Whassup, collegiettes?! We are almost HALFWAY through the semester- can someone please explain when I stepped into a time machine? Or, how I can find one to return to my freshman year again?! ANWAYS, enough of time travel talk and back to the subject matter at hand- veganism. I’m sure if you’ve logged into a social media website or app, picked up a magazine, or sat down for a few spare minutes of TV, then you have at least heard the diet buzz word, vegan. What is it may you ask? Veganism is defined as a person who chooses to avoid using or consuming any animal products; this includes meat (duh), milk, eggs, honey, leather, wool, goose down and other animal by-products (www.vegan.com). I think it is an important subject to educate people on as there are many misconceptions about the vegan lifestyle and the people who choose to follow it. While not (currently) a vegan myself, I am interested in the dynamics and lifestyle of those who pursue it, which is why I chose to ask my lovely roommate, Brigid, to answer a few questions as a recently converted vegan. Check out her responses below!
*PS- please note this is not a push by either myself or Brigid for anyone to immediately convert to a vegan diet- it definitely is not for everyone. I just think it interesting and important to be aware of alternative diets and lifestyle choices.
1. What was your inspiration to go vegan?
a. I watched a bunch of documentaries about it and read a couple books, and it felt like the only choice after learning the things I did. The documentaries spanned from the environmental effects of the meatpacking industry (and the effects that it has on our bodies), all the way to the beneficial effects of a plant-based diet. One of them even followed a group of meat-lovers who went vegan for a month or two, realized how much better they felt, and are still vegan to this day, 10 years later.
2. What is the biggest challenge maintaining a vegan diet in college?
a. Maintaining a balanced diet when my schedule is so busy is the hardest part. It’s too easy to eat processed foods that are technically vegan as a go-to snack when I need a quick bite and haven’t had time to grocery shop. I’ve definitely had days where I could have eaten a lot better, or get stressed and go for some processed stuff, but for the most part I just try to eat as healthy as possible.
3. Do you think you will ever retire the vegan diet?
a. I don’t plan on it. I feel way better eating vegan, am a lot more active, and can actually think more clearly and have more energy throughout the day. About two months after going vegan, I was on vacation and we went out for ice cream. I had a little, and felt really sick afterwards. I figured that anything that makes me feel sick after cutting it out of my diet can’t be that good for me anyway, which kind of keeps me motivated to keep the veganism going.
4. Do you have any tips for those interested in experimenting with this diet?
a. I would start with a specific meal plan, like one from Forks Over Knives, The Kind Diet, or even the two-week Vegan Meal Plan on PETA.org. When I started, I ate way too much processed food as a substitute for what I had cut out, which didn’t make my diet much better. When I did a meal plan, though, it kind of kick started my diet in a direction where I could eat truly beneficial foods, and I was able to learn what foods to seek out when I went grocery shopping.
5. What’s your go-to meal? And what is your all time favorite vegan dish?
a. Depends on the time of day. For breakfast, I’ll have whole grain oats with chia seeds and almond milk, or a fruit and veggie smoothie. For lunch, my go-to vegan meal is a salad made up of spinach, some type of bean, goji berries, grape tomatoes, sesame seeds, and a dressing I make with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. For dinner I usually have black bean spaghetti with a vegan marinara, or an Amy’s brand wrap with veggies. My all-time favorite vegan dish would have to be this eggplant dish I had at a restaurant once – eggplant and arugula wrap with tomato basil cashew cheese.
Thanks for popping by today, gals! Hopefully this gives you a better persepctive on the vegan diet, and maybe now you’ll be inspired to incorporate a little more vegan-friendly behavior in your day-to-day lifestyle!