1) Eating vegan can make shopping easier and harder at the same time. Shopping becomes easier, because eating vegan means that you there are almost whole sections of the supermarket that you can bypass (i.e. dairy, meat). On the other hand, eating vegan means that you also have to carefully read all product labels (unless they are labeled as 'vegan') and avoid anything that contains eggs, milk, or animal byproduct (i.e. gelatin). The whole reading-the-labels part wasn't very hard for Dave and I, because we already do that anyway (to avoid things like MSG and high fructose corn syrup, etc). But, it was especially hard for Dave when we couldn't buy certain things because they contained only a small amount of egg or dairy, etc. He wasn't exactly a big fan of having his food choices so limited. ;) I, however, found it kind of an adventure to weed through the thousands of product options and pick from what was suitable for our vegan diet. To me, it felt like it helps me to have limits on what I could eat, because all of the different product options were no longer as overwhelming.
2) Recipes can require some creativity. Eating vegan can often mean that you need to substitute different ingredients for ones that you have become accustomed to using (i.e. nut milk instead of cow's milk, applesauce instead of eggs). This can take some time to adjust to, especially when your recipes don't turn out quite like they used to. For me, I enjoyed this, because I knew that we were eating healthier and I didn't actually notice much of a taste different. Dave's taste buds weren't as fond of these changes, though, but he was a very good sport in trying these 'vegan' recipes.
3) Eating vegan isn't boring, and does not (and should not) have to be a sacrifice. I guess if you're just trying out veganism for a bit, it can seem like it's a sacrifice to have to give up meat and dairy, etc. But, the way I look at it is that if you go into it with the right attitude and reasons for doing so, it can be fun and it can even help you to get out of old eating habits and develop some new ones. Besides, there are plenty of recipes and dishes out there that are already naturally vegetarian or vegan. And, if you find a vegetarian recipe you like, the only change you have to make is to find a cheese substitute or just replace the cheese with some entirely different. For instance, when Dave and I had rice and beans for dinner one night, Dave added avocado, cilantro, and different spices (instead of cheese, as he loves to do), and it tasted awesome!
4) Educating yourself is key. The library became my new best friend before and during our 30-day vegan experience. I think it's so important that you educate yourself about various issues that you are interested in. I started out reading a couple books about veganism for fun, and I learned so much from them that I just kept reading until I finally realized that I needed to experience it for myself. It was really fun to read about other people's experiences with becoming vegan, and it was also very eye-opening to read all the facts behind the start of veganism and the vegan movement. And, I realize that a lot of people--for various reasons--would just rather not hear about the cruel treatment of animals in factory farms, or what the consumption of meat and dairy can do to your health, and that is completely their choice. But, I would highly suggest, that if you are at all curious, to check out a couple books from your local library, so you can see what all the fuss is about and decide for yourself what the information means to you.
Our month of vegan eating taught me a lot, and I am very glad that Dave and I were able to experience it together. And even though it wasn't always fun or easy, I think we both learned a lot from it and it helped us to have a better appreciation for what we eat and why. As a result of our vegan experience, Dave has decided that he is going to be a "mostly-vegetarian" (aka, a "flexitarian). Cheese is something that he just cannot live without, so being a vegan permanently is out for him. He did find out, though, that he just doesn't really enjoy eating meat as much as he used to. However, he does still love his bacon (bacon sure is powerful stuff!), and says that he will eat it every once in a while. He also wants to eat chicken now and then (i.e. pad thai with chicken).
I, on the other hand, have discovered that I don't enjoy eggs or cheese as much as I used to. I think the combination of not eating them for a month, plus all the information that I have read, has made me more aware of what I am eating and they are just not as appealing to me anymore. However, I have also realized that eating completely vegan is not going to work for me right now. It definitely puts a bit of strain on shopping trips and family get-togethers, and I am also just not ready to make that kind of commitment at this time. What I have decided to do instead, is to become flexi-vegan (or a vegan "flirt", as Alicia Silverstone calls it). :) This means that I am a permanent vegetarian, and that I will eat vegan when I can. I do definitely enjoy eating vegan, because I just feel a lot more healthy and less-sluggish and tired. Plus, I just feel better about the fact that I am not helping to support the awful practices of factory farms or the destruction of the environment. Since, I don't like milk at all anymore, and because I'm now not a big egg fan either, I will only really eat these two items when they are used to make things (i.e. cookies). I will, however, probably eat cheese on it's own from time to time. I really love fresh (hormone and anti-biotic free of course!) mozzarella, and I enjoy eating it every once in a while. During our vegan month of eating, I did also discover, though, that I love vegan pizza! I really prefer to eat pizza without the cheese, and instead I of add pesto and lots of veggie toppings (plus, nutritional yeast, which tastes a bit cheesey). It is sooo tasty!
So, there you have it, Dave and I have lived and learned from our month of vegan eating, and we have now decided to change our eating habits for the better. :) Oh, and did I mention that I'm now reading about the raw food revolution? I used to think that eating raw food seemed a bit extreme, but after reading Ani's Raw Food Kitchen, I have developed a newfound interest in it. :) I will share more later, but for now be sure to check out my Links and Books/Films sections for more info. Thanks for reading!
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