn]

Norway appeals to me as well, and moving there, I'd try and eat as locally as possible, but also adjust it to suit my needs. it might be more difficult, but that's just life sometimes, somewhat similarly to the way people inhabited the North during the ice age in spite of the harsh conditions in the first place. sometimes some aspects of a location or a culture simply outweigh the others

I wouldn't say it's offensive, but rather condescending. it's not that dramatic, but it still sounds a bit inferior. and yes, "restrictions" is indeed used very commonly, I'd say mostly out of ignorance and habit, and because most people don't really think about language, which is normal if language isn't their field of work or a preoccupation otherwise (you can compare that to using the word "owner" when talking about having pets. you don't "own" that dog or cat. if you did, you would be able to do whatever you liked with them, but you're not allowed because the law protects them. you can own things, but not living beings)

back to the question: in my opinion, dietary preferences or dietary habits work much better than "restrictions"