How to Begin a Vegan Diet
Considering becoming vegan, but don’t know where to start? If you’re not used to cooking without animal products, it can certainly seem overwhelming at first. Remember, it won’t always be that way—in fact, after you get the hang of it you’ll probably realize that being vegan is easier, when it comes to fixing food. The key is to have plenty of resources on your side while making the switch to veganism, so you don’t become bored, starved, or depressed about your new “limited” diet.
1. Get Support
If you’re living with a partner or friends, it’s important that they know about your decision to become vegan. Even if you’re not sure that you’ll be able to stick it out, tell them that you’re test driving a new vegan lifestyle. It’s crucial to have the support of the people you’ll be sharing a kitchen and meals with—you don’t want to be suffering in silence while they fry up a steak, just because you haven’t told them about your change.
2. Get Information
It’s important to become familiar with the basics of a balanced vegan diet. You won’t be satisfied after going vegan, if you just live off of peanut butter sandwiches and white pasta with red sauce. A satisfying vegan diet will incorporate whole grains (brown rice, whole grain pasta, whole grain bread), a variety of veggies and fruit, legumes, nuts, and herbs and spices. A vegan diet can actually be liberating when it comes to cooking; you’ll learn how to prepare a wide variety of veggies and use spices well, instead of just depending on the flavor of the meat.
To become familiar with vegan cooking, go to your local bookstore or library, and check out vegan cookbooks and guides. Consider investing in a comprehensive vegan cookbook like Vegonomicon. These can give you new ideas, and are good for when you’re feeling stifled by your new diet. Remember that a wide variety of cuisines, including Thai, Chinese, and Mexican, are easily adapted to be vegan. You’ll have to do some work and adaptation, but it’s likely that you’ll be a better cook by the end of it.
3. Get the Staples
You’ll want to ensure that you have some vegan staples around, to make cooking easier. Non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice, etc.) is crucial, as is non-dairy butter (Earth Balance or equivalent), and Ener-G Egg Replacer. The shopping list at the bottom of this essay about going vegan is a good starter.
Don’t forget that becoming vegan doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself! At your local supermarket or health food store you can find vegan alternatives for a number of foods, from ice cream to hot dogs. Experiment and find ones you like; feeling like you’re going without is a slippery slope to giving up your newfound veganism altogether.
4. Get Back on the Wagon
Even the most well-informed new vegan falls off the wagon sometimes. When you’ve only been vegan three days and your entire friend group decides they want to split delicious milkshakes, it can be very hard to say no. Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up now and then. The benefits of veganism aren’t all or nothing; by being mostly vegan you’re still helping animals, the environment, and your health. And remember, the first days are the hardest. Learning how to navigate your new lifestyle will get easier the longer you maintain it.
Resources:
Sources:
On Becoming Vegan. (2011) William Harris, M.D.