I'm hoping to become vegan one day, I'm going to become vegetarian and live in a plant based diet (eating) first, because I'm not in control of the groc shopping, do you have any advice for me or something? Thanks and I really admire you a lot 💕animals are friends not food💕
Yeah that sounds great, it would be hard to be strictly vegan if you’re not in control of the groceries (depending on how forward thinking whoever does buy the groceries is).
At first, I would say to just replace all meat in the meals you currently eat with tofu or fake meats etc. Ask whoever does the cooking to just keep the meat separate from each meal and then put fake meat or tofu in one and their real meat in the other.
Eating out, there’s almost always a vegetarian or vegan option, especially at Asian restaurants.
Have a look for some vegan recipes and have a go at cooking for your family (don’t tell them it’s vegan and see what they say), they will probably like it and you may be able to get your family to eat vegan or vegetarian meals a few nights a week.
If your family question the healthfulness of your new diet, show them this article from the American Dietetics Association and perhaps ask them to watch a documentary on the health benefits of a vegan diet with you (Forks over knives is good and you can watch it on youtube for free).
If you’re starting out as vegetarian, try to be as vegan as you can e.g. try not to eat say, an egg or a glass of milk but maybe let some food that contain these products slide if you really can’t avoid it. This will make it less of a dramatic switch if/when you do switch to vegan.
Start taking a B12 supplement if you do switch to vegan (e.g. DEVA vegan multivitamin) it’s easier than making sure you eat foods fortified with B12 as vegan food doesn’t contain B12 naturally. If your family and friends say veganism is unhealthy because you have to take a supplement, remind them that the B12 they get from eating animal products is from animal poo bacteria that is coating everything they eat, so who’s the real winner here? Someone who takes a vitamin every day (like many meat eaters do) or someone who eats poo every day?
Always remember why you decided you want to be vegan/ vegetarian. Watch Earthlings etc if you’re craving non-vegan food.
Thanks for your message and good luck. If you have any more specific questions feel free to ask again :)
