5 Tips for Going Vegan

 

Do you want to go vegan, but don’t know where to begin?  I’ve put together a list of things that made it easier for me to go vegan and to stick with it.  I do want to note that my transition to veganism was pretty easy because I was raised vegetarian.  I understand it may not be as easy for people who were raised on the Standard American Diet (SAD), but I can tell you it is still possible!  My partner, who was an omnivore, made the switch overnight and is still vegan two years later.  Hopefully you will find these tips helpful in making the transition easier for you.

Before we get started, what is the definition of veganism?  Veganism is not just a diet; it is a lifestyle.  It doesn’t just mean to stop eating animal products, it also means not buying leather or wool, making sure your beauty and bath products are vegan and cruelty free (not tested on animals), and not supporting zoos or aquariums.

According to The Vegan Society, the definition of veganism is:

"Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals."

While making the change may sound overwhelming at first, it doesn’t have to be complicated.  Here are my 5 tips for going vegan to help you on your journey to a cruelty-free lifestyle:

1.Research

The first step to going vegan is to do your research.  There are vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B12 and vitamin D, that can be harder to get on a vegan diet.  You will want to supplement, as well as eat foods that are fortified with these vitamins, to ensure you are getting what you need.

The internet can be overwhelming with all of its different information, and a lot of it is inaccurate.  Because I am not a dietician or nutrition expert, I will share some resources that will help you with the nutritional side of veganism:

https://www.theveganrd.com/ 

https://www.vegan.com/nutrition/ 

https://www.vegansociety.com/resources/nutrition-and-health/nutrition-overview-0 

When I first went vegan, I wanted to make sure I was meeting my daily nutritional needs.  One website that helped me a lot with this was Cronometer.  Cronometer is a website that tells you how many calories you’ve eaten and breaks down all the nutrients you need to see if you’ve met your daily needs.  It is free to use and is very informative.  I would highly recommend using this at the beginning of your transition so that you know you are on the right track.

2.Veganize Foods You Love

Are you worried about missing the foods you enjoy now?  Try veganizing the foods you already enjoy.  Replace ground meat with beans or veggie ground in foods like pasta, burritos, or chili.  If you like burgers, try the Beyond Burger or other vegan burgers.  Add tofu to your stir fry or ramen.  Check out some of the yummy brands of vegan ice cream (Ben and Jerry’s even has vegan ice cream now!).  The number of vegan options available will depend on where you live of course, but you can usually google a recipe to make a vegan version your favourite food at home.

3.Meal Prep 

I found myself cooking a lot more after becoming vegan.  Since there aren’t many vegan ready-made meals (and if there are, they are ridiculously expensive), I make a lot of things from scratch.  Working full-time makes it impossible to cook every meal, so I started meal prepping on the weekends.  During the week I will make a large pasta dish or stir fry for dinner so that we can take leftovers to work over the next couple of days.  Soup, chili, pasta, and curries are good for making ahead of time.  You can also cut up fruit and veggies for snacks throughout the week.  Meal prepping as much as possible will take away the stress of cooking and will save you a lot of time.

4.Have Fun and Try New Foods

When it comes to sticking with veganism, you want to make sure you enjoy what you are eating.  Eating healthy is important, but have fun with your new way of eating.  Try all the vegan junk food!  A balanced diet is key to sticking with it long term.

Vegan mac and cheese burger with onion rings, from a restaurant called Meet

5.Go at Your Own Pace

Everyone will go through the transition at different paces and that's okay. If you are unable to fully transition immediately, make small changes. Try different meat and dairy substitutes. Next time you run out of face wash or makeup, replace it with a cruelty-free brand. Consider buying vegan alternatives to replace your non-vegan clothing and other items. Every change you make is in the right direction and will benefit the animals, your health, and the environment.

That’s it!  I hope you enjoyed reading this, and I hope it inspired you to go vegan.  Let me know in the comments below if you are considering going vegan or are already vegan.  Thanks for reading!