First off, going vegan is easier than you may think. I haven’t eaten meat in over two years and I’ve been slowly cutting dairy out of my diet for a few months now, so it wasn’t a major change for me. But it wasn’t too bad…for me at least.
Over two years ago, in my AP English class, we watched a movie called Food Inc. This movie takes cameras into farms and shows how meat goes from farm, to package, to table. And, quite frankly, it was disgusting. The day after my class finished that movie, I stopped eating meat.
To clarify, I’m not writing this to convince readers to become vegan or vegetarian; I’m writing this just to share my story and my week-long experience. If the vegan lifestyle is one you thought about trying, just start small. Ease your way into it and see if you like it or not. It’s an adjustment for your body, but if it’s something you are passionate about, it’s possible. Like I said, it’s not as hard as it seems.
When the week started, I didn’t eat much. I was getting overwhelmed with checking and double checking all the ingredients in the food offered at my school’s cafés. All the time and thought that went into this made me opt out of full meals and instead I snacked in my room. Fun fact: most potato chips are vegan.
Once I stopped snacking and fully engulfed myself in the process, it all became easier. Luckily, my university has a vegan section in the cafés. Although there aren’t many options, they’re better than chips.
Going out with friends was the most difficult part. I had to search the menus online to see if they offered any vegan options before we all got together. If they didn’t have vegan meals, I had to eat before and just order a drink while my friends ate. When talking to some of my vegan friends about this issue, they told me it just depends on where you live. My campus is not in a big city, but one of my friends, who lives in Florida, said there are many vegan restaurants and menu options found right off her campus. So, although this was a minor issue for me, it may not be for you.
Helpful tips
As stated before, take it slow. It’s a big adjustment for you and your body – you don’t want to get sick. Start off by cutting out red meat, then white meat, then milk and cheese. Do not cut it all out at once. Take your time to let your body adjust.
Fake meat is okay. If you’re having trouble, there are fake meat options made from soy or tofu and other vegan ingredients. These supplements are a good way to either ease into cutting meat out from your diet or to just satisfy your hunger for meat.
Finally, have fun with it! Don’t just sit at home and snack. Go online and see if there are any cool places you have never gone to that offer vegan meals. Go explore your town, see what menu options you can discover. Go to your local grocery store, be resourceful, and cook a fun new meal at home.